would you spend $1000 on health care for your pet?

[sunnyhappydays]

Why wouldn't you just get pet insurance?

[Mercurial Girl]

Why wouldn't you just get pet insurance?

 

 

Just like human medical insurance...deny...deny...deny. "Your dog had an eye infection 5 years ago? Tsk, tsk, this is somehow related to intestinal blockage you're trying to make a claim on. Pre existing condition!"

 

They raise the insurance premiums almost every 6 months, even if you've never made a claim. I do have pet insurance NOW but I do not rely on them to follow through. You also need the money up front to pay the vet, THEN you get a refund from insurance.

[Batya33]

Just like human medical insurance...deny...deny...deny. "Your dog had an eye infection 5 years ago? Tsk, tsk, this is somehow related to intestinal blockage you're trying to make a claim on. Pre existing condition!"

 

They raise the insurance premiums almost every 6 months, even if you've never made a claim. I do have pet insurance NOW but I do not rely on them to follow through. You also need the money up front to pay the vet, THEN you get a refund from insurance.

 

What an awful system.

[Mercurial Girl]

What an awful system.

 

I agree.

 

Right now I am paying insurance premiums on top of putting away savings for pet emergencies, and dropping the insurance once I have a nice pet emergency fund set up, but it is (barely) a safety net for until then - SOME vets MIGHT hold your payments if you have insurance but they're taking a big risk if insurance denies the claim and you can't pay out of pocket. I could not take my dog home until I paid every red cent of his bill, and they did no work on him until I paid 50% of the estimate.

[agent1607307371]

Why wouldn't you just get pet insurance?

 

We have it, but they won't cover anything to do with the diabetes. Got to love insurance companies.

[lila...]

Without a doubt. My family spent more than $5K in one week even when my dog was given less than a 50/50 survival rate, and we were struggling with money at the moment. My pets aren't just my "pets", they're my family.

[Natasha24]

Yes, I definitely would. I have a rabbit who has immunodeficiency, so she often gets sick and needs medication. Within the last 6 months, she has needed over $1500 worth of vet visits and meds. I'm only a student and I live off part time jobs and student loans, but I will never refuse to pay for her. I would do anything for my pets.

[Gracelove]

I've spent more than that already. Pets aren't cheap. Forget all of the food supplies, toys, etc. The vet bills are out of this world. I think most people would spend it if they had it. It's the person/pet you love, you're not going to allow them to remain sick or uncomfortable if you can help it.

[90_hour_sleep]

can't say i'm surprised by the responses.

 

pet bonds. as a few have already mentioned...they're not pets...they're family.

 

i was joking with someone about 'pet insurance' today. didn't realize it was a real thing.

[OptomisticGirl]

It is although as someone else said, in the States at least, it's just as difficult as human health insurance and unless you pay a high monthy payment it doesn't cover your every day vet expenses - rabies shots, etc.

[90_hour_sleep]

yah...i'd rather just make a contingency fund. i already bend over for insurance that never serves me!!

[Alpine]

I have to spent about $600-1000 on my dog every 6 months due to a rare health problem he has. However he is 16 years old so that is many years of veterinary expenses!

 

Personally, when I first got my dog I didn't think I would ever spend that much on a pet. But as I had him for longer, he became a part of the family. He has experienced a few health problems and so I had to fork out the money to keep him alive and healthy. I did not think twice whenever the time came to have the vet treat him - he is my responsibility and I love him so there is no way I would make him suffer or put him down just because I couldn't pay the fees. Now that he is 16 years old, he has to go to the vet every 6 months and have a procedure that costs about $600-1000 depending. Other than that though, he is extremely healthy!

 

When he gets to the stage where he is too old to go under a general anaesthetic, or his quality of life is deteriorating, I will let him go and put him down. But for now, I am happy to pay his vet costs and I make sure I put money aside for him. In return he has given me 16 years of love and faith so he is worth it I don't have insurance though for him though, I just pay out of my pocket.

 

When you get a pet you should accept the responsibility that they may get sick and have vet bills.

[FairyGodmother]

I think that when you buy a pet, you agree to be responsible for any and every cost it takes to sustain that pet. It's like having a baby; you wouldn't withhold a surgery from your child just because it's expensive. You have to think of your pet that way - otherwise you really should not be a pet owner.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I think that when you buy a pet, you agree to be responsible for any and every cost it takes to sustain that pet. It's like having a baby; you wouldn't withhold a surgery from your child just because it's expensive. You have to think of your pet that way - otherwise you really should not be a pet owner.

 

I disagree. I love dogs, as my screen name shows. However, one has to be realistic about their finances as well...and you simply can't compare a child to a dog. A dog will live typically only 11-13 years. So even if you have expensive surgery for the dog when he is 8 years old, in a few more years that dog will be old and will die. A human lives into their 70's and 80's and even 90's. Taking care of a child's health will help them into their adult years. If you don't ensure the health of your child and do all that is necessary, as an adult they could have chronic health problems which will impact quality of life and their ability to work and take care of themselves.

