How much would you pay?

[Kiia]

I was speaking with another lady here at work before, telling her that I will be taking Teeko to the vet after work to get that bump on his leg checked out.

She ended up asking me how much I would pay if in fact it is something bad? I said I wasn't sure but I'm willing to pay alot since he's still young and a big part of my life. She says what $700-$800, I said yes I would be willing to pay that and more. She looked at me, started laughing and said I was crazy. :o I asked her why I was crazy? She said animals are animals, it's not like they are kids. I told her I loved Teeko very much and he is like my child (he sure gets spoiled like one ;)).

She said in her opinion, they are two different things and she wouldn't spend that much money on an animal. Our conversation went on for a few more minutes, a little more heated because we both saw it differently.

Anyways, I'm not crazy, I just love my boy Teeko! :D

How much would you pay for your pet?

[Logan]

I have a friend on another group that is facing close to $10,000 in vet bills for surgery and care for her rescue dog that was hit by a car in a freak accident. She has gotten much help from friends who wanted to contribute, but she had to pay half the balance in order to bring her boy home for a weekend. I can't imagine that kind of expense, but watching her boy thrive has made me realize that I would do just about anything that would help one of my dogs or cats and preserve their quality of life. I can't stroke a check for $10,000, for sure, but I do know that my vet knows me well enough to know that I would pay him and he would work with me to make it work out for my pet.

[PJ's Mom]

My stray cocker, Opus had heartworms when we found him. I paid close to $1000 for treatment only to have to put him to sleep a week later. :(

I'd pay any amount of money necessary for my babies. :)

[Uabassoon]

I would spend whatever it took if my babies were sick.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I'm glad you love Teeko so much. You are certainly not crazy, I would do what ever I could no matter the price for my fur-babies.

[aly]

I have no limits. All of my money already goes to them :rolleyes: :D In the case of an emergency, I would hope I could work out a payment plan with the vet :eek:

[Aspen and Misty]

I acctually have bank acount set up at the bank that I add money to incase of emergency. Yea, I'm only 16, but I still have animals and a day may come when they need expensive care done and I want to be able to do it.

I would pay however much to save any one of my kids.

Ashley

[Glacier]

While in general I agree with the sentiment of money not being an object to saving one of my critters (my vet bills are thousands of dollars a year!), I also need to know that the treatment has a reasonable chance of success and that the animal will have some quality of life afterwards.

For example, I have a cat, Pete, who two & a half years ago I spent over 4000 dollars on. He needed surgery that couldn't be done in the Yukon and he had to fly to the University of Saskatchewan for treatment. At the time Pete was just over two years old, he was otherwise healthy, except for the chronic urinary tract blockages. My vet gave me two options--1. take Pete home and enjoy him until the next blockage at which time he would be euthanized. At that time, Pete was blocking every couple days and could no longer be cathaterized. Option #2 was put him on a plane to Sask, have the surgery with an 90% chance of forever preventing the blocks. Given that Pete was young, generally healthy and that the treatment was almost guarenteed to work, I went ahead with it. Had Pete been older, had other health issues or if the surgery had a low success rate, I probably would have made a different decision. Twicket is almost 15 and I know I wouldn't put him through that, but it doesn't mean I love him any less than Pete.

My husband and I have talked about what we would do should one of the dogs be diagnosed with a major disease, such as cancer. It's morbid, but I think it's important to talk about those kind of things beforehand. While we put no price limit on their lives, we have agreed that they won't be put through invasive, painful or limited success treatments. We will keep them comfortable and happy for as long as possible and gently let them go when that is no longer possible. We had discussed long before we lost a dog what we would do with the body. So when Hoodoo died, we didn't have a big debate and we didn't make a rushed decision in the midst of a crisis. While I was too upset to speak, my hubby was able to tell the vet what arrangements we wanted and remembered to take Hoodoo's collar off.

[BCBlondie]

Just Megan's surgery last week was about $1,400... she will probably have to be on special food that is over $30 for at least 6 months, possibly her life. Megan deserves every penny of it.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I would pay as much as they needed:) i love my dogs way too much to put a limit on a price I'd pay if they had to see the vet. Although I would not ever pay over $1000 to maybe fix Echo's knee since it will heal on it's own (which it almost is).

[cali]

as much as we can, in otherwords as much as we can afford, and how much my dad can afford because he has to help us with vet bills when we have them, but my animals needing a vet is is very very rare occasion. I dont know how much it would be but we could never afford more then $2000 in vet bills, there is no way, my mom only works part time, and I cant handle a job with school, when I can barly handle school.

