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When is enough $$ enough $$ for dog surgery?

J

Jaytrigger

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 6, 2011
104
0
Fort Gordon GA
When do you call it quits when it comes to spending money on a dogs surgeries?

Our dog while deployed had to get a metal pin put into its back left knee due to it becoming undone while running causing her to collapse everywhere. Costed about 2800 bucks.
Now its happening again but or the other back knee. Price will be a little bit more because we can't get the same vet to operate and were quoted 3200 (to include all the follow ups and meds)

This is my wifes dog and she has been inconsolable about this subject and persist that we must get this done. The dog is only 3 years old.
 
Looks like you gotta do it Jay. If mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy.
You won't every be forgiven - so give it up.
I would shop the operation inclulding Veterinary schools or anyone that might find interest in your dog besides a financial one.
If it were me I would take out a charge card or loan and ask my wife to help cut our current expendures to pay off the loan.
She should be involved in the sacrafice you will have to make to get you dog whole again.
 
Simple, what is the dog worth to you? What's a replacement cost? That's the limit. If your wife wants it done, have her pay for it. If you say no and put the dog down (I would) your life will be hell. Better to keep your wife happy then hire a lawyer.
 
I'd say surgery is cheaper than a divorce. I know how you feel, I've got a $2000 wiener dog and about the same tied up in health costs for a GSD.

Goods luck
 
Jaytrigger said:
When do you call it quits when it comes to spending money on a dogs surgeries?

Our dog while deployed had to get a metal pin put into its back left knee due to it becoming undone while running causing her to collapse everywhere. Costed about 2800 bucks.
Now its happening again but or the other back knee. Price will be a little bit more because we can't get the same vet to operate and were quoted 3200 (to include all the follow ups and meds)

This is my wifes dog and she has been inconsolable about this subject and persist that we must get this done. The dog is only 3 years old.
Click to expand...

I spent 6500 on mine once. No regrets.
 
I would never pay that, but I wouldn't fault someone else for doing it if they'd rather spend the $$$ on their dog than whatever else they could spend the money on.
 
I think if the vets guarantee a fix and the dog will have a pain free life that's somewhat normal I would have the surgery. My wife would also have to help out as well.i know it's lots of money but if you have the dog out down at that age you may regret it. I think all animals from god need every chance we can give them. They will bless us in return.
 
10-12K on our dog... Love him to death.

Rich
 
Where are you located. Colorado State has a hell of a program with good rates if your close or could fly in.
I had over 7k in surgery costs for my last dog, 13.5k total vet bills. Avg 1k a year just for doctor. I don't know your wife, but most of us wouldn't open that can of worms you're looking at!!
 
I treat my family pets like children (have 2 kids too). If they require surgery then I pay for it. I spent $3000 on a lab about a decade ago with no regrets. Those vet bills are rough though.....
 
If the dog is a member of the family, then treat it like one.

The most difficult thing I've ever had to do was to out down my 13 yr old lab mix, Lilly. She had cancer (hemangiosarcoma) and surgery would not improve her quality of life. The only option was steroids to ease her suffering. That made the decision pretty easy.... But no less difficult.

If there was anything that I could have had done to improve her life, I would have done it without question or hesitation. She was a member of our family.
 
I know your not looking for a break but for what you military guys do for our country that vet should give you a break! It won't cost him to miss any meals with the money they make. Explain your situation and if he won't cut the price maybe make some long term payments without interest. If he's a decent individual he shoul do that. If not I would look elsewhere.
 
I don't think I could spend that kind of money on a dog. Don't mean to be a heartless bastard, but it's true.

I had to put my collie/shepard cross down 4 or 5 years ago because he had severe arthritis. I still haven't replaced him.
 
I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I didn't do everything I could to help a dog, friend, or family member in need. I understand why some people don't view things the same way I do. I took Semper Fidelis to heart. To me it doesn't say I should be faithful when it is easy, glorious, or convenient..it simply says "always". I figure most dogs I have owned would die for me if the situation came to it. So, it seems like the thing to do...for me at least.
 
Can't have kids and would give whatever it takes to keep my dogs well, as long as I wasn't prolonging them for my own benefit. Have a bulldog with over 10k and a shitzu with a tumor in his brain that is doing great but on $$ meds. I feel I owe it to them for the ridiculous loyalty they give us.
 