 

With a dog, you have to make sure they are not suffering...but I personally would not fork out 1000 dollars to surgically remove cancerous lesions from the dog. My dog has several lumps in various spots..they could be simply fatty lumps but I know that it will cost several hundred dollars to have each one evaluated. My experience with vets is that they do tests, then claim they are inconclusive so other tests need to be done..which are also inconclusive..then they throw out the "surgery" term. So you have already spent hundreds of dollars for tests which they say are inconclusive, then they want you to do surgeries which are mega expensive. Vets often take full advantage of people's strong emotional response to their pets and use guilt as their weapon to sell you expensive procedures which often don't change the outcome for your dog...maybe it buys a few months or a year or two.

[lavenderdove]

Yes, I have, and not regretted it one bit for dogs who have a good prognosis. I had one dog with a mast cell tumor at age 5 who lived another 6 years healthy and happy so lived a normal lifespan because of the surgery. So the cost of the surgery worked out to only about $200 per year or $16 a month to keep him around for that time and he was a wonderful loving companion and well worth it! So if you look at it in perspective, $1000 is a drop in the bucket to spend on a beloved pet who has a good chance of recovery.

 

But if the dog has a very bad prognosis where the surgery would only make them suffer and not extend their lives more than a few months including the pain of the surgery, then I wouldn't do it. I had another dog who developed a pancreatic tumor where the prognosis was very poor and the surgery extensive and painful for the dog, so I put him to sleep instead rather than put him thru all that when he would not really live long and have a miserable time of it with the surgery.

 

But I feel that way about people too, that there should be options to choose to end a life rather than prolong suffering if there is no quality of life left for the person/animal.

 

So the decision wouldn't be made based on whether it was a person or dog, but on whether the expense/surgery would do any good to return them to a happy life or just prolong suffering rather than extend a happy life.

 

btw, it can greatly reduce vet costs if you get a mutt rather than a purebred dog... I've had purebreds and they always have some form of health problem related to inbreeding and genetic tendencies for cancers or eye problems or joint problems or skin problems etc., whereas mutts have 'hybrid vigor' and really are much sturdier healthwise than most pure bred dogs. I am a big advocate of adopting mixed breeds and mutts, especially if you have limited resources and don't want to pay the extraordinary costs that are often triggered by the health problems that purebreds are prone to...

 

I've owned purebreds and mutts, and had very few health problems for the mutts and some expensive issues with the purebreds.

[Seraphim]

I agree. Vets do cash in on what they feel are emotional bonds. I also agree a dog or cat is not a human baby. A human baby carries far far more responsibility than a pet. Your pet affects YOU. What you do to a child or don't do for a child can potentially affect hundreds of people, not just you and your child. I would not compare a pet to a human being at all. I have had a pet and a child and I can say with all fairness as someone who adores animals while they are like family to me they do not come close in comparison to what I would do for my child. I would literally die for my child. If someone was willing to actually die for a pet that might compare. I know for sure I am willing to die for my child because when we both could have drowned I threw my self into a huge lake to go after him and all I can do is dog paddle. I would have drowned for my son no questions or even thoughts of my own safety. Would I die for my cat and leave my son motherless? Probably not. I would however try nearly everything in my power to save it if there was a chance.

[browneyedgirl36]

I see your points, Victoria -- I don't have children, and don't plan to, so my cat IS like my "child," in a sense. But, yes, there are things that have to be prioritized. Would I go without something -- i.e. cable TV, cut down on grocery and gas spending, etc. to save my pet? Yeah, I would, in a heartbeat. If it came down to it, I'd go without a number of things if it meant having money to pay for vet bills. However, if I had children, it would be different; I would have to consider priorities and act accordingly.

[Seraphim]

I see your points, Victoria -- I don't have children, and don't plan to, so my cat IS like my "child," in a sense. But, yes, there are things that have to be prioritized. Would I go without something -- i.e. cable TV, cut down on grocery and gas spending, etc. to save my pet? Yeah, I would, in a heartbeat. If it came down to it, I'd go without a number of things if it meant having money to pay for vet bills. However, if I had children, it would be different; I would have to consider priorities and act accordingly.

 

For sure I would go without cable or gas or extra's on my groceries for my pet if there going to be a good outcome. I would literally starve though if it meant my child could eat and there was nothing else. I would walk in front a bus to save him, I would let someone kill me if it would save him. I would literally do ANYTHING to make sure he survived. I am sure most pet owners are willing to sacrifice to a certain point for their animal and yes, I believe animals deserve good care. I don't however think when push comes to shove most pet owners would actually die for a pet. Most parents would die for their child though. That is why I am not getting the comparison between pets and children. Before I had my son I felt like my pets were like my children too. When I had my son that love that I thought was so immense was blown out of the water. I can say for sure the love between a parent and a child can literally move mountains and be as big as eternity.

