I'm so sorry about Spike - he lived a long life and I'm sure you took great care of him. I just had to comment from the veterinary perspective.
Nobody likes to take money from a grieving pet parent. One of the hardest parts of the job is the fact that we simply can't treat animals for free. I've seen so many heartbreaking cases over the years that would have been very different if the owners had the money for treatment. Most clinics will have a good samaritan fund for emergency use, but outside of that, our hands are pretty much tied, for a few reasons.
A doctor simply cannot in good conscience put down an animal without knowing for sure that it is that animal's time. I've seen euthanasia declined before, for many different reasons. They have to examine the patient and get a good history from the owner so that they are all on the same page and we are indeed relieving suffering as opposed to ending life prematurely for "convenience" as your hospital put it. Unfortunately, a doctor's time costs money. That doctor is relying on a paycheck the same as the rest of us, to take care of their own pets and their family. (Contrary to popular belief, most of the vets I know are not "loaded" and do not spend money frivolously.) To say that they are taking your money maliciously or without cause is like saying that you would go to work for free because it would be silly to ask your employer to pay you for what you do. Just because we are passionate about the job, doesn't mean that we can make a living without payment.
I can say honestly that if you had brought your animal to my clinic before, and our doctors knew his history and his age and ailments etc.. they would not have charged you for an exam or "euthanasia consult" as it is termed. That is reserved for new clients, or those whose pets we don't know the stories of. I'm assuming that's what happened in your particular case. In a well-known patient, I agree, overcharging is ridiculous. When we have a good relationship with a client and patient, and things aren't going well, we will certainly not add on charges when we know that we are doing the right thing. I'm assuming that you didn't have that relationship with this doctor - and that is likely why they needed to make sure that they were indeed doing the right thing. Also, if they didn't have a previous relationship with you, they would be more likely to require "payment at time of service" regardless of how heartbroken you are at the time.. Had they known you well, they may have sent a bill later, or extended payment plan options, to lessen the blow in an emotional circumstance. But if you are new, they don't know if they will end up getting nothing once you leave.
I'm rambling now, but I think you get the idea. I'm sure your vet wasn't out to be a thief, just to ensure that they are living up to our mantra "first do no harm".
-Tami*