Old Dog Needs $6,000 Surgery. What Do You Do?

[Liberal_in_LA]

Old Dog Needs $6,000 Surgery. What Do You Do?

I recently returned from vacation to find my son, his wife and both their bichons at my house. They were there, they told me, because Maxwell, the older dog, needed emergency gallbladder surgery.

Max, a 13-year-old dog, is calm and sweet-tempered, so gentle and pleasant a companion you can forget he is a dog. I have long maintained that Max is better company than most people.

------------------------------

“How much will this cost?” I asked. “And who’s going to pay for it?“

“Six thousand dollars,” Tom said. “Maybe more, if there are complications. We’re splitting the cost with Amy’s parents.”

“I’m in for a third,” I found myself saying.

I’m not a wealthy woman. I work, part time, at a public library. But I loved that dog. And expensive dog repair is less expensive if you split it three ways.

“Are you nuts?” one friend asked when I told her about it.

------------------------------

Another friend admitted that when the vet told her a couple of years ago that her ailing Shih Tzu needed an expensive procedure to save his life, she had blurted: “Do whatever you have to do! I love this dog even more than I love my husband!”

“And I really do love my husband,” she told me sheepishly.


----------------------

When we were finally able to visit Max, we expected to find him helpless and weak. But he trotted briskly into the waiting room, accompanied by the vet who had performed the surgery. “He’s doing great,” she said. “He’s our favorite patient. Everyone loves him.”

We were as high at the sight of our dog, tail wagging and on his feet again, as Max was on the methadone they had given him for post-op pain.

A mere six grand for bringing our guy back from death’s door? A bargain!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/booming/old-dog-needs-6000-surgery-what-do-you-do.html

[joeybee12]

1. My first reaction would be yes, spend it, then right after that, I'd say, 13 years old?

It's not the cost, but, quite frankly, most vets I think would advise against surgery at such an old age...it's very risky for older animals...but I'm glad this worked out well.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. The age issue would give me pause.

I guess if I trusted the vet and the potential for a good outcome was high I'd opt for it if I had the $$$. One of the reasons that I only have one cat is that I can afford to pay for his special needs but if I had TWO cats like him I'd have to make some tough choices.

[joeybee12]

18. Well, I'm crazy, because I'd spend anything on my cats...

But I have to say that it is a surprise that this turned out so well for the old dog.

[geek tragedy]

2. People come from a wide variety of economic

backgrounds, so what's the right answer for some may not be the right one for another.

[LiberalEsto]

3. What I would do is ask several different vets how much they would charge

for the surgery, to see if it could be done for less. Prices can vary widely.

[pnwmom]

91. The article said that it was a specialized surgery -- they might not have had a choice of good vets.

[Robb]

4. I've lost a dog for being fundamentally too poor for its meds.

In flusher times I've overspent on animals.

People are funny about their pets.

[earthside]

5. Some pretty screwed-up priorities in this world.

And there are children dying even as we speak for lack of a 59 cent vaccination.

[Go Vols]

27. +1000

Last edited Tue Mar 26, 2013, 07:33 PM - Edit history (1)

Not my money tho,they can spend it as they wish just as I do.

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. Almost all of us has spent at least $6000 over the past year on frivoulous crap.

No one mentioned children dying if I buy a new purse or a pair of earrings. So why mention it when someone spends money to save their beloved dog?

[RedRocco]

43. and for me that represents 1/3 of a years pay

sad to say, but a vet bill like that would mean euthanasia if the dog was mine

[progressoid]

47. Yep.

That's true for a lot of us.

[ladjf]

88. I'm an avid dog lover and I could afford the 6 grand. However, I don't think any reasonable

person would criticize your decision in light of your annual salary. There might be some reasonably priced pet insurance that could adequately covered your pet's medical emergencies.

[narnian60]

45. Thank you, Liberal.

[darkangel218]

36. To most dog owners, dogs are their "children".

I guess you just can't understand how is to consider an animal your child or your best friend.

Im glad I don't know you.

[alphafemale]

41. ....oh fergawd sakes.

And while you typing that from your high horse you could have been making a donation for said vaccines.

Can we go through your bank account?

[geek tragedy]

44. I hope you're living in the shittiest home

you could possibly find, because if we're not allowd to spend that money on the ones we love, certainly we're not allowed to spend it on our own luxuries.

[Skittles]

52. I spend whatever it takes to make my pets comfortable

I also donate to my local food bank and to Doctors Without Borders. Do you approve? F*** THAT.

[flvegan]

66. Nice ego-centered opinion. Thanks for sharing. n/t

[Honeycombe8]

68. None here in the U.S. It's a good thing to save lives, if someone is willing to pay.

The $6k goes to a vet, who puts some of it into his business, which provides needed care to animals. Most vets also contribute services to special needs/rescue dogs and other organizations. He also spends some of it on his personal needs, injecting money into the economy, which spurs job growth.

