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I have the best job,
but it can also be the hardest job.

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I'm a veterinarian,
which means that throughout my life,

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my sole focus has always 
revolved around the health of this:

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your pet, from birth 
through puppy and kittenhood,

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and into adolescence;

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through that face-licking
and shoe-chewing phase,

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where it is always the most expensive
pair that gets damaged;

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past the gaining of wisdom,

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like why eating dead things
washed up on the beach

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really isn't the smartest idea
they have ever had;

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and into the years of quietening,

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where the point of life suddenly becomes

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how successfully they can lie
directly under foot

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as you move about the kitchen.

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Now, I always knew I cared
about the health of your pet.

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However, quite soon after graduation,

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I realized that I also 
really cared about this:

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I cared about the details of your life,

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the new baby, the broken arm at soccer,
the promotion at work.

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I cared about the fact that your pet
was a part of your family.

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And this is why I know that at some point,

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you are going to need
a veterinarian like me.

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I'm what is called
a palliative care veterinarian,

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which means I deal
with the health of your pet

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during the end-of-life stages.

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This is the point where 
you may have been given

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a terminal diagnosis for your pet,

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or where you have recognized
that your pet is now struggling,

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and where the cumulative impacts
of chronic illness

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and age-related changes
begin to affect happiness.

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In Australia, 
veterinarians that specialize

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in this kind of care are not commonplace.

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But it is a statistic 
that I am determined to change,

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because I see 
the benefits of it every day.

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As our pets become 
more a part of our lives than ever,

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as we continue to help them live longer
through great preventative care,

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I believe we need to be better prepared
for end-of-life discussions.

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And I get it; in this situation
the emotions are always devastating.

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But the process does not have to be,

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which is why I have decided 
to start my own palliative care practice.

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At its heart, palliative medicine
is about delivering

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the most compassionate care we can.

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It is care which is focused
on quality of life, and what that means,

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not based on numbers or statistics,
but for your individual pet.

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It is about ensuring that we are
adequately managing their pain,

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and the progression of their condition.

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It is about preparing you
for what is to come,

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so that we lessen the fear

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that may prevent you
from making good decisions.

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In its end stages, for my profession,

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palliative care is also
about helping families

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say a gentle goodbye.

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Over recent years,
we have seen dramatic changes

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in the standards of care
that vets can now deliver.

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And people are often surprised

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when they hear that almost all
of the treatment options

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that would be available for you,
are also available for your pets.

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Veterinary hospitals and specialty centers

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are often state of the art,
and they do amazing work.

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But ultimately, just as we have seen
in the human health world,

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hospitals are designed
for the management of treatable disease.

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They are not always the right place
for us to deliver comfort,

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or to say goodbye to those we love.

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So I am redesigning the script
for pets, and for owners,

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during this difficult time.

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I want you to meet Turbo.

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Turbo was a champ.

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This superstar absolutely rocked
the world that he lived in.

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He was one of those special souls

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that makes the world a better place
just by being in it.

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At the age of five,
he was diagnosed with kidney failure.

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But despite the poor prognosis,

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his family wanted to do
everything that they could

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to ensure that his last days
were some of his best days.

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So we addressed his nausea,
his dehydration,

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and his underlying infections,

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and this superstar
began to get his groove back.

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Over the months that followed,

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Turbo received daily,
supported home care from his family,

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and fortnightly visits from me.

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He visited his regular vets 
for monitoring of his kidney function,

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and with his support team on board,
he got on with living.

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He went boating and fishing.

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He rode shotgun in the truck with dad.

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And during the period of his illness,

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Turbo brought his entire extended family
back together again,

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by demanding that they attend
regular backyard campouts in his honor.

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In September, last year,

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when it became clear
that it was time to let him go,

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we planned a peaceful goodbye
underneath his favorite tree.

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And there was no stress, 
no fear, only sadness,

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which was lessened, somewhat,

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by knowing that he had received
the best of care,

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right up until the very end.

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So let's talk about how we implement


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the ideals of palliative 
care for our pets.

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Firstly, we need to be
more comprehensive in our care.

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And I am not talking 
just about the medicine,

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because chances are
your vet is already doing that.

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But when a family approaches us
after receiving a terminal diagnosis,

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we will also ask them

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whether they have thought
about a photography session,

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to help them treasure the moments
that they still have with their pet.

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Sometimes we will talk about bucket lists.

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For a pet, I know it sounds crazy,
but it is about joy,

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and life, and living,
in the midst of all of that loss.

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We understand that grief
can be overwhelming,

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so we have a registered 
psychologist on staff,

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who can help our clients through.

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And if talking isn't their thing,

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we have a library of books
that we loan out,

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some for kids, some for adults,
to help them learn about loss,

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and cope better
with the weight of their grief.

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We need to be more personable.

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Our patients cannot speak,
but there is so much that we can learn

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from heart-felt conversation 
with an owner.

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And it takes a little extra time,
but I promise you,

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it absolutely improves patient outcomes.

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And we need to know
about that pet's individual personality,

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because it will greatly impact
the choices we will make for them.

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And if the process of actually medicating
is damaging the pet-owner relationship,

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we need to stop, rethink it,
and come up with a better plan.

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We need to be brave.

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I first have that conversation about 
how our treatment plan has now evolved,

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to comfort beyond a cure.

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Then I dispense that extra pain relief,
because in that pet's life,

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if my actions today will make
their tomorrow a little better,

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then that is absolutely an action
that I am going to take.

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Where possible, we need to offer
more mobile services.

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I know that this is a challenge
for many vets in practice,

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but the benefits of home care
are extensive.

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I want families to be intricately involved
in any care decisions we make,

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and I want to see
that they are comfortable

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delivering the treatment options
that I prescribe.

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Most importantly, I know how hard
that last day will be,

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and for the families I visit, 
being at home as we say goodbye

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makes everything just a little easier.

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So pet owners, 
if this applies to you right now,

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ask your vet about your options
for a palliative care plan.

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My fellow vets, be open
to these conversations,

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because palliative care 
is insurance against suffering.

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It allows families 
to focus on what is important.

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And whilst we know

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that the loss of a friend
is always devastating,

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it is time to rethink
the way in which we help them go.

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Thank you.

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(Applause)