[Nomilynn]

In total I probably spent about $10,000 in vet/transport/home care/etc etc for Bassett. I had a LOT of help from my friends here, but I still had to cover the majority of the costs. Bassett was young (only 4 at diagnosis) so to me it was worth it. It was her only hope to have the surgery. It only gave her a year, but it was the most special time I had with her. I told her every day that I loved her. I took time with her every day. And even on the day she died she never knew how sick she was. You can't ever put a cost on something like that, and if I had to do it all over again I would still find the money.

[GraciesMommy]

I think Glacier summed it up pretty well. I paid $900 when Mercedes ate mushrooms growing in the yard and got deathly ill..the vet didnt know what was wrong with her and treated her for several different things until we finally found out what the problem was. She stayed several nights at the vet with an IV, antibiotics, special food, etc. We had no idea at the time how high the bill would go but I was going to do whatever it took to save her..but had it been something like cancer that we knew she would not recover from...then I think I would have made the decision to help her to RB..and ultimately she has gone on now...one year this month, but from age and dementia, and a multitude of other problems that came up all of a sudden and the vet felt like she was in agony both in body and mind. Wow, what a tough decision...

People who are not "true pet parents" just don't get it and never will..They just think differently than we do

[Kfamr]

However much it took.

[Cincy'sMom]

I don't think the dollar amount is important. If there was a good chance it would help and they would have a good quality of life, I would spend it. I'm sure Cincy is in to the $1000's and I'd do it all again. (thankfully, not all at once, but well over that in her 3 years...and if it came all at once, we'd find a way)

[Cataholic]

I am in agreement with those that echo 'it isn't the amount of money'...but the result, the reason, the success. Just reading through people's responses brings up so many sad memories for me over Binx. Would I do it all over again? Yes, tenfold. I would find a way, like Naomi did with Bassett, because it brought happiness to he and I. Like Bassett, Binx never 'knew' his disease. It has been more than six months now, and I still pay on the account every month, and will, for a long time to come.
:(

[carole]

I hope the day never comes when I am faced with a huge vet bill, as I love my furbabies so much, but I have a limited income, it would be very difficult, but I would rather get a loan to cover the cost if I had to, and probably would if the bank would let me.

[micki76]

Chester's our Million Dollar Baby. I don't even want to count up the $ we've spent on him in nearly 6 years. I think I'd be sick. But he's been worth every single penny and then some.

When he had to have bladder stones removed last January, it was $1000 bucks. Prior to that he spent a night in the e/r, at about what, $350? Everytime he has a pancreatic attack it's on the weekend, (of course) so it's a minimum of $350 at the e/r.

He's had allergy testing done not once, not twice, but three times. That's about $1500+.

Then add the zillions of pills, shots, vet visits, etc. (most of which didn't work) and WOW! Like I said, Million Dollar Baby. ;)

I thank my lucky stars that we are able to have a savings account just for the dogs! Really, we do.

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by Cataholic
I am in agreement with those that echo 'it isn't the amount of money'...but the result, the reason, the success. Just reading through people's responses brings up so many sad memories for me over Binx. Would I do it all over again? Yes, tenfold. I would find a way, like Naomi did with Bassett, because it brought happiness to he and I. Like Bassett, Binx never 'knew' his disease. It has been more than six months now, and I still pay on the account every month, and will, for a long time to come.
:(


((((HUGS)))) you know Bassett actually liked dogs.. I just hope that Binx hasn't left his favourite blankie on the floor, as I'm sure she's piddled on it!! :eek: But trust me, that just means she loves him :D

And really.. ARE we two people :p

[sammy101]

however much i can afford:)

[slleipnir]

I would pay absolutly anything. I would have 59 jobs if I had to to pay for it, but I would. Esp at this point in my life, I honestly do not believe I could live (literally) if something happened to my pets...esp josie. Josie is like my weak spot in a way...I can tell pppl anything about how crappy I feel and all this stuff and I -don't- cry in front of ppl. I just dont, never really have. Except when it comes to Josie...this person asked what I'd do if something happened to her, and I told her about her epilepsy etc and I just broke down crying. I don't knwo why or how but I love that dog more then my own life or anything I own. I could NOT live without her right now. I believe she's with me to keep me strong...and so I can take care of all the problems she has. I'm also lucky that my dad has the money to afford it for me right now...She's had many vet trips, pills, etc that have cost a lot of money...but money is replaceable...lives are not.

Don't take me wrong, I love Zeke and Kiba more then anything too, but for some reason I have a very strong...maybe unusual..bond with Josie..she was -my- first dog, and we literally were unsepearable when I first got her. I love her so much, I'd pay anything for her andmy pets

[Twisterdog]

It depends.

