Is this standard for the end of life appointment?

[CrazyGuineaPigLady]

I need to say goodbye to my 20 year old cat and can’t get him scheduled anywhere locally. His normal vet is $$$$ and not close so I was trying to avoid that route. Even with his records released, no one will do this without tacking on a $100 exam fee to confirm he’s ready. He’s got a little bit of everything that goes wrong with old cats but one office straight up told me they would decline the euth if he had a bad tooth. Another wanted blood work more recent than October to see if his kidneys were declining further. Of course they are and not eating isn’t helping that one bit.

He’s ready, I’m ready and it’s been frustrating trying to find someone who will give him a kind ending without the long car ride. And it doesn’t appear they will schedule those appointments 24-48 hours in advance, even if you’re willing to pay the extra fees and hope the vet agrees a 20 year old cat has fulfilled all his dreams.

I’ve never had this issue before.

[shiloh]

I am so sorry you have to go thru this. Like you don’t already have your plate full with a declining kitty, so people feel they just have to make it harder. It’s not like you are doing this for fun or are some big meany who just doesn’t care anymore. argh

Is there a local Shelter that might do it?

[2DogsFarm]

There are services that will come to you.
Try Googling.
Longshot:
Any chance your horse vet will help?
Mine has euthed clients’ pets.
Assuming your horse(s) aren’t boarded.

[Simkie]

God, no. Do you have a vet who does at home euthanasia in your area? They’re just the best, so very kind and versed at making this transition as easy as possible. I would love to help you find someone, if you’d like? Feel free to send me a pm.

I am so, so very sorry about your kitty.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

I am so sorry you’re going through this. If I knew you lived close to me, I would recommend you call my vet. I’ve never had a vet argue with me about an animal ‘being ready.’ That’s so wrong.

Maybe if you were willing to post your general location, we could find an at-home euthanasia service, or get some more vet recommendations?

[Xanthoria]

We had a vet service that does euthanasia house calls come put our 19 yr old down last year. She was so kind - they arranged all the details, got records from my reg vet and all, and it was don’t quickly and kindly. There seem to be multiple specialists like that around here - worth a google as 2Dogs and Simkie say. Best of luck

[CrazyGuineaPigLady]

No horses and I’ve done at home euth before. They are booked through the weekend but I’m on callback for two at home places tomorrow. My regular vet is booked for appointments and then the emergency vets come in at 2:00 so I should be able to schedule him them. They didn’t used to be my regular vet because of the $$$$ but I now see why it’s worth it. To those who can afford it anyway.

[dressagetraks]

No way does that sound normal. I’d keep calling around. A year ago, my dad and stepmom’s Chi hit the end - didn’t appear for breakfast one morning and was found under the guest bed panting with glazed eyes. They had to move the bed off her. She had been extensively treated for heart issues, which obviously had hit a new level. So stepmom called their vet, where they were established for years, where this dog was established, and said the dog is very much worse this morning and needs an appointment now. Nope. They insisted on further diagnostics, more studies, you don’t know she’s ready, etc. This from their own vet.

Stepmom hung up and then started calling around the vets in the metro. After some failures, she reached one who, when she explained, said, “Of course we’ll help her. Bring her right on in.” Stepmom and dad had found their new regular vet.

I’d just keep turning over every rock you can.

[Larksmom]

I am so sorry for your situation. There have been threads here about vets in trouble. But this is no solution. I had a vet in town, but due to staffing shortages, they have very limited hours. Like closing at 4 pm and closed all weekend! All appts, and you mist have an appt, booked two weeks in advance. I had an old sick dog, and was refered by another vet to one in a nearby town that takes walk ins.Rare these days. They are pretty pricy but it is worth it for the excellent care. They have now to charge $50 for the first visit because a lot of people go for a sort of emergency, and never come back. When it was time for my old dog to go, they carried her in thru a very crowded room, and did the deed without making me wait for hours. Then my other dog had some medical problems, it was very expensive to put Toffee to sleep, and the large vet bill for Trooper made me decide not to get another dog. I do not know how middle income people can even afford pets anymore.

[pick_a_pony]

That’s terrible that the other vets offices are being difficult. If the records released show the cat is 20 they should be willing to listen to the daily care giver. I had to take my 14 year old cat to the emergency vet to be put to sleep this summer. Indoor outdoor cat that suddenly went downhill. They asked for nothing from me but as I had been there a year before for my dog and spent 8k on his extremely risky surgery I may have had a pass there that said let the crazy lady make decisions for her pets. Emergency vet may be a good option if you need a soonest option.

[sophie]

I’m sorry you have to go through this, OP. I’ve had the same experience with my small animal vet. They are trying to tack on any expensive test/exam they can. So next time my dog / cat needs a vet I will shop around and find a different one or ask the vet who put down my sick mare in '21. She was so nice and compassionate.
And I agree with @Larksmom’s statement “I do not know how middle income people can even afford pets anymore.”

