How much would you pay for a healthy pet?

[slick]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7417688/?GT1=6428

Sick dog gets $45,000 stem cell transplant
After treatment for lymphoma, 'Comet' now recovering
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:19 p.m. ET April 7, 2005BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. - Darrell and Nina Hallett love their dog Comet and have reached deeply into their wallets to prove it.

The couple spent $45,000 on a stem cell transplant for their golden retriever, who is recovering from lymphoma, a type of cancer that attacks the immune system.

Dr. Edmund Sullivan, a Bellingham veterinarian, performed the transplant last summer, using stem cells from another golden retriever.

Sue Hendrickson, a friend of the Halletts, owns Comet’s mother and 11 other dogs. She spent months tracking down 40 of Comet’s relatives to donate blood, eventually finding three perfect matches.

She flew to Florida to get Rico, the biggest of the three and the one who could yield the most stem cells, and delivered him to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, which donated advice and facilities for the transplant.

The cancer center has performed hundreds of bone-marrow or stem-cell transplants on dogs over the past four decades, as researchers perfected techniques used to treat cancer in humans.

Comet’s transplant happened in June. After a long, steady recovery, he appears to be showing signs that he’s been cured.
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Am I a bad Mom? I would have to think twice before doing this...even if I did have the resources. What would you do?

[jennifert9]

Geez! If I had the money and the benefits outweighed the risks, I would definitely do it.
Hopefully, I won't ever have to make a decision like that...

[moosmom]

What Jennifert9 said!

[IRescue452]

Nope, as much as I love my pets I have learned that its better to let them go naturally than to prolong their lives for my own benefit even if the quality of life after this surgery is as good as a normal healthy dog. Its almost as bad as cloning an animal.

[Cataholic]

You are a bad mom....

I just finished this book about an Aussie Terrier and the cancer he got, and the amount/energy it took to treat it. The authors were the dog's parents.

Though the end is in sight, I am still paying on a card that had Binx's medical on it, and he has been gone 14 months..... (about him being gone, not the bill)

[Uabassoon]

If I had millions, sure I'd do it. Odds are I'll never be that rich so I don't see myself doing something like that.

[jackie]

Nope, as much as I love my pets I have learned that its better to let them go naturally than to prolong their lives for my own benefit even if the quality of life after this surgery is as good as a normal healthy dog. Its almost as bad as cloning an animal.

I agree fully with this. one of my friends had a lovely dog but with loads of problems (way too many to list here). In the end she was feeding him like 10+ tablets a day and was constantly back and forth from the vets. IF you need to do this to a dog to keep it functioning semi-normally, maybe its time to just let go. Its always sad to see a loved pet die, but sometimes it much more humaine for the animal.

[QueenScoopalot]

I just posted the same article in DG! It's a weeeee, weee, weee bit off the charts for my pocketbook! Oh..I forgot, I don't carry one!

[LKPike]

my fiance and I are in about 1 years worth of credit card debt - all from vet bills in the last 3 months alone at first paid with cash, but when the cash situation came to - vet bill or food, we were forced to switch to our low interest credit cards.

400$ here, 200$ there, 600$ was I think the most we've had on ONE bill. I'd go in 3 years worth of debt if I had to, Jillian's my doghter She HAS to be healthy and alive, I need her. I can't imagine life without her.

[Suki Wingy]

I would litteraly give my own life for my dog. That statement says enough, I think.

[carole]

If I had the money, and my pet would not suffer by prolonging its life, I guess the answer would be yes.

my american friend is prolonging his dog's life by giving her chemotherapy, is that wrong? I don't believe so, she would only have had 4 to 6 weeks left otherwise, this way she may go into remission and live a year or so, who knows, he would never let her suffer through the therapy, and would end the sessions if he saw that happening.

Each situation is different, and I personally cannot judge anyone on their decision until I have walked in their shoes.

[wolfsoul]

If I was rich, I would definatly do it. But, my mom makes $10,000 a YEAR (I guess that means if we don't eat or live anywhere for 45 years I could finally get enough money to save my dying pet, even though we'd all be dead by then ). I couldn't afford it. Even when I'm on my own, I doubt I'll be rich enough to afford it.

If I had a pet that ever did needed an expensive surgery, I would get the word out and ask people to donate money.

[catland]

As much as many of us like to think of our pets as our "kids" - I would draw the line here. I would certainly sell my home or work two jobs or allow myself to go bankrupt for a human child, but I would not make that same sacrifice for my kitties - even though I do adore them very dearly. I would allow myself to go somewhat in debt, but there would be a limit way before $45,000.

[CathyBogart]

It would definitely depend on the circumstances - and the pet. Since human offspring will never be a concern for me, I am able to give my all to the animals I share my life with, and that has included a large chunk of my money at times. Heck, I had rats, that should say a lot! However, I could not afford $45,000, and I don't know what I would do under those circumstances. If I had the resources, and the odds of a good quality of life were good after the procedure, I would do it.