Vet Bill

While I agree with this to some extent, vets can report you to the rspca if you refuse to let a vet put your animal down. I read a case about an elderly man who was advised to put his dog to sleep. He told the vet he needed to take his dog home to process this info' and say his good-byes.
After a few days the rspca turned up. He was prosecuted for allowing his dog to suffer unnecessarily.

Midgey

Over my lifetime we have had about 5 cats and only once, our last cat, when we knew she was in pain, did we take her to the vet to be pts. The others died peacefully, quietly, at home, with us present. We buried them in the garden and have never had a problem with them being disturbed.
Interesting the vet tried to frighten us into cremation by them saying she would be ‘dug up’. I think she may have been ‘digging’ for a greater fee.
We brought our cat home, dug a deep hole which was hard given it was winter and laid a solid piece of wood to protect her from foxes. We planted snowdrop bulbs where she is buried which flower every year. It has remained undusturbed ever since.

‘Let them die naturally?’

The mind boggles!

We had working dogs and pets, but any signs of illness, distress or injury were treated immediately by an independent vet practice. One of our girls had breast cancer and was euthanased as it was clear she was in pain. Another had a stroke and made a decent recovery, but a second more serious stroke needed prompt action. I couldn’t live with myself, if we’d let them ‘die naturally’.

PS my dogs’ nails were cut too while she was asleep. No charge for that.

watermeadow That is half what it would have cost with my current vet practice, which is not independent. I am on the waiting list to join our newly opened independent vet practice but sadly I think I will need to get my dog's teeth done before I can transfer.

It won't be long before someone offers a funeral plan for pets, would probably be quite lucrative at those prices.

Today my dog had a dental under general anaesthetic. 3 teeth removed and scale and polish. The bill shows several injections and she came home with Metacam for a few days. No unnecessary blood tests beforehand.
Total cost £320, which I thought reasonable. My vets are independent.

Bit harsh monami for many of us our pets are a very important part of our lives. They provide love and companionship and a reason to get up in the morning.
I would not bury a pet in the garden as I would worry about him/her being dug up.

It never used to happen, my father had 4 dogs let them die naturally and buried them in the garden, vets have become huge money making machines for the fickle minded who treat them like children

I didn’t ask for my last dog’s ashes to be returned to me. It’s not as if it made any difference to him, he’d gone, and I didn’t need his ashes to remind me. The dog before him was put down after a very sudden trauma and I hadn’t thought it through when the vet was asking me if I wanted individual cremation. His ashes came back in a wooden box with a brass plaque and it stayed on the windowsill for years (behind a big photo of him) until eventually I decided where to bury it.

Friends have warmly recommended Suffolk Pet Crematorium, they have a very informative website, including prices. Note I have no personal experience of them but they have excellent reviews.

It’s never easy to lose a beloved pet, it’s easier perhaps to have a clear idea of expectations at the end.

Not particularly high. Last dog was cremated all ithers buried in the gardens, 3 different ones. Last one died in a national vet teaching hospital, and we just didn't relish transporting her home for a burial. The ashes were delivered to our local vet and we buried these in the garden.

Yes, some local authority should audit the ballooning of Vets' bills - which must be responsible for the putting down of many more animals than they save... I adopted a stray kitten and took him to the Vet for a once-over and injections. Can't remember exactly the cost, I was so shocked - and when I bent down to get my wallet from my bag the receptionist (from her high counter) asked 'Are you alright - have you fainted?'

My condolences.
Ten years ago I was charged £360
to remove one of my dog's claws which he had accidentally pulled.

After a death - human or animal - my attitude to the remains is a simple ‘how do we get rid of that?’ They’ve gone, I’m not sentimental over the dust. But others differ, and vets are expert at charging for several levels of ‘dignity’. Crematoriums have got greedy, hence the trend for ‘direct cremation’. The equivalent for pets should be available if you insist.
Sorry about your pet though.

The only real benefit I can see is capping the amount that can be charged for writing a prescription.

Transparency regarding all charges is needed but that wont bring down the price. If your pet needs to see a vet, you have to pay.

New laws for vets coming in now re fees. Not before time.

A few months ago we paid £320 for euthanasia, a single cremation and return of the ashes in a biodegradable tube . They also gave us nose and paw prints which was a nice touch .

My vet practice is independent and not only are their fees lower but I know they will not do unnecessary tests and treatment, which the big corporate vet businesses routinely do.
Unfortunately our vet has no out of hours cover so when my little dog was seriously ill at a weekend we had to go to a vet hospital where every drug and procedure was charged at twice our vet’s fees.
My three year old dog’s bill came to over £4000 and she died. These big business vets take your bank card details before they even look at your pet.

So sorry you have lost your beloved dog midgey. 💐💐
We have had to part with our dogs and cats in the past and it is very traumatic. Vets’ bills are extremely high, and I had heard that this was being looked into by those on high, with the probability of reducing them. We have paid for euthanasia and cremation and it was no cheaper some years ago.

Sorry to hear your lovely dog had died midgey it is heart-breaking, one of our little girls was put to sleep last week too. She was naughty and lovable and we will miss her so much
Our bill was 280 euros including single cremation and return of her ashes.
Thinking of you

Sorry for your loss - from experience I know it’s not easy, Personally, I don’t think that’s too bad. A home visit 20 years ago to euthanize our old cat was £175.
As others have pointed out, the cremation (and presentation of the ashes) is probably the biggest half of the bill.
However, if your dog was 10 years old, that works out at just 67p a week for your last duties to her.

We were covered by our pet insurance but she was quite young. I am not sure if you would get the cover for an older dog.

That's very cheap for a horse cremation and obviously there's the cost of the euthanasia on top of that, which is usually around £400. Obviously the size of the horse also has to be considered. Unfortunately I don't think the fee paid by the OP is unusual.

You can still bury a dog cat or small pet in the garden, plant a tree on top as a memorial £350 is scandalous for a small pet, a friend had a horse cremated last year, it only cost £250.