Nothing exists in a vacuum.

Besides...there are some here who criticize Bill and Melinda Gates, who are working to provide life saving health care to third world countries.

[LanternWaste]

78. If there is anything in your home that is not necessary to your survival...

If there is anything (anything at all) in your home that is not necessary to your immediate survival and costs more than 59¢, then you may wish to confront yourself with that statement, and form a strong conclusion from your own actions (or inactions, as the case may be).

[sibelian]

85. You have a point. It's just not very pointy.

It's more like a bulge.

[JI7]

98. that's some stupid shit, children aren't dying because dogs are getting treatment

[Skip Intro]

100. How much are you spending on internet access?

TV?

Do you drive a nice car with a payment?

Vacations?

Do you go out to eat?

Could you do with less in those areas to help those you are inclined to help?

I get where you're coming from, but I think your feelings are misplaced in this instance.

Just my $.02.

[GreenStormCloud]

6. Depends upon how rich you are.

I grew up in poverty. No electricity until I was five. No indoor plumbing until I joined the Army. Pets never got vet treatment. Old dogs, no matter how beloved, were put down.

Even today I would not be able to afford $6,000.00. Sorry, old dog would be put down.

That they can spend that much is good.

[Bay Boy]

7. I could afford the six grand...

...and I still wouldn't spend that much money on a 13 year old dog. And I love my dogs as much as the next guy.

[GreenStormCloud]

16. Age of the dog would definately be an issue.

That dog would be about 91 in human years.

[grilled onions]

9. For Some Guilt Would Be A Factor

If a pet owner really would take it hard,feel that guilt for years to come and IF the vet thinks the older dog can handle the surgery and IF money can be gathered for such surgery then I think it's the right decision. But no two people are alike and neither is the financial situation nor the animal itself. All animals are special and families that have had a pet for almost all the years the pet has been alive know no decisions are easy ones as the pet ages. But this is a good time for responsible pet owners to think about pet insurance. It might make decisions like this a bit easier.

[SoCalDem]

10. The age of the animal has to play some role in the decision

We do not do this with humans, but with pets we do have a tough decision available to us..

A few years ago my husband's beloved cat had an unexplained liver failure thing going on. The cat was only 8 at the time, and our cats live well into their teens, so we spent a lot (not $6K , but it was pushing the $2K mark). We force-fed him 4 times a day (he was never too weak to bite & claw us).

This went on for THREE MONTHS..get up at 4 am to "wrassle Willie".. then I had to try my best at noontime, alone (that cat hates me), again at 4: 30 and 8 pm and more meds at bedtime.

He went back to the clinic twice a week for labs..

and he fully recovered and is now fat & sassy ..... pushing 12..

Our Bubby (diabetic) presented with congestive heart failure, and after $700 of treatments, we had to let him go even though he was fairly young (7 yrs) His lungs & heart were not up to the challenge, and the prognosis was not good at all. His sister (littermate) seems to be following the same trajectory, so we watch her carefully, but if she ends up distressed like he was, gasping for breath, we will help her too.

we know we have given these darlings a wonderful life, and when it;s their time, we will help them if necessary.. Our oldest, Amber, just left us at age 21+ (we did not see her born)

[Freddie]

53. Had a cat with congestive heart failure

Dylan was only 5. Spent about $2000 on him and had to torture him with pills twice a day. He was good with Pill Pockets for a while but then he lost his appetite and you know cats and pills. After all that we lost him anyway, and we *really* did not have a spare $2000 at the time. I loved him dearly but would not spend a fortune with a bad prognosis or old age like in this case.

[rsmith6621]

11. 13 Years Old....

...I dont know. I frankly would acknowledge the beautiful life I have shared and live each day as if it were the last and when you see the dog in absolute misery then it would be time to say goodbye.

My wife works at a vet and unfortunately I think vets are doing unnecessary procedures for a buck. She said last week the dentist pulled all the teeth out on a 17 year old cat because of excessive tarter...that cost $2000 bucks.


Its your choice.

[guardian]

12. A rough situation

For those in a similar situation you might check with a nearby veterinary college. Sometimes they will do low cost surgeries to give students practice. Certainly worth a phone call.

[Marrah_G]

13. I would let him go as peacefully as possible

But it's a question that each person has to answer for themselves. Can they afford it, what will the quality of life be like afterwards, etc.

[Worried senior]

14. I would pay it if I had it

I know there are deserving people out there that could use the money but when you love an animal you want to give them the best chance you can.

At this point in my life I couldn't afford it and it would break my heart to have to say no.