[S1969]

Definitely home euthanasia, although I will say that it’s not cheap. But absolutely the best money I’ve spent. Google for your area, and if you don’t find anything - ask around. I know some vets (including a vet in the equine practice) that do this, just don’t advertise that they do. (Perfectly legal, they just aren’t looking for another full time job.)

[MadTrotter]

That’s horrible and I’m sorry you’re going through this. During the pandemic I had to euth my ancient cat. I had gone through two rounds of chemo with her at another vet before I moved.

At new vet, they wanted constant blood work and other labs to just keep her on basic steroids, the only thing that gave her any quality of life towards the end. Pushed imaging to verify if the cancer was back. At this point, I had a chronically dehydrated cat who couldn’t keep anything down, if she did eat, she was projectile spraying feces all over the house, and this vet wants $$$ to see if the cancer is back? To what end? I wasn’t going to put her through anything else, just getting her into the carrier was traumatizing.

I ended up going on the warpath with the clinic’s owner who ended up reviewing all end of life protocols because of my case.

They promptly agreed to euth, but because pandemic, I couldn’t even go into the euth appointment with her, I just handed her off in the parking lot. Awful experience.

I hope you can give yours a more peaceful trip over the rainbow bridge with the home visit vet.

[McGurk]

We had to euth my daughter’s beloved ancient cat during the height of the pandemic. Our regular vet at that point was not allowing people into the clinic, a tech came and got the animal from you in the parking lot.

My daughter was insistent that she be holding the cat for the procedure.

We used a home vet that specializes in end of life and it was an amazing experience. The vet was wonderful, kind and sympathetic and DD got to say goodbye in the way she wanted. Honestly, I don’t think it was that much more that it would have been at a clinic, and we saved the poor cat that last car trip. Would do it again in a second.

I don’t remember how we handled vet records, but the cat had a cancer diagnosis and had stopped eating. Maybe the home vet got them from our regular vet, I don’t remember.

I also remember that our regular vet wouldn’t schedule us for 2 - 3 days, and I called three different visiting vets and went with the one with the earliest appointment.

Hope you’re able to find a home vet, OP, and someone who can do it quickly.

[CrazyGuineaPigLady]

I’ve had home euth before from a vet who’d been doing home treatment for nearly a year. It wasn’t as great of an experience as I was hoping for so I don’t want to use her again and everyone else is booked. I needed an emergency euth for a dog in 2016 and it was the same trying to get anyone to come to the house then.

I’m sure I’ll be able to get an appointment with my regular vet today or tomorrow and I’m sure it will be a good experience because I’ve taken roughly 5 animals there in the last 25 years and it always went smoothly. Kitty looks a little better this morning so he’s not critical ATM. He doesn’t mind car rides or vets so it’s probably not at dramatic as I’m making it out to be, but I wanted to save him from it if I could. Also don’t want to have time to be a blubbering snotty mess at check in.

Another layer is the availability of my 3 kids. They’re all free today so I’m hoping it works out for tonight.

Thanks everyone, and sorry to hear stories that are similar. It’s ridiculous you can’t take a 20 year old cat in and pay for the return of his ashes in a private cremation without getting hassled and upcharged to see if you’ve done enough. I wouldn’t care except for the part where they told me it would be the vet’s decision and I might end up taking him back home.

[beowulf]

@MadTrotter

They promptly agreed to euth, but because pandemic, I couldn’t even go into the euth appointment with her, I just handed her off in the parking lot. Awful experience.

I am so sorry. That is just awful.

[MunchingonHay]

I am so sorry you are going through this OP.

When I moved last year to the new town that I live in, I did not have the cat set up at a vet yet. His health declined extreamly fast and I had to make the same sort of appointment you are and ran into the same roadblocks.

I ended up taking him to the local SPCA and they did the service there for me, no questions asked. The biggest draw back, what that I was not allowed to go with him while they preformed the service and they gave me ample time to hand over this carrier and say goodbye. I waited in the lobby for them to bring the carrier back and I was a sobbing mess. But the tech told me that she held him tightly and told him he was a good kitty while they preformed the service.

I received his ashes a few days later.

all in all, it was less than $100.00 for EVERYTHING!

Call your local animal control/ SPCA and see if they will do it.

[DawgLady]

I absolutely don’t think this is normal. There is a mobile service called Lap of Love that comes to our house. They didn’t give us any hassle about the decision whatsoever. It’s hard enough without having to prove and justify the heartbreaking choice. It’s nationwide, so maybe it’s in your area too?

[S1969]

I’ve also used Lap of Love. They do a brief exam of the animal before they euth, and they told me that was because they do want to be able to refer for additional treatment if they think euthanasia is not the only answer. But I can’t imagine them arguing the point with anyone who has made that decision. I got the impression that it was a potential 2nd vet opinion for treatment if the owner felt they wanted to try.

[CrazyGuineaPigLady]

Lap of Love is booked.

He’s got an appt. tonight at the $$$$ vet. I hate paying double but it’s important this goes well. He’s the last childhood cat my kids will know and he deserves to have everyone there.