As plenty of pet owners will already know, the hardest part of being a pet parent is often when the time comes to say goodbye. Understandably, this can be a hugely difficult time to think about, but when the time comes it’s important to know how much it will set you back financially. Many vet practices have set prices for common or routine procedures but you might find it difficult to find set dog euthanasia costs. Your local vets may be able to give you a bracket estimate based on species and weight. But why does it cost more for a large breed dog to be put to sleep than a cat? There are a few different reasons for this, from cost of drugs to cremation, let’s look at them in more detail. 

What is pet euthanasia?

You’ll likely have already heard of pets being ‘put down’ or ‘put to sleep’ at the vets. These are common terms given to euthanasia, which is the process of peacefully ending a pet’s life. There are various circumstances where this can be the kindest decision to make for an animal, whether they are suffering or no longer able to carry out their normal activities. Euthanasia can be a peaceful process that allows them to pass away comfortably and is always a valid option when considering an animal’s welfare or quality of life. 

A euthanasia appointment often takes place at the vet clinic but some practices may provide a home visit service where they come to the pet’s family home. The process usually involves a vet and a veterinary nurse or assistant who will guide owners and their pets through that difficult time. The euthanasia itself can happen in one or two parts, with the first part including sedation to make the animal relaxed and sleepy before the second part which comprises the final injection (sometimes given via an intravenous cannula placed in the leg). The euthanasia injection is an overdose of an anaesthetic which causes the heart to stop and the body to shut down while the pet feels no pain. 

Why does dog euthanasia cost so much?

The truth is that the euthanasia is almost guaranteed to cost more than a standard consultation. This is because of the additional time, staff and drugs that are used compared to a routine appointment. 

Medicines involved in dog euthanasia

As mentioned above, multiple veterinary medicines may be needed for a euthanasia to go as smoothly as possible. For example, various combinations of sedatives may need to be given to settle a fractious animal or to relax them so they aren’t stressed while being given an intravenous injection. Unfortunately, all of these drugs still cost money and the veterinary practice will have to pay a supplier for them, and will need to eventually replenish their stock, just like any other business. It just so happens that lots of the sedative or controlled drugs used as part of sedation and euthanasia are some of the most expensive medicines for a practice to buy. The real variation in cost of euthanasia comes in here; larger animals will need larger volumes of drugs, costing more money to the practice, hence a higher cost to the owner. Vet practices may use ‘banded’ pricing where the weight bracket that the animal falls in will determine the cost of their euthanasia to account for the medicines used. 

Appointment length and staff time

To make the process as peaceful and calm as possible, allowing the vet and nurse to dedicate their time fully to the pet and owner, euthanasias are often allocated longer appointment durations (many clinics will give half to three quarters of an hour versus the standard fifteen minutes). They also commonly require more than one member of veterinary staff to place an intravenous cannula using skill and gentle restraint. The clinic then has to account for the additional staff time used while the staff cannot see other appointments during this time. Practice pricing also varies with region, so the overall cost will likely reflect that of the area the clinic is in too. 

Home visits for putting a pet to sleep

There are plenty of pets that find coming into the vet practice stressful, so their owners might prefer for them to be put to sleep in the familiar surroundings of their own home. With recent spikes in pet ownership numbers, this is becoming increasingly difficult for vets to provide as the clinic can be so busy. Home visits are usually more expensive as they require multiple members of staff, more time away from the clinic to include transport time and costs as well as the already costly drugs. Home visits can provide great comfort to owners and their pets, but do use more resources therefore are often more pricey. 

Cremation

Something not everyone wants to consider when thinking about euthanasia is what they would prefer happens to their pet’s body afterwards. It’s good to be prepared and have this sorted before the time comes, so you can rest easy having one less thing to think about at such an emotional time. It is possible to take your pet home with you to bury at home or arrange alternative cremation, or your vet practice may offer to source this for you.

Cremation is another key factor in the overall cost of the euthanasia process and usually comes at an additional cost, varying with the option chosen. Individual cremation with return of ashes (often in a scatter tube or casket) will cost more than communal cremation (where animals are cremated together, with no ashes back) due to increased time and resources needed. Sometimes the cost of communal cremation is included in the overall price of euthanasia, so don’t be afraid to ask your vets about this. Individual cremation may be arranged by your veterinary practice or through a private pet cremation service and again this is likely to differ in price. Remember a veterinary practice has more overhead costs to cover and may charge more for individual cremation than a private pet crematorium, so it’s worth doing your research beforehand if priority is to keep costs low. 

Where can I get an estimate for the cost of dog euthanasia?

Most vet clinics now have fixed prices for routine procedures listed on their websites or available on calling. With the current high cost of living it is not uncommon for price increases to happen throughout the year at a large number of practices (those owned by the same corporate company can experience price increases at the same time) so an estimate from six months ago might be different today. VetHelpDirect has also helpfully constructed a vet price comparison tool to make this easier for owners to navigate. Due to the large variation in euthanasia price, not all vets will have these prices as readily available as others, but it’s worthwhile taking a look. 

Hopefully this article has clarified how euthanasia is priced and why it costs what it does. Although it can be a sensitive and emotional subject to deal with, it’s good to get an idea of what this costs to avoid any unwanted surprises at a later date. Like any business, a veterinary practice does have to charge for their services and unfortunately euthanasia is one of them. Nevertheless, veterinary professionals undergo extensive training to make this experience as peaceful and comfortable as possible for any animal as well as their owners. If you would like to enquire about the cost of euthanasia at your vet practice, you can call them for friendly advice or try visiting their website. 

Further reading on vet costs

Vets are all different prices but for some very good reasons