# How much is a dogs life worth?



## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

This is not a plesant topic but one that has puzzled me since I found the forum.

A recent thread about an injured puppy made me question this.

Sometime suggestions are made that could require thousands of dollars worth of tests and maybe surgeries or other forms of treatment that may cost thousands more.

Then there is the care that could run into hours each day. Maybe even for the life of the dog.

Many working families don't have the finances or the time to do all that is required.

A lot of suggestions come from those who do rescue. I understand that for them these dogs are there life. 

If there were a financial requirement (savings account or such) to own a dog then many families would be deprived of ever owning a family companion.
Each person has to make these decisions on their own but sometimes the suggestions on this forum can only make folk feel guilty if they don't go to extreme mesaures for their dog.

The shelters and rescues are full of dogs and yet if you bring up a situation on here and aren't willing to jepordize your family's security to spend thousands of dollars you may not have, you could be in for a bumpy ride.

I don't have an answer I just wonder if people aren't judged by some posters own standards of what they would do. Based on their own interests, finances, and time.

I don't have a problem with suggestions. They just may not be right for everyone.

If the individual says I can't afford it or I work and can not devote the time and care required then that should be honored in my opinion.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

To most of us our dogs are priceless. But sometimes they become too pricey for us to deal with. It's a very subjective and individual decision as to when that time comes.
I agree that whatever decision has been made should be honored.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

If God spoke to me today and said, "I can send Cashdog back to you, but you'll have to give up all your savings and go deeply into debt to have him back," I'd do it in a heartbeat. 

_To me_ the purpose of money is to care for my family and consider my dogs family. I have a sizable emergency fund and money doesn't make me happy if my dog is dead. I'd rather have my dogs and no money, than money and dead dogs. 

There is of course a quality of life issue, and that's a separate discussion altogether. I'd spend ten thousand dollars to keep my dog alive, happy and healthy. I would not spend anything to keep him alive and in pain. 

Others may have other priorities; those are just mine. It is my opinion that if someone can't afford one or two thousand for medical care for a dog, they should look into health insurance. If they _can_ afford it but the dog isn't worth it, that's a different story.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

like it has been said, they are priceless, off the top of my head, i would say just Max alone in the last 5 years, has run well over $8,000, but hes healthy and leads a normal life, I have gotten to know the Vets so well, there is no office call charge, i have talked to her about "when the times comes", she will let me know, I have a friend that spent $5,000 on his dog knowing he would only last another 2 weeks, in the last 45 years of having the GSD, each one gets harder to let go, I would do and spend anything for mine, except for me becoming homeless


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Emoore said:


> If God spoke to me today and said, "I can send Cashdog back to you, but you'll have to give up all your savings and go deeply into debt to have him back," I'd do it in a heartbeat.
> 
> _To me_ the purpose of money is to care for my family and consider my dogs family. I have a sizable emergency fund and money doesn't make me happy if my dog is dead. I'd rather have my dogs and no money, than money and dead dogs.


If you had your dogs and no money then that would put you in the position that some people find themselves in.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Emoore said:


> If God spoke to me today and said, "I can send Cashdog back to you, but you'll have to give up all your savings and go deeply into debt to have him back," I'd do it in a heartbeat.
> 
> _To me_ the purpose of money is to care for my family and consider my dogs family. I have a sizable emergency fund and money doesn't make me happy if my dog is dead. I'd rather have my dogs and no money, than money and dead dogs.
> 
> ...


You talking about Cash always breaks my heart. 

I agree with everything you said though, I would go to **** and back again to save Sinister, I would pay anything to keep him healthy and alive, but if he was in pain and had no more fight in him I would end his suffering.

I do love all of my animals, they all mean alot to me and I would fight for each of their lives, but Sinister is my heart and I would give everything up for him.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

When making any decisions on care for any of my animals, I weigh more heavily on quality of life, and not the financial aspect of it. All the money in the world can not buy quality of life. I will not allow an animal to live a life of pain and discomfort. I won't do it. 

I had a horse once that was involved in a terrible trailer accident. I spent 4 months and thousands and thousands of dollars just to get her healed. She had terrible injuries that would have left her lame the rest of her life. Even hired a specialist to make special brace type boots for her to wear. 

I should never have done it. I should have had her PTS the day of the accident. A greedy vet (a well known leg specialist in Texas) and a broken heart lead me to make many bad decisions. 

In the end, she just gave up. She laid down and pleaded with me to stop and let her go. I'll never forget the look. I'll never do it again. 

My rule of thumb is 24 hours. Give myself 24 hours to decide if I'm doing what's right for the animal or whats right for me. 

I've never made a medical decision based on finances. Right or wrong.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I've been doing the juggling act with vet bills lately. I make the best decissions I can for my animals. I promised myself I would never let my animals suffer.
When Kiya began having seizures, I was ready to do whatever it took to find out why and "fix it". I was very lucky to have a vet that said "lets just get her seizures under control first, you could spend thousands and thousands of dollars and never get an answer". So thats what I did, no neurologist, no mri or extensive testing. I know a lot of dogs that have a seizure will end up in a shelter because people don't want to deal with it or spend a lot of money on the dog. Kiya's meds run about $20 a month, blood work can get pricey about $300 a year, but overall the price of her care hasn't been that bad. I get upset when vets seem to push people into doing all this extensive testing, if it is a brain tumor your not going to do surgery. As long as the dog responds well to meds life can be somewhat normal.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I don't have special savings for my dogs. My husband has a credit card and if I had to and felt it was worth it I could easily open one up for myself for an emergency.

I look at things based on quality of life. There are some surgeries I would put one dog through but not another. Nikon has a problem that right now does not bother him and is under control but could be very bad later on however the vet and I decided that he is an active dog that loves everything he is involved in so he should be an agility, Schutzhund, SDA, dock diving, flyball dog for 10 years rather than limited exercise dog for 15 years, that sort of thing. My mutt dog is so lazy that he could go through a pretty tough procedure with tons of bed rest and a long recovery and it probably wouldn't kill his spirit or drive him/us crazy.

I try my darnedest to stack the deck in our favor from the beginning, looking at the health of the lines, keeping dogs lean and fit, using good quality foods, keeping up on prevention and even simple stuff like grooming ears and nails that can get out of control (like when Nikon's nail split, got terribly infected, and he almost had to have part of the foot amputated).


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Jack's Dad said:


> If you had your dogs and no money then that would put you in the position that some people find themselves in.





Emoore said:


> It is my opinion that if someone can't afford one or two thousand for medical care for a dog, they should look into health insurance.


 Of course that doesn't help someone who finds themselves in the situation. "I should have bought health insurance" does someone no good when they have a sick dog now.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Emoore said:


> _To me_ the purpose of money is to care for my family and consider my dogs family. *I have a sizable emergency fund* and money doesn't make me happy if my dog is dead. I'd rather have my dogs and no money, than money and dead dogs.


I think the OP's question is what happens when you *don't* have a sizable emergency fund. When one has such a fund, it's easy to have an "I'd do _anything_, spend _everything_" attitude about such things. But when one can barely pay their bills (or can't) as it is- such perspectives are far from common.

[EDIT]- I see you already commented on this. However, you stated:


Emoore said:


> Of course that doesn't help someone who finds themselves in the situation. "I should have bought health insurance" does someone no good when they have a sick dog now.


...And I agree with you on that. But realize that someone may also be well off, and then lose their job or something. Just saying a "sizable expense fund" is not common for the average pet owner. At least not in my experience, which obviously is not a huge sample size considering the number of pet owners...


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

This is a very difficult question and I don't think I can answer it unless I'm in that position. It would depend upon so many variables. Do I have an upper price, probably. What is it? It depends.

Spending $X.XX over x # of years is a lot different to me than spending $X.XX tomorrow all at once.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Very true. In answer to OP's question, I guess a dog's life is worth however much the owner is willing and able to spend. And every owner has to answer that for themselves. Some are willing to sacrifice, live on beans and rice and ramen, go into debt, and get an extra job to pay for their dog's medical needs. Others aren't.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> A lot of suggestions come from those who do rescue. I understand that for them these dogs are there life.


It's easy to sit in judgement of someone who spent thousands on a dog to save it's life...when those thousands could have helped a dozen other dogs (in a rescue's case, for instance). 
Then you get in a little dog who touches your heart, you look into it's eyes and realize what an awesome, sweet little dog it is, etc. You take it in to the vet for a spay surgery, and are told it's got a very bad heart murmur. 
So you see a specialist, and before you know it, you're asking for donations because this little life, you cannot bear to see it snuffed out. 

