Where is that hospital coming up with those prices? And they are sending ashes home in a cardboard box? What's up with that?

I've had two of my pets cremated and their ashes never came back in a cardboard box. They came in a cedar box that has a lock on it. The key and cremation certificate are taped to the bottom.

I don't remember how much it was to have them done. One was a baby pre-hensile tailed skink, the other was my cat that died from cancer. I *think* to have both of them done came to around or just under $300.00. Lilly was under a pound and Jinkx weighed 6.25 pounds when she finally just stopped eating all together.

Strange...

Colin was more than $200 to euthanize, and that was without body disposal. We took him home and buried him. They offered some special services like putting a pawprint in bakable clay, but we refused them. They offered creamatorium, solo and mixed, but we did not want that. Prices were only hinted at. They were kind about not making us pay for it that day. Instead, I had to face the bill the next time I went there with one of my sick pets. I would have liked to have just been done with it instead of seeing it a month later.

I don't begrudge my vet's pay scale. The care there is very good.

I went through it twice last year with Australian Shepherds that both got Hemangiosarcoma. My first was put down on a weekday and during office hours. $65 for the vet, No IV just syringe. Cremation was private, arranged by us and $145 for a 45lb dog.

Eight months later is was Sunday afternoon at the vet for $85 and the cremation was $155 due to the fuel costs. Both dogs were placed in nice matching (at our request) cedar boxes.

Although we would have paid much more than look at the poor dogs suffer any longer, the vet didn't take advantage of us in our vulnerable state.

My last lil rescue was euthanized for $140- mass cremation, not private. If we had went with private, it would have been a $110 office visit (catheter, euthanasia, something else in there, cannot recall) and probably $80-$100 for private cremation.

That receipt you quoted- that is PATHETIC and would piss me off to no end. I don't care if we are talking about Emergency vet care or not- if she JUST brought her pet in to be put down, there is no excuse for those prices! Yes, I know Emergency vets need to pay their bills and their staff, BUT- they make that off of the poor suckers who have to visit for regular emergencies.

I know I was just at my vet, after hours, for one of my baby kittens- he is three weeks old and developed pneumonia, of all things (UGH! He has a Momma waiting on him out of state and he better pull through!). It was cheaper for me to go in, after hours, have xrays done, pay for bloodwork, and antibiotics, then it was for this poor woman to pay to put her pet to sleep!!! My bill was $350, for all of those services, at 10 PM on a Sunday night.

Ugh, ugh, ugh!!!

Ah- and you quote the price on private cremation... Is it a service you actually offer or do you use a company? I'm assuming you use a company. Locally, you typically are sent home with a brochure for one or two private cremation companies- if you use the service I use and don't purchase an urn, your babe is still returned to you in a tin urn with flowers painted on the side. Not the prettiest of things, but when you just spent $3000 on vet bills- it's nice to know you aren't getting ashes in a cardboard box! Plus, you get a Rainbow Bridge print and a pawpring from your pet with a clipping of fur in a heartshaped frame.

Typically, I think our town runs in the higher numbers when it comes to vet services- I'm glad to see, when it comes to death, our vets are more understanding then others...

Cremation of a Great Dane at the emergency vet: $165. Don't remember how much the euthanasia was. The whole visit was about $800 (x-ray and tubing for GDV. He had torsioned and was a poor risk for surgery and we chose to let him go.) Ashes were in a simple wooden box.

Cremation of a two large male Greyhounds at our regular vet in Florida: $175 each. Cardboard box on both, you could get a wooden box or urn for more $. They used a different crematorium than the e-vet. Both dogs died at home, so no office visit or euthanasia charge.

Euthanasia for a 45 lb Saluki in West Texas, very low income area, $36. No office visit charge. We took her home and buried her since we have no intentions of moving from this spot.

