Hospice palliative care: Making goodbye, a meaningful experience

Spending the last days with your dying pet can be a painful experience, but depending on how you support them, it can turn into a meaningful experience.

Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian, Dr Hanako Ogawa Source: Hanako Ogawa

Hanako Ogawa is a emergency and critical care veterinarian, working in Sydney's North Shore. Dr Ogawa arrived in Australia in 2005, to fulfil her childhood dream of living abroad.

Having primary interests in emergency medicine and hospice palliative care, she has helped many animals and families through difficult times.

Source: Hana Ogawa

Although situation can be heartbreaking at times, like discussing the option of euthanasia, Dr Ogawa says the fact that owners can mentally and emotionally prepare for their pet's death can be perceived as a blessing in disguise, when compared to a sudden  and unexpected death, for example.  

"Depending on how I support them, it can become a meaningful experience"

Source: Hanako Ogawa

Apart from minimizing the pain and suffering of the animals, Dr Ogawa says she will always put the owner's wishes first, and think together, how they would like to spend the last days. 

Dr Ogawa who has also worked at a veterinarian clinic in Japan, was at first surprised and shocked at how often euthanasia is chosen over natural death in Australia. She says the Japanese spirit of "taking care of people until the end of their lives" is still within her, but over time, has come to accept that "euthanasia (though depending on the situation) is a gentle, comfortable choice for the sick/injured animals".

"Regardless of whether the end is natural or by euthanasia, my wish is the same: that the final moments of a pet's life be as long, comfortable, happy, and full of memories as possible" says Dr Ogawa.

Like many other industries,  veterinarian hospital is not immune to staff shortages. Dr Ogawa says, she realized for the first time, how many veterinarians and nurses come from over seas.

"Although no new staff were coming in, more staff were going home"

To ease the load on veterinarian hospital, Dr Ogawa asks pet owners to be extra vigilant during the festive season.

Tinsel can be extremely dangerous for pets when swallowed 　 Source: Getty Images/NickyLloyd

"Cats, especially kittens love tinsels. Once they swallow, they cannot stop. We often see cats with intestinal obstruction"

Common accidents seen in  dogs during the month of December include "eating chocolates and eating barbeque skewers" she says.

Many of these things are avoidable, when taken extra care. Not only will it reduce the pain and suffering of the animals, it will also save you from expensive bills.

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