Hospice and palliative care for companion animals is a growing field that focuses on comfort and quality of life during terminal illness.
Veterinary hospice care represents a welfare-positive approach to terminal illness that prioritizes dignity and comfort over life extension at any cost. Animals in hospice are typically those whose illness cannot be cured and whose quality of life would not be improved by aggressive treatment. The hospice approach centers on what matters to the animal - freedom from pain, ability to engage in some enjoyable activities, comfortable rest, presence of bonded companions. Hospice and palliative care allow animals to remain in their homes during the final phase of illness, avoiding the stress of frequent hospitalization while maintaining quality care through owner management with veterinary guidance. The integration of regular quality-of-life assessment, proactive pain management, and honest conversation about when euthanasia serves the animal's welfare better than continued life distinguishes good hospice care from simple medical withdrawal.