When we lived in Florida my mother-in-law's hideously overweight dog died while we were dogsitting him, at 2 am. I was on the phone with the e-vet at the time he expired. They offered to put him in the freezer for us, but we just waited until our regular vet was open at 8 am. This dog weighed close to 175lbs and it cost $250 to cremate him and get the ashes back, because he wouldn't fit in the freezer and the crematorium had to make special trip to come and get him. This was the same vet as the Greyhounds.

I work at an Emerg Hospital (in Canada) and you're right, the vast majority of our euthanasias aren't convenience, but the thing that really gets me is that a lot of the animals we put down could have been saved if they were only brought it a few days earlier. People, if you dog has been paralyzed unexpectedly from the neck down and has had no trauma, go to emerg today not after 2 days, if your male cat hasn't peed, go to emerg today, not after a week, if your cat just gave birth but you're pretty sure there's still a kitten in there, for the love of all things good, to go emerg today! don't wait 3 days, and by the way, bring the kittens in with her they need mom to survive even a short time. Oh man.

Maybe the markup is because emergency hospitals do so many more euthanasias that we charge so much more. I'm just an animal care attendant there so I've never actually looked at our prices, but I'm going to check it out.

And ashes in a cardboard box, that's awful. Ours go out in pine boxes or proper urns, whatever the client wants.

On the cardboard box: Our service calls it a "wood grain biodegradable box" but it is essentially a [not unattractive] cardboard box. I think most people go in for it because they're ultimately interested in burying or spreading the ashes (it's illegal to bury pets in Miami-Dade couty, where I live). Cedar boxes are considerably more expensive.

Went through this in July of 05 for my 80-pound retriever. Including private cremation, the total was about $400.

My parents told me last year that they were never charged for the euthanasia of our pets when I was growing up. Is it possible that veterinarians (before my time) used to not charge their regular customers out of respect/kindness and/or good PR ... or are my parents remembering this wrong?

My cat Smokey's oral cancer finally got to be too much for him a few weeks ago. The cost for euthanasia with an office visit was $135.00. I don't mind paying for the office visit. The vet did spend some time examining him and reassuring me that I was doing the right thing. I didn't get the remains back though. I have my pictures and memories of him. That's enough.

Thankfully Peeper spared me from having to make a choice of euthanizing her. Her cremation though cost me something like $100, I forget. The price and my options were clearly written up on a sheet present in every room, and choices included mass cremation (small fee), individual cremation with return of ashes (what I chose), necropsy (for an additional fee), and donation (for the students, as it was a teaching hospital). I wanted to be able to donate her body so that students could learn better how to prevent similar deaths, but I couldn't do it.

In the end it cost me $830 to watch her die and be handed a pine box bigger than her original body.

The moral of the story for all pet owners: as soon as you get your new pet, decide how much money you're willing to spend in the attempt to save his/her life, or to make him/her comfortable. Then set that money aside and do not ever touch it. When the time comes, the only questions you should ask are "Will this treatment help my pet?" "Are the side effects worth it?" I had earmarked a grand for Peeper, and I was so glad that I didn't have to question how much things cost, but could concentrate solely upon her care. Had I hit that thousand-dollar mark, I would have reconsidered her situation and my financial situation, but I did not reach it.

Cremation Comparison: Pet/Human
Almost 3 years ago my Mother passed away and at her request she was cremated. The cost was only $985.00.
I think there is some serious scamming going on at that ER hospital down there in Florida???
Of course my Mother died of natural causes but I don't think it should cost nearly as much to euthanasia and cremate a animal as it does to transport & cremate and return human cremains.
Or not....

Our local vets seem quite reasonable regarding euthanasia costs. Four years ago, I had to have Dixie, my 11 year-old, 78-pound Lab put down due to cancer of the spleen; at that time the office visit, labs, xrays, and finally, euthanasia, cost me $325. And last year, the euthanasia of my 17 year-old cat was $85 (no office visit charge as the diagnosis had been made 6 months prior). I had hoped Stormy would slip peacefully away at home, but unfortunately I had to have her euthanized when her quality of life became such that I could not let her continue to suffer. Neither was cremated; the friends are buried together under a large oak tree at home in a sort of memorial garden.

