•Hospice Care for Dogs and Cats
(Any Age)

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The health care team is dedicated to bringing comfort to your beloved pet as life nears its end. Terminal illnesses and the dying process can be experienced with dignity, as an animal rests at home with its loving family. Anyone who is caring for a elderly and frail pet or a pet in the end-stage of a terminal illness, probably has some level of understanding of what it means to provide HOSPICE CARE. Essentially, hospice means providing palliative (comfort-oriented rather than cure-oriented care) until their pet dies naturally or until the caregiver makes the decision to euthanize their pet. We want our patients to stay pain free, comfortable and fully engaged in their lives as much as possible.

A "hospice" is not necessarily a particular place; it is a philosophy of care that is founded upon the principle that end-of-life care can and should be provided by the patient's caregiver and family, in comfortable and familiar surroundings. Hospice is about quality of life, not quantity of life. Let us be your partner in caring for your pet at the end of his life. Our care focuses on providing pain control and physical comfort to the pet, as well as emotional support for the family.

As members of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) our veterinarians understand the many different and integrative approaches to providing effective pain management. Using the most current pain management recommendations we strive to enhance patient comfort and quality of life for your pet.

Plan ahead. If the best estimate is that your pet’s life expectancy is at six months, then your pet is eligible for hospice. Don’t wait to make plans and decisions about end-of-life care. Involve your vet. Our hospice care offers you and your family time to adjust to your pet’s progressive disease and to say good bye in your own way in the comfort of your own home. The health care team at Alta Vista Veterinary Hospital can and should be your partner in hospice care.







•Euthanasia


With gentle compassion a house call visit from a veterinarian and technician can help your pet’s passing in the familiar and comfortable surroundings of home. We offer cremation services and upon request can have your pet’s ashes returned to you. Losing a deeply beloved pet is an incredibly painful experience and we strive to make the experience as smooth and as peaceful as possible. We understand your grief and we are here for you with deep sympathy and compassion.












Pet Loss Support Groups:


At our Hositapl with Dr. Allgire and Dr. Peterson on the first Wednesday of the month from 7pm-8pm beginning December 7, 2011.

Hospice of the Valley on the first Saturday of the month from 9 am to 10:30 am. The office is in Phoenix at 1510 E. Flower Street, near 16th Street and Osborn Road.

HOME CARE SERVICES

Let us take care of your pets in the comfort of their own home. Avoid the stress of the car ride and let us do the driving instead.


•Services Offered in the Comfort of Your Home

Physical Examination
Blood Work for laboratory testing
Vaccine update
Heartworm testing
Microchip placement
Toe Nails Trimmed
Anal glands emptied
Ears Cleaned
Medication refills
Acupuncture
Physical therapy
Hospice care
Euthanasia


•Annual Wellness Exams for Adult Dogs and Cats
(Ages 1 to 7)

In the comfort of your own home one of our veterinarians and
veterinary technicians can provide a complete physical examination of your pet. Have your pet’s teeth, eyes, ears, heart, lungs, skin/coat, joints and spine evaluated. Upon your request, toe nails can be trimmed, anal glands can be emptied, ears can be cleaned, and blood can be collected for analysis. Heartworm tests can be performed, vaccines can be updated and prescriptions of medication refilled. Your time is valuable and your pet is happy in the comfort and safety of their home. A house call visit can alleviate a time consuming visit to the hospital and the anxiety your pet may have about hospital visits.

Annual examinations of your pet are so very important. For every one year of our life our pet ages approximately seven years and health changes that may not be outwardly noticeable can often be found with a complete physical examination. Annual exams are the best form of preventative medicine and preventing illness or catching the onset of a disease early on can offer the best outcomes in the health care of our pets.










•Annual Wellness Exams for Geriatric
Dogs and Cats
(Ages 7 & older)

It can be extremely difficult to get our older dogs to the hospital for regular exams. They are often painful and less mobile, more anxious, and difficult to lift into the car. A house call visit from the health care team at Alta Vista Veterinary Hospital can alleviate the stress of traveling away from home and provide a much needed exam and consultation by a veterinarian to keep your older pet healthy, comfortable and happy.

As our dogs age it is important to have regular veterinary visits. Our older animals often need to be carefully evaluated and we provide a Geriatric Assessment Survey to help us determine the best care needed for your beloved pet. Nutrition and weight control are discussed during our geriatric house call visits so that we may keep your pet happy and healthy. Ideally, your geriatric pet should be seen by a veterinarian at least twice a year. Dogs age approximately seven years to our one year and their health care needs can change rapidly as they age. While we would like to see our older pets twice as often as when they are young adults the difficulty of getting our older pets to the hospital becomes twice as difficult! Consider a housecall and let us come to you.