That's how rescue goes.

In our own lives, we never thought we'd be the type to spend $800-1000 on a dog, and then something happens, and you're at the vet, and decisions must be made. It's very hard when your dog is not even near it's life's end, to make that choice.
Yes, decisions must be made based on money...but I guarantee you, until it happens to you, you will not know how it will go down in your own life, with your own dog, and it's really important not to judge either way.
Because as sure as someone will knock someone for not spending their life's savings and then some on their dog, someone will knock them for spending so much. 

It's different in every case, for every individual. When it happens to you (whomever) you'll understand...

And if someone doesn't want their decisions criticized, just don't put it out there on a forum


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I'll be the first to admit that I do not have an emergency fund, I've been trying to save my money so I can have one but I am single, I live alone and I do not make alot of money. 

If something came up and I needed money, especially if I needed money for one of the animals I know my mom would lend me the money and she knows I'd pay her back. I hate that situation, doesn't make me feel like a grown up but I know she's there if I need her.

If it was $1,000+ I would get a credit card and I would max it out and get another to pay for their treatment if I had to. I have excellent credit but I'd give it up for them.

(My insurance now offers pet insurance.)


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Emoore said:


> Very true. In answer to OP's question, I guess a dog's life is worth however much the owner is willing and able to spend.


I'm totally on the same page as you now. :thumbup:


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## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

PaddyD said:


> It's a very subjective and individual decision



This right here sums up my feelings on the matter. I am thankful that I do not have to pick between my dogs or anything else. But I will say that my children comes first, any parent that tells me that their dogs come before their kids shouldn't be a parent IMO. I will do what I can for my dogs, unless it starts to effect the quality of my children's own lives.

I can't say how much a dogs life is worth because there are so many things going into it. What are the circumstances, the situations? Is the dog dying, is it human aggressive, do it just need some TLC, does it need a 10k surgery, can the dog be treated but still probably die..does treatment only give it a few more years...quality over quantity IMO.

While to me, my dog is not worth as much as my children, that doesnt mean that my neighbor (to me) is worth as much as my dog.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

LaRen616 said:


> If something came up and I needed money, especially if I needed money for one of the animals I know my mom would lend me the money and she knows I'd pay her back. I hate that situation, doesn't make me feel like a grown up but I know she's there if I need her.


I have the same thing. My parents didn't help me pay for college, never gave me a car, couldn't buy me a house, if we wanted something we got jobs and took care of it ourselves....but now that all us kids are out of the house they can front me $1000 or so in an emergency and I've *always* paid them back. We were short like $2500 for the down payment on our house (not even short, just found a house much faster than we anticipated) and we all agreed it was stupid to lose the perfect house over a few K so we borrowed it from my parents and paid it off within 6 months. I call it my "mom karma", it's sort of like building credit. You use it every once in a while but always pay it all back so she knows I'm good for it. In years that I have to cash in the mom karma, my mom get's a really nice Christmas present (new computer, nice camera...) so it's a win-win  I really hate to do it but I suppose I would not be too proud to ask if it was that or my dogs' life.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

I've had to make these decisions. My last dog, Ginger was the favorite of all the dogs I have owned. She had cancer and there were some things that could have maybe extended her life a little. She was suffering though and I had to make that decision. I barely made it through that final appointment.

What prompted the question was that I remembered being a young father living from payday to payday and then as a single custodial parent. We always had dogs but if I had been faced with my 3 kids at the time going hungry, or without proper clothing and shelter it would have been a no brainer for me. I had no reserve fund for most of my adult life.
Maybe I shouldn't have had dogs. If I shouldn't have had them then I had a lot of company. There were many young families who were about one lost paycheck away from serious financial problems.

It is not easy.


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

This question reminds me of a story a very wise man once told me.....

A famous baseball umpire was asked: If a player hits a ball out of the park, and drops dead of a heat attack rounding 2nd…. Would you still count the run? (he didn’t touch all the bases)

The umpire replied: I will decide it when it happens.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

My husband lost his job in early july,found a part time one.If Daisy's pancreatitis would have lasted longer or required a long hospital stay Im not sure what I could have done. Im late middle age to old but this is the first time where i really dont trust our safety net could handle another crash. If I had a puppy and three kids I probably couldnt make a commitment to the dog. W/ daisy I pray to god and saints(and Im not catholic) that she stays healthy cause Im not sure how far I could take treatment and i dont have three kids. In these ecnomic times w/ people out of work and out of all benefits its a tough choice.


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

Skylar just put me in debt with a $1400 tumor removal (she's almost 2 yrs old) I would pay it again (my parents can give me loans, luckily!) She has a very good chance of recovery. 

I had a puppy with megaesophogus- within 3 weeks I was $800 in debt trying food, chairs, tests, etc. The surgery would've been close to 2000 with not much of a chance of survival. She was extremely small and had a poor outlook. I sent her back to the breeder after a lot of fighting with myself, and they ultimately put her to sleep by 5 months. 

I guess, I make the decision of how much they're worth by how much life they have left and chance of survival/ quality of life.... If folks don't have the $$ to do emergency surgeries or deal with sudden onset of severe illness in their dog it is NOT fair imo to make them feel horrible- I just imagine if my parents couldn't help with money, how horrible I'd feel to have to put Skylar to sleep because of that, if she had a good chance of survival.

I was never expecting both of my puppies to have huge expensive issues. We've had 4 dogs before my 3 and NONE of them EVER had an emergency, except for an attack which only costed $200 for stitches and they are 7-14 yrs old.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I think threads like these are a good reminder to all of us that for dogs, like for people, it's rare to live to a ripe old age and die quietly in bed without ever having any major illness, injury, or accident. For dogs and people, it's not _if_ there's going to be a problem, it's _when._ I think it's important to give it some thought beforehand and be as prepared as you can. Whether that involves establishing an emergency fund, buying pet health insurance, finding someone who'll loan us money in a pinch, or figuring out at what price point you'll go ahead and pull the plug, these decisions aren't best left until the last frantic and tragic moment.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

I think it truly depends upon the pet, the resources available...it is definetely a case by case situation.
We are in the position right now...trying anything we can to have hopefully a few more good months with Kaos. We just went and bought him a couple hundred dollars of equipment (bedding, booties, etc) last night. The vet is ordering in adequan to start injections...he has become a huge time commitment as far as just meeting his daily needs, meds, exercise, etc. Are we in top shape financially....no we hardly have tons of money stashed, but we do ok. Would I let my3 kids do without...no but if we had to I may make them cut back....in this situation I believe it would be worth it to them to have Kaos around a bit longer. Also because it is Kaos and not the puppy (who we love, but the bond doesn't compare) if we needed help my parents would gladly take care of it, as they are quite fond of him and know how much he means to us. I believe with him, money won't be the issue as much as running out of options will be.

That being said...we did a long term foster, who we originally wanted to adopt about 6 yrs ago. When we recieved him he was handshy, fearful, a big mess. We put so much work into just getting him to eat in front of us, not to pee everytime my husband approached him. We offered to pay all of his bills while we fostered him, because if we could get him past his fear issues we truly wanted him to join our family. After about 6 months of having him and him turning 1 yr old, he got to the point if he went outside and played he would go lame and you would have to carry him in. We had x-rays everything done to diagnose. He had severe HD in both hips. We at the time already had Kaos plus 2 young children and were getting relocated to St Louis for my husbands work. There was no way we could afford bilateral surgery, post operative therapy everything that was being recommended in addition to the time commitment of helping him heal properly and have the best chance he could have. We were tore up and struggled immensely. In the end our vet offered to do all of the surgery, post op, everything necessary if we would let him adopt him for an office dog. So we did, even knowing he would have a great life and the best chance he could it was gut wrenching and still pains me.
Unfortunately some times decisions have to be made, you can't judge unless you've been there. Sorry about the rambling. I do truly pain for people who have to make those decisions and hope that we continue to be so fortunate to have options.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Jack's Dad said:


> There were many young families who were about one lost paycheck away from serious financial problems.


