Rant about Dog Care

6853 Views 48 Replies 20 Participants Last post by TruckersMom, Jan 27, 2016

TruckersMom

Discussion Starter · Jan 15, 2016

I try to be as least controversial as possible (especially on this site) but what I read got to me.

I believe 100% you must be able to care for you animals (emotionally and financially) as they depend on you. I have pet insurance because of this "Emergency Situation" (that hopefully will never happen).

What I don't understand is how someone can not factor in the carrying cost of bring an animal into their life. You have to know that their might be unexpected costs when you adopt an animal.

I never thought I would have to shell out $480 for a single vet behaviorist visit or have only had my new pet and have already spent $800 on vet visits but I have a "Furry Family Fund" that I have been putting monkey into long before I ever adopted my dog and immediately upon getting him got pet insurance (I will get $600 back from the vet visits). It is not that I have "extra money" laying around, it is that I prepared LONG before I ever took on the responsibility of a pet.

I think of it like having a child. I would not have a kid without ensuring that I could not only pay for basic medical care and carrying costs but also those unexpected emergencies.

Maybe it is just me, but I needed to vent about it

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PoppyKenna

· #2 · Jan 15, 2016

I do agree with you. I prefer to be over prepared in such instances, personally. But, it's one thing to not be able to drop thousands of dollars and another entirely to be unprepared for a couple hundred.

However, I count myself incredibly lucky to have come from a supportive family that always backs me up. I always pay back my debts but I do know that if I'm ever in a bind I can count on my parents to help me out. I know not everyone is so lucky.

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TruckersMom

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 15, 2016

@PoppyKenna I come from a super supportive family too. We are lucky. There are so many programs out there to help too (when it is $1000 not $300) and I feel like that people don't even bother with looking for them.
Are You Having Trouble Affording Your Pet? : The Humane Society of the United States

Thisisme19

· #4 · Jan 15, 2016

I totally agree and had the same reaction when I read the same thing you did I'm sure. I have 2 backs up for Tucker emergencies. A emergency fund I deposit cash in every pay and a good friend that is a vet surgeon who comps many services. I could see how for a first time dog owner some stuff could be surprising. But anyone that has owned or been around dogs before should know that they get into stuff and accidents happen. Common sense is a very uncommon thing.

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TruckersMom

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 15, 2016

@Thisisme19 I am a first time dog owners so before I got Trucker, I actually went as far to ask my Boyfriend how much food his dog eats a week so I could calculate the carrying cost on him. I wanted to make sure I had plenty.

Laco

· #6 · Jan 15, 2016

Yep, adopting a pet is taking on a very large responsibility, emotional, physical, and certainly financial. I too carry medical insurance for Samantha, plus we factored in estimated additional costs associated with her care. I wish everyone understood exactly what they are taking on in responsibility when acquiring a pet. They are so totally dependent on us for virtually everything, but then the rewards are huge.

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Thisisme19

· #7 · Jan 15, 2016

TruckersMom said:
@Thisisme19 I am a first time dog owners so before I got Trucker, I actually went as far to ask my Boyfriend how much food his dog eats a week so I could calculate the carrying cost on him. I wanted to make sure I had plenty.

Well then, you're a much smarter and thorough person than most!

I've had people (aka family, lol) give me a bit of grief over how much I spend on Tuck, between his food, day care, walks, treats, classes, etc. Which I consider all of them being basics for dog life. Then they meet him and are all, wow he's such a good dog you got so lucky. and then I have to respond with something like - Ummm no insane people, I put a **** tonne of time and money into this little turd. And it's like a little light bulb goes off in their heads. haha.

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Rain

· #8 · Jan 15, 2016

Like I wrote this morning in reply to the thread, I learned the hard way to be prepared. Life happens, money gets used up, circumstances change, I know all of that and had it happened to me. I also learned that if I got another pet I needed to make as sure as possible that the funds were there to care for that pet should an emergency arise. I waited 6 months to get Zody after Shadow passed away because of that. I made sure that I had money set aside that is only to be used for emergency care.

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jclark343

· #9 · Jan 15, 2016

I think it's smart to always have a little back up money for any surprise situation whether it be your health, your animal's health, or one of your large items (house, car, etc). That being said I don't have thousands laying around, but you best believe if I needed it to keep a dog alive I would do anything in my power to get the money together (ask family, apply for credit, sell stuff, etc).

Definitely wouldn't be sitting around making excuses hoping for the best.

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Shandula

· #10 · Jan 15, 2016

My dogs are my life. I would do anything and everything to get my dog's the treatment they need. That's the agreement my husband and I made when we decided to get dogs.

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spotsonofbun

· #11 · Jan 15, 2016

Askur only gets ill after closing hours, or when out of town...

