Most you have/would spend @ the Vet

I was mislead at a vet once. I went in there to get my bitch some shots, blood test and poop analysis.
I signed some form for 'personalized care' figuring the kook has lost all her canines from a lifr of hard playing and everyone in the place came in to watch her get her shots. It ended costing me $450. I figured they would brush her teeth or give her a massage or something.
I have not used that vet since.

 

He's home but it's the end for him. He's going to pass here with the wife.

 

Sorry you have shitty vets in your area.

 

Ive been there SmokeSignal...still ranks as one of the worst times in my life. They just dont live long enough. Now with my new pup I dread the day Ill have to re-live it...but she brings so much happiness to my life I just try to enjoy her while I can. I wish you and Lucky the best.

Obviously I would spend whatever necessary to give my pup the best life possible. I also have Pet insurance, it was worth the $20/month when my last pup had cancer. They really did cover a lot of the bills.

 

Interesting that you would post that.

I used to be solidly in the "Whatever it takes" camp, but contrary to what you might expect, working as an ACO and seeing the hundreds of dogs euthanized due to dog overpopulation here in Dallas, as well as working with a couple of local animal rescue groups... I've changed my mind.

I still take them in for wellness checks. I still have their teeth cleaned. I would still have survivable (with EXCELLENT quality of life retention) elective procedures done... but I've definitely got limits now.

How can I possibly justify spending thousands of dollars to treat my dog for, say, cancer, when every day 150+ perfectly healthy dogs get euthanized within 50 miles of here?

 

There is a rational limit for me as well, but to answer your question simply, its YOUR dog. When you hear about someone being murdered you say to yourself "oh that sucks", however if you know the person who was murdered your personal sentiments change drastically.

 

I would shoot a dog to avoid paying $65 to have it put down, I already own a gun and ammunition. 5 cents to put down the dog is much better than $65. My dad shot my sister's cat rather than pay to put it down, cheap is how I was raised!

I would weigh the money spent on the dog vs. his prognosis, IE: quality of life and time left. If I had to spend $5000 on chemo so the dog can live 1 month more, well, he's chased his last rabbit and out comes the rifle.....

 

I hate threads like this because I know it involves a pet going through a lot of pain and suffering. There's a lot of people I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire but I hate to see an animal suffer.

 

My ace was diagnosed with lymphoma last september 09 and was put down 11-17-09. I didnt bother with chemo because they said it would give him maybe 6 months and was not gonna prolong his suffering. I spent the money i would have spent on chemo to spoil him and take a road trip. I would give anything to have him back. Someone tried giving me a dog in his place but its a f-in idiot. I gave it to my mom.

 

Then you shouldnt own pets. A bullet is cheap but very painful and far from humane. Even if it was just a working pet doesnt it deserve a quick, painless end?

 

I have been back and forth on this many times with my dog. Left my first Vet becasue I felt as if they were just trying to take as much cash as they could from me.

He started off life a great dog who had zero issues. Not long after having his manhood taken from him he started to scratch himself until he would bleed. Not in just one particular spot (normally his ears and neck). My vet jumps on the Allergy bandwagon... Long story short, I have his blood tested and nothing shows up, next step would have been to take him to a specialist to spend big money and possibly find out nothing is wrong allergy wise.

The hardest thing for me to believe is that this was allergy related. Crash has very dry skin and gets a bath once a week with a medicated shampoo, which has been changed multiple times to find one that seems to work best. The carpets get vacuumed weekly (sometimes more) and steam cleaned once a month (water only) to remove as much dander and dust mites as possible.

My original vet would not even think about using anxiety meds so found a new vet that would consider it after trying all we could on the allergy side of meds. The reasoning I had in this decision was as follows; Crash would only scratch to the point of bleeding while I was in the shower or after I had left the house. I ended up taking him into the bathroom while I showered and no scratching. When I leave the house I have to put a shirt and lampshade on him or I come home to a bloody mess. He doesn't scratch while I'm home and he doesn't scratch While I'm asleep (working a rotating shift, so I sleep all kinds of different hours). Now I am able to get in the shower without him scratching, but he is usually off somewhere curled up in a ball and shaking when I get out.


The current Meds he is on: Antibiotics for skin infections (from his scratching and having to have them constantly covered while Im out of the house), alprazolam ( He has slowly been taken off Prozac as that seemed to do nothing) which seems to help with the anxiety before me leaving (still need to have him clothed and he will be starting a new anxiety med in 10 days), Prednisone for what is thought to be allergies. Have done custom compounding of Atopica (not a cheap med at all and didnt help a bit)

I am at the Vets office at least once a month... The cost of some of the drugs and vets bills is getting out of hand. I have been though many different types of foods, but now have him on a raw food diet. I would say my average cost for the 28lb dog is $400-600 a month easy. I am just about at my end of being able to continue with all of this.

What kind of life is it if he has to constantly be wrapped up in some type of clothing and lamp shade on his head to stop him from doing so much damage to himself. Have tried to find someone to take him (who is home all of the time, he is fine as long as I am home) but no luck.

Hopefully the new anxiety drug will help!!!

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Welcome NY. :down:

 

Chad I truly feel sorry for your dog. If you hadnt mentioned anxiety I would have mentioned "hot spots" but I dont think thats it. I hope he gets better soon and you are definitely a good owner.

 

That poor angel
I pray she gets better...

 

Chad you definitely have done A LOT more than a lot of people would. He is very lucky to have you and you to have him. Hoping the new med works!

 

my white shepperd has serous ear problems as well. allergies that seem to never end. benadril to the rescue. he's a great dog and i love him more than anyone i know but at a certain point it will come down to putting him down. At 12 human years he's falling appart a little

 

Chad,
Don't give up and if a vet cant fix her problem find another vet. Vets are just like doctors, etc...Good ones and bad ones...

Ride safe,
AAron

 

I also had a vet, at a petco clinic, tell me that it might not be worth getting all the shots when my dog was a puppy since he had a heart murmer and might not make it through a year. they sugested 1500 in tests to make sure we could give him the shots or nuter him. i was devistated. i went to another vet. he got his shots and 12 years later can still run next to me well i ride my mt bike for 5 miles. some vets lack the bedside mannor or sence you'd think they would have

 

I was being semi-facetious, semi-serious, I don't know if I could shoot my own dog to put it out of its misery, but I would hope so. As for being painful and inhumane, I completely disagree, as long as you hit the right anatomical structures. A solid shot to the brainstem with a sufficiently large round will instantly kill any mammal, with zero pain. I'm sure it's still done this way in rural areas all over North America. Personally, I would rather take responsibility and euthanize my dog myself than have a stranger do it.

I wouldn't want a purebred dog, simply because of the health problems that humans have created by inbreeding animals. Mutts are the best.

 

Ok then next time your sick let me know. I am a real good shot. Let us know if its painless...
Of course I am be sarcastic. But some how I just never believe that "It don't hurt" theory about death no matter how it happens...I mean its a nice thought but who is around to prove it?!?!

Ride safe,
AAron