There still are! I feel like I live pretty comfortably and I don't have trouble paying our bills but in a sense, we definitely live paycheck to paycheck.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

I bought pet insurance for Dharma specifically because I never, NEVER wanted to be put in a situation with her where I would have to make the decision to put her down because I could not afford to save her. I will always choose quality over quantity though. I believe that even with people. But if something happens and she gets sick or hurt and she CAN be saved and live a full life then I don't want to have to say that I can't afford it. To me she is priceless.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

DharmasMom said:


> I bought pet insurance for Dharma specifically because I never, NEVER wanted to be put in a situation with her where I would have to make the decision to put her down because I could not afford to save her.


Don't most (all?) pet insurance companies require you to pay the bill and then they reimburse you? It's this reason that I don't understand how pet insurance really helps in a situation like this. Wouldn't one still need to beg, borrow, and steal in order to pay the up-front cost?


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

wildo said:


> Don't most (all?) pet insurance companies require you to pay the bill and then they reimburse you?


No, I remember when I was looking around at it that there are some that don't.


Edit: You know what, I could be wrong. I thought I saw one when I was looking but now I can't find it. . . .


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I agree with Jack's Dad and others that when a responsible owner makes a tough, even heartbreaking decision about the ability to treat or even continue to keep their dog, that decision must be respected and honored. Even or maybe especially, when we don't think we could make that same decision.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Is the real question and point of this thread to provoke someone into saying that if you cannot provide the money to pay for whatever medical issue your dog may develop over the course of his lifetime, then you should not own a dog?

In 2010 I spent $8,712.52 on Niko and Rosa
YTD 2011 I have spent $4,217.95 on them.

If I could not afford this level of care, I would get a job, sell my stuff, do whatever it took to keep them happy and healthy and in my possession.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

At the vet today, a lady was checking out the same time as I was. She was practically pleading with the receptionist to have the vet help a neighbor family, with a GSD who apparently had dislocated his hip. As she put it, the leg was practically dangling and had been in that condition for 2-3 weeks. The father was a builder who had been hit very hard by this economy and they had already lost their home and now this.

The poor receptionist was just cringing because I'm sure they are asked to help people in financial trouble, probably almost daily now-a-days.

I mentioned to the lady that perhaps her neighbors should look into surrendering the dog to GSD rescue. She semi-sorta accepted that idea for a moment then said no and turned back to the receptionist with an almost demanding tone. Very weird...

It's heart breaking, but if someone is that bad off that they can't even take the dog to the vet for an exam and then face the reality of their situation...they shouldn't have a dog.

On the other side of the coin I've had some clients who could afford sky's the limit treatments and probably hung on to some terminally ill dogs too long.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Good_Karma said:


> Is the real question and point of this thread to provoke someone into saying that if you cannot provide the money to pay for whatever medical issue your dog may develop over the course of his lifetime, then you should not own a dog?
> 
> In 2010 I spent $8,712.52 on Niko and Rosa
> YTD 2011 I have spent $4,217.95 on them.
> ...


In response to your first sentence, The answer is no. I have no idea where the **** you came up with that.

There are a lot of dog owners who do not have the $12,000+ that you spent in that short of a period.

I would have to guess that you do not have children or you make a lot of money to come across the way you did.

Thanks to everyone else who has treated it like the sensitive subject it is.

As far as the subjects of my threads go, I prefer substance over fluff. I'm not real interested in how many pee/pee's my puppy did today threads. I was questioned about my last thread as if I have some strange motive. I have questions about things and I ask them or I have an opinion and I state it. I skip lots of threads that are of no interest to me. If you are concerned don't read or respond.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm on my phone, traveling so I haven't read all the posts. I'll say his though:

Back in 2001 my first dog I bought and raised by myself, my first "kid", if you will, developed osteosarcoma in his left front leg. Getting to the diagnosis was expensive, and as he was in great health otherwise, no signs of arthritis, etc, we amputated his leg. He did amazingly well. However, 7 weeks later he started a fever and had to be on steroids. As soon as the rapid taper wore off, he was miserable again. Vet suggested chemo and all that, but we had a 5, 3 and 2 year old. We'd already spent almost 3 grand on him, that we could ill afford since I only worked part time. I did not think he would enjoy going for 8 hrs of chemo every week. I knew when he looked me in the eye he didn't feel good, so we put him down. I cried for months. 

Next, we had a beautiful black cat that suddenly after 7 years started peeing in our basement ( we'd moved a year or so before). Test after test... Visit after visit.. I can't go into all the details cuz it's too much to type this way but we finally made the tough decision to put him to sleep too. It's a long story, but suffice it to say we tried everything we could. I loved that cat... He was the one who got me through after that first dog. The thing is, I felt like the vet felt I should keep spending endless money on him. They couldn't seem to figure it out or tell me anything would help ... But they just seemed to think all my meager money should be spent on him.

I love my animals greatly--- but my ultimate responsibility is to my kids and my husband first. How great would that be if I put us into debt for an animal and then something happened to one of my kids? I dont know about the rest of you, but my health insurance has a giant deductible and it still requires 20% of stuff even after that's met. And just to take my lab in for an ear infection was $90 by the time you did the office call and the ointment.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Jack's Dad said:


> In response to your first sentence, The answer is no. I have no idea where the **** you came up with that.
> 
> There are a lot of dog owners who do not have the $12,000+ that you spent in that short of a period.
> 
> ...



My apologies, I suspected this thread was to stir up controversy. If I was mistaken then I am truly sorry. Please accept my apology, I meant no disrespect.

I am not rich, and no I do not have children.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

This is a great thread Andy and has created some really good discussion 
My situation is pretty different I guess as we are a farming buisness with access to money pretty much all the time BUT it does have to be paid back at harvest or when we sell our lambs/wool etc!!! We don't live paycheck to paycheck and I consider us very fortunate for that (until we hit a drought).
But having worked in a vet clinic for a long period of time you do see really sad circumstances where people are just so cash strapped that spending money on their dog is just out of the question. My boss was very generous and allowed many clients to set up a payment plans and even if they could only pay $10 a week he was happy.
It was the ones who would turn up in expensive cars smoking cigarettes and wearing the finest who refused to spend money on their dog "because they could get another" that would make my blood boil
Every situation is different but like Emoore said being prepared for the "when" is probably the best insurance to have.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Good Karma:

I apologize too. 

I was surprised by your response because it is a sensitive topic that in one way or another we all have to deal with.

I think the posts have been very thoughtful and helpful to understand something that is a common situation to all pet owners.

Look at RocketDog's response. It probably touched a lot of people (certainly me) who have been in that position. 

Again my apologies. I guess I'm a little sensitive today. As much as I love Jack and my new puppy, I miss Ginger, and wish her last two years or so could have been better.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Well... I'm in a situation like that. We don't have much money but we have enough to care for our dogs, get them to the vet for their regular check ups an to pay for the spot ons and heartworm medication which is expensive for four and five dogs, to undergo all that training, to pay for food etc. 

I would say that I'm responsible with my dogs and I had to make the decision of whether I'm going to put him through a surgery or to get a dog I can actually work with. 

I've talked to many people, including a vet tech whose gone through that type of surgery plenty of times, with some of her own dogs and patient dogs. I took all the information to heart and decided in his favor. 

1. it is not said that the surgery is succesfull
2. the aftercare is the hardest part. 

We are a multiple dog home. He is energetic, driven an crazy. One wrong move and it's over so I've decided against it. 

I pretty much talked all the possibilities through. To this point, if I put everything together, Judge was the most expensive dog I have ever had and he is just a year old. He cost 800 Euros, the shipping was around another 600 Euros, travelling to NY City to pick him up, food, heartworm, flee stuff on top of all the vet bills. 
Within a year I've paid more than 5000 Dollars for him and let's face it. He's already got ED, he's already got Arthritis, he's got the deformity... yes I'm very dissappointed and I could spent all the money my husband is earning while he's deployed and risk it all. 

If I did that, my husband would literally risk his life to care for a single dog. 
We need a second car that is big enough for our dogs. I have the responsibility for three more dogs. I can't just put us into debt to fix one dog since I've got a responsibility towards the other three too and it wouldn't be fair to them. 

Where am I going to live if we loose the house? What's going to happen to the other dogs? In this economy nobody can afford to put themselves into debt. Not if you are a multiple dog home and have a husband who could actually lose his security clearance over that and who has to depent on a car to get to his job. 

While you feel with your heart you've got to make the decision with your head and driving yourself into debt doesn't help anyone, especially not the dog and yourself, not in this economy.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

RocketDog said:


> The thing is, I felt like the vet felt I should keep spending endless money on him. They couldn't seem to figure it out or tell me anything would help ... But they just seemed to think all my meager money should be spent on him.


