| $ Shelters & Non-Profits: $35 - $150 | $ $ Vet's Office: $50 - $500 | $ $ $ At Home: $170 - $1,000 |
Having a pet has multiple benefits for us humans and for our beloved animal companions.
A pet can help us stay physically active, lower our stress and anxiety levels, help with our overall mental health, make new friends, and are a great addition to our family.
For a pet, having a home and someone that can love them and take care of them means everything.
This is why it’s so difficult to talk about certain subjects, like when we must talk about the death of our pet.
Most people don’t even want to think about it, but it is a reality that we must all face.
Years or even decades could pass before it happens, but the time will come and it’s better to be informed about what options are there when death doesn’t occur naturally or by accident.
In the next few sections, we’ll talk about pet euthanasia, the process, and how much it costs.
Table of Contents
What Is Euthanasia?
The word ‘euthanasia’ comes from the Greek language, and it translates to ‘good death.’
It’s the process of either letting a person die by suppressing life support or actively inducing death in a person or animal that is terminally ill, in chronic pain with no chances of recovering, or that their quality of life is minimal.
In human beings, euthanasia is a highly controversial subject to this day.
Pet Euthanasia
Pet euthanasia has been used as a tool to control certain animal populations.
In the last few decades, there have been more efforts to educate people about how to stop this from happening, such as encouraging them to adopt animals from shelters instead of buying them.
Euthanasia has also been used in pets as a way to stop the animal from suffering if it has a terminal disease or if the animal can no longer have a proper quality of life because of an accident or because of its advanced age.
How to Decide If a Pet Should Be Euthanized
This is never an easy decision to make, but in some cases, it’s the only thing left to do to stop the suffering of the animal.
If a pet has been battling for a long time with a terminal illness, if it suffered an injury and the animal is only experiencing pain or chronic discomfort, or if because of its advanced age, the animal can no longer walk, eat, drink, or go to the bathroom, then euthanasia is a possibility.
In these cases, the veterinarian will usually suggest euthanasia to stop the animal from further suffering.
It’s recommended to talk and ask all the necessary questions to the vet about what it means, what’s going to happen, and any other doubts that might come up.
The Process of Pet Euthanasia
Pet euthanasia can be administered either in the house or at the vet’s office, depending on the case and the owner’s preferences.
Once the decision is made, the animal will be injected with a substance that will most likely be a barbiturate.
These substances are from the same kind of drugs as the ones used for general anesthesia.
After a few minutes, the animal will lose consciousness, the ability to feel pain, and its lungs and heart will then stop functioning.
It’s a very quick process that is completely painless for the animal.
Pet owners can decide whether to stay with their pet while this happens or wait outside.
It’s a very personal decision, and you should do what’s best for you and your pet.
The Cost of Pet Euthanasia
Pet euthanasia can greatly vary depending on the size of the animal, if it happens at the vet’s office, at a local shelter or non-profit organization, or at home.
In some vet’s offices, they can also include the cost of the cremation if you prefer this option, so it’s always recommended to ask in advance what other services they can provide.
Shelter and non-profits can euthanize pets from $35 to $150.
If it’s at the vet, it can be from $50 to $500, depending on what else is included and the size of the animal.
Euthanizing a pet at home is the most expensive option, and it can cost between $170 and $1,000.
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