However, 10 years ago a knee replacement for a dog would have been a huge financial Burden for me. The most important thing is for you and your wife to be on the same page and in full and honest agreement with whichever path you choose.
 
in my mind if its a champion breeder or has A LOT of sentimental value then spend away. On the other hand if its just a dog, eh. Humans do this thing where we humanize animals. in the great words of Admiral Ackbar "It's a trap!" As was said though regardless of what you 'feel' its more about what your wife 'feels'. happy wife, happy life. might wanna consider an insurance policy from now on. ive got one on my sugar glider that has paid in SPADES in only 2 years.
 
to much money for a dog. I've spent the money on my dogs, and over the years I have reduced my limit on how much I will spend. You might think it will never happen now, but another dog will come along that you can find just as nice.

edit- If you are in this situation now, you should look into insurance for any other dog you get and save some financial difficulty.
 
I think if you have the money to spend then do it. If you cant afford it then I would hope your wife would understand you why you cant afford it. Tough situation. I love dogs and if it was me and if I had the money then I would for sure get the surgery.
 
Not me and I can't stand to run over a wild animal in the road without turning around and making sure he dies quickly. No vet in the world will guarantee your dog will be trouble free after surgery. I have had many dogs in 44 years and loved them every one. I have never met a dog that I would spend $2800, not unless he could sit in a chair, wear glasses and read the Wall Street Journal. Only independently wealthy people can afford such extravagances as spending exorbitant amounts of money on animals. My wife and I would have serious problems if she was living on my check alone and wanted me to spend thousands on a dog. But hey, that is just me. What a world, where we treat dogs like humans and humans like dogs.

Not to say I haven't faced this dilemma, I have several times with some rather pricey dogs that had real use beyond being a lap dog.
 
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My knees are shot too. I just don't run as much as I used to...

But in general for pet care, if I can afford to do it without missing the mortgage payment and nobody is going hungry, well I pay it.
 
I figure as long as I have cable TV, dinners out, cell phones etc, then I have enough money to take care of my animals. Everybody has their upper limit. I just havnt found mine yet. I have $4000 Pit Bull after parvo and TPO hip surgery. But I wouldn't have done it any other way. I'd do it in heartbeat.

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

Edit---after reading the rest of the post, some of you guys a) shouldn't own animals, b) need to get on the same page with your wife with your finances. Her money / my money no longer exists in our household. It did for a LONG time, but we finally came to grips with the fact that we're MARRIED and that means a marriage of the money as well. It has increased the level of our communication in all other areas as well. You need to sit down with your wife and talk it out. If you can afford it, do it. If you cant and you're in agreement, then you have a tough decision to make. And after that, don't get things you cant afford. Everything has costs attached, animals to airplanes.

Like I said everybody has limits. For some of you its anything beyond basic necessities (which is BS) and for some its a tad more than that.
 
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I had a Wolf hybrid I only paid $200 for. When we lived around Richmond VA he got sick one night and we ran up to an overnight Vet. She was going through everything and I told her if it was going to be over $1000 we would just take him back home and make him comfortable. MISTAKE. The bill was $990 for an infection. hahaha He lived another 2 years before he went to sleep one night and didn't wake up.
We had Westies too. The wife was pregnant and our male Westie was acting strange. She was dead set on going back to the same overnight vet and I was dead set on not. Ol' dog climbed up on a pile of clothes and fell over and rolled down. The tears started and needless to say we loaded up at 8 pm and headed to Richmond. I knew I would hate life if we didn't go. That one was only $500 for a toxic tick.
I think it is to each their own on this one. Im from the school of thought Im not spending a fortune on a dog. Not because I don't love them, because I don't have a fortune to spend. Im not going in debt for an animal. I would never fault anyone for spending a lot of money on their animal though.
 
I'm at a cross roads right now.

My dog, one of the best dogs I've ever had, has prostate cancer right now, but I don't want to give up so I decided to look into any and all treatments that I possibly find, including, but mainly limited to holistic(I have a different definition, nothing crazy, just all natural stuff) treatments in regards to some specific foods that are non-poisonous to pets, vegetables, fruits, better meats than the generic dog food, plus lots of clean, cool water.

Long story short, he is still living 2 months after the vet's timeline(said he was suppose to pass on then) that was given to me. Not without some complications from the cancer, but he has the best care that I can give him. He is also on prescription medication too, and I should warn everyone that there are side effects with pet medicine as well as human medicine(both are similar), so be very watchful of these if your pet is on them.