Vets have a responsibility to say when enough is enough and not make people just keep spending money when they know the prognosis is poor.
I was fortunate that I worked in a great practice with a great boss who did just that. He was a true gem....we often fixed broken legs etc and then re-housed animals for nothing. I could not have worked in a practice that only saw dollar signs......I wouldn't have been able to bite my tongue...


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Mrs.K ....just on the chance this would help you. With multiple dog households (or kennels too) it may be more cost effective to use liquid ivermectin for the heartworm preventative. Are you already aquainted with it?

Also, so sorry for the tough decision you are facing with your dog. 



Mrs.K said:


> Well... I'm in a situation like that. We don't have much money but we have enough to care for our dogs, get them to the vet for their regular check ups an to pay for the spot ons and heartworm medication which is expensive for four and five dogs, to undergo all that training, to pay for food etc.
> 
> <snipped>.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

The only time we were in a situation where we could literally spend thousands, the dog didn't live long enough to fight.  We have three dogs. Banshee, the Queen, is 12 years old. She had mast cell cancer at 6 years old and a return of growths over a year ago. The choice is, spend a ton of money to remove these growths to see if the cancer has returned or leave her be. We chose to leave her be. Not because of the money. At her age, we could have lost her on the table. There was also a high probability that we could seed her body and the cancer could explode, killing her in months. So, we changed her diet and added supplements to reduce extra sugar from her diet. We didn't think she would see last Christmas and we're heading into another with her.

My bonehead laying next to me could end up with knee surgery. She has mild HD. She could potentially cost thousands of dollars just for her knee alone. I'll spend it. I'll owe on a credit card but I'll spend it.

To me, it is really about the health of hte dog. I don't feel that going to extreme measures to keep them alive for our own selfish reasons is a very good excuse. If their quality of life is bad then I don't want them to suffer. I wish they would give the same dignity to people.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Sparra, I didn't mean to villianize them... I've been going to them for 20 years and they truly care for animals, but just because you COULD/CAN doesn't mean you should. You know? 

When I got Badger at the young age of barely 21, I had no money... Just enough for ramen and beer. . But I paid cash for all his appts and vaccinated him and trained him. He probably lived better than I did. I always of course had to live in a house then , as apts didn't take dogs like him then. But I managed. I did have to charge his cancer stuff tho, as DH and I were poor young things. (why has this not changed, lol?). We still live paycheck to paycheck. They're bigger now but so are our expenses. I can say one thing for sure: none of my animals will ever suffer as long as I'm breathing. If I have to charge something (and I don't use credit except rarely) to stabilize them while a decision is made, you bet I will. 

I wish I weren't on this phone..... Grrr.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I think this bears repeating



> Very true. In answer to OP's question, I guess a dog's life is worth however much the owner is willing and able to spend. And every owner has to answer that for themselves. Some are willing to sacrifice, live on beans and rice and ramen, go into debt, and get an extra job to pay for their dog's medical needs. Others aren't


 by Emoore


I have spent thousands of dollars on my animals thru the years, one year alone I had 5000 dollars in a 3 month span on two dogs..Am I rich? Heck no, not even close. 

I have credit cards, I have fantastic vets that will allow me to make payments and never would turn my animals away because I didn't have the money right then and there..


I also believe in "quality of life",,if it's not there, I'm not going to 'prolong life'. 

I DO tho, have a problem with people (and I know a family right now!) who have a pack of dogs, barely enough to feed the family, and STILL go out and get MORE dogs. THIS bugs me. Don't add to what you have when you can barely afford what you've got. 

I AM one of those who is willing and probably not able, but I do it however I can, to do whatever I have to do to make sure my dogs get excellent vet care and never suffer for anything. My dogs mean everything to me, they have given me more than I could have ever imagined, and more than I will ever be able to give back to them


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Only on page two but here are my thoughts --
To me, a dog's life is beyond measure. What my dogs have given me, I cannot quantify. 

As to what I have done regarding $ -- I was pretty close to broke (I think I was borrowing money to live on or I soon would be) when my first two dogs needed elder care. I spent the money to try to help them. When the late barker the elder looked like she would need hip replacement surgery at 18 months, I didn't have the money available but I immediately began looking and acting on ways to get that money. A couple of years ago, I thought long and hard about having an eye operation for my 32 yo mare. I decided to do it - the best council I got was "You'll always ask yourself 'What if?' if you don't do it." That year her vet bills must have been around $3k. Finances weren't particularly tight that time. Given my record, I would have found the money if they had been.

Why would I not expect others to do what I do? Most of us could save $30 or so a month if we gave up internet access. (Most people that post here have their own internet access) And how about cutting back to a land line instead of every family member having a cell phone? You could drive a 20 yo vehicle instead of a 5 yo vehicle. Why did you think you needed a flat screen TV? Or cable? Or designer jeans?


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Well , if you have kids, asking them to give up internet is too much. Mine use it almost everyday for homework. And while I've never bought them designer jeans and my oldest, who turns 16 this month , just got a cell phone two weeks ago, I probably wouldn't ask her to give it up for $10 a month savings. And my car is a 2001 suburban with 136,000+ miles on it, I don't know if it will make it another ten. Five maybe, but I have to sink a few grand into it every year. 

I would hope, since I don't judge others on their choices, that they would show me the same courtesy. My biggest Priorities are the 3 children I brought into the world. If I've done my job correctly, they would give up things on their own. But most importantly, they will act with kindness, empathy and a sense of responsibility regarding their animals.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Gwenhwyfair said:


> Mrs.K ....just on the chance this would help you. With multiple dog households (or kennels too) it may be more cost effective to use liquid ivermectin for the heartworm preventative. Are you already aquainted with it?
> 
> Also, so sorry for the tough decision you are facing with your dog.


I've heard about it before but I only know it from horses. Do I get that at the vet? 


Actually, meanwhile I'm okay with the decision and I think we found a solution where he can live a happy and long life. Either with us or with a very good friend of mine who loves him to death. Either way, he's going to be fine an I can live with the decision I'm making. 

Not paying for a medical bill doesn't necessarily mean that you put a dog to sleep. It can simply mean that you chose not to have them go through an expensive orthopedical surgery and treat them with holistic medications and supplements instead. So you are still paying for treatment, just not one big lump sump at once. And sometimes that also means that the pet is re-homed into a home that can give the dog better care or an overall better quality of life because the home is not as crazy and active as where he is or where he can get the undevided attention the dog needs.


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## S19977 (Feb 19, 2011)

I have pet insurance. It covers up to $12k a year with a small deductible. I don't want to have to make the choice. For $400/yr, it's worth it to me.


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## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

middleofnowhere said:


> *Why would I not expect others to do what I do*? Most of us could save $30 or so a month if we gave up internet access. (Most people that post here have their own internet access) And how about cutting back to a land line instead of every family member having a cell phone? You could drive a 20 yo vehicle instead of a 5 yo vehicle. Why did you think you needed a flat screen TV? Or cable? Or designer jeans?


I don't know, maybe because other people ARENT YOU and have different circumstances and situations and things to deal with?

Just sayin.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

> Originally Posted by *middleofnowhere*
> _ *Why would I not expect others to do what I do*? Most of us could save $30 or so a month if we gave up internet access. (Most people that post here have their own internet access) And how about cutting back to a land line instead of every family member having a cell phone? You could drive a 20 yo vehicle instead of a 5 yo vehicle. Why did you think you needed a flat screen TV? Or cable? Or designer jeans?_



I'm not sure if you are just being sarcastic and ironic or if you are actually being serious.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

middleofnowhere said:


> *Why would I not expect others to do what I do?* Most of us could save $30 or so a month if we gave up internet access. (Most people that post here have their own internet access) And how about cutting back to a land line instead of every family member having a cell phone? You could drive a 20 yo vehicle instead of a 5 yo vehicle. Why did you think you needed a flat screen TV? Or cable? Or designer jeans?


Probably because we all eventually have to make our own difficult decisions based on our own life situations. 

Not really sure how you meant that to come across.

Best wishes on your difficult situation, MrsK.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

I can really say that I don't know what I would do. I'm a multiple dog household. I have care credit as a backup emergency. I guess I would do everything I possibly could do to save them. I am probably the type that would go all the way....but thankfully my hubby would be the voice of reason.

