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It’s probably not what you think it is.

If you are like most people, the term brings up images of terminal diseases and the final chapters of life. While palliative care can be a part of hospice care, it’s actually simply a focus on the reduction of suffering caused by pain, stress and/ or symptoms at any stage of any life-changing injury or illness.

Palliative care goes beyond the curative treatments and is patient-centered to reflect the individual goals and preferences of the pet and you, their care-givers.

Palliative care can apply to cases that are not life threatening, but may have a significant effect on the quality of life.

There are many situations it could apply to:

  • A major injury that does not shorten a life, but will likely have a life-long impact such as an amputation.
  • A major illness that can be cured, but may take a long time to do so.
  • A cancer diagnosis when you feel that chemo is not the best choice and would rather focus on your pet’s quality of life.
  • A major illness that might not be curable, but might be managed with palliative care in such a way that the pet continues to have a long and happy (if not cured) life.

In all of these situations, palliative care can play a significant role in helping manage long-term pain, decrease suffering through symptom relief, and increase and/or extend your pet’s independence.

Let us join you on the journey to an improved quality of life for your beloved pet and for you!

Transitions Veterinary care provides services to you, your pet, and your family from the comfort of your home. We eliminate the need to go through the often arduous, fearful, and sometimes painful task of transporting your pet and the unfamiliar environment of a traditional veterinary hospital. Additionally, our in-home assessments allow us to evaluate your pet in their actual environment, providing us with a much more accurate understanding of your pet’s situation.

Transitions Virtual Medical Care will provide all the virtual care you and your pet might need in-between formal In-Home visits. Many clients have shared with us how much they appreciate the extra supportive medical care we provide through phone calls, email, video, and text messaging—all without the need to visit a Veterinary Office or waiting for a formal in-home Visit.

Respect is one of our founding CARE Principles, and so we always begin by taking the time to truly understand the needs of you, your pet and your entire (human and animal) family. This is a detailed process which explores all of the many facets of you and your pet’s activities, environments, limitations, and desire. 

Our detailed palliative consultations include:

Initial CARE consultation

Quality of life assessment

Pain and mobility assessment

Home and environment assessment

Nutritional assessment

Pain may be difficult to assess at lower levels. When evaluating quality of life, we must be able to recognize the subtle changes of behavior that might indicate pain so that relief with medications can be offered to our pets. The following information is used by the veterinary medical field to score the level of pain an animal might be experiencing.

Learn about our CARE Plans: Continual CARE Plan | Comfort CARE Plan | Intensive CARE Plan
Make An Appointment 805.984.6678 or Contact Us

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At Transitions Veterinary Care, we bring compassion into your pet’s journey. Everything we do is intentional and is always grounded in our CARETM Philosophy.

comfort

for you and your pet

attention

to small details and the big picture

respect

for your wishes, needs, and your pet’s preferences

expertise

a focus on senior/ geriatric, palliative, and end of life stages