[Politicalboi]

15. It too bad that

Animal insurance isn't popular. It's too bad there couldn't be some kind of coverage for those that take sheltered animals as to those that buy theirs. That maybe if you were to get an animal from your shelter, you would also have to pay an additional $200.00 to get some coverage for the animal. $200.00 isn't much and they could make it a monthly payment. It may get more animals out of shelters if you had some insurance on them. The shelters could work with local vets who would accept these animals so the bills wouldn't be so high.

[broiles]

17. I'm facing this with my diabetic bichon who is going blind with cataracts.

He is 11. I don't have a choice. I have the money and I love him. I couldn't live with myself if I just let him go.

[Liberal_in_LA]

29. I hope you have many many more years with your dog.

[Demonaut]

113. how are you managing his blood sugar?

I had a dog on insulin for 5 years

[broiles]

117. Special diet, insulin twice daily, no treats.

His glucose arc still hasn't stabilized.

[Demonaut]

121. it's tough, lucky to get it in a rough 250 range..btw, my dog developed cataracts too

so I found a hard rubber ball with an internal battery and light that flashes for a few seconds after it's been
moved...my dog loved it.

[broiles]

122. Thanks, I'll look for a lighted ball.

[pipoman]

19. I have lived on a farm

or in farm country my whole life. We say goodbye and make the journey of our old friend as quick and painless as possible. We seek vet care, if the vet says the good days are over, we say goodbye..If I'm going to spend $6k it would have to somehow be an investment or a long term convenience..not for 1 or 2 more years with my very much loved yorkie..Some people out here do spend great sums too..my sister did...just not as commonly as in the burbs..

Then again, I am in complete support of people spending their money as they wish..glad it was a happy ending..

[postulater]

20. Depends on the procedure.

Gall bladder may be able to be taken out by laparascopy which is much easier than opening up the gut all the way. I would expect a fairly routine procedure. Then the other factor is the overall health of the dog. Healthy dog survives better.

And of course the money. That's up to the person. I have no problem either way. There are many much worse ways people spend money.

[Warpy]

21. That's a tough one

A dog that old is like a human in his late 80s and will not recover from surgery as well as a younger dog would. They might want to try for healing him and never really get him back.

However, if this is explained to them and they still want to try, good for them! I hope it turns out well for Max and for them.

[FreeState]

22. Age aside, if you are a pet owner its your responsibility

get pet insurance - its $15-20 bucks a month. Seriously, it may not cover all the bills but it will at least reduce the total costs.

Pet owners need to be responsible for all the needs of their pets. If you cant afford to take care of your pet, or learn to save some up just incase, you need to not have a pet in the future. Future expenses are part of pet ownership.

(And yes I would pay 6K if it saved my pets, actually I have, and I do have pet insurance).

[shanti]

69. which pet insurance do you have?

I've been mulling over buying it after a $900 hit when BOTH of my OTH cats got sick last fall, one after the other. i'm retired, so it takes awhile to recover from that, emotionally and financially. insurance would be helpful, but i don't know where to start...

[Gormy Cuss]

99. Be careful -- the policies have lots of exclusions.

I looked into it after my young cat had an emergency vet visit and with the exclusions it just didn't make sense for me. Instead I feed into an emergency fund for him each month and when he had another health issue three years later I had the $$ to pay for it.

Since you're retired it may make more sense for you to buy insurance, but keep in mind that the premiums tend to be higher for old cats.

[DeschutesRiver]

119. I have Petplan - regardless of which company you get, I urge you to research pet insurance

Bought insurance for both my dogs for the first time ever. One was an elderly rescue english pointer mix. Her premium was around $300 something, and she had a tendon issue and unrelated MCTs that I listed as pre-existing conditions (well, those were the biggies). A bit higher premium for my younger purebred GSP rescue, who still has never had any claims so far. I did it after yet another elderly dog succumbed to cancer, and after incurring pretty big bills in the last year of his life (and remembering some pretty big bills at the start too, however which enabled him to live for almost 16 years as though he'd never had any issues). In the last 5 years, several of my dogs and cats got old and passed away from various illnesses and having all that pile up in a short period of a few years made me think about insurance. I was on the fence about insurance, but figured what the heck could it hurt? I could always cancel if it wasn't worth it.

Anyway, a few months later, my girl had surgery where a new cancer type/location was found, and a new location for a new MCT. Paid promptly by Petplan. However, we had another claim that was improperly denied, so we went through their appeals process (took longer than I liked), and they reversed their denial after review and paid that claim as well. The total paid out by Petplan for my girl was in the thousands. The diagnosis for my girl was so dire and advanced that given her advanced age, we did not opt to do any further cancer treatment, even though Petplan would have been there paying their percentage up to our chosen limits. Given her multiple health issues and the gravity of these two cancers, further treatment would have made her remaining months miserable simply so that we could love her a bit longer. They also paid for the second opinion I got, and the other specialist I took her to just to be sure I really did have no options. My girl lived in the moment, as all dogs do, so I opted to let her have as many quality moments as possible without chemo/rad/whatever and she lived another 6 months with our vet helping us with palliative care items. It helped to have insurance cover part of this, and to know that I decided what was best solely based on her needs/quality of life, and not because I couldn't afford something she needed.

