One of the most challenging parts of caring for a sick or elderly pet is knowing when it’s the right time to say goodbye. Our veterinarians are specialists in end-of-life care, and we can help you understand how your pet is doing, and what your options are for supporting them with continued palliative care, or, if the time is right, administering at-home pet euthanasia. We believe in the benefits of providing care at home, where you and your pet feel comfortable.
Read on to learn more about Lifting Stars’ quality-of-life consultations. If you are concerned about your pet’s quality of life and would like to book an at-home consultation, please get in touch.
$445
This includes a one-hour at-home consultation.
$350
This includes a 30- to 45-minute in-home consultation.
Please review our service area map for additional travel fees.
When you book a quality-of-life consultation appointment with Lifting Stars, one of our veterinarians will visit your home, discuss your pet’s health concerns, perform a physical exam, and review the findings with you. Next, we will help you assess your pet’s current quality of life. We will chart the expected progression of your pet’s illness, and how this might affect their quality of life now and over time. We will also speak with you about your own circumstances, and what you are realistically able to do for your pet, both in terms of supporting your own well-being, and your pet’s — understanding that these are deeply linked. This includes factors such as finances, how often and by what means daily medications must be administered, lifting or carrying your pet if they are large, or any other considerations that may be specific to your life and to your pet’s day-to-day experience.
During the consultation, if you decide that the best plan is to stay the course, our veterinarian will provide you with guidance and frameworks for understanding and assessing your pet’s well-being on an ongoing basis, and for supporting their comfort at home. In situations where you would like to pursue further diagnostic evaluations or continue with palliative care, we will refer you back to your regular veterinarian. If you do not have a current veterinarian, we can refer you to a local veterinary hospital or specialist as needed.
If you decide you want to know more about pet euthanasia, in the moment or for when the time is right, our veterinarians will discuss the at-home end-of-life procedure and address any questions you might have. We will help guide you in creating a customized end-of-life care and memorial plan that will work best for you, your pet, and your family.
To book an at-home pet quality-of-life consultation appointment, reach out using the contact info below. You can also use our form to request a visit.
We schedule up to one hour of time for an at-home quality-of-life consultation appointment with one of our veterinarians. We understand that sometimes a full hour is not needed, while other times a little more time is required. Our goal is to take the time needed to fully discuss your pet’s health with you and to conduct a physical assessment while also keeping our doctors on schedule for the multiple families we are helping each day. If you have any special timing requests or concerns, please reach out to us, and we will try to accommodate your needs as best as possible.
The veterinarian will help guide you in the appropriate timing of the euthanasia. Once that is established, our veterinarian and support specialists will work together to help you schedule the next available appointment. Occasionally, our veterinarians may be able to proceed with euthanasia during the quality-of-life consultation visit, but often it will be necessary to schedule a later date. Our doctors will address each situation on a case-by-case basis.
Please note that Lifting Stars is not an emergency service. We will try our best to accommodate your needs during our regular working hours, but if we are unable to meet your specific needs, referral back to your regular veterinarian or a local animal emergency service may be required.
We have collected a number of tools, guidelines, and resources for assessing how your pet is feeling on a day-to-day basis. Visit our Resources section advice and guidance on understanding your pet’s well-being and quality of life, and on deciding when it is the best time to say goodbye.