Iin the area where I live, there is a large elderly population, and many working poor who can't afford even those modest charges. The local shelter where I volunteer will do owner-requested euthanasia fora very minimal donation. (These are always for humane reasons only; never for "convenience"). The charge is $10 for cats, $20 for dogs. Unfortunately, due to regulations and lack of space, owners cannot remain with their pets, but they can take the remains if they choose for cremation or burial at home, or the shelter will dispose of them if desired. There are usually 2 or 3 of these daily; usually requested by a tearful elderly person for their equally elderly pet.

At the e-clinic I worked at, if they came in for straight euthanasia it was a flat $65 (IV cath, pre-sed if needed, euthanasia solution). Private cremation started around $80 and went up to around $140 or so. The cremains came back in a cedar box. For both it was rarely over $200, sometimes around $150. To think of an e-clinic charging over six hundred dollars for services that probably do not even cost a tenth of that is ridiculous.

I also have gone through the painful experience of euthanizing a pet. Our very young English Bulldog, Molly, came down with pneumonia and her hypoplastic trachea prevented her from being able to clear her lungs at all. After 1 week in an oxygen cage and no improvement in her condition my husband and I decided to let our little girl rest in peace with no more suffering.

In any event, I don't remember the exact cost and it's still, after 3 years, too painful for me to want to pull the paperwork out to be reminded of that awful day, but I cannot imagine that it cost ANYWHERE near $600+.

I completely agree that if there is a need to make more money in the veterinary industry situations involving death and euthanasia are NOT the appropriate place to implement increased fees! In after-hours situations, especially, the pet owner may have no other choice than the local e-vet and it is horrifying to see such a facility take advantage of a vulnerable pet owner!

Gina: Yep. Your parents are probably remembering correctly. We sometimes skip the whole fee for very good clients. I work for two old-timers who believe in the old-world etiquette surrounding death.

As to the prices for cremation services--I've looked into it and found that they vary tremendously from area to area. And not just in pet cremation. Apparently, Florida is expensive because of political, environmental and just plain geographical issues. A human cremation here cost a friend $2800 last year--no urn, just ashes (in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box).

Maybe my clinic was just old school, but we didn't place a catheter or sedate, just hit a vein with euthasol and charged $20-60 depending on the size of the animal. Group cremation was another $20, and there was no office call fee.

Private cremation was another matter - we had a contract with a crematorium to handle all our private cremations, and there was something like a 150% markup, and it generally came to $300-400, and the owner got an urn. If people asked real nice, we'd let them go through another crematorium and store the body in our freezer for $30 or something like that, but the vet would get cranky about it.

It seems to me that a basic euthanasia/body disposal shouldn't cost much - my concern is people letting their animals suffer at home because they don't want to pay the fee, or dispatching them less humanely. Private cremation, on the other hand, is kind of an above-and-beyond service, so I'm not surprised it costs so much, although it does seem a touch on the high side. And I agree that perhaps the markup should be lower for this particular service. Thanks for giving me something to think about.

Gosh, Julia, I'm so glad my vet DOES place a cath and sedate. I encourage my readers to be with their pets at the end, and it's so much easier for everyone with the "new" procedure.

Now, I haven't attended near as many euthanasias as a vet, tech or shelter worker, but I fairly regularly go with friends to help them get through, help to explain, etc. In the old days, I'd see a few things that made me sorry I nudge them to stay with the animal. I don't think the animal was suffering, but it could have been read that way by the owner.

Most recently, I went with my brother to say good-bye to his boxer, Taz. I went in two hours before the appointment and paid the bill so that would be out of the way. Then I went to my brothers, and spent time with Joe and with Taz before we had to leave. I answer questions, and let him know what would see, and told him that if he didn't or couldn't want to stay with Taz, that was OK, and I would be there with this darling old dog.

Joe left the room when Taz was sedated and cathed. I stayed. Then Joe came back in, along with out veterinarian. The passing was peaceful, and Joe left knowing he'd done something good and loving. That's worth a cath and sedation, to me.

