How Far Would You Go?

I understand Bella. I know some people who have to have hip surgery for there doggie. It's like $5000! I know mom would find a way to pay if I needed something like that because us animals are her kids; but I agree that sometimes it can all just get out of hand. My friends had their recently passed pets cremated and special urns made. I understand that. I just don't know. Mom has never had a pup she owned die before...

I would do every thing in my power for Zoe. Even if it meant borrowing money...whatever...she is my child after all.

That's also why mom takes us to a vet who's goal is not money, but treating the animal first and foremost...not forking over $100 as soon as you step foot in the door.

My mom's gone pretty far for me... She won't tell me the exact total though. The last vet visit alone was $225. That doesn't include any meds, special food or follow ups I'll need. Last summer I had an E-vet visit that was about $300. She has a credit card with a high limit for "in case of emergency". Fortunately, she hasn't needed it yet (and hopes she never does).

Well I feel your pain Bella's mom! I just spent 200 on Wiggles yesterdy which I just bought a new house so that is ALOT of money for me right now, but I felt that she is my baby and if I had kids and they were sick I would take them to the doctor.

I think I would pay anything I had for that dog. I tease her and tell her she is more trouble than she is worth, but really she is my baby and I would do anything to make her feel better.

Um... mom had to take out a loan to my oldest sister's kidney stones removed. Luckily the vet worked with her and she had it paid off in a couple of months. So I guess she would do anything she had to for us. Mom's friend works at the Purdue Animal Hospital and she said that there are some people who have paid over $10,000 for their pets. (Mom and dad would have to think long and hard before they could do that)

I wish money was not an issue when it came to pet care, but as most of us know it is. I know my mom and dad spent what was a small fortune, to them at the time, on me during the first 2 years of my life. Luckily it often came in $50 and $100 dollar incraments but it adds up. And there were a few higher E-Vet and other emergency trips that tipped the scale a bit more. At the point when they stopped keeping a running total they were calling me their $800 free puppy. Just like Bella's mom, my dad was in school and Mom was working 2 jobs just trying to not let us drown in basic living expenses. But some how it all worked out. I have been healthy and injury free for 2 years now. Mom and Dad both agree that I am worth every penny. It is very sad that people have to make decisions about their pets life based on what medical treatment they can and cannot afford. Mom and Dad would do every last thing they could for any of us but I also know that despite their huge heart and total devotion to us that there could come a point when money is an issue and there is only so much they could do for us.

Dad spent over $2,000 on my bladder infection, but it was at IVEC and my regular vet said it wouldn't have been 1/3 of that at his office! Live and learn - but I'm worth it! ROAR!

Mom says she is getting all of us cremated. You have to shop around but some places will do the basic cremation for your pet, without a service or fancy urn, for around $100-$150. Mom says you never know where her and Dad might end up next and she couldn't bare to think of leaving us behind buried in the ground. Morbid maybe, but mom and dad said when they die they are also being cremated and all of us can be mixed together and spread someplace. I don't think she really cares where just so long as we are all together.

I would do anything I could at just about any cost. I just spent $800 over the weekend on Ellis and I am picking him up today so I am guessing thats another $800. He is only 3 so he was very healthy other wise so I did what ever it took,he is my kid. ( Now if its a matter of keeping him alive just for me and is not in his best intrest, that's another story)

I know this is a depressing subject for our humans. But with that said, my tail is wagging after seeing that all of our humans would do almost anything in their power for us! :)

We had contact lenses implanted in our then 6 year old Bichon who was losing his sight. He was a puppy mill rescue, so we are probably lucky there wasn't more wrong with him. It cost us $2300 in 1998, but we figured that he was a fairly young dog and had many good years ahead of him. Unfortunately he went completely blind a few years after that and got along just fine. But we did what we thought was best at the time, and might do it again. We spent many hundreds of dollars taking a German Shepherd up to Purdue for cancer treatments, and spent $40/month for 6 years to treat another GSD with pancreatic enzyme disorder. If it means a chance at a better quality of life, we go for it.

I know mom has had me to the vet alot this past year. She goes to a great vet that isn't all about high prices, she wants to make animals well and keep them that way. That said, it still hasn't been cheap. Mom knows that sadly, she has to be reasonable and her financial resources are limited. She will do anything she can but knows that she doesn't have an endless amount of money. I am very confident that Mom will always make the right decision for me about my health and any treatment I might need, even if it is the hardest one of her life. Yes, I am also one of the ones that will be cremated.

Mom has shelled out cash all year long at the vet. We all had some major procedure this year. Mom is just thankful she could afford it all. Hopefully, next year will be a little less expensive! Dad says we have a better medical policy than they do!!

We've stopped saving the vet invoices we get every time Freckles goes to the vet. The average UTI visit is at least $150 for testing and the visit...the meds are a different story. Procedures with sedation are way pricier. The vet is good about giving us alternative treatment options that may be more cost effective, knowing that we have spent a ton of money on Freckles in the past 5 years. I would do anything for my dog that will make her comfortable but nothing that will put her health in any more jeopardy, considering her age and multiple health issues.

I don't think there's much of a limit on what my family would spend. Right now, we have a $500 bill at the vet's (with an employee discount)! My mom pays so much money out of each paycheck, and I give when I can. Of course, this includes putting my uncle's cat to sleep (he was suffering from serious bone cancer) because my uncle wouldn't. Gunner's UTI issues are ongoing, but we'll do everything possible. Wiggles is getting old and consequently has more issues. Miles is the product of poor breeding and will definitely be costing us a lot as he ages. None of that matters, though. As long as the boys are happy and healthy, I won't stop.