Just regular things like heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventative, food and annual checkups/shots for the number of dogs/cats we have had and their size (all big dogs) can add up substantially. Then you get a sick one or two and it adds up even more. And my vet gives me such breaks! I would probably cringe at the total if I really added up what we had spent per year in the last couple of years.

Butter has to be at the vet every 4-6 weeks to have a shot, but thankfully, she has been very generous in not charging office visits, just the cost of the shots (Butter goes to a different vet now than the others because her schedule is much more flexible than Dr. Robinson's and he understands that). Murphy and Zipper's recent illnesses (in the last six months), plus the cost of the medications associated with those illnesses and then their cremation charges are astronomical, but I also know they would probably be double had he charged me full price or had I gone to another vet.

Still wouldn't trade any of that for the world. We do without in other areas to make it work and our vet also works with us and allows us to pay a little at a time (which we have never done) or delay payment for as long as necessary. But, I know that isn't common with most veterinarians. I've just been with him for so long and see him so often that he knows that I will always pay him, even if I don't make a payment to him at every visit. He told me a couple of weeks ago that if I paid him 50 cents a week for the rest of my life that would be ok with him. He's a gem and I do hope he doesn't retire for a long, long time.

Logan