Awhile ago (before the dogs) we had a ferret. Had him forever. He was my heart. He got into a utility room and ate some rat poison after we moved into a rental house (we didn't know it was there). He started having seizures and his stomach was purple. A week later and many blood transfusions, he was saved. The vet did tell us beforehand that there was a strong chance he might not make it. I had to try to save him. I think when you have human kids watching, crying, pleading. etc...your decision is a little harder.

I remember paying that bill. I had to use 5 different credit cards at the time b/c we were completely broke.

My human kid gets kicked off of our health insurance next week. She turns 19. She works part time at McDs and goes to college full time but insurance company said that McD's offers insurance. :shocked:


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Reading this topic made me think. How do you get that many credit cards. I was approved for one single credit card and that one has a limit of not even a thousand dollars. Is it because I'm a green card holder? 

All in all we have two credit cards and I wouldn't want to take onto more than we can anyways. 

I wasn't approved for care credit either.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

Mrs.K said:


> Reading this topic made me think. How do you get that many credit cards. I was approved for one single credit card and that one has a limit of not even a thousand dollars. Is it because I'm a green card holder?
> 
> All in all we have two credit cards and I wouldn't want to take onto more than we can anyways.
> 
> I wasn't approved for care credit either.


 
I'm not sure? Hubby would say b/c we were young and dumb.

I would say b/c I worked with a finance company at the time and knew which type of loans and credit cards to get with the best interest rates and balance transfers. I'm glad we got smart and paid them off. I've heard care credit is usually pretty easy to get. If you get turned down online...you should call them. That's what happened to me online. I was turned down. When I called, come to find out it was just something wrong in my app. that caused the rejection.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Jack's Dad said:


> I don't have an answer I just wonder if people aren't judged by some posters own standards of what they would do. Based on their own interests, finances, and time.




Jack's Dad this is from your first post. I think your sense on this is absolutely right. I find myself guilty of judging others (silently) for not doing as much for their dogs as I would do for mine. And it's not just about money, it's about meeting all their needs. I have a family member who is a decent guy, he lives alone and he wanted to replace a dog that had passed a few years earlier. He loved Niko, so he got a GSD from the same sire.

This dog spends most of his time alone in an empty house. The guy is hardly ever home, and when he is, he wants to be left alone, he doesn't want to be entertaining or training his dog. So yes, I judge him and I judge him very harshly because I fear for the future of this dog, who is lacking in training and socialization and will ultimately pay the price for his owner's laziness.

Money is a hot topic. There is a reason why money is the cause of the majority of arguments in a marriage. How each of us chooses to spend money is at least as personal to us as our religious views.

This thread is a good reminder to me that not everyone has the same priorities when it comes to caring for their pets, and as long as we live in a free society and I am not the Queen of the Universe, I will have to accept that not everyone will behave the way I want them to. And I would also hate to be judged poorly by someone who felt I was not spending enough money to care for my pets. That would be really offensive.

Thank you for accepting my apology, I re-read your first post, and some of the other posts and I can see where my thoughts got off track. I like your threads, I think the threads that make us examine our actions and defend them to others help us to know if we are making the right decisions in the care of our dogs.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Well I also tend to agree with Middle,,(so jump away)..Even in today's economy it isn't much to save a mere 10$ a week especially when you have multiple animals for a rainy day. Every penny adds up.. Kids don't need cell phones in most circumstances, that's an expense. 

I'm sure it's easier for those of us without kids to save some pennies here and there.

In the end, I think the majority of people who get animals, never think about 'what will I do if I have a HUGE vet bill? and/or it will never happen to me"


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

This is a very sad thread, to have to think of what we dog owners would do if the time came we had to make such a decision.

I am surprised at some of the contention here among the posters. Fortunately, I have never had anyone be mean to me for asking a question or giving an opinion, but I have seen some threads with some very mean people. It makes me want to quit this forum sometimes, yet I have had so much help here from the good people who have answered the questions I have as a first time dog owner.

All that being said: I am a single mom with two human kids, a German shepherd and two cats. I am fortunate to have a regular paycheck and I am just able to live comfortably. Since getting Hank a year ago, I would estimate my vet bills have already been AT LEAST $1,000, if not more. Then there was the $3,000 privacy fence I had built, and then the monthly expenses of food, equipment, toys, etc. I am now looking for a good used car to better accommodate carting around a GSD along with kids after having gone nearly 6 years without a car payment.

I would spend whatever I could afford to keep my dog alive and comfortable.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I am fortunate enough to have a vet that will let me make payments and will never turn me away when my pets need care. I live paycheck to paycheck...just have never been good at saving....my fault. 

I have learned a lot through the years and do everything in my power to give my pets a healthy life, and they often eat better than I do. When I adopted Z, we got to know our vet and vet techs on a first name basis. I have made changes in his diet and overall care and have not spent 1/4 of the time at the vet in the past two years as we did in the first 6 months of Z being here. I can say without a doubt in my mind that if we were faced with a situation where we needed intense care at the vet, I would promise my soul to save my babies, and I always keep my promises, especially to my vet.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I'm a college student, so I don't have a lot of money. That being said, if Sasha needed something (an operation, an expensive medicine, etc.) and her quality of life would still be there, I would find a way to make it work. I'd take out loans, credit cards, whatever it took. There are some things I don't know if I would treat. If she got cancer I would really have to think about whether or not I wanted to put her through chemo/radiation. I've seen what that does to a human who understands what is going on, and I can't imagine what all that seems like to a dog. I'm not saying I wouldn't spend the money for that kind of thing, but I'd be more likely with something like that to be a little more hesitant. For me it's about what her life is going to be like. If we had to move back in with my mom and I had to quit school for a while just to pay for her, I'd do it as long as her quality of life wouldn't be adversely affected long term. I won't put her through something horrid just for me; I would have to believe it was for her 100%. My theory on this has been my girl would give her life for me, and that kind of love and devotion is worthy of whatever sacrifice I can make.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

We had a senior who tore her ACL. She was a pretty sedate dog too (even when younger). We opted to manage it with supplements and some pain meds rather then put her through the surgery. In her case I think it was the right choice and she did fine.

Ivermectin is the active ingredient in heartguard. As with horses you do not need a prescription to purchase it at a feed store. You can buy liquid Ivermectin (brand name IVOMEC) which is the injectible form. However to administer it to dogs you just draw up the appropiate dose by weight (which actually is more accurate then heartguard!) and squirt it in a bit of canned food, feed as a treat once a month.

Ivermectin has a very long shelf life and a bottle costs in the neighborhood of $30-$40. For people with more then two or three dogs it is significantly cheaper then buying heartguard. I know some larger private show kennels use this for their monthly heartworm preventative.

A couple of cautions though, talk to your vet about dosage (most of 'em will balk at it so you may have to push or ask your large animal vet to help out) and I've heard in certain breeds there's the genetic mutation which causes a bad reaction to ivermectin...so anyone whose dog cannot take the heartguard with ivermectin in it shouldn't use this.




Mrs.K said:


> I've heard about it before but I only know it from horses. Do I get that at the vet?
> 
> 
> Actually, meanwhile I'm okay with the decision and I think we found a solution where he can live a happy and long life. Either with us or with a very good friend of mine who loves him to death. Either way, he's going to be fine an I can live with the decision I'm making.
> ...


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

For me in the past I have done whatever was needed to pay for my animals care. With my previous dogs after my relationship breakup I almost starved myself to afford the one dogs medicine. I was happy to do it then and would do so again. 

Miss Molly has set me back over 5k in one year (and then I stopped adding), I did take out insurance but not straight away. So therefore she has a lot of exclusions that I cannot make claims for. 

DH and I are not wealthy but we get by and while he is not happy with the funds all three cost he knows I would sell everything I own to pay for their care.

However I do think in the case of this thread, if someone has exhausted all options that are reasonable to them, nobody should judge them. Not everyone has the option to pay for significant vet care. And to me, if someone cares enough to come on here and ask advice, they must care deeply for their dog, so that should show the decent person that they are.

I do not have children ( a stepson who does not live with us) so in that sense, I am lucky that I can go without to afford the ongoing expenses.

It's such a highly emotive topic.


