Vet fee question - WARNING - may be distressing

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I have received the bill from my vets for Islay's last visit, and I was very surprised that they have charged me £46 for the euthanasia and a further £44 for cremation. I specifically said to the vet that I didn't want her ashes back, as the essence of the dog for me is their personality and what is left when they are gone is just a shell.

I am very lucky that I haven't had a dog PTS for the past 9 years - is this now standard practice to charge a cremation fee? I have never paid one before
 
Yeh you have to pay for disposal basicallly. Costs hundreds for individual cremation. I too opted for not getting ashes back. Still cost about £100 as they came to my house
 
How odd that they never used to charge for it - obviously I had realised about disposal costs, the same as when I had my horse PTS. Or maybe I am getting old and actually I have been charged before but I don't remember!
 
Thistle said:
Perhaps it was previously included with the PTS cost with a discount if you took the body home to bury?
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I never have done that with any dog I have owned - maybe as you say they simply wrapped it up into one fee previously, I definitely dont remember ever paying £100 to have a dog PTS :(
 
That's how ours used to be charged, with the cremation fee rolled up in the euthanasia cost, and either removed if taken for home burial instead, or an additional charge added for individual cremation.

We've changed to separating out the charges on the invoice in order to hopefully make it easier for clients to understand and also because the cost of these sort of services have very sadly gone up a lot, even in the short time I've been in the industry. Clinical waste charges are added similarly to all procedures now too due to increased disposal costs.

I'm sorry if it came as a surprise to you. :(
 
Any 'waste' has to be stored and disposed of properly.
I think most vets have freezers, then someone with a waste carrier license collects them and they are usually incinerated. We are on heavy clay, digging a hole for the smallest pet is a nightmare, £44 is a bargain.
 
My daughter was charged £79 pounds for group cremation and disposal of ashes and that was nearly three years ago. Altogether, with pts, it was nearly £200. And this was for a cat and at the surgery. This was Worcestershire so not an expensive area. Your vets seem very reasonable.
 
blackcob said:
That's how ours used to be charged, with the cremation fee rolled up in the euthanasia cost, and either removed if taken for home burial instead, or an additional charge added for individual cremation.

We've changed to separating out the charges on the invoice in order to hopefully make it easier for clients to understand and also because the cost of these sort of services have very sadly gone up a lot, even in the short time I've been in the industry. Clinical waste charges are added similarly to all procedures now too due to increased disposal costs.

I'm sorry if it came as a surprise to you. :(
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Thanks BC that is really helpful - must admit I have just been talking to my mum and she told me off for being old-fashioned (!!!) and said of course that was how it is done nowadays! You know you are out of touch when your mum knows more than you do..... :D
 
the vet came to my house when i had my lurcher PTS in september. she was sedated first as she had very sensitive legs and i didnt want her to be distressed by the vet putting the needle in. i was pleased i did as she fell asleep in my arms and didnt know anything about the final bit...it cost me £250 and i dont regret it at all even though the cost shocked me...i didnt want the ashes either
 
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