:::sigh::: was crying while typing, hence all the typos. Sorry.

I was crying too. I'm surprised how much I still miss Smokey.

The vet didn't charge us when we had to put down Ty, a bull mastiff that I was caring for because her family moved to California. They had hoped to take her back home when they had moved into a new house but because the real estate market is so crazy there it took them a bit longer to get into a place where Ty could be with them. During the year she was living with me Ty develped bone cancer. We did what we could to treat her. But it didn't really work very well. Tthen we worked with the vet on keeping her as pain free as we could. When she stopped wanting to eat and didn't want to visit with the neighbors we knew it was time. The vet had been so kind to us during the whole ordeal.
It was really tough to be in the room when it happened.
Ty's first family paid for cremation and it was no where near that price....I think they paid about $100.

This reminds me of when I was a little girl the family funeral home never charged for a funeral for an infant because it they felt it was a bad business practice.

My department has paid for the cost of euthanasia on a few occasions, as a thank-you when a client--of his or her own volition--asked if his or her pet could be donated to the teaching program, and it happened to be at a point when we could use them. We never ask clients if they will, nor could we handle a large volume-certainly not the cost of more than a few animals--but owners who have brought their pets to be treated at large teaching hospitals may be able to donate the remains, if not for the (rather mercenary on its surface) possible alleviation of some cost of the procedure, then for the possible benefit to future veterinarians.

I've donated two of my beloved animals (neither of whom were euthanized, but who died in hospital, so cost wasn't an issue)--and I had to be the one to prepare them for class. I started work very early in the morning each time, so nobody could see me crying. I'm glad that students could take something away from each case, and if I ever lose another of my babies, I'll certainly donate again, but. . .well, those were not my favorite days.

On 01/28/08 I took my HoneyBunch to the vet. Hadn't eaten in 2 days; stayed in bed. Vet said possible liver problem, pancreatic problem, or diabets. With the "complementary Nail Trim and complementary Ear Cleaning" the bill came to $520. CBC (bloodwork) was $235. Next day learned Honey was diabetic. She got her first injection. Next day, next injection. 3 hours later panting, breathing heavy. Rushed to vet. She convulsed. Made that difficult decision to euthanize, after considering everything. HoneyBunch's distress was more important than my happiness of having her with me. Asked for private cremation. Today I learned the vet charged me $150 for the visit, $130 for the private cremation, and $295 for giving Honey one injection to put her down.

I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income and HoneyBunch and Greymore make life worth living. Of course, my financial situation is no concern to anyone, especially the doctor. But personally, I find it immoral that a veteranian would charge $150 for a visit PLUS $295 for euthanasia. Especially since I went to his office during regular working hours.

I have no medical insurnce for myself and go to a clinic where it costs me $18 for a vist and around $25 for a full blood workup. ... anyway, Greymore and I are grieving. There's a huge void in my home and Honey's pillow on my bed is empty. He keeps looking over at it. He hasn't left my side since HoneyBunch was put down last Wednesday. Yes, life goes on. But right now our lives were not as happy as it was 1-1/2 weeks ago.

So hold your babies close and make luv with them daily. Let them know with actions and yes, even words, that you love them. I had 12 fantastic years with Honey, and that's what I want to dwell on. She's resting peacefully now. Peace to her, and love and peace to all of you animal lovers. You're the best of the best. Linda from New York

On 01/28/08 I took my HoneyBunch to the vet. Hadn't eaten in 2 days; stayed in bed. Vet said possible liver problem, pancreatic problem, or diabets. With the "complementary Nail Trim and complementary Ear Cleaning" the bill came to $520. CBC (bloodwork) was $235. Next day learned Honey was diabetic. She got her first injection. Next day, next injection. 3 hours later panting, breathing heavy. Rushed to vet. She convulsed. Made that difficult decision to euthanize, after considering everything. HoneyBunch's distress was more important than my happiness of having her with me. Asked for private cremation. Today I learned the vet charged me $150 for the visit, $130 for the private cremation, and $295 for giving Honey one injection to put her down.

