Where To Draw The Line With Vet Bills?

[OSoSwift]

It would depend on the situation, the age of the dog, the prognosis, our financial position at that point... many factors to take into consideration.

This for me as well. I think each situation can only be decided when it happens - which of course we would rather it didn't!

When I didn't have kids yep whatever it took, which wasn't much I can tell you! These days I am in a better financial position but I wouldn't starve us all to pay for one of my pets treatment.

It is also very dependent on which animal, their age and prognosis. I wouldn't fix one of my whippets if they were destined to hobble for the rest of their lives and not be able to have a good run around. If my aged Stafford was diagnosed with cancer I would wait until it was causing him a problem and euth him well before he had no quality of life I wouldn't go surgery and chemo. He has many other medical issues and I don't think it would be fair to subject him to that.

One of my younger dogs, I MAY dpending on prognosis and type of cancer/treatment required.

I have seen older dogs have large surgeries to have large tumours etc removed and they have presented weeks to maybe months down the track and have needed euthing. I don't want my dogs last few weeks to be filled with the pain of recovering from surgery just to be euthed before they have recovered.

I really cannot stand it when people say euth I can buy a healthy one cheaper. I have had someone say that to me when his dog had a fractured leg that needed pinning and had a good change of return to normal function. The surgery was $800 and he said well I can buy a new dog for $600 so put him down (yes many years ago!). I just about reached across the counter and punched him!

[newfsie]

I also have pet insurance for the dogs, but about two years ago I paid out $3500 for one of our horse, who went down with colic.....he is well now and I am not at all regretful. It would also depend on your financial situation.

I also think the pets well being needs to be considered. Some pets do not deal with treatment/confinement/pain. For those you might have to consider it is not in their best interest and only for our own interst, because we want them to be with us for so much longer. I think it is a individual case each time.

[Monah]

agree with the general concensus on here of it 'depends'

I even feel this way about humans. I know several people who have had and do have cancer and they have refused treatment as for them it was a choice of 6 extra months but being ill, or 6 less healthy months in which to carry on pretty much as normal.

I've spent several thousands on operations, allergies and cat stuff in the last 12 months. I would not have if I thought it was not the right thing to do for the sake of the pet.

Everyone should do what they think is best, it's too personal and also with so many financial problems around these days it can be impossible for some people even if they'd love to be able to pay for treatment. Often the decision can depend on the cooperation of other family members too, such a stressful situation.xxxxx

Edited November 22, 2010 by Monah

[WoofnHoof]

It is impossible to know until you are in that situation, you can have a limit in your head but heaps of other things come in and affect it that you don't think of at the time. I've had heaps of people express horror at the amount it cost to fix my dog (>$7000) but when you have spent nearly $2k just getting a diagnosis it seems a bit pointless to then refuse surgery on the basis of cost alone. For me it was a progression, I had a late night callout fee when he got sick in the first place, on top of that there were x-rays then antibiotics then plasma when he crashed and I thought I was going to lose him. That one incident was $1500 without even knowing what was wrong, then blood tests and an ultrasound to diagnose and the predicted surgery cost was $3-6k depending on many factors. Then of course the trip to Sydney well if you are going to spend that much on an op you may as well go to the best surgeon in the country hey? So it all adds up and every extra cost just seems like a hurdle to jump to get to your end goal - a healthy happy dog. Even though the risks were high once I had a diagnosis it was an easy decision really, the most stressful part was waiting for the bank to approve the loan!

Really when someone tells you that without surgery your dog will have poor quality of life and in all likelihood be dead before 2 years of age you just take the chance the surgery will work because the alternative is just too devastating.

[Danielle]

Between my acd's cancer and my horse's broken leg, we have spent around 15K in the past 18 months. My husband and I spend what is required. But for some folk that is not an option. I think it should be what you can realistically afford. I don't believe ppl should have to remortgage their home to pay a vet bill. But it's all up to the owner on what they think is right.

[persephone]

There is very much a limit here- in addition, I refuse to subject an animal to extended periods of pain/discomfort for a 'maybe' prognosis.

