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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect our vet to come to our house to pts our pet dog?

49 replies

MrsJackAubrey · 07/12/2014 15:54

Our dog has heart failure and the vet who has treated her for 12 years, has said we need to take the dog to the vets to have her pts.

i kind of assumed this happened in the dog's home, because dogs don't generally like the vets! mine gets all stressed at the vets, and the last thing i want is to have my poor girl who is already struggling to breathe, being stressed and panicky at being carried into the vets.

AIBU?

OP posts:
DartmoorDoughnut · 07/12/2014 15:56

You can ask them to come to you, a good vet will do so but will undoubtedly charge you extra as they'll be out of the surgery, travel expenses etc

Hope it all goes smoothly and really sorry for you Sad Thanks

AnyFucker · 07/12/2014 15:58

There is no rule about this. You could ask another vet to come to your home if you think this is essential for you.

I am sorry about your doggie Thanks

turn360 · 07/12/2014 15:58

insist they come out (they do) or get another vet to come out and move to them

your dog's last moments in comfort trump anything else

Fabulous46 · 07/12/2014 15:59

A vet would normally come to your home. Well, ours did and I know my friends did too. Sorry about your dog OP Flowers

Silvercatowner · 07/12/2014 16:00

A vet came to our house when we had our cat put to sleep. It was more expensive and we considered it was worth it.

EvenBetter · 07/12/2014 16:04

If they won't (and they should, FFS, it's really hard to have to make that phone call without having to beg them to take your money, the wankers) then get a more professional vet practice to do it.

Our girl hated the vets with firey passion, it distressed her so much and there was no way we were putting her through that. Our vets (who are crap incidentally) still came out to the house and rang us as they were leaving I assume to get us ready for what was coming.

Sending massive hugs, it's really really awful without them :(

EvenBetter · 07/12/2014 16:07

(P.s. The vet coming to the house etc and cremation, were £120, last year. However they couldn't take the body away with them, we had to put her in the car and leave her at the vets to be collected by the crematorium. Sorry for telling you that, but we didn't know and it added another level of crap to an already horrible day, but it was nice to give her her final journey in our car, somehow)

Booboostoo · 07/12/2014 16:07

I am very sorry to hear about your dog.

Most vets will make house calls when needed, are they perhaps stretched providing emergency care during the weekend and are trying to avoid house calls? While most euthanasia cases are very peaceful in rare cases the vet needs more drugs and it is sometimes advisable to carry this procedure out at the surgery where there is full support.

SlowlorisIncognito · 07/12/2014 16:29

Firstly, I'm really sorry about your dog.

Most vets will come to your home, but they will charge extra for the service to cover the extra costs and time taken to do this. However, as it's out of hours, they may be limited in the service they can provide today, and perhaps are only able to send someone out of the practice for emergency reasons.

Or, perhaps there is some other reason specifically relating to your dog's condition that means they think it would be safer for you to bring her to the surgery?

If you feel able, ring back and clarify the situation. If they won't come out and don't have a medical reason for this, try ringing other vets to see if anyone will come out.

simbacatlivesagain · 07/12/2014 16:40

Country vets with a large animal service tend to do this more than town vet who do pets in my experience.

I wouldnt expect it. If you want cremation you need to have the body at the vets or take it yourself to the pet cemetery.

My vet didnt offer a home visit with my cat. I did very briefly consider smothering her (sorry I know highly offensive bit I am a country girl!) as I thought it would be less stressful- she was semi unconscious at that point an tbh would have gone in a few hours. Actually she didn't really notice- the vet reached into her box and did it without getting her out.

Haggisfish · 07/12/2014 16:42

I've always taken mine in-never occurred to me to ask them to come to the house.

tobysmum77 · 07/12/2014 16:46

I don't think that's unreasonable, try a different practice is my advice.