I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income and HoneyBunch and Greymore make life worth living. Of course, my financial situation is no concern to anyone, especially the doctor. But personally, I find it immoral that a veteranian would charge $150 for a visit PLUS $295 for euthanasia. Especially since I went to his office during regular working hours.

I have no medical insurnce for myself and go to a clinic where it costs me $18 for a vist and around $25 for a full blood workup. ... anyway, Greymore and I are grieving. There's a huge void in my home and Honey's pillow on my bed is empty. He keeps looking over at it. He hasn't left my side since HoneyBunch was put down last Wednesday. Yes, life goes on. But right now our lives were not as happy as it was 1-1/2 weeks ago.

So hold your babies close and make luv with them daily. Let them know with actions and yes, even words, that you love them. I had 12 fantastic years with Honey, and that's what I want to dwell on. She's resting peacefully now. Peace to her, and love and peace to all of you animal lovers. You're the best of the best. Linda from New York

On 01/28/08 I took my HoneyBunch to the vet. Hadn't eaten in 2 days; stayed in bed. Vet said possible liver problem, pancreatic problem, or diabets. With the "complementary Nail Trim and complementary Ear Cleaning" the bill came to $520. CBC (bloodwork) was $235. Next day learned Honey was diabetic. She got her first injection. Next day, next injection. 3 hours later panting, breathing heavy. Rushed to vet. She convulsed. Made that difficult decision to euthanize, after considering everything. HoneyBunch's distress was more important than my happiness of having her with me. Asked for private cremation. Today I learned the vet charged me $150 for the visit, $130 for the private cremation, and $295 for giving Honey one injection to put her down.

I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income and HoneyBunch and Greymore make life worth living. Of course, my financial situation is no concern to anyone, especially the doctor. But personally, I find it immoral that a veteranian would charge $150 for a visit PLUS $295 for euthanasia. Especially since I went to his office during regular working hours.

I have no medical insurnce for myself and go to a clinic where it costs me $18 for a vist and around $25 for a full blood workup. ... anyway, Greymore and I are grieving. There's a huge void in my home and Honey's pillow on my bed is empty. He keeps looking over at it. He hasn't left my side since HoneyBunch was put down last Wednesday. Yes, life goes on. But right now our lives were not as happy as it was 1-1/2 weeks ago.

So hold your babies close and make luv with them daily. Let them know with actions and yes, even words, that you love them. I had 12 fantastic years with Honey, and that's what I want to dwell on. She's resting peacefully now. Peace to her, and love and peace to all of you animal lovers. You're the best of the best. Linda from New York

On 01/28/08 I took my HoneyBunch to the vet. Hadn't eaten in 2 days; stayed in bed. Vet said possible liver problem, pancreatic problem, or diabets. With the "complementary Nail Trim and complementary Ear Cleaning" the bill came to $520. CBC (bloodwork) was $235. Next day learned Honey was diabetic. She got her first injection. Next day, next injection. 3 hours later panting, breathing heavy. Rushed to vet. She convulsed. Made that difficult decision to euthanize, after considering everything. HoneyBunch's distress was more important than my happiness of having her with me. Asked for private cremation. Today I learned the vet charged me $150 for the visit, $130 for the private cremation, and $295 for giving Honey one injection to put her down.

I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income and HoneyBunch and Greymore make life worth living. Of course, my financial situation is no concern to anyone, especially the doctor. But personally, I find it immoral that a veteranian would charge $150 for a visit PLUS $295 for euthanasia. Especially since I went to his office during regular working hours.

I have no medical insurnce for myself and go to a clinic where it costs me $18 for a vist and around $25 for a full blood workup. ... anyway, Greymore and I are grieving. There's a huge void in my home and Honey's pillow on my bed is empty. He keeps looking over at it. He hasn't left my side since HoneyBunch was put down last Wednesday. Yes, life goes on. But right now our lives were not as happy as it was 1-1/2 weeks ago.