[aussielover]

If I had the money and treatment would improve the quality of life of my dog ( to a degree i was happy with) I would spend it

If I didn't have the momey and couldn't get a loan, account, borrow off friends and family... well there's nothing you can do sadly

[sas]

I think it relates to your personal financial situation and also about being realistic about the dogs condition - somestime throwing money at a problem doesn't do anything positive.

I think it's a very personal thing for a family to discuss and consult with their Vet about.

[~Myschafis~]

Thanks for the replies... I agree with everyone it is so personal, I just was suprised how disposable so many animals are to people... I suppose I shouldn't be considering I do rescue as well, but when those comments are directed at your own pets its a shock.

[raz]

but when those comments are directed at your own pets its a shock.

It is a shock, isnt it. You have to put it aside though, Myf. Really tough at the time when someone who knows you and knows what your animals mean to you just bombards you with that, isnt it.

[gsdog2]

I'm going through this right now with my nine year old GSD male at the specialists as I type, undergoing a general anaesthetic, endoscopy, biopsy and MRI - after I noticed he had a nose bleed on Sunday. When I took him to the vet yesterday she said she could try AB's although it doesn't really look like an infection, or I could take him to the specialist and have an endoscopy performed. I chose the endoscopy as I didn't want to muck around with meds and end up at the specialist anyway. So, we arrive at the specialist today and he wanted to do an MRI as well!! Prices went along these lines:-

MRI $1750.00

Endoscopy $1500.00

Both at the same time $2200.00

I rang my OH and he said we may as well go ahead and do both (I love him ) I am happy to go ahead and spend this on my boy as he's my heartdog and I love him to bits .......... however, the specialist is already talking (if it's a tumour) radium or maybe chemo. Not because of the cost but because my boy is nine years old and already has quite bad arthritis, I don't know that I will put him through this. It may give him a little more time, but he is not a social dog and doesn't like strangers or strange places and I know he would really stress if he was put through these procedures.

I am hoping that I won't have to make this decision and his "problem" is nothing more than a grass seed, but if it's not, my decision will be whatever's best for him and not me being selfish and keeping him alive for my sake ;) ;) ;)

Money won't be making my decision!

Edited November 23, 2010 by gsdog2

[Kyra]

If I had the money and treatment would improve the quality of life of my dog ( to a degree i was happy with) I would spend it

If I didn't have the momey and couldn't get a loan, account, borrow off friends and family... well there's nothing you can do sadly

Ditto, that sums it up for me.

[nvdane]

Sadly (even if you do have pet insurance), it is the action of others that force the decision to euthenaise upon you.

We had a Great Dane male - 2 year old who suffered a Bloat episode. My husband had just come home from picking up our boy from Kindy & noticed that our boy was dry wretching, drinking water but unable to vomit.

He took our children to a friend & took our boy to the vet - he got there in adequate time - no, they didn't even have a bloat rescue kit. They stuck a needlethrough his stomach wall, let out some gas & said yep, he's got bloat...

They did nothing for 30 minutes & when my husband queried what was happening, they said it would cost between $4,000 to $6,000 to operate on him - by this time our boy was in shock, it was obvious that he would not recover from the surgery as they had left it far too long - We did what was right by him, said goodbye and brought him home to be with us.

And yes, we didn't have that $$ in the bank & no, we couldn't pay it off.

What bothers me is following year, my mother-in-law who lives in the country had an 8 year old male Dane suffer an episode of bloat - Sunday morning - 2:00am emergency surgery - the cost $1,500

How can this veterinary surgery which is in the Metropolitan area justify such an enormous difference in the cost when the surgery required would have been exactly the same?

Edited November 23, 2010 by nvdane

[~Myschafis~]

but when those comments are directed at your own pets its a shock.

It is a shock, isnt it. You have to put it aside though, Myf. Really tough at the time when someone who knows you and knows what your animals mean to you just bombards you with that, isnt it.

