Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Integrative Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Klickman, Rachel
- Affiliation:
- Purple Moon Herbs and Studies · United States
Plain-English summary
Hospice and palliative care for pets is all about making sure they feel as comfortable and happy as possible during their final days, while also supporting their families. This type of care often includes traditional medications, which can help but might come with side effects or specific concerns for certain pets. To enhance this care, veterinarians can also use alternative treatments like acupuncture, herbal remedies, essential oils, and physical therapies such as massage and chiropractic care. These integrative approaches can provide relief from common issues that pets face in hospice and palliative situations. Overall, the focus is on improving the quality of life for both pets and their owners.
Abstract
Hospice and Palliative care is focused on improving and maintaining quality of life for both the pet and their family. This goal is often accomplished by using conventional pharmaceuticals, which can be very effective but may also have side effects or concerns about use in specific patients. Hospice and palliative care may be greatly enhanced by the use of integrative options such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and essential oils, as well as physical modalities (chiropractic medicine, physical rehabilitation, massage, etc) in proving relief from the common conditions seen in the hospice and palliative care population.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40781017/