So often seems to come to that point in Winter, doesn't it? Not that it hurts any less in the other seasons.
Had to do the same with our old dog Teddy, a Golden retriever/Aussie-shep cross (not that the latter was detectable in his appearance), after he suffered a stroke a couple months or so back.
Unfortunately, as it happened late Friday afternoon (and there were no open appointments anyway with how busy our vet has consistently been) we couldn't take him in until Monday.
For the better part of three days we cared for him inside the house, keeping him as comfortable as we could and cleaning up after him, as he couldn't stand/walk to go use the yard.
He refused to eat or drink anything that entire time, as if he knew it wouldn't help.
He slept probably half that time, as he would normally, and his limbs moved properly in his sleep.
Yet when awake, one side was incapable of coordination or strength and his hind legs had been getting shaky before this happened.
While I, too, am shocked and angered that you had to pay such an exorbitant amount just to ease his passing, thank you for doing so.
I shared your journal on twitter, so I hope that brings you some help to deal with the financial cost.
If you do not mind me asking, was this your regular vet during regular business hours?
I'd unfortunately expect a high bill like that if it was an after-hours emergency vet, though it still feels too high for a simple euthanasia.
14 years is a good life, he was well cared-for to reach that.

I'm so sorry about your dear Teddy. Its never easy, it really isn't. Mine had Cancer and sever allergies that we were losing the fight with no matter how many meds or raw food or probiotics we put him on. He struggles with having accidents inside but that just goes with old dog territory. It wasn't until he started to get really lost in the house and confused and the vet things canine dementia set in but his cataracts didn't help. In the end we gave him CBD for arthritis on top of it all but he was worth every penny and then some. I'm gonna miss my little old westie but it was just the right thing for him and like you said 14 is nothing to sneeze at.
It was his usual vet and in vet hors but how my vet's works now is that they charge the euthanasia fee and then they charge you for cremation and even tho i chose not to receive his ashes they scatter they at the pet cemetery so they charged me for that too and its not optional to opt out of it. Either way you have to pay cremation along with the actual process.
Thank you so much for the share!! i appreciate that so so so much!! <3