So hold your babies close and make luv with them daily. Let them know with actions and yes, even words, that you love them. I had 12 fantastic years with Honey, and that's what I want to dwell on. She's resting peacefully now. Peace to her, and love and peace to all of you animal lovers. You're the best of the best. Linda from New York

On 01/28/08 I took my HoneyBunch to the vet. Hadn't eaten in 2 days; stayed in bed. Vet said possible liver problem, pancreatic problem, or diabets. With the "complementary Nail Trim and complementary Ear Cleaning" the bill came to $520. CBC (bloodwork) was $235. Next day learned Honey was diabetic. She got her first injection. Next day, next injection. 3 hours later panting, breathing heavy. Rushed to vet. She convulsed. Made that difficult decision to euthanize, after considering everything. HoneyBunch's distress was more important than my happiness of having her with me. Asked for private cremation. Today I learned the vet charged me $150 for the visit, $130 for the private cremation, and $295 for giving Honey one injection to put her down.

I'm a senior citizen on a fixed income and HoneyBunch and Greymore make life worth living. Of course, my financial situation is no concern to anyone, especially the doctor. But personally, I find it immoral that a veteranian would charge $150 for a visit PLUS $295 for euthanasia. Especially since I went to his office during regular working hours.

I have no medical insurnce for myself and go to a clinic where it costs me $18 for a vist and around $25 for a full blood workup. ... anyway, Greymore and I are grieving. There's a huge void in my home and Honey's pillow on my bed is empty. He keeps looking over at it. He hasn't left my side since HoneyBunch was put down last Wednesday. Yes, life goes on. But right now our lives were not as happy as it was 1-1/2 weeks ago.

So hold your babies close and make luv with them daily. Let them know with actions and yes, even words, that you love them. I had 12 fantastic years with Honey, and that's what I want to dwell on. She's resting peacefully now. Peace to her, and love and peace to all of you animal lovers. You're the best of the best. Linda from New York

My vet charges $16 to put the pet to sleep. That includes everything - tax, office visit, and the medication. She is a really well priced vet, and obviously does it cause she loves the animals. She let us stay with our cat as she passed, and I made sure that the last thing my cat saw as she drifted off was that I was there, and loved her, and that I so wished that it was not happening.

My aunt just had to euthanize her Saint Bernard "because he was ill and dying" and it cost her over $1000. This was without cremation or anything fancy, she still has to bury her dog. I think this "diagnostic" was incorect because I knew the dog, and we had thought he had fleas and maybe worms because he was a little thin. "Ill and dying" was the only thing she was told, because " they couln't find out what was wrong with him." We had an ol Shih Tzu who fell from our stairs and broke her neck (she was quite blind and in no pain) we had to put her down, still burying her, for $25. It was a heart breaker because I had lived with her since I was born, and the whole family loved her.

The only reasons for pets to be euthanized should be if they are in dire need of it.

We just had our beloved pom/chihuahua mix euthanized on the 2nd.  It only cost $25.  We didn't have him cremated.  We brought him home and buried him ourselves.  :(  

I can't believe some of these charges listed here!

I just had my wonderful 16 yr. old cat euthanized.  She suffered from a tumor and liver disease and weighed less than five pounds and had pretty much stopped eating.

I couldn't bear to part with two other cats in the past and had kept them alive too long. I went in to the emergency clinic on a Sunday evening to see if she had any quality of life left.  The vet assured me she was in pretty bad shape and didn't have any quality of life left and was possibly in pain.  I was offered alternatives of taking her home and going to my vet on Monday morning or having a vet come to my home to euthanize my cat.  I agonized over the decision but decided to do it at the emergency clinic. If I had waited until Monday it probably would have cos me onlly $100, but I have been crying for two days and decided since I was at the clinic to just go ahead and let her be at peace.

Charges--exam $50, euthanasia $113, mass creamation-no ashes returned $63  TOTAL $226

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