I just wish sometimes people would keep their opinions to themselves sometimes

I am happy and comfortable with the calls we have made, and so far we still have both of our kids alive and doing ok

[cointreau]

nvdane that is heartbreaking as a dane owner myself I fully understand how you must feel at your dane being treated so slowly and then being told of such a high cost for the operation which as you mention was going to be too late to help your boy.

As nvdane says sometimes the decision is taken from you by others. I think every situation needs to be looked at individually most importanly quality of life is my dictating factor.

[Moselle]

Sadly (even if you do have pet insurance), it is the action of others that force the decision to euthenaise upon you.

We had a Great Dane male - 2 year old who suffered a Bloat episode. My husband had just come home from picking up our boy from Kindy & noticed that our boy was dry wretching, drinking water but unable to vomit.

He took our children to a friend & took our boy to the vet - he got there in adequate time - no, they didn't even have a bloat rescue kit. They stuck a needlethrough his stomach wall, let out some gas & said yep, he's got bloat...

They did nothing for 30 minutes & when my husband queried what was happening, they said it would cost between $4,000 to $6,000 to operate on him - by this time our boy was in shock, it was obvious that he would not recover from the surgery as they had left it far too long - We did what was right by him, said goodbye and brought him home to be with us.

And yes, we didn't have that $$ in the bank & no, we couldn't pay it off.

What bothers me is following year, my mother-in-law who lives in the country had an 8 year old male Dane suffer an episode of bloat - Sunday morning - 2:00am emergency surgery - the cost $1,500

How can this veterinary surgery which is in the Metropolitan area justify such an enormous difference in the cost when the surgery required would have been exactly the same?

I am so sorry that you have had to go through this! It makes me sick to see how hungry for money some people can be! There is NO justification in wanting to charge you $4-$6000 for that type of surgery and what angers me even more is the fact that they didn't have a bloat rescue kit and even worse that they did nothing for 30 mins and then to have the hide to quote you such an exhorbitant fee! I just hope that karma hits these blood sucking leeches!

Edited November 23, 2010 by Moselle

[~Myschafis~]

How can this veterinary surgery which is in the Metropolitan area justify such an enormous difference in the cost when the surgery required would have been exactly the same?

This is the part that gets me also.

We went through surgery for a broken leg, we paid for a great specialist, and dont get me wrong the results speak for themselves, our baby is doing fantastic BUT on comparing what we paid others have paid $1000's less, sometimes it hard to compare apples to apples as well, and truth be told we had a day to decide which specialist to go with so opted for the one our local vets knew recommend and trusted, we sure did pay for his work though.

[KOE]

I have a sick dog and I was told by someone I highly respect that there comes a time when enough is enough and you need to draw the line in the sand,

Well for My girl there is still no line in the sand but it will get there one day now she is in her twilight years, and whilst I can afford it and she is painless the line can wait.

[Lesley]

We had a bitch many years ago that we had outlayed a fortune for, even re mortgaged our home to cover court costs just to keep her; and we had no regrets in doing so for her life otherwise would have been one of Cinderella, opposed to being the Princess in our castle.

But when the vets at animal emergency gave us a $23,000 quote and only a 15% chance of survival, my O/H wanted to still do it, but I said time to pull the pin!

Edited November 23, 2010 by Lesley

[Staffyluv]

I have a sick dog and I was told by someone I highly respect that there comes a time when enough is enough and you need to draw the line in the sand,

Well for My girl there is still no line in the sand but it will get there one day now she is in her twilight years, and whilst I can afford it and she is painless the line can wait.

I am sure most people here know that Ollie was dxd with MCT grade 2, no clear margins and the lymph biopsy was positive as well. He was 'given' 12-18 months with chemo.

It is now 5+ years on and he is still here - he still has MCT tumours and he still loves going for his walk every morning, eating his breakfast and dinner, playing with any kids that show up and having a rumble with me (although a much gentler rumble these days) every afternoon when I come home from work.

If I had listened to the naysayers I would have PTS at least 4 years ago...

I know what is best for my dog - I will spend what I want on him and as long as he is not in pain, still loves his life and us, then he can stay with us. He has been a loyal and loving friend for over 13 years now and I will give him his wings when he needs them (unless he chooses to leave on his own)...