If their service ever goes south, I will try to find another insurance to use. I am retired too, and just wasn't sure if this was a smart thing or a stupid thing to do, but the cost of the insurance simply pales next to how much it costs for some injuries/accidents/illnesses that are completely survivable for your dogs/cats IF you have the money to cover them. And sometimes like in my case, it costs a bunch just to end up finding out that there is nothing further that can be done other than palliative care. I don't know if I will be able to afford insurance for them forever, but I plan to buy it now until either I can't afford to do so anymore or until I have a bad experience with the insurance (and can't find any better company). I look at it this way - I would have been out of pocket for nearly $4000; instead, that kind of cash could pay for premiums for quite a few years if I choose to do so. Insurance is there for random events; yes, if you never have them happen, it seems like a waste, and if you do, it is a blessing. And companies can be great or just mean about paying claims - that is random too. But currently, I am a fan of pet insurance (and surprised to be saying that too, after having pets for decades without such things).

When I was researching this, I spent weeks reading reviews of every pet insurance company out there, both good and bad ones. There were bad reviews for Petplan in some places, even though my experience is overall very good at this point (have used them for 2 years now and plan to be paying for year 3 shortly here, even though the last year was without claims for both boys). There were things Petplan covered that others didn't; and vice verse. In my case, I picked them in part because if you had your vet certify that your dog had great knees, etc, they would cover any knee issues very early in the policy period (others had a year waiting period before covering things like acl surgeries, etc), and my dogs are really athletic, so that was important to me. OTOH, my dog breed/mix of choice rarely has genetic issues (or if they do, they aren't survivable for long), so I didn't care if a policy had exclusions for anything like that. And so on. I figured that if I didn't like having insurance, found it unnecessary, burdensome financially or a continued fight to get claims paid, I would cancel and apply for a refund.

Anyway, just narrow it down to a few plans that might work for you, know the limitations of each plan and decide if that would work for you and your cat's individual needs and give it a try. And if it isn't working out as you expected, cancel it for a refund. When my girl passed away, we called Petplan to notify them and we got a refund as of her date of death to the end of that year's policy period. They have always been professional, kind and straight forward when we've dealt with them on the phone, which is a big deal for us too.

Sorry for the length of this but best of luck in seeing if you can find a pet insurance plan that makes sense for you, and best wishes for good health for your kittehs~!

[tabasco]

23. My dog, I come up with the money.

No doubt about it.

[randome]

24. For my family, I am the Pet Grim Reaper.

I took my Aunt's dog to be put to sleep and I took my mother's dog to be put to sleep and I took my own when it was his time.

I never faced big medical bills like your son did -all these pets were very old and suffering- but I applaud your willingness to contribute.

[Liberal_in_LA]

28. Not my son, article from NY times. Thanks for your input.

[randome]

34. Whoops.

[Mariana]

65. That's me, too.

In my opinion, part of the responsibility of owning an animal is to let them go when the time comes.

I have a diabetic cat. We've mostly been able to control his glucose level with diet, but he's had to have twice daily insulin for a week or two a few times. He HATES HATES HATES getting insulin injections. After a few days of getting shots, he's hissing and swatting whenever I approach him, and he's just generally stressed out and miserable. The vet says my technique is as good as anyones, so it isn't that I'm not doing it right. If the time comes that my cat requires daily insulin permanently or long-term, I'll have him put to sleep, and it will be the right thing to do FOR HIM.

[randome]

74. You have it right, IMO.

[llmart]

25. I'm the biggest dog lover out there.....

but I wouldn't pay $6,000 to save a 13 year old dog.

In this country we just don't accept the facts of life as we should. We live in the great state of denial. All living things die and we just can't seem to face up to it.

Death and illness are a part of life. My dog is almost 10 and I'm just now starting to see the aging process in several ways. On some days she acts like a young dog again, but on others she's slower. She is my daily companion and though I've had other dogs, this one is more special to me than any others. I, too, am aging and I always tell her "I know how you're feeling today because I'm a little slower today too."

[Delphinus]

49. Your

last paragraph says so much.

[llmart]

58. Thank you....

for the compliment.

[newfie11]

26. Try another vet

Vets in my area differ greatly in price from one another.

