Pets are expensive!!!

PPBart · Aug 22, 2014

And she's not even my dog!

My grandson has a dachshund ("Cupcake"), about 3 years old. She jumped off a bed and was suddenly paralyzed and in serious pain. My daughter took her to the vet ER where a CT scan showed a ruptured disk at L2. Cupcake underwent surgery ("hemilaminectomy") and now has a 4 week recovery. Since I'm retired the family assumed I would be available to help nurse the dog(!) Also, the assumption seems to have been made (at least by my daughter) that I would help pay the vet bill (~$4000 !!!). I really don't mind helping with the care, even with the bill -- but I reminded my wife and daughter the they were both critical of my other daughter who has for years maintained medical insurance for her pets. A comprehensive policy for Cupcake would cost about $400/year, with a $200 deductible.

Moral of the story: Consider medical insurance for your pets -- it might save you a bundle!

JBP55 · Aug 22, 2014

That coverage cost if used once a year since I owned dogs would have cost me $24,750. If never used it would have cost me $11,250. I suppose pet insurance is a good thing if you can afford it but I do not know anyone that has it.

Cochise · Aug 22, 2014

I'm going to have to correct you, there. The wrong pet is expensive. I have been surrounded by dogs since I was born and none of ours have ever needed surgery. Just routine shots and deworming. I am truly sorry for you situation. Convince them to pick a stronger, more robust breed and your family should never have to go through this emotional and financial strain again. Mutts make the very best pets. These days, the purer the breed, the weaker the dog, and puppy farms are largely to blame.

general mills · Aug 22, 2014

I am very sorry to hear this, and have personal experience with this. When I was in HS, we had a miniature dachshund that jumped off the couch and had the same issue, same surgery. a few months later, the thing jumped off something else and had the same injury again. We put her down. Unfortunately, these dogs are not bred for their robust physical attributes or intelligence. Be very careful that the dog does not injure itself again!

FORman · Aug 22, 2014

That coverage for me, 3 dogs-30 years, would be $270,000 before deductables.

Jack · Aug 22, 2014

Cochise said:
I'm going to have to correct you, there. The wrong pet is expensive. I have been surrounded by dogs since I was born and none of ours have ever needed surgery. Just routine shots and deworming. I am truly sorry for you situation. Convince them to pick a stronger, more robust breed and your family should never have to go through this emotional and financial strain again. Mutts make the very best pets. These days, the purer the breed, the weaker the dog, and puppy farms are largely to blame.

This.

PPBart · Aug 22, 2014

FORman said:
That coverage for me, 3 dogs-30 years, would be $270,000 before deductables.

I really don't understand that...

PPBart · Aug 22, 2014

Cochise said:
...The wrong pet is expensive... Convince them to pick a stronger, more robust breed... Mutts make the very best pets...

Good points! <g>. I've got two healthy and happy mutts (rescue dogs) in my backyard, only medical costs (so far) have been for spaying and routine shots/etc. However, my grandkids are seriously attached to Cupcake, so I guess we'll just have to hope for the best.

pyreaux · Aug 22, 2014

FORman said:
That coverage for me, 3 dogs-30 years, would be $270,000 before deductables.

3x400=1,200
1200x30=36,000

For the surgery this guy is paying for this policy would have paid off and at a minimum prevented a large sudden bill. I'm all about a more robust breed, but if you have a more injury prone breed, the insurance might be worth looking at.

oleheat · Aug 22, 2014

PPBart said:
(~$4000 !!!). I really don't mind helping with the care, even with the bill

You sure about this?

That's a lot of ammo. :dogkeke:

ta2d_cop · Aug 22, 2014

My free pure bred black lab was initially expensive because I had to build a kennel, fence, and all that good stuff to the tune of about $700.00. Minus all the annual stuff he has cost me little to nothing besides food. He hasn't had any real medical issues. My 3 year old German Shepherd is the same way. Few hundred to the breeder, shots and AKC registration and he's good to go. No heath issues. Just a few KONG replacements because even the extreme KONG stuff doesn't stand up to his bite pressure for long.

RedStickChick · Aug 22, 2014

JBP55 said:
That coverage cost if used once a year since I owned dogs would have cost me $24,750. If never used it would have cost me $11,250. I suppose pet insurance is a good thing if you can afford it but I do not know anyone that has it.

Yeah no. I didn't get insurance for my dog. Too expensive.

I have a friend who is a vet and I now pay maybe 1/4 of what I paid at my old vet.

The only stuff I pay for now is food/treats, an occasional haircut and that's pretty much it.

When I first got her, yeah, she was expensive between the crate, spaying, initial shots, toys and a bed. But now? Now she's the laziest and happiest dog in the world when she finds a good stick or leafy tree branch.

2011Corvette · Aug 22, 2014

Talking about having to spend $4,000 on Cupcake, who was paralized and in pain, on a gun forum?

Wow ..... :eek3:

Nomad.2nd · Aug 22, 2014

I know .22 is hard to find now guys....

But isn't that a little extreme?

Topic shift:
Does your vet do larger animals? I need a simillar surgery and its looking like $80k! :eek3:

Gator 45/70 · Aug 22, 2014

Belle's worth every penny and she even brings me a dog slobbered up Chewbacca !

Ritten · Aug 22, 2014

I have pet insurance on Krieger and between what they pay towards annual shots, check ups, and the little things that he's been brought in for thus far it's been worth the coverage.

PPBart · Aug 22, 2014

2011Corvette said:
Talking about having to spend $4,000 on Cupcake, who was paralized and in pain, on a gun forum?
Wow .....

Well, this is the Off Topic subforum...

bigtattoo79 · Aug 22, 2014

PPBart said:
Well, this is the Off Topic subforum...

Read his post a couple more times lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

FORman · Aug 22, 2014

pyreaux said:
3x400=1,200
1200x30=36,000

For the surgery this guy is paying for this policy would have paid off and at a minimum prevented a large sudden bill. I'm all about a more robust breed, but if you have a more injury prone breed, the insurance might be worth looking at.

That fixed it.

themcfarland · Aug 22, 2014

yea, if I had the misfortune to own a dog that was likely to be jumping off stuff and get paralyzed, I would not let it on things.. my mix breed border collies over the years have all been active and busy until the end and none needed anything but annuals.
rescue dogs, one was 19, other 18 when we put them down, my male is 11 now and female is 2-3 ish.. we are not sure..
the greyhound, was very cool, and very expensive.. tooth problems, and such.. purebreds are expensive period.

Pets are expensive!!!

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