[Mercurial Girl]

Last night everything clicked for me when I was sitting on the couch with my dog and she sneezed and I noticed blood on the couch that came out of her nose. She has been having sneezing fits lately and I thought it was newly developed allergies. But once I saw the blood last night I realized where the mystery blood splatter came from on the bed a month ago. Malignant tumours. This is something I would not try to treat.

[journeynow]

I think that when you buy a pet, you agree to be responsible for any and every cost it takes to sustain that pet. It's like having a baby; you wouldn't withhold a surgery from your child just because it's expensive. You have to think of your pet that way - otherwise you really should not be a pet owner.

 

I hear what you are saying, yet some people, instead of buying a specially bred animal, could adopt pets that otherwise would be homeless, euthanized, or live their lives in shelters. They may be able to give them a good life, yet not be able to afford joint replacement, high tech surgery, or high cost vet care. (In my area, one vet will charge a minimum of $65 per visit, and a different vet will charge $20, with different styles, and different levels of intervention.) There are so many homeless animals that would benefit from a caring home, no matter the economic status.

[journeynow]

Last night everything clicked for me when I was sitting on the couch with my dog and she sneezed and I noticed blood on the couch that came out of her nose. She has been having sneezing fits lately and I thought it was newly developed allergies. But once I saw the blood last night I realized where the mystery blood splatter came from on the bed a month ago. Malignant tumours. This is something I would not try to treat.

 

Aww, sorry about your pup, Mercurial Girl.

[petite]

Well I don't have my own pet, but my fiance has a dog and she is always with me, lately more with me than him because of his work and I love her to bits. I'd definitely pay however much necessary for her or if I had a pet of my own. I wouldn't want her suffering, so if I knew the surgery would not help much, and that she'd still be in pain, I'd let him make the decision as to what he would like to do. I think owners do have a responsibility to try and keep their pets healthy and I certainly wouldn't dispose of a pet just because they need $100 if the chances of them being okay after the surgery were good. As long as the pet isn't suffering, that would be my main concern.

 

Our family dog had a surgery and my parents didn't even think twice about paying for the surgery, it was their responsibility as pet owners to take care of him, he did live quite a bit after the surgery, but got very sick and survival rate was not good and he was in a lot of pain so they decided to let him go in peace isn't of torturing him. It was an exceptionally hard decision to make, especially for my father, he was so distraught but he knew it had to be done. They have a new dog now which they also love a lot, but if something similar popped up, I'm sure they would weigh-out their options as to what is best for the dog.

 

If my fiances' dog were to get terribly sick, I'm confident he would do what is best for her, he'd pay whatever was necessary to help her not be in pain, and if the survival rate was small or if she were to be in pain even after some surgery or something, I know he would be distraught. I can't even imagine how he would handle it because she is like a child to him in many ways - we know she is a dog, we know she isn't a human being, but we love her, bathe her, cook for her, take her to regular vet visits, do everything necessary to keep her well groomed, healthy, and she was in many ways his baby. He got her at I think 8 weeks or something like that, he carried her like a baby in his palms, now she is a huge doberman, and the sweetest dog I've ever met. Just thinking of her not being in our lives makes me really sad, and I've only known her 2 years - he has known her since she was a baby, he picked her out, she is his baby. She is a well trained dog, knows her place in the home and in "our family" and of course if we had a child our baby would be more important, but D is also important and I'd so everything to keep her healthy.

Sure if I had to choose between saving my baby and a dog, of course I'd choose my baby, but still doesn't take the pain away. And I am not even a huge pet lover. But I love this little princess so much.

[trixi]

Yes, I have spent over $4000 on little mama (my baby girl kitty) when she was very very sick. Major infection from problem teeth as my mother did not realize there was a problem. The Vet did not want to tell us that she could very well not make it, but she did and it was the best investment ever!

[90_hour_sleep]

^^

 

problem teeth. i've heard a lot of other disease can come as a result of poor oral health. that was actually the motivation behind this thread. i have a cat who has some mild gingivitis. it's not critical right now...but a good cleaning would be of great benefit. the $800 i was quoted seems like peanuts after reading the responses here...especially when one considers that it's preventative.

[Mercurial Girl]

^^

 

problem teeth. i've heard a lot of other disease can come as a result of poor oral health. that was actually the motivation behind this thread. i have a cat who has some mild gingivitis. it's not critical right now...but a good cleaning would be of great benefit. the $800 i was quoted seems like peanuts after reading the responses here...especially when one considers that it's preventative.

 

 

YES do it. I really wish I had sooner. Now I'm waiting to see if her nose bleeds are an abscess from dental problems or a nasal tumor.