Pets: Local vet to discuss how pets with painful conditions and chronic or terminal illness can be helped by animal hospice

Pets with chronic, painful and/or terminal diagnoses benefit from animal hospice.

Comfort is an especially important topic within animal hospice, as understanding how animal's manifest pain more readily — and how a clinician can help with ways to mitigate pain have come a long way.

"Euthanasia isn't the only option when a pet is ill or at the end of their life," adds Turenne.

Starting out with a consultation as early as possible, and talking about a pet's needs is the first step. Then, creating a hospice plan that is personalized for the pet and the family comes into play. Depending on the needs and health of the animal, Turenne makes periodic check-ins with the family to assess any changes that may needed in care.

Several factors come into play during the planning stages, like philosophical and financial considerations, as well as preparing the humans for the transition. Anticipatory grief is very much a part of the process for those who share life with pets that are nearing end-of-life.

"It's all about empowering people to better care for their pets."

All of this, ideally done when a pet is healthy and doing fine: humans are in a better position mentally to think about how they would like to address issues with mobility, pain and the like.

Turenne concluded our conversation by saying that she's finding that people really want to be involved as much as they can with their pet's overall wellness and that it's a great thing — they know their animal better than anyone. That's crucial during hospice.

"Pet owners are really intuitive when it comes their animals."

The free event will be held on Sunday, March 10 from 2-3 p.m. in the Crazy Wisdom Community Room, 114 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor.

Turenne will further explain the growing field of animal hospice, and cases will be presented. Open discussion is encouraged. Call 734-385-7161 for more information.