Q: Fiscal prudence when caring for a sick pet?

[MmmHamSandwich]

Hi friend. Your location says Pungo. Is that Pungo, VA?

If so please remember there is a great resource here in Richmond called Helping Hands
http://www.helpinghandsvetva.com/

They are outpatient surgery only vets. As such it cuts their costs substantially.
Get a writeup from your vet on what procedure needs to be done as well as all their records and contact Helping Hands if it sounds like you need to go through with surgery.

Their rates are much lower than other vets and are posted right on the site so no surprises. I haven't used them personally but people come in from all over the east coast and they've got quite a reputation.

Hopefully your dog continues to get better on its own, but if it needs work look into Helping Hands.

[BlueDubbinTDI]

Crazy coincidence this thread comes up. My 3 yr old dachshund got into a fight over a toy with my other dog, who we've only adopted maybe 7 weeks ago, and recieved a 1 inch tear in her ear that we couldn't get to stop bleeding. This was a $540 bill for sedation, stitches, and medication on Thursday night. The same dog broke her elbow when she was only 3 months old that cost just under $2k when all x-rays and visits were said and done, and just got done with a bee sting visit to her eye just a few weeks ago. We literally just drew the line with this 1 so I know how you feel man. Keep it reasonable. They're dogs, they're family, but they're not human. Keep you and your blood finacially stable first. This little mut of mine is partially responsible for not having forced induction yet, but I still love her

[Superhatch]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

It's great that you are willing and able to make that choice, but everyone has a limit. That is a life impacting amount of money for some, for others its not. Everyone has a different limit, your threshold is just higher than mine. For example, your threshold is 7x mine. Would you have done it if it had been $49,000 (7x what you spent)? Some might. A man's got to know his limitations!


Also, I would definitely never borrow money for a pet regardless of the situation, but again personal choice.


As far as the foster/adopt, I absolutely agree that is a great option if available, and as mentioned above have actually used that, as well as been on the other side of it (adopted "needy" pets and contributed to their care).

I typed out a bunch of replies but they all sounded a bit jerky, elitist, and privileged. I have pretty strong feelings on pet ownership so...

The short version is this:

- Think really hard about rescuing an a animal. They need you, and it's WAY cheaper than buying a dog from a breeder.
- Mutts are less prone to disease, bread specific issues, and inbreeding. (yay rescuing).
- Have a small emergency fund for your animal. They are going to need it at some point.
- Get a vet first. Discuss the breed with them, talk about potential issues, and general costs involved in owning a healthy pet.
- Realize that caring for another life is a large responsibility. Don't enter into it lightly.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Superhatch

I typed out a bunch of replies but they all sounded a bit jerky, elitist, and privileged. I have pretty strong feelings on pet ownership so...

The short version is this:

- Think really hard about rescuing an a animal. They need you, and it's WAY cheaper than buying a dog from a breeder.
- Mutts are less prone to disease, bread specific issues, and inbreeding. (yay rescuing).
- Have a small emergency fund for your animal. They are going to need it at some point.
- Get a vet first. Discuss the breed with them, talk about potential issues, and general costs involved in owning a healthy pet.
- Realize that caring for another life is a large responsibility. Don't enter into it lightly.

No problem, and I agree with everything you said, and all those things have an upper limit for everyone.

My only point is that you can't take an absolute view of anything, including pet ownership. Everyone has a limit on everything. Each individual has to understand where it is for them.