If the chances of recovery were slim, and/or the cost completely prohibitive, I would euthanize the dog. For example, if the vet said, "Your dog has cancer. The treatment will cost $10,000 and there is less than a 50% chance he will make it", I would euthanize him.

Over the course of my adult life, though, I have spent untold thousands of dollars on vet care for animals.

[Tonya]

I would spend as much as it takes. My RB Rosco was an expensive dog. He had parvo, a broken leg, a skin condition, ear troubles, arthritis, specialized dog training all in his short two years. The funny thing is that when I got Rosco, my comment was "Why spend $500 on a dog from a breeder when you can rescue one for cheap?"

[GoldenRetrLuver]

However much it took.

I had a Dachshund growing up as a young child, and one day he had suffered a "slipped disk" while I was at school. I had came home, and my mother and I rushed him to the vet. There was surgery available for him (he would have to spend the rest of his life walking around with a "doggie wheelchair"), but my parents decided against it and chose to euthanize him. Even to this day, I have not forgiven them for that.

My dogs and other pets mean the world to me, especially Daisy, and if money was the only thing in the way, I would find SOME way to pay for it. But.. like Twisterdog said, if they were already suffering and there was almost no chance they would make it through surgery or whatever they needed, I would probably put them to sleep. Just whatever is best for them..

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Tonya
The funny thing is that when I got Rosco, my comment was "Why spend $500 on a dog from a breeder when you can rescue one for cheap?"

LOL! My most expensive animals in terms of vet bills have both been "free". Pete was a free to a good home kitten that I hauled out from under someone's shed! Hobo was given to me, but his vet bill after the wolf attack was enormous!!

[wolf_Q]

I would pay as much as I possibly could for Nebo. I can't assign a set dollar amount because there isn't one. It would depend most likely on his chance for survival and quality of life whether I would do a procedure or not.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
I had a Dachshund growing up as a young child, and one day he had suffered a "slipped disk" while I was at school. I had came home, and my mother and I rushed him to the vet. There was surgery available for him (he would have to spend the rest of his life walking around with a "doggie wheelchair"), but my parents decided against it and chose to euthanize him. Even to this day, I have not forgiven them for that.

Why would you not forgive them for that? They made the best choice they could, given the circumstances. Perhaps, since you were a child, you did not understand all the medical and/or monetary implications. Perhaps your parents did not feel living life paralyzed, dragging his back legs in a cart, was a good quality of life for a dog. I don't necesarily think it is, either. Maybe you should speak calmly with your parents about this, and discover why they made the choice they did. I do not feel it is necesarily a bad choice, and I certainly don't feel it is something you should hold against them. We parents do the best we can.

[jazzcat]

We spent almost $1000 about this time two years ago to save Ripley when he had a severe URI and blood infection. I would have paid more if needed.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Why would you not forgive them for that? They made the best choice they could, given the circumstances. Perhaps, since you were a child, you did not understand all the medical and/or monetary implications. Perhaps your parents did not feel living life paralyzed, dragging his back legs in a cart, was a good quality of life for a dog. I don't necesarily think it is, either. Maybe you should speak calmly with your parents about this, and discover why they made the choice they did. I do not feel it is necesarily a bad choice, and I certainly don't feel it is something you should hold against them. We parents do the best we can.

I don't hold it against them, and we haven't talked about it since it happened. I just think I would have made the opposite decision, but the past is in the past. You're right. I didn't understand what had happened to him, only that he wouldn't have been able to "walk like a normal dog". I've met dogs who do have to use wheelchairs, and have talked to their owners, whom have said that their dogs live decent, happy lives. :)

[DJFyrewolf36]

I would do what it takes to save my fur/scaley kids but if the chances of recovery were slim and the procedure was more painful than the problem, I would probibly put my pet down. My parents Dobie, Ginger had throat and stomach cancer. The vet said that the surgery/treatment only had a 30% chance of working and the procedure was very very painful. Plus she would have been stuck at the vets for a month. In that situation I would have had her PTS just like my parents did.

I always would want to do the absolute best for my pets, money would never be an issue!

[teenster3]

I don't understand how people just think of pets as just another animal. I know everyone has their own opinions but, I too hate it when someone tells me...."Oh, it's just a dog!"
If I had the money or could make payments, I would do whatever it takes to make my dogs healthy & happy. I think they're happy right now.....SPOILED & HAPPY.
I know vet bills can get extremely expensive, just as expensive if not more than human doctors! But I would do, what I could possibly do for them! I love them, they are my only babies right now!!!;)
Tina