Also, on a side note the treatments available for dogs suffering through cancer are a mixed blessing too. Some might do more harm then good, but I recommend that you talk to your vet thoroughly, talk to other vets as well, and do as much research on it as you possibly can.
 
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does obama care cover it?

don't mean to sound insensitive or troll, but for me, unless it's a showdog or another type of working dog that puts food on the table or money in the bank, a lead treatment and a donation of $3198.50 to my kid's college fund, a children's hospital, veteran's hospital, homeless shelter, food bank, a church down on it's luck, etc.
 
I've had some expensive vet bills in my time & paid lots for dogs that didn't make it.

My advice is first to think about what will you regret the most, as money comes and goes but regrets can stay with you forever. If the dog is a dear companion to your wife / you and is a part of your family, there are lots more emotional strings attached.
I once wound up spending almost $4k on a dog I loved that didn't make it (he got sick due to a vet's malpractice), but I had peace that I had done as much as could reasonably be done for him.

The second thing is to see if you can afford it, if it's going to ruin you financially and cause significant hardship that is very different than if you can afford it with a bit of belt tightening / paying off.

Then also you would consider the lifespan of the dog and how likely they are to recover. In this case it sounds like your dog has a lot of life left and would be perfectly fine after treatment.

Then it's also all about what you and your wife feel, as it's a companion animal (as opposed to livestock which are much easier to make calculated decisions on), and if she/you has a lot emotionally invested into the dog then it becomes about what you want and what will make you happy.

To be honest in your situation, I would recommend that you hunt around for the best deal on it & see what you can negotiate and then get it done if you can financially afford it. My opinion would be that the expected $3k is worth it for your wife to be happy & you not to have regrets. If needed, you could take some donations / gifts to help cover a bit of the costs. Now if the costs will make you go broke and ruin your household, then you don't have much choice and you can come to terms with that & get her a new puppy as soon as possible.
 
SniperCJ said:
I figure as long as I have cable TV, dinners out, cell phones etc, then I have enough money to take care of my animals. Everybody has their upper limit. I just havnt found mine yet. I have $4000 Pit Bull after parvo and TPO hip surgery. But I wouldn't have done it any other way. I'd do it in heartbeat.

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

Edit---after reading the rest of the post, some of you guys a) shouldn't own animals, b) need to get on the same page with your wife with your finances. Her money / my money no longer exists in our household. It did for a LONG time, but we finally came to grips with the fact that we're MARRIED and that means a marriage of the money as well. It has increased the level of our communication in all other areas as well. You need to sit down with your wife and talk it out. If you can afford it, do it. If you cant and you're in agreement, then you have a tough decision to make. And after that, don't get things you cant afford. Everything has costs attached, animals to airplanes.

Like I said everybody has limits. For some of you its anything beyond basic necessities (which is BS) and for some its a tad more than that.
Click to expand...

100% agreed. My English Bulldogs are like family, and as long as there are $100k of guns in my safe and $100k of cars in my drive, they are getting every bit of care they need.
 
Obviously, there are some members here who really really love their dogs.
 
If I had 100K in cars and 100K in guns then yeah I would spend large money on my dogs if needed. But that is not exactly what we are talking about. Thankfully some people aren't in charge of banning shitheels like myself from owning dogs...yet. Just because people can't afford the drop thousands on a vet bill, doesn't make them unfit to own a dog, nor does it mean the dogs aren't loved and well cared for.
 
I do what I have to do for my dog. She's my girl. I had a half lab, half great dane once that got hip dysplasia. I had to have him put down. At his age, there wasn't going to be a good outcome. I had also had to have him treated for heartworm when he was younger. He had the heartworm when I got him. Dogs are part of the family.
 
If you can in any way swing it you've got to do it. We've had dogs who have had chemo, MRIs, CAT scans, and even spinal surgery by a well known doggie neurosurgeon (yes, they exists). Your costs are, in comparison, chump change. I say that not to belittle your situation, but to make you feel better about it. And consider this: that dog has probably lied, cheated, stolen from, and betrayed you two less than just about any human you know. Now what's that worth?
 