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## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

JakodaCD OA said:


> Well I also tend to agree with Middle,,(so jump away)..Even in today's economy it isn't much to save a mere 10$ a week especially when you have multiple animals for a rainy day. Every penny adds up.. Kids don't need cell phones in most circumstances, that's an expense.
> 
> I'm sure it's easier for those of us without kids to save some pennies here and there.
> 
> In the end, I think the majority of people who get animals, never think about 'what will I do if I have a HUGE vet bill? and/or it will never happen to me"



But the thread isnt about how to save money. There are always going to be ways that someone can save money. But its going to be very different depending on the family. My oldest has a cell phone. She is now in highschool and this lets me keep up with her and all of her after school activities, where she is, what shes doing, etc etc. She has a way to call me if something happens. I have three other kids..now if they all had cells just because then I could see the point. Its actually cheaper for us to have cell phones than landlines. We do alot of long distance calling and its free on the cells.

I think there is difference in saying "These are things you can do to save" and "why aren't you doing it like me?"


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hunter is priceless to me, without a doubt. I would pay anything and do everything in my power to keep him healthy, happy and alive.


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## Davey Benson (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm very dogmatic (pun intended) about my dogs. Perhaps it's because I was raised on a farm that has always had animals. We do all we can for our animals, but I've seen animals born, and I've seen them die. (circle of life, etc.) Fact of life....Animals always die. People are animals, and yes... we will die too. 

Because of this fact, I've decided you can't buy eternal life for your dog. (sorry to those of you who think to the contrairy) At best you might get 20 years from your GSD but laws of averages say you will probably only get 15 years. So why do some people spend thirty thousand dollars on their dog who is 12 years old, when at best they are only buying another three years? That doesn't make sense to me. 

Also it boils down to the comfort of the animal. Some people will never put their pet to sleep no matter how much the animal is suffering. To this end, I am pro euthanasia. (a concept which also some people find very offensive) I simply won't allow a poor animal to suffer needlessly over a long period of time. I was my mothers care provider in her final months while she was loosing her battle with cancer... I've seen long suffering.... I simply won't allow that sort of suffering for my animals.

As for how much an animal is worth, that is so subjective. I think part of the answer lies in your own personal income. Some people simply have more blow money, so their animals can be "worth more" than people like myself. 

I personally will never allow one of my pets to bankrupt me. I also will not borrow money. Ever. (that's a forigen concept to probably 95% of the population.) I have no credit cards, no mortguage, no car note, nada. So if I can't pay cash to take care of my pet, I will do a lot of investigating, see if someone else can help, an organization, vetinary school, etc, there are lots of options. Health insurance is another option. 

This somethign I've thought about a lot, and if one dog were to bankrupt me, then what if something else comes up and then I have no money to care for that pet.... worse yet what if something else comes up in my health personally? I read one comment what if your dog dies, and you had an emergancy fund still sitting in the bank.... well, I say that means you were responsible. What if your dog didn't die because you spent every last dime on it, then a tornado came along and blew your house and all your belongings away? (or some other calamity happened, like you broke your foot and had to miss a few months of work.... well at least your dog is provided for) 

The OP has posted a really good question..... and we all have to make our own... personal.... grown up decisions reguarding this matter. For me, I live in the land of rescue dogs, and humane shelter dogs, and I find people who plop down 4-5-6 thousand dollars for a pedigreed dog a very forigen concept to me, and how I live. I frequently get my dogs by word of mouth, people contact "the dog guy" to see if he wants to take in another unwanted fur kid that someone else got for what ever reason and can't deal with it. 

For me dogs are both priceless, and not worth a great deal on craigs list. It's a fuzzy number floating out there that I have never been quite able to put a finger on.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Davey Benson said:


> I read one comment what if your dog dies, and you had an emergancy fund still sitting in the bank.... well, I say that means you were responsible.


That was me, and I was referring to myself. I'd rather have my dog and no emergency fund, than an emergency fund and a dead dog. Assuming a good quality of life etc. Don't judge me and I won't judge you, cool on that?

One thing I've learned about myself is that I can always get an extra job-- delivering pizzas at night, throwing newspapers at 3am, flipping burgers on the weekends. The fed's not about to stop printing money and when I'm willing to bust my  I can earn a little extra. I can get another dog, but that doesn't mean I can _replace_ one.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Davey Benson said:


> I'm very dogmatic (pun intended) about my dogs. Perhaps it's because I was raised on a farm that has always had animals. We do all we can for our animals, but I've seen animals born, and I've seen them die. (circle of life, etc.) Fact of life....Animals always die. People are animals, and yes... we will die too.
> 
> Because of this fact, I've decided you can't buy eternal life for your dog. (sorry to those of you who think to the contrairy) At best you might get 20 years from your GSD but laws of averages say you will probably only get 15 years. So why do some people spend thirty thousand dollars on their dog who is 12 years old, when at best they are only buying another three years? That doesn't make sense to me.
> 
> ...



I could have not said it any better. I grew up on a farm as well along with breeding working line shepherds. So I learned from the very beginning that *a:* you can't keep every animal/pet/dog and *b:* you've got to draw a line of how much money you spend on a dog *c:* re-homing IS an option and *d:* sometimes euthanazia is the responsible thing to do


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Emoore said:


> ...... For dogs and people, it's not _if_ there's going to be a problem, it's _when._ I think it's important to give it some thought beforehand and be as prepared as you can.


Great point and one that is on my mind more and more, as my oldest is just over eight years old. Her breed has an average 15 yr life span, but none the less, we're getting there.



Good_Karma said:


> ... I find myself guilty of judging others (silently) for not doing as much for their dogs as I would do for mine. And it's not just about money, it's about meeting all their needs....
> 
> This thread is a good reminder to me that not everyone has the same priorities when it comes to caring for their pets....


True and me, too. Someone close to me has said more than once that "it is just a dog." When said dog was old and deaf and more of a pain to deal with than anything, he was pts. I would've waited longer, I think, but in their mind.... "just a dog."



JakodaCD OA said:


> ...Even in today's economy it isn't much to save a mere 10$ a week especially when you have multiple animals for a rainy day. Every penny adds up....
> 
> In the end, I think the majority of people who get animals, never think about 'what will I do if I have a HUGE vet bill? and/or it will never happen to me"


I have money automatically put in savings from each check. It's the rainy day fund, the vacation fund, the oh-no-the-water-heater-died fund. Multi purpose fund. It isn't huge by any means, but it's a resource and I'd use it for the dogs if it was needed. Knowing MY luck, I'd deplete it for one of my dogs' needs and then the water heater would go out.  Guess I'd have some cold showers for awhile!

True, I don't think many pet owners consider the crazy high vet bills that may come along. Owners (myself included) seem to figure that out with the more dogs they've owned and the more vet bills, problems, etc they deal with!

Bottom line for me is quality of life *balanced* with MY family's quality of life. I will pull out *every resource I can* to do what should be done PROVIDED that my dog's quality of life is not overly compromised. Why spend thousands to have a dog who lives in pain or whose life expectancy is only prolonged for a short time? Especially if it means I might face not being able to make mortgage payments, electric bills, etc? I would beg and borrow IF, again, the prognosis was good for the dog and we'd gain years and more so, pain-free, quality years. If it was a matter of gaining only weeks or months and not even good quality months for the dog, and I was facing going into deep debt... I would likely pts. Now, I have NOT had to face that choice and I dread the day I do. DREAD IT desperately. Pray we're never there..... But I surely will be someday as I own three dogs. Ok, great, now I'm depressed.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

wildo said:


> Don't most (all?) pet insurance companies require you to pay the bill and then they reimburse you? It's this reason that I don't understand how pet insurance really helps in a situation like this. Wouldn't one still need to beg, borrow, and steal in order to pay the up-front cost?



Yes. But if it a huge amount that I can't come up with then I can borrow it from my parents. With the insurance though I don't have to worry about how I will be able to afford to pay back some ungodly amount or accumulating interest on a credit card. I pay it up front and then pay the credit card or my parents (or both) off when the reimbursement comes in.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

your question is "How much is a dogs life worth"?
to the dog his life is worth the same as a humans
life is worth to them (if they think that way). i don't think
it's a fair equation to compare a dogs life worth
to what you can afford in providing for the dog. is the dogs life
worth less because you don't have money? is the dogs
life worth more because you do have money? comparing
a dogs life worth to money isn't right.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

doggiedad said:


> your question is "How much is a dogs life worth"?
> to the dog his life is worth the same as a humans
> life is worth to them (if they think that way). i don't think
> it's a fair equation to compare a dogs life worth
> ...


But why put your family in financial harm's way IF the dog's life won't be improved or extended beyond a short time?