He got such a bad ear infection that he got a fever, in a couple of hours he was too weak to walk! it was boxing day (saturday) and the next time the vet would open would be the next monday.

You just can't wait that long. So we called out the vet on call, wrapped him in a blanket and left. Luckily all he needed was some pain killers, meds to lower temperature and antibiotics. He perked up really quickly. I think it came to 25 000 kr ($192) which I thought was really reasonable considering it was a high holiday. The insurance paid half, but my mum and step dad didn't have enough at that moment. It was at the end of the month and the holidays. I ended up paying for it, they've already paid me back.

Whatever would have happened they would have still taken him to the vet, they would have figured it out.

When I was 11 our puppy got some nasty virus. My mum was a single mum of two, I don't remember whether he was insured. But he went to the vet regardless, actually my guinea pigs and hamster went to the vet when needed and my mum had nothing.

But with the puppy we were lucky he managed to fight the virus pretty much himself. My mum admitted that had he needed further care (like sending blood to Sweden) she wouldn't have been able to do that.

The thing is that in such a situation you have to be prepared to PTS. Because it is unhumane to leave the animal to suffer. You either find the money or you put the animal out of its misery. Now modern medicine can sometimes extend life beyond its natural time, I wouldn't spend $$$$$ on a cancer treatment that would cause a lot of pain and distress.

It is always going to be a difficult decision but the bottom line is that no action is not acceptable. If your animal is really sick and you can't afford the care you need euthanise or provide basic care like pain medications.

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spotsonofbun

· #12 · Jan 15, 2016

Actually as a very broke university student I paid £300 for vet care from a specialised reptile vet, X rays, blood work everything, when my beardie got ill. I ended up euthanising at the advice of the vet, there was nothing that could be done.

Im still paying that overdraft, but I miss my lizard more than I miss that money.

I don't regret taking him to the vet even though it turned out to be feeble. It gave me some closure knowing I tried. Equally Im glad that I could end his pain. If I hadn't taken him to the vet he would have slowly starved to death in a horrible and painful death.

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ChessaQ

· #13 · Jan 16, 2016

I'm not drowning in money, but when my dogs need vet care, they get it. When I was 15 and Reese showed up as a stray, I had no idea how to take care of a dog, and almost no money. I paid for her, my parents made it clear she was my responsibility. She wasn't spayed and got pyometra and needed emergency $600 surgery. I was 15 and did not have that kind of money. But I begged, borrowed and worked my butt off and she got the surgery.

I totally understand that life throws crap at you and no matter what you can't always be prepared, but when it's an ongoing thing that you can never afford to care for your animal, it's time to rehome them. It shows me that either you don't care enough to try, or you're in a bad enough spot that you just can't have a dog right now. It's just selfish and irresponsible otherwise. Excuses are just that. Excuses. Once or twice I can buy, but after that it's just ridiculous.

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RoughDiamond

· #14 · Jan 16, 2016 (Edited)

I'll readily admit I don't make enough right now to have a savings account substantial enough to support a series of serious vet bills--but that doesn't mean I wouldn't find a way to make it work if I needed to.

A year ago Victoria was hit by a car and needed $1000+ in vet bills and other special care. I took out a line of credit and gave her every ounce of care she needed in those months. I was able to pay off the credit easily enough by shirking a few personal wants, and all was well.

Aside from legally and medically neccessary vet care, I actually prefer a holistic approach which can, at times, be even more expensive than a "regular" vet :sigh:. I honestly believe anyone who cares enough about their dog can make it work barring a human health emergency.

It makes life decisions like finances, education, moving, family integration, etc. more difficult, but it's exceptionally rare that it be truly impossible, as all those craigslist ads out in the world claim.

Also, because it kind of parallels this subject--sometimes the best "care" a person can give their dog is rehoming, but it shouldn't be for some silly reason that's only for the human/owner's convenience.

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TruckersMom

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 19, 2016

Laco said:
Yep, adopting a pet is taking on a very large responsibility, emotional, physical, and certainly financial. I too carry medical insurance for Samantha, plus we factored in estimated additional costs associated with her care. I wish everyone understood exactly what they are taking on in responsibility when acquiring a pet. They are so totally dependent on us for virtually everything, but then the rewards are huge.

Exactly. They are much like having a baby or toddler in emotion, physical, and financial needs.

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TruckersMom

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 19, 2016

I love that all of you guys would do anything, it brightens my day knowing there are like minded people out there.

In my area a vet WILL NOT turn an animal away that is in need of immediate vet care. It is probably because they do not want to have negligence charges against them but in the need it doesn't matter what motivates them as long as an animal in need gets help. They work with people so that the animal is taken care of.