[MrSlayer]

30. I love my dog but 6 grand is 6 grand.

If I were rich it would be one thing but things being what they are I'd have to bid my girl farewell, as crappy as that would make me feel. Can't afford it.

[MadHound]

32. Pony up, that's what I would do,

That's what I've done. I've put down over four thousand on a dog, and that turned out ultimately to be in a losing cause.

[a la izquierda]

33. If it were me, I doubt I'd spend it.

We can afford to. But I let a dog go way too long before ending his very obvious suffering. It is something I won't repeat. It was unfair to him and to us.

Now, if this were a 8 year old dog, fine.

[Lurks Often]

35. Somewhere along the lines you hit the point of diminishing returns

and each person has to determine that point themselves.

At age 13 spending $6K to get another 3-6 months doesn't seem to be practical. Spending $6k to get another 3-4 years is another story. The other factor is the quality of life the pet will have after the surgery, if the pet is going to be unhappy, then it is selfish of the owner.

[forestpath]

37. I would have done the same thing she did.

He sounds like a great dog.

[susanr516]

38. Our household income is less than 30K per year

That's for 5 people. Back when our income was 3 times what it is now, I paid between $500-$1000 to a vet several times for a sick pet. Those days are gone. I would not get a new pet because I can't afford to take care of it, but we still have 2 cats (plus we feed and immunize 2 other cats abandoned by a neighbor a couple of years ago.)

[SmileyRose]

75. I feel ya

We are in a similar circumstance. I miss a pet in the house but if I ' m ever lucky enough to run a budget surplus again it will be spent on a kid or parent facing death without needed but unaffordable medical care.

That is just me. Those with more means thank goodness they care about the pets.

[undeterred]

39. My old dog had emergency abdominal surgery for bloat and two days

in the hospital for under $2400. $6000 just sounds way too high for a dog gall bladder surgery.

[a la izquierda]

118. That was my initial thought.

When our bulldog was alive, he and his brother dog decided tearing the couch up was a great way to spend the day. The bulldog ate the couch foam and wouldn't you know, he couldn't pass it. We spent about $1800 to have it removed. I can't imagine taking a gallbladder out is much more than that...and our vet was pretty expensive. They quoted us $4000 for surgery to put a hip bone back together.

[MissB]

40. I have a 16 yo dog.

We've had her since she was 9 months old.

She is rapidly declining. At our visit a few weeks ago, the vet said "heart murmur" and "masses on her chest", neither of which were an issue just weeks prior.

I had to tell the vet not to go any further, because at 16, heart problems and cancer are likely a death sentence for her. She is already older than the life span of her breed.

[truebluegreen]

42. Well, in 2005 the splenectomy cost $5000

and we CHEERFULLY paid it (altho with difficulty)...and then we got doggie health insurance (which was worth Every Penny)(that dog has been in and out of vet clinics his entire life).

8 years after, E.L. Charlie (Extremely Lucky) is still with us, a rescued German Shepherd/Doberman cross (I think), handsome, sweet-tempered BUT protective (ready to face down as many as 6 coyotes at once) (fortunately we no longer live there), playful (even now, at the age of 13), smart, walking sunshine...

[Liberal_in_LA]

109. yay for your dog

[truebluegreen]

111. Thank you!

He brightens our lives every day.

[bahrbearian]

46. I'm into my little dog for $4000

Its been 10 years now and she paid me back in smiles, $1 a day.

[txwhitedove]

48. If you have the money, then it is well spent on a precious member of your family!

I wish I'd had the $2,000 to save my Shih Tzu when she had cancer. Sadly did not, but she lived happily 1-year longer than the doctor estimated.

[sweetNsassy]

50. If I could come up with the money

there's no question in my mind that I would spend it on saving any of my dogs.

[Skittles]

51. don't listen to people who question what you spend on your pets

I see people with houses they cannot afford, brand new cars every couple years, wearing expensive clothes and shoes, who will wonder how I could spend a couple of hundred on dental surgery for my cat. It's all what you find important, and I love my pets.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

54. people spend more on whom they love than abstract starving children

this is not screwed up but really normal behavior

you could say this about any given scenario, parents spend so much on private education/college/clothes/camps that could save hundreds of kids around the world. unless one is peter singer, one is really not in a position to judge

[winstars]

55. I spent 6k on my dog 7 years ago and I'm glad I did...

He was 4 years old and had snapped his tendons in each knee. (back legs) He was limping around like a very old dog. Luckily at the time I was flush and was able to pay for the two titanium hinges that cost $6,000.00... He is 12 now and other parts of him are slowing down but those knees still rock and roll.

I had the dough and went for it, although at the moment if it happened he would be limping around because I don't have that extra $$$ right now.

My friends had mixed feelings too, some thought I was crazy and others did not.

My feeling was I hope I never really need that $$$ I spent...