LittleRedRidingHoodie · 07/12/2014 16:47

We wrapped our dog inhisblanket and drove him on the back seat to the vets. The vet then came out to the car. We fed him of his favourite snacks while the vet injected him. Heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you x

simbacatlivesagain · 07/12/2014 16:48

Sorry just to clarify so I don't come across as a cruel cat killer. My cat was at least 18 (she was a rescue 15 years before and may have been well over 20) very terminally ill and hours from death. My vet wouldnt come out and I then considered other options (very briefly). The point that I was trying to make- very badly was that in the end taking her to the vet in my car wasnt that bad- it didnt upset her and the vet handled it very well.

PreMadonna · 07/12/2014 16:50

Ours did. DDog went to sleep in his own bed while eating bits of chicken. Also they took him away, then returned him in a nice wooden box a week later. Best way out possible.

Sorry about your dog. It's heartbreaking.

Nanny0gg · 07/12/2014 16:52

I'm so sorry.

Our vet came out to our elderly cat because he was fitting and we'd never have got him in the car, would have been far too distressing for all. It was quite late at night too.

I'm very grateful to her, but we certainly paid for it.

MrsLindor · 07/12/2014 16:53

My vet practice is excellent, but transfers calls to an emergency service after lunchtime on Saturday until Monday morning, they're based in the next town and cost a fortune to visit, I imagine they work on a fairly minimal staffing level and will only come out in an emergency. Same principle as GP out of hours services for people, they will ask you to visit them if at all possible.

MrsLindor · 07/12/2014 16:56

Sorry, just re read the OP, it sounds like your practice is open, in which case possibly they have animals in being treated they won't want to leave without vet cover, again I'm imagining minimal staffing levels on a Sunday.

LoathsomeDrab · 07/12/2014 16:57

I'm so sorry about your dog Sad

I wouldn't automatically assume vets would do house calls but I also wouldn't use a practice that didn't offer them on request.

I'd have a look for another local vet that does offer home visits, I'd be surprised if there wasn't one who'd be willing to do it.

Pollywallywinkles · 07/12/2014 18:07

Our vet prefers you go to the surgery if possible as everything is on hand just in case there are any problems.

One of our dogs hated going to the vets, but it wasn't a problem on his last journey.

If your vet won't, and you feel strongly about it you are going to have to try and find another vet.

I'm sorry you are going through this.

Gileswithachainsaw · 07/12/2014 18:12

So sorry about your dog.

vets should come out but there is extra cost involved which I'm. Sure under the circumstances you don't care about.

If your vet won't ring round til one will. as far as the experience goes it is as lovely as it can be to be at home surrounded by their play mate or favourite toy.

so very sorry

EnlightenedOwl · 07/12/2014 18:15

Some vets will, some won't. If any do not its generally because they are restricted with the drugs they can carry and usually they will need to bring a nurse with them x

WooWooOwl · 07/12/2014 18:23

Haven't you been offered the option to pay for a home visit?

bakingtins · 07/12/2014 18:29

I'm a vet. We do house calls during our normal working hours, at additional cost. For health and safety reasons we only go out in pairs, usually a vet and a nurse (for a euthanasia a nurse is needed to assist anyway) Out of hours emergency calls are transferred to a clinic which is dealing with very sick pets and accidents for a wide area, they never know what will walk through the door and there is probably only one vet on the premises. The only reason they'd go out in that situation is for an animal that was trapped or physically couldn't be moved. At weekends when we are open (after morning surgeries Saturday and Sunday) we do house calls after transferring the phones over, when we'd otherwise be at home with our families.
Most vets recognise that it's a kindness to allow owners the choice of a PTS at home and will endeavour to facilitate that. if your vet is saying they can't visit at all I'd change vet, if they are saying they can't come out on a Sunday night I suspect other local practices will say the same.
I'm v sorry about your old girl, hope her passing is peaceful for all of you. Flowers

reggie9 · 07/12/2014 18:39

So sorry about your dog. Our vet came to put my 13 yr old sick dog to sleep and as hard as it was, she was in her house, on her bed and getting a hug when the time came. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Good luck and I feel your pain but it was a massive relief as she was in pain and it was the right thing to do.

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