At Home Palliative,
Hospice,
& End of Life Care for Pets

In-Home & Virtual Services

Here you will find a list along with description of the mobile services we provide, from an initial quality of life assessment to virtual consultations to end of life and after care options.

Our coverage area is divided into zones 1, 2, and 3. You can check the areas we cover in South Dublin & Wicklow and the South East (Wexford & East Waterford) to find your zone.

Home visit fees are determined by which zone you live in. Once you have determined your zone, you can find the price list for your area here.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions about our services, or if you need help deciding which option is best for you and your pet.

1 In Home Quality of Life Assessment Consultation

This in home consultation usually lasts around 1.5 hours, and we ask that everyone involved in your pet's care be present if possible. The consultation includes a review of your pet's clinical history, full physical examination, quality of life assessment, pain scoring, and cognitive function scoring. We will then work with you to formulate a treatment plan, prescribe any appropriate medications*, provide a bespoke 'Just in Case' kit for emergencies*, and discuss continued palliative, hospice, or end of life and after care options for your pet depending on what is most appropriate for you and for them at this point. A summary report will also be sent to both you and your primary care veterinarian after the visit.

*Any medications administered or prescribed are not included in the consultation fee, and will incur additional costs. We will discuss this with you during the visit.

2 Follow Up Home Visit

This is a 45 minute follow-up home visit for patients who have already undergone an initial assessment. Includes a physical examination, prescription review*, and discussion of any changes in your pet's condition or quality of life.

*Any medications administered or prescribed are not included in the consultation fee, and will incur additional costs. We will discuss this with you during the visit.

3 Home Visit for Monthly Injections

This is a 30 minute home visit for patients who have already undergone an initial assessment. It includes a physical exam and administration of monthly medications (eg. Librela, Solensia, Cytopoint, etc.). It does not include the cost of the medication itself.

4 Home Acupuncture - Single Session

This is a home visit specifically to provide acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture can be a beneficial complementary therapy for a wide range of symptoms and conditions including osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, nausea, constipation, otitis, and orofacial pain to name a few. For more detailed information on acupuncture, see our dedicated page on the subject here.

5 Home Acupuncture - Bundle of 4 Sessions

This bundle includes 4 at home acupuncture sessions. When starting acupuncture, most patients benefit from weekly treatments for the first month to accurately assess their response to therapy, so this package covers their introductory course. The sessions of future bundles can then be spread out at the interval which best suits the individual.

6 Virtual Consultation

If you are new to Rainbow Bridge Veterinary Services, this first consultation will be a 45-60 minute video call which includes a review of your pet's medical records, a general discussion of your pet's condition, and an abbreviated quality of life assessment to help you decide if an in-home consultation or pre-euthanasia visit might be right for you.

For those who have already had an in home assessment, this is a 30 minute check-in video call to touch base about your pet's condition and any changes since the last consultation, and answer any questions you may have.

Please note we cannot prescribe or give advice on prescription medications based on a virtual consultation alone, this requires a physical examination within the last 3 months.

7 Pre-Euthanasia Consultation

When the decision to go ahead with euthanasia is imminent, this 1 hour visit helps families prepare for what's to come. We will provide guidance on making the most of the time your pet has left, how to know when is the 'right' time, what to expect during the euthanasia procedure, aftercare options, and supports available to help you through the grieving process.

8 At Home Gentle Euthanasia

The first step of this visit is to evaluate and discuss your pet's condition, to ensure euthanasia is the right decision at this point for you and your pet. If the decision is made to go ahead, we will review the euthanasia procedure with you to ensure you know exactly what to expect, ask you to sign a consent form, and confirm your aftercare choices. We will then administer some sedation to your pet to ensure the procedure is as peaceful and fear free as possible. When you are ready, we will then give the final injection, and let you know when your pet has passed away.

Following euthanasia, there are a variety of aftercare options available. Please see our aftercare page for details and pricing.