Photo by Rob Fuller on Unsplash.
We all want our animal companions to live forever.
And they do!
Just not in physical bodies.
Since our companions tend to live shorter lives than we do, the responsibility for senior care and hospice comes to us. Knowing how your friend is feeling physical and emotionally, and when s/he is ready to leave the physical form, can be challenging without Animal Communication.
Here are 3 tips on how Animal Communication can help you understand and make decisions.
1_ Animal Communication can tell you what your companion wants and is ready for, but the information may vary from day to day and even hour to hour. It helps you check in with your animal friend over the course of their illness or hospice care situation.
2_ Animal Communication helps you understand the animal’s perspective about death, dying, transition, and what type of assistance is wanted.
3_ It’s better to start the telepathic conversations earlier than later, so you both can enjoy and cherish your remaining time together and be prepared for changes that will come.
There are some basic principles to keep in mind when caring for an elderly or sick animal. This list was created by Dr. Alice Villalobos, a veterinarian who retired in 2020. She was talking about hospice care, but I would like you to consider that this list is important for all of our animals.
- no Hurt
- good Hydration
- no Hunger
- good Hygiene/Mobility
- Happiness
- More good days than bad
No Hurt
Some animals are stoic, and will hide their pain. Some will refuse to admit pain because they don’t want to go to the veterinarian.
Still, pain management is essential for everyone. There is no excuse for allowing an animal to remain in pain.
As an Animal Communicator, I have frequently spoken with animals receiving pain medication only to discover from the animal that their dosage or medication schedule or both may need adjustment for their comfort level to improve.
Sometimes the pain medication needs to be changed.
Other times, natural supplements that can reduce pain are a welcome addition to their pain management program.
Good Hydration
Without good hydration, an animal’s body cannot function optimally. They become constipated, and their kidneys cannot clean their blood. They can DIE.
Depending on the degree of dehydration, the animal may be confused because their brain in insufficiently hydrated, and their pain levels will also be higher.
Dehydration that affects someone’s thinking
requires an immediate visit to the vet or emergency room for subcutaneous fluids.
Learn to do THE PINCH TEST.
To test if your dog is dehydrated, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch a little skin on their back or the top of their head. If they are well hydrated, the skin should spring back when you release it. As the skin loses moisture, it will move back into place more slowly.
To test if your cat is dehydrated, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch a little skin on the back of their neck. If they are well hydrated, the skin should spring back when you release it. As the skin loses moisture, it will move back into place more slowly.
To compare how quickly an animal’s skin returns to normal, test the skin of a healthy animal, or test your own skin on the back of your forearm.
Fortunately, when I speak with an animal who is elderly or sick, I can often tell right away the state of their mental functioning. In the past I’ve completely stopped a session and told my client to immediately take their animal to an emergency room for hydration. In some cases, this has actually saved an animal’s life.
The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” definitely applies here. Some preventative tips you can start while your animal is healthy:
Adjust your animal’s diet by adding more water to the food. No need to make the food soupy, but a rich chili consistency can make all the difference for a dog or cat who is still eating.
Animals addicted to dry pet foods may resist changes to their diet, so I recommend getting your dogs and cats onto the best quality wet food you can afford. This also means that freeze dried raw food must be fully hydrated before feeding.
No Hunger
If an animal is unable to eat, feeding by syringe may be appropriate in some situations. Sometimes sick animals in the wild stop eating for 24 hours to give their digestive systems time to rest and recover naturally.
Cats, in particular, will start to lose liver function if they go 3 days without eating anything, so if you have a feline companion, don’t wait to see the vet if your cat stops eating for more than 24 hours.
Keep in mind that the normal process for an animal preparing to move out of their body will often begin when an animal stops eating.
When an elderly or sick animal is refusing food, understanding what’s going on is essential to the animal’s comfort and quality of life, as well as their process of departure.
An animal who asks for food, but then refuses to eat over more than 24 hours is seriously ill and requires immediate medical attention. The diagnosis and treatment plan, and whether the animal begins to eat again, will signal what is appropriate with regard to food.
Refusal to eat may also signal the time for a telepathic conversation with your animal companion about end-of-life and what type of assistance the animal would like.
Keeping an animal alive in the hopes that he or she will start to eat when the medical diagnosis is that the animal has an inoperable tumor affecting their digestive system or the space inside their abdomen is, in my opinion, allowing the animal to starve to death.
Good Hygiene/Mobility
Some small animals will allow you to bathe them and keep them clean if they are unable or don’t feel well enough to groom.
Others will resist and be miserable if you continuously have to wash or groom them.
With large dogs who may be unable to stand or walk to get to an appropriate place to eliminate waste, caring for them may become impossible. Furthermore, some animals become severely depressed when their mobility becomes permanently limited.
Each situation needs to be individually evaluated. Both the animal’s needs and your own needs and limitations must be recognized as part of the equation. In a telepathic conversation with your animal companion, all of this can be shared and understood by all concerned.
Happiness
Happiness is subjective. We cannot “make” someone else happy, but there are things that can be done to help you and your animal with emotional issues around illness, physical limitation, and end-of-life.
With my clients, I have found that sharing perspectives and understanding each other’s feelings and viewpoints does a great deal to alleviate emotional distress and strengthen the bonds of love.
The Emotion Code™ system I use to release emotional blocks often helps everyone adjust to the situation while honoring the process.
There are also flower essences that may be beneficial.
More Good Days Than Bad
The end-of-live process is not a straight line. It’s up – down – sideways – around. There are times of joy; times of pain; times of sadness; times of exhaustion for your animal companion (and for you, as well).
Sometimes an animal say he or she is ready to depart, but then suddenly feels better or has incredible energy for a day or so, and then crashes. It can be difficult to understand what’s happening.
Often this behavior indicates the animal’s spirit is building energy for use in disconnecting from the physical form and leaving the body.
If you animals friend is experiencing 2 or more continuous days of pain that can no longer be managed, difficulty eating or refusal to eat, or other bodily functions are failing, it’s time to consider helping your companion to freedom from the physical form.
NAVIGATING END OF LIFE
Echo, my horse for over 20 years, told me as the end of her life neared and we were discussing euthanasia,
Euthanasia is a gift that you give your animal.
The role of the predator is to give a quick exit to elderly, sick, and weakened animals. It is a gift.
So now you must become the predator and give the GIFT of freedom from the body.
Some animals and their human companions choose a natural ending of life where the animal leaves the physical form on his/her own. There are ways you can assist with this process.
If this is what you and your animal friend choose, you can learn about it in this kindle book: “Animals and the Final Journey” by Paloma Bartschi-Herrera. Paloma is a professional Animal Communicator who has helped many animals to leave without euthanasia, and her book is full of valuable information that will enrich and ease this experience for both of you.
Whatever you and your companion choose, taking the time to talk about it, to share feelings, and to say goodbye is important for both of you.
Quality of life matters!
I hope that these tips and principles will assist you and your companions
to create and maintain a high quality of life as physical life comes to an end.
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