[HockeyMom]

56. My 22 year old cat

His 16 year old "sister" had a seizure and passed. Six months later he went into major decline. We took him to a Vet who said could he not survive without surgery, BUT she had never treated a cat that old, and she did not think his "poor old heart" could even survive the surgery. The Vet recommened putting him down. It was very difficult to do, especially after losing his sister, but he led a very LONG happy life.

You have to think about QUALITY of life, and how long that life is/was.

[MidwestTransplant]

57. When making life and death decisions like this for pets

it's important to consider whether one is acting in their own interest or their pet's. Animals don't understand longevity and the best they can hope for is to have a good quality of life, feel loved and enjoy life. Most domestic animals lead a healthier, longer and probably happier life than their brethren in the wild.

[Gore1FL]

59. Love has no price. n/t

[shenmue]

60. A member of the family.

I guess it's for the love. I wish it wouldn't have cost $6,000, but if it brings peace, then it's good.

[Loki]

61. Do what your heart tells you to do.

[politicat]

62. Entirely reasonable -- it's the author's money to spend as zie pleases.

I have a 20 year old cat. Yes, 20. That's 97 in human equivalent. She's winding down as any extremely elderly creature does, but she's still sassy and reasonably active mentally present* and mostly healthy. Like many very old cats, she has a degree of kidney failure, so we have to feed her carefully and she has to have subcutaneous fluid on a regular basis.

So far, we haven't spent that much on her in one go, but I'm expecting it at some point. More difficult in terms of time and anxiety, however, I enrolled her in a stem-cell study. Yes, my cat got stem-cells. And that meant committing to about 20 vet teaching hospital visits, which all include driving an hour each way with a cat who doesn't especially like the car. I mostly enrolled her because I'd like to advance the state of the science and improve the research on stem-cells, but I can't say I wasn't hoping for another couple years of her.

On the other hand, our cat has been on "hospice" care for a decade -- we won't do anything heroic for her if it's clear she's suffering. So far, no suffering (except for evil humans who shove her in her carrier and put her in the shaky nausea-making machine.)


*For a cat.

[RebelOne]

63. I lost my Rottweiler when she was almost 13 years old.

She had inoperable bone and liver cancer and I spent whatever I could to keep her alive, but finally I had to send her to doggie heaven when the pain became too much for her. And yes, I considered her my fur child. I had her cremated and I have her ashes, so at least I still have some small part of her.

[nessa]

64. We have what my husband refers to as the $5000 kitten. ...

Long story about a cat who couldn't be spayed, got pregnant, got an infected uterus. The vet said "well, we could try antibiotics instead of surgery but if that doesn't work, her uterus could burst". We handed over the credit card. $5000 and a week or so later we had mama cat and one kitten.

She was a young cat and the situation seemed urgent and dire. I'm not sure I would have spent that much if she was 13.

Although, now both mama and kitten have asthma, which cost another grand.

[Liberal_in_LA]

107. gosh

That's an expensive kitten. I'm sure she brought $5k worth of joy to your live

[nessa]

112. She really has. My young son was diagnosed with autism when he was three...

The kitten was born when he was 4. Seeing the mama cat pregnant, seeing the mama care for the kitten and then seeing the kitten grow up has been wonderful for him. He loves, loves, loves both cats.

[cbdo2007]

67. Wife and I have discussed this - our limit is $3,000 for our 8 year old lab mix.

Sure there would be a little wiggle room depending on the situation...but there's no way we could afford $6,000.

[Honeycombe8]

70. That's what money's for. Given the age, I don't know that I would have.

But can't say I wouldn't, either. But if the people want to use their money to save the life or ease the pain of their loved one, that's a very good use of money.

By the same token, I don't know that I'd put myself through that, or spend the money, if I were an advanced age, either.

[Zorra]

71. When my 13 yr. old Shepherd, Lab cross mix got hit by car many years ago, I would have

sold everything I had and gone into debt if necessary to keep her alive, if her injuries had not been so serious that it would have been a disservice to her.


He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs throughout the South.
He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him, traveled about.
The dog up and died, he up and died,
After twenty years he still grieves,

(Lyrics from "Mr. Bojangles, by Jerry Jeff Walker)

[flvegan]

72. Why would you ask?

[Dragonbreathp9d]

73. We recently had to do the exact same with our 13 yr old Louise

She's worth every penny

[sadbear]

76. Whatever your choice, please remember Max's dignity.

[Helen Reddy]

77. Speaking only for myself.

I would pick up aluminum cans by the side of the road to pay for the surgery.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

80. I spent $2,500 for an operation on my desert tortoise

in which the vet cut off and removed the entire underside of the tortoise's shell to get at its internal organs and then glued it back in place following the surgery. I took it to the foremost turtle and reptile surgeon in the country and he did a great job whereas other vets had given a very negative prognosis. That was about eight years ago and my friend is doing fine. I could afford it at the time and I love my little friend.