There are so many super awesome non-profits out there who are willing to help in different ways when times are rough. I truly wish they were better advertised.

Ems

· #17 · Jan 19, 2016

We opted not to get pet insurance as it didn't make sense for us crunching the numbers, but we put a similar amount in a "just in case" fund and we already got a care credit card so at least if something comes up we will be in a position to get an interest free plan.

I do feel for people that get a dog when things are fine and then someone loses a job or something else bad happens, you cannot really blame them when they are doing the best they can and something happens, you cannot plan for everything, this is why people go bankrupt when they or their kids or their pet gets sick, would you tell someone to give up their pet if they lost their home or job or got sick, would their pet really be better off in a shelter?

I guess what I am saying is, it is great if you have means and plans and can take care of everyone you need to. I feel immensely lucky that my kids and my dog get all the care they need, but don't be too quick to judge when someone isn't doing what you think is the right thing. Most people love their pets and it must be heart breaking when you have to choose between food/rent for your family and medical care for your dog, or other equally hard choices. No reasonable person wants their pets to suffer and the judgement of others can make it even worse.

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squidwanda

· #18 · Jan 20, 2016 (Edited)

One of the things that is difficult for me in situations like this, is knowing when you need to take your animal to the vet and when you might need to take them.

I had Loki for about a month when he got really sick one day. He threw up in my car and was essentially having liquid diarrhea. He progressively got worse over about 12 hours, but I had also just changed his food and he didn't show any symptoms of sickness besides GI distress. No lethargy, he was eating, he was playing, he wasn't dehydrated. Well, because he was so wormy and had his vaccines late (he came from a backyard rescue at 11 weeks), I freaked out and took him to the vet anyways. Luckily my regular vet was open and it was during normal business hours. I took him in and they told me that the biggest concern was Parvo. I was there for about 3 hours, and by the end of the appointment, they told me they couldn't identify a specific problem and I should give him medicine and bring him back if he wasn't better in 48 hours. They had also pumped him full of SQ fluid for "suspected dehydration". They gave me 6 different prescriptions, all different types of "anti nausea/anti diarrheal" medication. When I got my bill, they had slammed me with over $500 of tests and treatments that I did not authorize, including a full blood panel that cost me $150. He was better the next day even without taking any of the medication. He had simply had a puppy reaction to new food. I honestly do not attribute this to over-caution, I think I was taken advantage of.

Since this incident, I have been distrustful and careful about taking my dogs to the vet. I have done research and even gone to a seminar to learn more about routine care, so this kind of thing doesn't happen again. I am certified in animal rehab which means I have knowledge of basic emergency care. For vaccines and checkups, my dogs see my trusted equine vet instead of going to a commercial small animal facility. I know I am not the only one who has had something like this happen, but it makes me reluctant to take them to the vet unless there is an extreme emergency situation.

That being said, having a fund in case something horrible happens is essential. I set aside $500 in case the worst happened, but when I had to take my horse into the vet school for a serious emergency, I realized how important it was to put aside money as often as possible. Luckily, I had just sold my car for way more than it was worth and was able to afford the +$2,000 that saved her life.

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SpicyBulldog

· #19 · Jan 20, 2016

TruckersMom said:
I try to be as least controversial as possible (especially on this site) but what I read got to me.

I believe 100% you must be able to care for you animals (emotionally and financially) as they depend on you. I have pet insurance because of this "Emergency Situation" (that hopefully will never happen).

What I don't understand is how someone can not factor in the carrying cost of bring an animal into their life. You have to know that their might be unexpected costs when you adopt an animal.

I never thought I would have to shell out $480 for a single vet behaviorist visit or have only had my new pet and have already spent $800 on vet visits but I have a "Furry Family Fund" that I have been putting monkey into long before I ever adopted my dog and immediately upon getting him got pet insurance (I will get $600 back from the vet visits). It is not that I have "extra money" laying around, it is that I prepared LONG before I ever took on the responsibility of a pet.

I think of it like having a child. I would not have a kid without ensuring that I could not only pay for basic medical care and carrying costs but also those unexpected emergencies.

Maybe it is just me, but I needed to vent about it

Not that I don't agree with being prepared, no one expects an emergency, but being prepared helps. Though many people don't realize the cost. They understand you have to feed the animal or vet cost but some don't anticipate the big unexpected cost. There are people who are not financially responsible at all, so when it comes to their animals they won't have the money. Others are just on hard times, of course it seems that's when you need money most.

I think pet insurance depends on your situation and what you personally feel is best. For me I don't see it as a necessity, I don't like to pay vet bills, but I feel the pet insurance is like throwing money away.

