Veterinary care-knowledgeable folks, a question about euthanasia costs for small pets

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

First off, no judgment please. My DH is allergic to everything furry, so pocket pets are the only kinds to whom we can give our pet love, which includes not letting them suffer at the ragged end of their days. And no, I don't have it in me to take a shovel to one of our beloved little pets, so this is what we have to do :( Yes, we would make absolutely terrible farmers/country residents. 

 

Here's my question. In the last few years we've had to put down a couple of suffering pocket pets. Our vet office is very nice and accommodating, and we like our main vet very much. She has handled my blubbering in her office very kindly :lol: That said, I don't think she has a whole lot more knowledge than I do about pocket pet care, and her treatments haven't really gone beyond antibiotics, basic mite checks, etc., so it's not like we're paying for very specific expertise. 

 

The basic visit cost is $65, which I understand, though when we go in with a sick pet, we don't usually get out for less then $125. My real question is about the cost for euthanasia. When I took our hamster in a few months ago, they wanted to charge me $175. That does include the basic visit fee--which, again, I understand, since it's appointment slot, they do an evaluation and talk over options, and so on. But is it possible that the cost of the gas to knock her out, the teeny amount of medication to euthanize, and the medical equipment needed costs anywhere near $110? 

 

I'm on a pet-specific FB group, and most of the people who replied to my question have paid somewhere between $20 and $75 overall for a euthanasia visit, so I can't imagine the supplies cost that much more in our area than elsewhere in the country. 

 

Is this something for which I should be "shopping around"? That sounds terrible, I know, and I wouldn't knowingly compromise on the quality/mercy of that final experience if that's what the cost difference involves, but wow, is $175 a LOT of money to put a 6-ounce creature out of its misery! Especially when other people have told me that their cat/dog euthanasia cost $150-$200.

 

What do you think? Are there factors I'm not considering here?

 

Thanks!

Edited July 10, 2017 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[TrixieB]

I have had to take two of our pocket pets to the vet to be euthanized.  IIRC the cost was around $50.  There was an additional charge if I wanted the pet to be cremated (I didn't choose that option - we buried them in the yard). 

 

Both times I called and told them I was bringing the pet for euthanasia.  There was not an office visit charge added -- the vet sees our pets for routine visits, illness, etc. and the office visit charge in those cases is the same as for a dog or cat.

 

Our vet treats cats and dogs, but is also quite experienced pocket pets, rabbits, etc.  Most vets in our area see only dogs and cats.  It's worth asking around to see if you can find someone with more experience treating the little guys.

[Guest]

The local humane society euthanizes pets for free.  I honestly don't care where I go as long as they let me in the room.  It's not just the gas and equipment; vets also have a fee they have to pay to properly dispose of animal remains (whereas you would probably just bury it in the backyard).

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I'm out of likes for the day, but I'm reading and thinking about every post. 

 

The local humane society euthanizes pets for free.  I honestly don't care where I go as long as they let me in the room.  It's not just the gas and equipment; vets also have a fee they have to pay to properly dispose of animal remains (whereas you would probably just bury it in the backyard).

 

Ah, I should have also said that we take our pets home and bury them in our little "pet cemetery" in the yard, so no disposal costs involved other than the little paper/plastic drape they wrap the remains in for me to transport them. 

 

Thanks for this info. I'll include them in the calls I make. Fortunately, our current pets are young and spry for the moment, so I have some time to research this. I wonder how common it is for them to let owners back into the room during the process? I would really like to do that, but our current vet didn't allow it, and from other discussions I've been involved in, it seems like very few vets do, so I didn't really even think to press the issue.

Edited July 10, 2017 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[Bluegoat]

I would ask them to break down the costs for you.

 

Do you know what they are doing, precisly?  With a lot of pocket pets, I've been told euthanizing means an injection directly into the heart.  But some places first give some kind of sedative, so that won't be painful - that would be an extra cost.

 

Some people who keep pocket pets learn how to euthanize themselves, but I'm not sure what that involves or whether it can go wrong if you are careful.

[fairfarmhand]

Shop around. Even a farm vet should be able to handle this for very little money.

 

For reference, to put down a whole COW they were going to charge my family $350.

 

ETA: Really, I've found farm vets to be the most reasonable about costs. They're used to people using a hard number to make the decision about what treatment to pursue.

Edited July 10, 2017 by fairfarmhand

[TrixieB]

Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. I'm out of likes for the day, but I'm reading and thinking about every post. 

 

 

Ah, I should have also said that we take our pets home and bury them in our little "pet cemetery" in the yard, so no disposal costs involved other than the little paper/plastic drape they wrap the remains in for me to transport them. 

 

Thanks for this info. I'll include them in the calls I make. Fortunately, our current pets are young and spry for the moment, so I have some time to research this. I wonder how common it is for them to let owners back into the room during the process? I would really like to do that, but our current vet didn't allow it, and from other discussions I've been involved in, it seems like very few vets do, so I didn't really even think to press the issue.