[jambo101]

81. Much as i dislike dogs.

If i had one as a pet and it needed medical attention i'd not hesitate for a moment to give the care needed no matter what the cost,as long as the dog is otherwise healthy.
However if the dog is 25yrs old and on its last legs i think spending large sums of money to just keep it alive for a short while longer may be not in ones financial best interest.

[Floyd_Gondolli]

82. I spent $22,000 over 2 years

Our lab got an oral melanoma and if anyone knows anything about that it is very aggressive and the treatment is expensive. But it was worth it. We got 2 more years out of him that he wouldn't have had otherwise and they were good years, too.

When his cancer was in remission we adopted a Pyrenees mix from a local humane society. She got a mast cell tumor 4 months after we adopted her. Fortunately having learned the lesson from our lab we had purchased insurance for her which made her treatment costs more than manageable for us.

They're both gone now, but it was money well spent. Money we had available to spend, fortunately.

I believe that when you adopt a dog from a shelter it's a contract between you and the animal and you should do everything reasonably possible to take care of them. Like I said, we were blessed to be able to take care of them the way we did. I'd do it all over again and not think twice about that.

What I really feel bad about -- and have seen in person visiting with folks in waiting rooms -- is that some don't have that choice. It's quite sad and one of the reasons I've started donating to a local org that helps seniors and lower income folks with their vet bills so they don't have to give their pet up, assuming that's okay with the fucking douche canoe up thread questioning priorities.

Bottom line to me: It's hard to find fault in people who leave it all on the field for their pet, and it's even harder to find fault in those who simply can't afford it and have to make some pretty awful choices. I feel AWFUL for them, as we all should. IN the end we all have to make some awful choices but that's up to the pet owner. I wouldn't begin to tell someone not to spend money on a dog because they're old.

[sinkingfeeling]

83. I spent over $10,000 treating my dog for diabetes, Cushing's, lupus, and

glaucoma a few years ago.

[Liberal_in_LA]

110. Are you glad you spent the money?

[sinkingfeeling]

116. Absolutely! She got to live her full life span and little bit more.

[MoonRiver]

84. I think we would do it.

Our baby is 15 1/2 and going strong. Little dogs can live a long time.

[Myrina]

86. I love my furr babies more than I love humans, but ...

... no.

I've been in situations over the past couple years with (1) elderly and (1) terminal dog, and the vet was recommending expensive treatment/therapy (an MRI for one and water/laser "aerobics" for the other) that would have run into the thousands for each of them.

I've got a bum Achilles that should be MRI'd and operated on.
I've got horrible uterine fibroid cysts that should be removed.

I'm not going to pay thousands to have those procedures on myself, and I opted not to have the procedures for the dogs.

One is still with me, 3 years after vet admonishment that he neeeeeded an MRI and all kinds of meds for congestive heart failure. I took the other to the Rainbow Bridge in Feb when it was clear his DM was making his life hell & his personality started to change for the worse because of it.

Do I wish I could do more? Sure. But then there's a mortgage to pay, other dogs to feed/care for, oh - and groceries for myself every so often to think about. You gotta draw a line somewhere.

[ladjf]

87. Lot of interesting posts to this OP. I'm with the consensus, if at all possible, get up the money

and save your furry friend.

[MineralMan]

89. Those are always very difficult decisions.

We had an elderly cat who got clipped by a car. The result was a broken pelvis and hip. The vet explained that the cat could get hip replacement surgery at the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis. Cost would have been about $6000. The cat was 15 years old. That cost would have been very difficult for us to cover.

I asked the vet what would happen if we did nothing. She said that cats often healed from this, forming a false hip joint with muscle tissue and did alright, but it wasn't guaranteed that it would work. I asked if the hip replacement surgery was sure to make him OK. "Well, there are no guarantees, and cats sometimes die under anesthesia."

My wife and I went home and talked about it. Our decision was to do nothing. We got the kitty a warming pad and put a shallow litter box nearby. He didn't want to eat, so we rubbed human baby food on his leg several times a day. BTW, that's a sure fire way to get a cat that wont eat to eat. Their cleaning instinct continues even when they're very ill.

After a couple of weeks of the cat lying on that warming pad, it got up and started moving around the house. It had a pretty good limp, but it was moving around. After a couple of months, it seemed as good as new. It could jump up on the bed and do pretty much everything it had ever done.

We moved to Minnesota from California, with that and another cat riding along with my wife in the minivan. It died a couple of years ago at 21 years of age.

