How much does it cost to put your dog to sleep?

In this guide, we will answer the following question: How much does it cost to put your dog to sleep? We will talk about the process of putting your dog down – costs, choosing the right moment, making the decision. 

How much does it cost to put your dog to sleep?

The whole process of putting your dog to sleep has different costs, depending on how it is done. For starters, you can have the vet come to your house or you can take the animal to the clinic.

If the vet comes to your house, you will be charged separately for travel expenses that do not correspond to the treatment itself. You may be charged a higher rate if it happens at night, emergency or on the weekend. It is also possible to leave the dog at the vet after euthanizing it. 

The total costs of the whole process range between $100 and $600,  sometimes it can be more. It depends on where the euthanasia is performed, the required medication, the vet, and the owner’s wishes regarding the funeral.

The breakdown of expenses for putting your dog to sleep

1. The euthanasia procedure costs at least $20.
2. For medicines, vets usually charge between $20 and $50.
3. Sedatives cost between 10 and 20 dollars.
4. If after the procedure you leave your animal at the vet, you are charged for the removal of the body between 20 and 30 dollars.
5. The price of the procedure increases over the weekend and in the evenings by 50 percent.
6. Travel expenses are at least 8.60 dollars and depend on the distance.
7. If you want your pet to be cremated, the price may go up as well. The cremation and the urn cause additional costs, depending on the weight of the animal the average price is between 100 and 300 dollars.

Pricing is determined by the fee schedule the vets have. In addition to euthanasia, the price of travel and the surcharges for the working time employed are covered by law. Each vet can double or triple the price depending on the effort. Therefore, it is worth comparing prices from different veterinary clinics.

What is euthanasia?

Basically, it is a procedure that involves the administration of a narcotic to the dog in small doses so that the animal can die calmly and without pain or suffering. The advantage of this method is that the dog does not suffer pain at any time, since for him it is as if he were sleeping peacefully.

Important: the vet is the one who has the final opinion on the application, or not, of euthanasia, consult all your doubts with him.

If you wish, you can bury the animal with your own hands. However, there are some rules that you should know before you get to it: for example, it is forbidden to bury pets in the woods. However, you can bury your furry friend in your garden. You do not need a permit for small animals, but for larger animals, you will.

In addition, animals must be at least half a meter below the ground, must not have died from reportable diseases, and must be within a meter or two of public roads.

This is undoubtedly one of the most complicated moments since facing the last goodbye is as complicated as when you lose a loved one.

Here are some reasons for euthanasia

As a general rule, a serious illness or serious injury such as heart problems leads to the need for euthanasia. The owner of the animal can decide to end its suffering and thus the dog can stop feeling pain unnecessarily.

Of course, it is a very difficult decision to make for anyone who loves animals but it makes more sense to end the pain of the dog quickly than to let it pass away in agony.

The veterinarian will be the person who decides if it is positive to accompany the animal at this time. Our recommendation is to be clear that if an animal has a serious and incurable disease, euthanizing it is salvation.

Before letting the animal suffer, it makes sense to give it a quick and painless death. Dog owners have the opportunity to make the last minutes of the animal more beautiful with certain details:

• Pet your four-legged friend while they sleep.
• It is best to euthanize it in your own home because it is a place known to the animal.
• Stay with your pet when it is euthanized.
• Put on some quiet music, it will help you all.
• You can put the dog on his favorite blanket or put his most special toy next to him.

How is a dog euthanized?

When there is no other solution but to do it, that is, when the vet recommends doing it because it is the only solution to end their pain, is when it should be done.

Dogs are ALWAYS euthanized in a veterinary hospital, except when the vet travels to the house where the puppy lives. The veterinarian will sedate our puppy, that is, he will put a sedative to make him sleep and thus not suffer. Once the dog is completely asleep, he is given another injection containing something that will end his life.

Never, under any circumstances, should a puppy be euthanized without completely sedating it first. And always, it must be done by a certified veterinarian, otherwise, you would be committing a crime of animal abuse.

So you already know the cases in which our puppy should be helped to rest in peace, only and exclusively when it is the only option, be it to alleviate his pain (incurable) and always under veterinary recommendation.

And remember that the life of a dog is not measured on his last day, but in all the happy days that you have spent with him and him with you.

Coping with the death of your pet

The loss of a dog means that a very special relationship is lost and, although not all people can understand it, the most important thing in these moments is to let the feelings surface because ignoring the grief will not make it go away. When the dog reaches old age, the option of euthanasia may need to be considered. 

This decision must be made together with the veterinarian and honestly evaluating the health of the animal; It is not simple, but it can be considered as the last act of love towards him. Avoiding suffering is, normally, a constant of the owners during the life of pets and, in the final moment, it should be more than ever.

If the owner decides to be present during the process, it is essential to reassure the dog, dedicate words of affection to him and be as cheerful as possible, since the animal will perceive these emotions. Remembering the good times that you have given us can be of great help to avoid tears that, on the other hand, would be completely natural, but that would annoy the dog. 

For some people, it is important to check that their pet has left in a calm way and, at the same time, having the possibility to say goodbye can be a great help to overcome the loss. However, for many, this could be a traumatic situation difficult to handle, so it is necessary to think carefully whether being with the animal in this circumstance will be beneficial for him or not.

The first few days many owners will be devastated at the thought that they will never see their pet again, but the pain is a logical response to death and there is no need to feel ashamed about it. And, although each person lives it in their own way, when facing death it is usual that the first feeling that appears is that of denial. 

It is difficult to accept the idea that we will not see our animal again and that it will be worse in the face of sudden death. Anger is another of the phases of grief, and it is produced by the loss and against everything that seems to us that has not helped to keep the dog by our side. Guilt is another of the inevitable feelings when we wonder if we have done everything possible to prevent his death. 

Depression is the stage in which you are fully aware of what has happened, so the feeling of loss will be even greater. But, little by little, the situation is assumed, which happens during the acceptance phase when there is already greater tranquillity and the pain begins to be replaced by the pleasant memories of our faithful companion. 

If after a few weeks their loss has not been accepted or the sadness seems to increase, it is possible to go to specialized counselors or support groups, with whom our veterinarian or any animal association can put us in contact.

Final thoughts

We cannot imagine a worse situation for a person than having to really consider euthanizing their dog, obviously for some reason of greater cause. But that it is something that can be done … does not mean that it is something that should be done, or at least not in most situations in which it is unfortunately done.

We know that losing your dog is a very hard time, however, remember that your responsibility is to avoid transmitting your sadness and try to make it happy. When you see that he is panting a lot, that he sleeps more than necessary, that he barely eats, and that his gums are black, you will know that he may be about to die. 

Find someone to talk about the subject and what you feel, pamper your dog a lot and celebrate all the years that you have been together.

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know!

FAQ on How much does it cost to put your dog to sleep?

References

Wagwalking.com

Dogsandtreats.com

petplace.com