At Sunset Vets, we understand that as pet owners, we want nothing but the best for our beloved four-legged family members. We strive to ensure they are happy, healthy, and comfortable throughout their lives. But as they age or face illness, it’s essential to think about what happens when their health declines and they need extra care. This is where an advance care plan comes into play.
National Advance Care Planning Week is a perfect reminder for all pet owners to consider how they would handle a situation where their pet’s quality of life begins to decline. Just as we plan for our own future medical care, it’s equally important to plan for the care of our pets, ensuring they receive compassionate, tailored care when they need it the most.
What is an Advance Care Plan for Pets?
An advance care plan is a proactive and thoughtful approach to making decisions about your pet’s health, comfort, and overall well-being at the end of life. These decisions include palliative care, pain management, planning for euthanasia or the dying process, aftercare and memorialisation. By having these plans in place early, pet owners can reduce the emotional burden and uncertainty that often accompanies these difficult decisions.
Planning Ahead: Why It Matters
Planning ahead ensures that your pet receives the best care possible while also giving you peace of mind. It minimises discomfort and suffering while helping you feel more prepared when difficult decisions arise.
Key Considerations for Creating an Advance Care Plan
Every pet and family is unique, but an advance care plan should address several key aspects to ensure both pets and their caregivers are supported throughout the journey.
1. Emotional Readiness & Caregiver Well-Being:
Preparing in advance can ease the emotional strain of making tough decisions in the moment. It allows you to focus on what’s best for your pet rather than feeling overwhelmed by emotions during a stressful time. Caring for an unwell pet can also take a toll on your own well-being, leading to exhaustion or distress. Tools like our Caregiver Burden Assessment Form can help you reflect on your emotional state and recognise when additional support may be needed.
2. Quality of Life & Comfort:
As pets age or face illness, their needs change, and it’s important to regularly assess their well-being, including comfort, mobility, appetite and environment. Resources such as our Quality of Life Assessment Form can help you track these changes over time, providing valuable insight into when adjustments to care may be needed. Alongside this, working closely with your vet ensures that pain and symptoms are managed effectively through medication, lifestyle modifications, or other palliative measures, keeping your pet as comfortable as possible.
3. End-of-Life Decisions:
One of the most challenging aspects of pet ownership is knowing when it’s time to say goodbye. Advance care planning gives you the time and space to thoughtfully consider when euthanasia may be the kindest choice for your pet. It also allows you to reflect on whether a peaceful goodbye at home, surrounded by the comfort of familiar sights and sounds, feels right for you and your pet. This preparation helps ensure your pet’s final moments are filled with love, calm, and dignity, allowing you to make decisions with clarity before an urgent situation arises.
4. Aftercare and Memorialisation:
Thinking ahead about how you’d like to honour your pet’s life can provide comfort when the time comes. Exploring and understanding your options for cremation or burial of your pet, as well as considering ways in which you may wish to honour and remember them, well in advance, can help make the grieving process more meaningful.
Looking Ahead with Support
At Sunset Vets, advance care planning is about more than just preparing for the future. It is about ensuring both pets and their families are supported every step of the way. National Advance Care Planning Week, March 17th to 23rd, highlights these important conversations and the crucial work we do every day. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about something we are deeply passionate about, ensuring that every family has access to compassionate end-of-life care when their pet needs it most.
If you are unsure where to start, call us on 1800 368 763 or get in touch to discuss a plan and explore tools like our Quality of Life and Caregiver Burden Assessment Forms. Taking these steps can help ensure your pet’s final journey is filled with all of the most important things – comfort, dignity, and love.
