From the vets

MawBroon our vet wasn't being considerate. He didn't want his other patients to know of a less than successful treatment!!
The candle idea is nice. Just hope the staff remember to extinguish it when pets are in for routine vaccinations etc.

I'm sorry, I love my dogs and cat but find the candle and flower things over the top. As for counselling well words fail me. ( dons hard hat )

I think it is extremely considerate to be allowed to slip out the back door. I have appreciated that on 3 separate sad occasions. DD and I were also encouraged to hold our lovely lab after she had been PTS as if she was sleeping. I chose to leave as she started cooling down, but it did help to reassure us that she was no longer in pain and with "closure". Oh dear, getting teary now I also appreciated not being approached for the bill until later and the card and little booklet on losing a pet which followed a week later. Our vets are now starting the lit candle at reception with a card bearing the message that someone is saying goodbye to their much loved pet. We all sympathise with the poor owners and I do appreciate anything the vet does to ease that pain.

When we had our very much loved Buddy PTS the down to earth vet let us out the back door so the people in the waiting room didn't see us in tears. Not a good advert for him! Cards and condolences from that lot?- No chance!!

ninathenana sorry that your cat had to be PTS....I am about to venture into adopting a cat from my local CP after 22 years with no pets, so don't know how I would feel three weeks after...

However a friend's veterinary surgery offer COMPANION PET LOSS COUNSELLING, and have engaged a full time qualified counsellor for same.

Has anyone on here ever tried this after pet loss?

I don't think we've ever had anything from the vet but when I've picked the ashes up from the crematorium there's always been a nice card.

Put To Sleep! Of course! I really am thick, I was thinking it was something Latin!

It's horrible when that time comes when you have to play God and have a much loved furry friend put down. It's one of the reasons we've stayed pet free and only borrow Grand-dogs. We got a card when our last dog left us which was nice, but the hug from the lady vet meant much more and I think flowers is much to over the top and rather calculated.

When I worked at a vets surgery we had quiet a few Aussie locums sadly none were hunky males

Sadly, or not, our hunky Australian vet is female!

Nannanoo............where is your vet?

PTS - put to sleep.

We got a lovely card from our vet a week after my gorgeous boy (14yr ginger tom) who had been suffering from cancer was PTS.

The vet came out to us and only charged €30 which I felt was very reasonable. They deal mostly with larger animals as it's a rural area so I was really pleased when she said she'd call round in the morning.

She gave me a little hug too.

I'm very ignorant - what does PTS stand for?

I would rather have an immediate comforting hug from anyone at the time, than a card and single white rose 3 weeks later.

Why so many who appear to view a card or flowers from a vet on the loss of their pet as unnecessary, or being OTT. because they want your custom? and would rather have' a kiss from the hunk of a vet'?.

It's some time since a vet recommended euthanasia for one of my cats. Mostly they just seem to disappear when their time has come. This one went AWOL for a couple of weeks then came home to die. Aah! I remember it being sympathetic, quick, business-like and not particularly expensive. They disposed of the remains without fuss.
Maybe an older lady who was obviously grieving heavily after losing her 'baby' would have been treated differently.
My partner once bought a new car (Lord knows why, she does very few miles) and it arrived with a bunch of flowers from the dealer. My reaction was "You can't have negotiated hard enough over the price!"

What a lovely personal thing for your vet to do Alex. Our dogs still try to get outside for a wee etc however ill they are don't they. I remember our JR dragging himself across the floor on his tummy to get to the door.
I'm so sorry your lovely girl didn't make it after the treatment.

We got a card from the vet which was thoughtful of them. Flowers are a tad OTT. All the cats we had over the years were part of the family with distinct personalities and we did miss them when they were gone.

Nannanoo I sure would have welcomed a hug from the hunky Australian vet at our practise. Cor!

I had my daughters little hamster 'euthanised' when she became fatally ill and was suffering. The vet who looked after poor Miss Hammy was incredibly handsome, and seeing my sadness, he gave me a long lingering hug and kissed the top of my head!
Vastly inappropriate, I know, but it was a dam' sight better than a card or flowers!

Call me cynical but chances are anyone having a pet PTS is probably going to replace him/her sooner or later. The practices that send flowers are just trying to ensure you go back to them.

I got the invoice with a hand-written "Sorry for your loss" across it, which I thought was fine!

A few years ago I had to have my dog PTS as she had cancer. She had had a course of chemotherapy at a veterinary hospital but it didn't work. Our local vet who had known her since a puppy did the deed and wrote me a lovely letter afterwards saying how grateful he was to have had her as a client and how what a lovely nature she had had. This was personal, hand written and thoughtful. I still have the letter. And no, dogs don't lose their hair with chemotherapy. My initial reaction to hearing she had to have the course (one full day on a drip a week, for six weeks) was that she would go bald, but this doesn't happen! It did give her cystitis though and on the hour every hour, we were woken up by a polite woof to go out as she needed a wee.

Maybe the flower was a little OTT but I think the card was a lovely touch. When my cat Jasper had to be PTS after being with me for 20 years,I was heartbroken - which was evident by my freeflowing tears when I took him in. The card I received from The vet, just a card with a pretty picture on it, reassured me that Jasper had had a long and happy life, given he had lived so long and that I had done the right thing. We took him home to bury in the garden and had I received a flower that would have gone on his little spot.Not everyone can be unemotional on the loss of a beloved pet, especially old folk who live on their own. They would probably appreciate the intended kind thoughts. Not everything is about money.

nannypiano - did the vet know that you had pet insurance? I think if you hadn't the bill might have been a lot cheaper. I stopped the pet insurance when it rocketed up one year - I'm beginning to think it is a ripoff. I put the money I would have spent every month into Premium Bonds. I have had several small wins but, even after two fox attacks and annual vaccinations, I am still well in profit.
I love my little cat to bits and wouldn't begrudge her anything but I do wonder about some vets.

I had a lovely card from the vet's practice after our beloved old dog was finally put to sleep. They had known her for a long time, and I appreciated it very much. I do agree that flowers are a bit OTT, though.

What did really upset me, when I was picking up my dog's ashes, was a new and very young receptionist who had never met me or the dog before, handing her ashes over with a bright and perky, 'There you go!' - as if she was handing over a tin of beans or something. I was in tears all the way home.

I really should have said something to the manager about more appropriate behaviour in future, since the girl evidently didn't have the sense to understand this for herself, but I never did get around to it.

Two years ago I had to have my lovely Staffie put down due to cancer of the spleen. I still can't get over the bill which was in excess of £2000, luckily I was insured for him, but how can a bill like that be justified? I did get a sympathy card soon after though.