Grey Muzzle End-of-life Care and Planning

This article has been republished for exclusive use by The Grey Muzzle Organization with the permission of original author, Adam Clark, LSW, AASW

Anticipatory grief has many of the same symptoms as those experienced after a death has occurred and can affect those facing the companion animal as much as the loss of a human. Using his personal experience, Doug Koktavy offers strategies for coping with the impending loss of a beloved pet.

No one likes to think about losing a dog to old age, but just as distressing is the thought of our dog outliving us, alone and homeless. Many senior dogs end up in shelters for just this reason. These are some steps you can take to ensure the care of your dog after you are gone.

Hospice is best summarized as the philosophy of preserving quality-of-life over extending length of life and hinges on the belief that patients in the last phases of life deserve this care to live as fully and comfortably as possible. Animal Hospice recognizes dying as a normal process, whether or not resulting from disease, and sees the end of life as an opportunity for added deepening of the existing human-animal bond.