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> your question is "How much is a dogs life worth"?
> to the dog his life is worth the same as a humans
> life is worth to them (if they think that way). i don't think
> it's a fair equation to compare a dogs life worth
> ...


I think everyone but you understood what I was asking. 
Of course you can not affix a monetary value to a life. Be it human, dog, horse or anything else. 

How much money would you spend on your dog? $1000, $10,000, 30,000. What if $10,000 could cost you your home.

It was also not intended to be just about end of life. What about medical care and the time involved to treat for possibly years.

It's a tough question and one that families have to grapple with occasionally.

I will agree the thread topic could have been more clearly stated.

If you can do a better job, go for it.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i'm not equating a dogs life to money.



doggiedad said:


> your question is "How much is a dogs life worth"?
> to the dog his life is worth the same as a humans
> life is worth to them (if they think that way). i don't think
> it's a fair equation to compare a dogs life worth
> ...





chelle said:


> But why put your family in financial harm's way IF the dog's life won't be improved or extended beyond a short time?


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

doggiedad here's one time we're going to agree...comparing a dogs life worth to money isn't right.

and oh davey benson, you are gonna be one of the ones that will survive in the coming further economic catastrophy that's gettin' closer every day. very wise way you live your life.

getting 20 years of life from a german shepherd dog is just about impossible i think. i've had them my whole life (65 years), and if/when one makes it to double digits i'm ecstatic.

making the decision on when to help one go (i've also never had one go without help), depends on many different factors relating to their quality of life and the desire to stay that i see in their eyes. having surgery or any kind of debilitating treatment, especially when the dog is a bit older, is not a matter of spending the money to me, but rather one of not wanting to subject the dog to even more discomfort when they're already sick. recovery from surgery is difficult for older animals and people, and they are often not able to recover at all, and you loose them anyway after a period of even more suffering.

all of these decisions are very individual to the person, the animal, and the situation. and i just never understand why anyone would "expect" someone else to do the same thing they'd do, since everyone's lives and beliefs and financial situations are so very different.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

doggiedad said:


> i'm not equating a dogs life to money.


I'm not, either. My dogs are worth more to me than anything I own. Anything I want to own. Anything I dream about. I'm an empty nester now and they are my babies. They are my whole LIFE. I would love to say money would never be an object, but I couldn't lose my home, my car... I must be able to go to work and pay my mortgage. BUT that isn't my issue nearly as much as what their LIFE QUALITY would be for the monetary sacrifice. I'd sell things, I'd go into a fair amount of debt, yes, yes and double yes... but ONLY if they could be healthy and pain-free as a result of those sacrifices.

I would not spend thousands so my dog could linger in pain simply because I didn't have the heart to put them down. 

And I'll say again, I have not had to make this choice.... I could easily change my thinking when that day comes. ****, even more depressed than I was before.


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## k_sep (Jun 21, 2011)

Jack's Dad said:


> I don't have an answer I just wonder if people aren't judged by some posters own standards of what they would do. Based on their own interests, finances, and time.
> 
> I don't have a problem with suggestions. They just may not be right for everyone.
> 
> If the individual says I can't afford it or I work and can not devote the time and care required then that should be honored in my opinion.


In terms of other posters, at least for myself, I can understand why some people would choose to give up their dogs when in a financial emergency, especially when they have children or other people in their lives that come before a dog. It's not the fact that people are going to give up their dog because of money, but it's when someone says something like "I'm not giving up my dog to a shelter/adoption/rescue, it's my dog" and let their animal suffer because of their own selfishness. I can't fathom why someone would let their animal suffer because it's "theirs" when clearly they can't give it the care it needs and deserves any more. Or those who would rather put their dog down than put it in a home that could care for it. But, that's just me. Our economy sucks and I have people that depend on me, if I had to make the choice to go into debt and sink both myself and those around me I love to save my dog, then I would have to give up my dog.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I dont know where Iam w/ all of this but for me besides the money when i look at Daisy (son to be 12) I know she hates being at the vets ,hates pills; is the bane of every vet tech's life when she has to be kept overnight. She is beyond stubborn w/ meds and I love her so much I could not ask her to go through chemo, Lucky has bad hips and when I first got him our vet sat me down and said hip surgery will not fix everything and sometimes it just does not work you need to think straight when the time comes.Lucky though is a very different temperment then Daisy and could handle treatment better but at age 12 or 13 would I want him to be in a hospital setting so I can have a few more months. I want to say no but I really wont know until the time comes.I think for me quality of life is the main thing. H###I belive that for humans as well. No the value of my dogs life isnt money alone its what kind of life they will have. However money will factor into it as well.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

A lot of good thoughtful responses to a tough topic.

The only trend that I noticed was that those without children seemed more likely to (mortgage the farm so to speak) than those who have or had children. 

That makes sense because I would hope that for most people their children come first. Also people without children would likely have a better financial picture. If we think our pets are expensive, it's not even close to what it costs to raise children.

Obviously what I just said is a huge generalization and does not apply in all cases.

All I know is that when I was raising a family it would have been very difficult to come up with the time or money for expensive or time consuming, serious health issues. 

I was very fortunate that didn't happen and most of my dogs lived to ripe old ages.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Yes, interesting thread. And pretty much stayed civil.  I don't think that somebody shouldn't own a dog just because they can't afford several thousand dollars in emergency costs, but I _do_ think that if routine vet care, heart worm prevention, decent food, and a class or two isn't really affordable, then the person can't afford a dog. In rescue, we talk with prospective adopters about the average annual and lifetime cost of owning a German Shepherd. If they recoil in shock and horror at the price of, say, a bag of Kirkland or a basic obedience class, we'll ask them to do more research before adopting.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd drop a few grand for my dog right now if he suddenly needed some sort of surgery that would totally cure him and not affect his quality of life. But anything much more than that and I'd probably call it a day. I have other pets I need to think about too, I'm moving in april and getting married in august, and as a university student practically living off of student loans I'm not in a great position to be paying extreme amounts to keep my dog alive.


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## LovemyEli (Dec 28, 2010)

I am 23 and saved up to get a working line shepherd. I live at home and I work full time

I saved up 1200 for the dog and paid 1500 for training not including supplies/food

He started getting sick at 5 months old, Giardia then it went all down hill from there with tons of digestive issues. We just got a diagnosis at 15 months after many vet visits of EPI/b12 deficiency/SIBO. If I had to guess on top of training and the price of the dog I would say I spent at least an additional 2000 just in the last few months on him with who knows how much more in the future.

It blows my mind, I thought getting a dog from somewhere reputable would make him the perfect dog, I was not prepared for this and I did not expect this would ever happen. I cried for days, and this isnt even anything terminal.

My family and I are willing to do anything to make this work and to make him comfortable. They have helped minimally with his care financially but are more then willing to follow the feeding regiment and administer injections. They help me a ton with the extra feedings during the day since I am at work

I am saving up to get married/buy a house but I would do anything for my Eli, although I was not sure of that decision until it came down to it in a sense. Even if that slows down my future a bit


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Yes, interesting thread. And pretty much stayed civil.  I don't think that somebody shouldn't own a dog just because they can't afford several thousand dollars in emergency costs, but I _do_ think that if routine vet care, heart worm prevention, decent food, and a class or two isn't really affordable, then the person can't afford a dog. In rescue, we talk with prospective adopters about the average annual and lifetime cost of owning a German Shepherd. If they recoil in shock and horror at the price of, say, a bag of Kirkland or a basic obedience class, we'll ask them to do more research before adopting.


Nice post Emoore. Seems like a very good common sense approach.


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## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

PaddyD said:


> To most of us our dogs are priceless. But sometimes they become too pricey for us to deal with. It's a very subjective and individual decision as to when that time comes.
> I agree that whatever decision has been made should be honored.


Nailed it!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

lovemyeli, thank you for going the extra mile for your boy. jeez, i read the "unconditional guarantee" on the von der pfalz website...if you are dissatisfied with anything about your dog in the first two years, you can return IT and get a replacement of equal value. like you could just exchange a living creature you've grown to love.


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## LovemyEli (Dec 28, 2010)

katieliz said:


> lovemyeli, thank you for going the extra mile for your boy. jeez, i read the "unconditional guarantee" on the von der pfalz website...if you are dissatisfied with anything about your dog in the first two years, you can return IT and get a replacement of equal value. like you could just exchange a living creature you've grown to love.