If you can find a way to afford it you should at least try as it's easier to make payments than make up with the wife after putting her dog to sleep because you don't think it's worth it. Our cats and dogs get better health care than I do. The one time I did not pay 10k for a full chemo/ radiation and blood transfusion on my Rottweiler had been due to the fact that he was almost 10 and they could only give him another 3-6 months as he had cancer all through him. You need to keep in perspective of trying to save an animal that is more driven by the owners desire to not let go over what is best for the animal. When the animal still has some years left and can remain relatively pain free then the surgery is a good option. If the animal is saved only to lay around in constant pain and discomfort just because the owner is not ready to let go, that can be a problem.
 
armorpl8chikn said:
If I had 100K in cars and 100K in guns then yeah I would spend large money on my dogs if needed. But that is not exactly what we are talking about. Thankfully some people aren't in charge of banning shitheels like myself from owning dogs...yet. Just because people can't afford the drop thousands on a vet bill, doesn't make them unfit to own a dog, nor does it mean the dogs aren't loved and well cared for.
Click to expand...

No, that wasn't direct at you or anyone else, it was reflected back on me. I couldn't with good concience deny my dog a surgery over money when I am living pretty well. For me it wouldn't be a matter of affording it, it would be a matter of parting with the money, and I couldn't look at my dog and say "sorry bud, I can't afford it," and then hop in truck with my AIAX, Schmidt and Bender, etc.

I understand that not everyone is in the same financial position, and if you can't afford it, I understand. But having the money and deciding that it's not worth it, that is more where I was directing my statement.
 
How I see it

My German Shep was my true friend. This dog went almost everywhere with me. He got spinal mylopithy and I held out until he could not walk then, I put him down. A really good veterinarian came to my house and did it there and a friend drove me to the crematorium where my dog was given proper treatment in death.

Dogs are special, but when they can't function like proper dogs, they need to be allowed to move on. We all are going to die.

The day I returned from my 1st tour in Afghanistan. Happiest day of my life.
 
We decided to just go for it. Ill be selling some gear but in the end i would do it for my own dog. (german shorthair) So I would do hers as well. The whole my money your money thing doesnt always work. She has to finish college to get a really job and with her college work her part time job pays for gas and some eats if that.
So i decided to put my hobbies on hold for awhile in order to pay for the surgery.
Here is a Pic i posted a while back of her after the first knee surgery.
 

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I think you have made the right choice. Know that everything will work out for you financially as well. By the way, thank you for your service.
 
Can you afford to throw the money away?

Sounds like you can't, but I don't know.

My aunt spent $13,500 trying to treat her son's rot with cancer. It ended up living about six months and needing put down anyway. The dog's quality of life during the treatment wasn't good.

Personally, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a dog. I know some guys view them as "members of the family", but I've always viewed dogs as animals. I usually don't take on a dog unless it serves a function and fill a role in the household, like being a watchdog, a stock dog, a hunting dog, etc.

Also, if you're really afraid that the wife would leave you over not spending an additional $3200+ for surgeries with no guarantees when she isn't contributing financially, then you've got bigger problems than a sick dog. If she'd want a divorce over that, then maybe you guys aren't right for one another. Were my wife in the situation, she'd be loading her Sig LOL
 
No she wouldn't leave me for any reason or anything like that. The dog was 1 year anniversary gift and also keeps her mind pretty occupied. My dog is a hunting dog and is registered and all that jazz. If she loves her dog as much as i love mine then yeah its only right. We decided that this was the last surgery though.
 
Its hard to advise another on how to spend their money. I don't think you will sit on the front porch in your rocking chair when you are eighty five years old saying - I wish I hadn't spent that money on that dog. On the other hand if you didn't who knows.
From my life experience I can tell you that we will probably all have some regrets but I doubt money will play a big roll in those regrets.
 
Bulleit is covered by a Banfield Medical Plan. We pay $39 a month and Bulleit gets everything done for free or a very low co payment. Yes, we are a thousand or so into him at this point, but he is family and he will be treated as such...or I will be the bad guy and get totally cut off
 
bm11 said:
No, that wasn't direct at you or anyone else, it was reflected back on me. I couldn't with good concience deny my dog a surgery over money when I am living pretty well. For me it wouldn't be a matter of affording it, it would be a matter of parting with the money, and I couldn't look at my dog and say "sorry bud, I can't afford it," and then hop in truck with my AIAX, Schmidt and Bender, etc.

I understand that not everyone is in the same financial position, and if you can't afford it, I understand. But having the money and deciding that it's not worth it, that is more where I was directing my statement.
Click to expand...

Don't sweat it, your point was clear enough.
 
I tried the insurance route before and from the 3 companies (top companies) they all said they would not have covered the surgery even prior to diagnosis. It was a bummer to hear that but atleast i got the full scoop of what they will not cover in mix breed dogs. Full breed dogs get a lot more coverage so my shorthair has insurance on him now.
 
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