 

We have a "pet cemetery" also, for our gerbils. 

 

The first time I took a gerbil to be euthanized, the vet gave the initial injection in the back room.  Then she brought out our pet to the exam room where I was, to give the final injection, but the gerbil died in my hands and didn't need the second injection. 

 

The second time, I didn't want to watch.

 

Now we have another gerbil who needs to make that final visit and I have to make the call tomorrow.  It's so hard to say goodbye to the little guys, but it's not right IMO to let them suffer.

 

When our cat was euthanized (at a different vet), I was present for the whole time. 

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I would ask them to break down the costs for you.

 

Do you know what they are doing, precisly?  With a lot of pocket pets, I've been told euthanizing means an injection directly into the heart.  But some places first give some kind of sedative, so that won't be painful - that would be an extra cost.

 

Some people who keep pocket pets learn how to euthanize themselves, but I'm not sure what that involves or whether it can go wrong if you are careful.

 

They definitely (according to the doctor, at least, and she seems very kind, so I don't get the sense she's lying) put the pet out first before they do the shot to the heart. I did ask because someone here gave me all the lowdown on what needs to be done when it first came up a few years ago, so I knew they need to knocked out or they'd suffer. 

 

I imagine I could someday learn how to do it myself, humanely, but our state is generally not the kind of state where it's easy to get access to stuff like that so you can DIY. You can't even order medical tests for yourself here  :glare:  I can't imagine what it would entail, and I know the local pet rescue we've worked with goes to their vet for all euthanizations, for whatever that's worth. 

 

We have a "pet cemetery" also, for our gerbils. 

 

The first time I took a gerbil to be euthanized, the vet gave the initial injection in the back room.  Then she brought out our pet to the exam room where I was, to give the final injection, but the gerbil died in my hands and didn't need the second injection. 

 

The second time, I didn't want to watch.

 

Now we have another gerbil who needs to make that final visit and I have to make the call tomorrow.  It's so hard to say goodbye to the little guys, but it's not right IMO to let them suffer.

 

When our cat was euthanized (at a different vet), I was present for the whole time. 

 

 

Ah, our pet cemetery started with gerbils too, silly little sweeties. It was hard to say goodbye to them but they were suffering so badly that it was a relief to have it done. Scent gland tumors, SO awful. It actually makes me reluctant to get more gerbils :(

 

Right now we have hamsters, and our last was a hamster too. Boy, I didn't do well letting her go at all! I wish I could say I would definitely be in the room when it happens, but if I really think about it...I don't know. I am bizarrely attached to these little critters. I sobbed and heaved in the car after our hamster--she had a lot of personality, we used to say she was like our kitten. So maybe my being in the room is not such a great idea, really.

[TrixieB]

With a lot of pocket pets, I've been told euthanizing means an injection directly into the heart.  But some places first give some kind of sedative, so that won't be painful - that would be an extra cost.

 

Yes, that is what our vet did, with the sedative given first. 

[Pawz4me]

IME a vet that you've used regularly and who has cared for the pet for much of its life is much less likely to charge an office visit fee for a euthanasia than a vet you've never seen before. Which of course makes a great deal of sense. My own vet, who I've been using for over 35 years, usually charges me only a very small fee to euthanize a pet. I know they're losing money on it, but they do it as a courtesy because I'm such a long term client.

 

Euthanasia drugs used by vets ARE expensive, and aren't typically the kind of thing one can get to DIY. I mean think about it--if a relatively small amount of a drug can stop a heart it's certainly not likely that drug is going to be easily available. Now maybe people are using other types of drugs to do it at home. I don't know, it's not something I would EVER consider doing. If I absolutely had to dispatch an animal at home I can think of other ways to do it that are much more foolproof. And yes, a euthanasia can sometimes go horribly wrong even with an experienced vet. It's the main reason there's a lot of debate in the veterinary community about whether or not home euthanasia services should even be offered by vets. If something goes wrong in an office with trained help and equipment and drugs available . . . well, it's that much worse if it goes wrong in a home with no trained help and little equipment or other drugs.

 

The best vets for small pets are ones who have some exotics training and they will usually say "exotics" or "small pets" in their description. Many small pets really are quite different from dogs and cats, let alone from livestock. 

Edited July 10, 2017 by Pawz4me

[MercyA]

No judgement. My hamster passed away at home, but I had her cremated. True story. They bricked off a corner for her while they cremated a larger animal, so it didn't cost as much. 

 

Definitely, yes, call around. That is way too much, IMHO. 

 

This is supposed to be a humane at-home euthanasia method for rats:

http://www.ratfanclub.org/euth.html

 

Lots of stories from people who used the method, here:

http://ratfanclub.org/euthcomments.html

 

They are mostly positive stories, but there are a few negative ones. And of course rats are quite a lot bigger than your pets, so you'd have to adjust for that, I'd think.

 

I wouldn't be brave enough to try it, but it sounds like it was a good solution for some.

