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| Caring for chronically ill pets can be a burden on carers too. Veterinarians can help alleviate some of the stress by remaining in contact and providing information. |
The phrase “in sickness and
in health” is built into wedding vows, but caring full time for an unwell
spouse is (usually) the furthest thing from someone's mind when they marry.
Similarly, when you adopt a pet, you don’t tend to think about additional care that
might be associated with serious or chronic illness. It may feel like it’s “not
what you signed up for”. As our pets age they need us more, not less, but being
a carer can be stressful.
In human patients they talk
about the “caregiver burden” – and to some degree, those caring for very ill
companion animals may experience similar stress. As with any caring duties,
this stress is reduced if the burden can be shared. But if you’re on your own
caring for an animal, that can be tough. I know people who alter their work
hours, change their routines, pop home at lunch time to medicate/check on a pet
and so forth. Modifications to the home are not uncommon. Some owners of dogs
with arthritis building ramps around the home, and some dogs suffering from
visual deficits or dementia need toddler gates to prevent access to the stairs.
As a veterinarian I think it
is important to be aware of the stressors faced by carers and providing support
where possible.
There was an insightful
study, published in 2013 (see reference below), documenting the impacts of
caring for chronically ill dogs on the caregiver’s life.
In this study, twelve owners
of dogs that required significant home care were interviewed.
Potential impacts on the
life of an owner include:
- Change in daily routine
- Expenses associated with veterinary and nursing care
- Stress about their animal being in pain
- Fear that an animal may be hurt or die if unattended
- Anxiety about the animal’s death
- Changes in the behaviour of the animal
- Being woken in the night
- Increased cleaning requirements
- More time spent at home/reduced ability to travel
- Anticipatory mourning
The lesson here for
veterinarians is that we need to inform owners as much as possible about the
possible impacts on their lives, and provide support for people caring for
unwell dogs. In particular, owners of unwell dogs appreciated:
- Detailed information
- Clear and thorough instructions for care
- Being able to contact someone to answer questions
- Advice on medication techniques
- Advice on what to expect and monitor
- Frank discussion about euthanasia
We also need to recognise
that euthanasia is a blessing and a burden. Knowing that they can choose
euthanasia may be a relief to some owners, restoring a sense of control even if
they don’t take the option, while for others the burden of decision making is a
stressor in itself.
Reference:
Christiansen SB, Kristensen
AT, Sandoe P & Lassen J (2013) Looking after chronically ill dogs: impacts
on the caregiver’s life. Anthrozoos
25(4):519-533.