So where do you draw the line being able to pay for a $200 emergency, $2000 emergency? Everyone should try to be prepared but there might be things that are not affordable. The same is true with a child, should you only have one if you can afford an ER visit, which is probably affordable for many, but what about a severe illness? Which means you have to pay 20k, 30k, 50k, etc and that's with insurance, no one plans that their kid will have a severe life threatening illness. What about with dogs, one might be able to afford a $2,000 emergency & care but what about 10,000? Pet insurance might be good to have in a major situation too, though I know there are different ones with limits of what they might pay in amount or if they cover specific treatment, ect.

I do think one should have a savings in general, which means money will be there when it's needed (for pets or anything). If pet insurance makes sense for the individual they might want to go that route.

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SpicyBulldog

· #20 · Jan 20, 2016

spotsonofbun said:
Askur only gets ill after closing hours, or when out of town...

He got such a bad ear infection that he got a fever, in a couple of hours he was too weak to walk! it was boxing day (saturday) and the next time the vet would open would be the next monday.

You just can't wait that long. So we called out the vet on call, wrapped him in a blanket and left. Luckily all he needed was some pain killers, meds to lower temperature and antibiotics. He perked up really quickly. I think it came to 25 000 kr ($192) which I thought was really reasonable considering it was a high holiday. The insurance paid half, but my mum and step dad didn't have enough at that moment. It was at the end of the month and the holidays. I ended up paying for it, they've already paid me back.

Whatever would have happened they would have still taken him to the vet, they would have figured it out.

When I was 11 our puppy got some nasty virus. My mum was a single mum of two, I don't remember whether he was insured. But he went to the vet regardless, actually my guinea pigs and hamster went to the vet when needed and my mum had nothing.

But with the puppy we were lucky he managed to fight the virus pretty much himself. My mum admitted that had he needed further care (like sending blood to Sweden) she wouldn't have been able to do that.

The thing is that in such a situation you have to be prepared to PTS. Because it is unhumane to leave the animal to suffer. You either find the money or you put the animal out of its misery. Now modern medicine can sometimes extend life beyond its natural time, I wouldn't spend $$$$$ on a cancer treatment that would cause a lot of pain and distress.

It is always going to be a difficult decision but the bottom line is that no action is not acceptable. If your animal is really sick and you can't afford the care you need euthanise or provide basic care like pain medications.

That's about all you can really do with a virus. There isn't much treatment, either live or die, it's up to the body's immune system.

squidwanda said:
One of the things that is difficult for me in situations like this, is knowing when you need to take your animal to the vet and when you might need to take them.

I had Loki for about a month when he got really sick one day. He threw up in my car and was essentially having liquid diarrhea. He progressively got worse over about 12 hours, but I had also just changed his food and he didn't show any symptoms of sickness besides GI distress. No lethargy, he was eating, he was playing, he wasn't dehydrated. Well, because he was so wormy and had his vaccines late (he came from a backyard rescue at 11 weeks), I freaked out and took him to the vet anyways. Luckily my regular vet was open and it was during normal business hours. I took him in and they told me that the biggest concern was Parvo. I was there for about 3 hours, and by the end of the appointment, they told me they couldn't identify a specific problem and I should give him medicine and bring him back if he wasn't better in 48 hours. They had also pumped him full of SQ fluid for "suspected dehydration". They gave me 6 different prescriptions, all different types of "anti nausea/anti diarrheal" medication. When I got my bill, they had slammed me with over $500 of tests and treatments that I did not authorize, including a full blood panel that cost me $150. He was better the next day even without taking any of the medication. He had simply had a puppy reaction to new food. I honestly do not attribute this to over-caution, I think I was taken advantage of.

Since this incident, I have been distrustful and careful about taking my dogs to the vet. I have done research and even gone to a seminar to learn more about routine care, so this kind of thing doesn't happen again. I am certified in animal rehab which means I have knowledge of basic emergency care. For vaccines and checkups, my dogs see my trusted equine vet instead of going to a commercial small animal facility. I know I am not the only one who has had something like this happen, but it makes me reluctant to take them to the vet unless there is an extreme emergency situation.

That being said, having a fund in case something horrible happens is essential. I set aside $500 in case the worst happened, but when I had to take my horse into the vet school for a serious emergency, I realized how important it was to put aside money as often as possible. Luckily, I had just sold my car for way more than it was worth and was able to afford the +$2,000 that saved her life.

That's pretty outrageous. They over medicated your dog and charged you for stuff you didn't even need. I do agree they took advantage. I understand they have to make money too, but in general the mark up can be high, which is tough to swallow.
I only take my dogs to the vet when they really need it. No sense in paying out money when it's unnecessary.
I guess in some situations that could be tricky, like the one hot described, though since it was after a food change that's usually the main culprit for such upsets.

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