[Heatherwith4]

I think that's way too much money. We paid $50 to have our dog put down a couple years ago. I don't think there's anything wrong with calling around.

[StephanieZ]

Given that I've been in charge of pricing at our vet hospital for almost 13 years . . . I can tell you that pricing at vet hospitals is nearly random. :)  I wouldn't judge pricing on the expense of one visit or one service, as one hospital might charge $200 for euthanasia but $100 for a wellness visit, whereas the next hospital might charge $120 for euthanasia but $150 for a wellness visit . . . and you really have no idea how it'll average out unless you've used a range of services over time. There are thousands of invoice items in the computer system . . . Not a whole lot of brain power goes into deciding relative pricing, and once it's set up, relative pricing is rarely thought about . . . 

 

So, anyway, at *our* hospital, your cost would be a good bit lower for that particular service, but that doesn't mean your hospital is overcharging. And it doesn't mean we're, on the whole, cheaper than your hospital. We might just charge more for drugs or surgeries or vaccines or whatever while less for euthanasia. In general, we charge as much as we need to charge to keep the lights on . . . and we increase prices across the board on a regular basis to keep up with increasing expenses . . . but we don't put a lot of thought into relative pricing on a regular basis. Occasionally, dh (the main vet) will notice that Service X is too much, so we just go in and reduce that one thing . . . or Service Y is too cheap, and we'll nudge it up . . . But that's very rare. There's no standardized way to price things . . . So, relative pricing is really pretty darn random in the vast majority of vet hospitals. 

 

FTR, euthanizing a pocket pet can be more work and more trouble than euthanizing a larger cat or dog. Finding a vein on a gerbil is WAY more work than finding one on a cat or dog -- and not every vet could even do it, especially on a sick, often dehydrated pet whose veins are even harder to find than in a healthy pet. Vets often use special equipment for anesthetizing/euthanizing pocket pets . . . The "hard costs" for drugs is a tiny part of the expense of euthanasia, so the smaller volume needed for a pocket pet isn't relevant. The fixed costs of the room/staff/equipment/controlled drug record keeping/etc are all the same, regardless of the size of the patient . . . I'd generally expect pricing to be similar if not identical among species for the euthanasia itself -- as it is at our practice. If anything, I'd expect the pocket pet euthanasia to be a bit higher due to the need for special equipment that then requires cleaning/etc. (If the pocket pet is one we can't readily get a vein in, they'll have to be anesthetized with anesthetic gas, requiring them to be put in a little glass box/aquarium with gas pumped in . . . since they're too small for our masks . . . Etc, etc. The process is time consuming, wasteful of gas, necessitates more ventilation to clear waste gases to protect staff, etc, etc. It's a PITA.) We used to price pocket pet euthanasias about 50% higher than cat/dog, but a few years back I just made them all the same price . . . as we do so few pocket pets that it's just not worth the hassle of having different prices, so we just eat our higher costs a few times a year.

 

Also, euthanasia is very hard on the staff. Hospitals don't want to be the cheapest vet in town for euthanasia because they don't want to get all the price shopping euthanasia clients. It's depressing and hard on the staff . . . Our practice will not do price-shopping euthanasia clients. We don't perform euthanasia unless the vet feels it is medically indicated/acceptable ethically, so the vet needs to assess the patient before euthanasia. To do that, we require an exam (with fee) for new patients (and established patients who haven't been seen for an exam in a while) . . . SO, price can vary depending on your relationship with the vet (and this is common among vet practices). Essentially, it boils down to . . . vets feel bad making a profit of euthanasia, so often under-charge for this service. However, they also don't want to get "new client euthanasias" -- as they are frequently extra stressful and/or unpleasant, so they may inflate the official service for anyone phone-shopping it (and then often discount it for established clients). If we found we were attracting price shopping euthanasia clients, we'd increase our prices the same day we discovered it. The last thing we want is extra euthanasia patients . . . 

 

 

Anyway, that's probably as clear as mud.  Hope it helps.

 

 

[zoobie]

It's higher than what our vet charges for dog and cat euthanasia, which usually is nothing but we have taken all of our animals to the same vet for 21 years now.

 

I would call around to find someone who has specialized knowledge in pocket pets, but I wouldn't price shop for that particular service. StephanieZ explained it well. Vets tend to undercharge and get price checked more than other professionals with their level of education and expertise, and it's a very stressful job.

 

I'm sorry about your pet. :grouphug:

[Guest]

Pocket pets are a pain to euthanize, but I still haven't seen a charge higher than $50 around here, and the cost of services is usually very high compared to other cities.

 

For what it's worth I have had to euthanize two animals at home with the DIY linked above and it worked wonderfully. Peaceful and a lot easier than trying to do any shot.

[goldberry]

For what it's worth I have had to euthanize two animals at home with the DIY linked above and it worked wonderfully. Peaceful and a lot easier than trying to do any shot.

 

You guys are brave, I'm not sure I could do that!  It's quite interesting though!