On the other hand, we have also had animals put down when they had terrible illnesses, rather than subject them to lengthy, iffy treatments. It's a case-by-case thing, and money is a consideration, too. There's just no single answer that can be applied.

[Liberal_in_LA]

106. Interesting story. I'm glad the cat lived a long, pain free life after his injury

[AndyA]

90. Some people don't understand that the family pet is one of the kids.

Would a parent hesitate to do whatever was necessary for one of their children? Cats and dogs are one of the kids to most families, and that's exactly the way it should be!

Here's hoping Maxwell has a speedy recovery and a long and happy life ahead!

[Orrex]

92. If you could save either your dog or your human child from a burning house, which would you choose?

Assuming that the other would be guaranteed to die in the flames.



Some people understand that the family pet is, ultimately, not one of the kids.

[AndyA]

94. I hope you don't have any pets.

My pets ARE my kids. Which of two human children would you save?

[Orrex]

95. I have owned pets and I have been with them as they died.

Why don't you answer my question before demanding that I answer yours?

[AndyA]

96. I did.

I don't have children, my pets are my children.

Your original comment seems a bit rude and inconsiderate, since it's posted in a thread about how thrilled someone is that their pet survived surgery.

To many people, pets are part of the family, and losing a pet is just as devastating as losing any other family member.

Why don't you start your own thread with your question instead of disrupting someone else's?

[Orrex]

97. I answered the question that was asked. I also replied to you.

The question seemed to ask if $6000 for surgery for an aging dog is a worthwhile expense. I answered that it would be a foolish expenditure for me. That is my reply to the OP.

My reply to you takes issue with the notion that pets are the same as human children, and I asked you a question that you have not answered; namely, I asked whether you would value the life of a human child over that of an animal. I see a clear difference between the two, and the intent of my question to you is to determine why you do not.

Your question to me is not equivalent because you're asking me to choose between two options that are literally equal (two humans). In contrast, I am asking you to explain why you feel that two literally non-equal options (a human and a non-human) are equivalent.


You stated that you hope that I do not have pets.
I am inclined to hope that you do not have much interaction with humans.

[AndyA]

104. Not everyone has children.

To them, very often their pets are their kids.

I know of a woman who lost everything except for her cat. That cat represented ALL she had left in the world, and she loved it the same as if it were one of her kids.

I don't know why people like you have to troll threads at DU and try to make issues with things others post. The OP is happy that they spent the money, and happy that their dog survived. Most of the people who've responded have done so in support of the OP. You should be happy for them, instead you have to be Debbie Downer and state that you wouldn't do it.

Why was it even necessary to say that? Couldn't you have just said, "I couldn't afford it, but I'm glad your dog is OK"? There was no need for you to respond to my post, other than to try to cause trouble.

Enough already.

[Orrex]

105. I'm sick to death of people equating their animals with other people's children

If this displeases you, then I suggest that you go and talk to your animal about it.


The OP asked a question, and I answered it.

[Orrex]

93. I would not pursue surgery for the dog

$6000 represents a sizable chunk of my yearly income. Given our circumstances, it would be grossly irresponsible to drop that kind of money on the dog, on par with flushing it down the toilet.


If you are able to afford it and choose to do so, then that's your business.

[Liberal_in_LA]

108. I don't consider paying high vet bills to be "flushing it down the toilet"

But I understand folks choosing or being unable to pay

[moobu2]

101. I wouldn't do it because of Max's age

13 is very old for a dog. I've seen so many people put their elderly dogs through medical treatments that I thought made the dog more uncomfortable and in more pain than I thought was fair to them. Just my opinion.

[TBF]

102. It depends. Possibly -

But 13 is already old for a dog and I'd wonder about other health ailments and whether they were in pain. We've had two that we let go earlier than that (pancreas with the first - and there might have been a few years if we could have come up w/that much money, and the second was serious kidney disease and no choice at all). We could afford it now but it would really depend upon the situation.

[Walk away]

103. I usually tell my clients to "take the money out of the equasion" and think about your pet...

and not your needs. It's not the whole answer but it points you on your way.

[Zoeisright]

114. Depends on the animal and outcome.

If it's a good outcome and the animal is good at handling stress and change, go for it. On the other hand, I had an elderly cat who, at age 17, was diagnosed with leukemia. She would get upset when we changed the sheets on the bed and was afraid of most people. We decided to just give her the best life we could, even though we could afford treatment. She lived, happily, for another year and died at age 18. At home, with the vet administrating drugs.

[Art_from_Ark]

115. Somehow, I am reminded of this song:

[Tender to the Bone]

120. Two places in Denver that subsidizes pet health care costs.

One is Maxfund, and the only requirement is that you volunteer your time there to help pay off the cost. The owner, who's a vet, is a very nice man.

The other is Harrison Memorial Hospital - and I don't know much about it.