Dr. Diane Eigner
All Cats Considered – Episode 120
Diane Eigner, VMD, MBA, CVPM, CHPV, CFV and Katrina Breitreiter, DVM, DABVP (Feline), the chairs of the Hospice and Palliative Care Guidelines task force, join Kelly St. Denis, DVM, DABVP (Feline Practice) for a discussion about the new AAFP/IAAHPC Hospice and Palliative Care Guidelines. Drs. Eigner and Breitreiter discuss why this topic was important to be turned into guidelines for veterinary professionals, the importance of defining the different terminology around hospice and palliative care, and how to think of palliative care as an extension of senior cat care. They discuss key concepts such as “budgets of care,” “comfort care,” and the “unit of care” and how each concept relates to the other.
The discussion also details how to talk to caregivers about the moral considerations in the care of feline patients, the importance of an individualized patient plan for quality of life, and the need for veterinarians’ to rely upon caregivers to help guide the treatment plan for the patient.
Finally they touch upon the options available for veterinary professionals when assisting patients with caregivers who object to euthanasia plans and some advice for veterinary teams in dealing with the stress of these situations where they may disagree with the caregivers. /p>
Additional material mentioned in the episode:
2023 AAFP/IAAHPC Hospice and Palliative Care Guidelines
Hospice and Palliative Care Client Brochure