I am not trying to breeder bash if that is what it sounds like, I am very happy with them as a breeder and I am happy with my dog, they had no idea this would happen. 

I wanted him to have good hips, an awesome even temperament, be able to do bite work/tracking, be a huge cuddle bug, and to be a handsome boy and he is all of the above. I have no complaints as I got what I originally wanted


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

To be honest..I'm not sure at what "price" I would stop treatments. I'm not sure at what price my hubby would be willing to go. I can be very emotional about things...hubby, not so much.

I've often thought of this subject before. I can't imagine a situation where I have to make that kind of decision. Or the kind where you would HAVE to rehome your pet b/c there is no other choice....but in reality, not everybody has family members to help with money or dogs. Just about anything could happen to us...like losing our house or job...and hubby and I would be faced with hard decisions. There's not a lot of rentals that would let you have 3 GSD's, 1 terrier, and a cat. There are none of our family members that could help with money either. I've even had dreams where I am picking which one dog that stays and which ones I would give up.

If I had to guess.....I would guess that we would listen to the vet's advice...then talk it over for 48 hrs if we could. We always try to wait things out 48 hrs before we make a huge decision. Then if it was a serious condition and some serious money...we would probably ask for another opinion. Then if the opinion is confirmed...we would probably call around everywhere to compare prices and treatments. The worst thing.......if something happens and there is no time to make a thoughtful decision. I guess in the end....we would try to do right by our pet.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

katieliz said:


> lovemyeli, thank you for going the extra mile for your boy. jeez, i read the "unconditional guarantee" on the von der pfalz website...if you are dissatisfied with anything about your dog in the first two years, you can return IT and get a replacement of equal value. like you could just exchange a living creature you've grown to love.


It's funny... isn't that what is always advertised as responsible on this forum? And yes, there is a monetary value involved. These dogs have a worth, monetary and emotionally. Some dogs go to China for 200 000 euros. Convert that in Dollar and you can literally buy your dreamhouse from that kind of money.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

LovemyEli said:


> It blows my mind, I thought getting a dog from somewhere reputable would make him the perfect dog,


Found your problem.


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## saraja87 (Jul 12, 2011)

Reading over the responses here I am even more confident in my decision to get pet insurance! 

Milou is the first dog that I've ever owned with my husband and been solely responsible for. Thus far, she's a happy, healthy 7 month old and her care has been routine with some spoiling thrown in; raw food/toys/nice crate/toys/microchip/vaccines/toys/vet checks etc. However, I have owned cats almost my whole life and I've had to make some tough decisions for them that really weighed into my decision to go with the insurance for Milou. 

My little sister's Siamese was killed by our neighbor. She was so cut up that I adopted a little Siamese kitten to be her new companion. At one year old, he broke both his hips for no discernible reason. He needed bilateral FHO surgery and my mother wanted to put him down. He was so young and otherwise healthy that I just couldn't do it. Even though I was going to college full time and had no real income, I paid for his surgery and I would do it again in a heartbeat. He's a happy, healthy boy now who can run and jump and play and you'd never know he had broken both is hips. He doesn't have insurance but it would have paid for this.

My 16 year old tabby Haji has asthma. I spent a fortune taking him to almost every vet and specialist in LA to get him diagnosed. Again, I was in high school/college. He had x-rays and every blood test imaginable. Finally, the vet who did our Siamese's surgery diagnosed him and found out that he was allergic to grain/gluten/corn/preservatives, pretty much all cat food. For a long time the steroids needed for his treatment would give him urinary crystals so we'd have to treat him regularly for those as well. He's now on a combination of steroid injections and a raw diet and is doing very well for a 16 year old who has gone through so much. He also doesn't have insurance, but it would have paid for everything.

Last July, my family had to put down our sheltie. He was 14 years old and had abdominal cancer that had seemingly grown over night. His thyroid wasn't functioning. It was a question of quality of life and I don't think our vet would have done surgery even if we had asked for it. Even if we had the money to try and treat him, it would have been wrong. However, had he had insurance, I think we could have caught some problems soon and been able to make him more comfortable. It also would have paid for the surgery that we might have been willing to do had he been in better shape. 

For Milou, I never want to have to make a decision between paying for her care and losing her. She's young enough that her insurance is very affordable and I went with a full coverage plan through Pet Plan to cover almost everything. I know that if sometime in the future she needs a big surgery, I won't have $20,000 to spend on it. But I can shell out less than 30 bucks a month to make sure that she always has an insurance policy that can.


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## LovemyEli (Dec 28, 2010)

Emoore said:


> Found your problem.


Tell me about it :blush:


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Because of this thread I was given some links on Pet Insurance. There were some people who had tremendous bills for a variety of ailments. 

There was another thread running at the same time as this one where people were paying between $1000.00 and $2000.00 a month for just medications. 

I don't know how many families could possibly do that.


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## spiritsmom (Mar 1, 2003)

A few months back my Keeshond had injured herself on our fencing outside. I rushed her to the E-vet thinking the worst. Luckily she had missed all vital organs and just needed surgery to flush her out and stitch her up - $1200. I had called my mom right after signing the papers for them to do surgery on her and told her what happened and the cost and she actually asked me what I was going to do. I told her I let them fix her back up. I guess she might have thought I would have considered euthanizing her? She is 10 yrs old and not the brightest dog around and I have had lots of ups and downs with her since I adopted her 9.5 yrs ago, but I simply never thought about not having them fix her. I never even cared about the cost of the surgery, I just was hoping the vet would tell me she COULD be fixed. Once I heard that she could be I wasn't about to let the cost stop me. Unfortunately, I must say that if the same had happened to Kaiser I would have let him go because he is older and his quality of life is not the greatest anymore as it is. With Kara there is nothing else wrong with her and she is not that old for a Keeshond so I would never have thought of denying her surgery.


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## Smith3 (May 12, 2008)

katieliz said:


> lovemyeli, thank you for going the extra mile for your boy. jeez, i read the "unconditional guarantee" on the von der pfalz website...if you are dissatisfied with anything about your dog in the first two years, you can return IT and get a replacement of equal value. like you could just exchange a living creature you've grown to love.


Those "guarantees" are such BS - they know with "return your dog" people will NEVER do it. It the breeder is confident in their guarantee they'd never require a family to perform such an insane act on their end. Yeah, a family is to throw away their bond of two years to get $2000 back. 

It violates the "unconditional" part by imposing conditions!


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## Smith3 (May 12, 2008)

When Koch got sick I burned through about $4,000 in two weeks ($3,000 in one - $$1,000 the first)

Took her to a specialist and they outlined a plan to keep her a few days, it was about $5,000 for 3 days of care. I just couldnt do it without knowing she'd get better. I asked them to run a few more tests instead and they were able to diagnose the problem, even though it was fatal in the end. 

Even though paying the $5,000 would not have been a burden on me, it just didn't make sense.


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

Thought I would revive this because of the "Can I afford" thread now active .

Sensitive topic with a lot of very well discussed thoughts on the subject.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

It's not so much the monetary worth. It's mainly about the quality of life for the dog. When I see that the quality of life decreases rapidly on a daily basis, even with an easy fix to drag it out a little longer... I'd still let the dog go because there is no point in being selfish and let the dog suffer just so I can be around the dog for a little longer. 

I'm thankful I've learned to let go. It's not easy and I ball my eyes out but I know when to let a dog go and that I'm very thankful for. 

As for money, well... it all depends on the all around situation. It's another thing you learn on a farm. You take the cost and gain into the equation and I have to make sure that I can still care for the other dogs too. So it does play a major role. 

Also, sometimes you have to sit it out and wait. My mom did that once. Instead of a super expensive surgery she sat it out and waited. The dog was medicated and it was a 50/50 chance if the dog made it through or not. The dog made it through without the Surgery. Sometimes that's all you can do, take your chances. 

When Nala had the gash in her gum, the vet said they can put her under and fix it. That would have easily been another 150 bucks in vet bills. She did say that they heal fast, and I know they do, so I declined, washed her mouth daily and she got antibiotics. 

Sometimes there is no need for a surgery or expensive vet bills if you know how to deal with those little things yourself. 

I noticed that the Vets over here jump fast on pain-killers, surgeries, antibiotics...and then we wonder why they become more and more immune to a certain type of antibiotics. Indra has been on it for over five weeks. Everything is healed up and honestly, I took her off it. More than five weeks...healed up, if she had an infection going on, she'd show it. I know many will probably say "But the vet said..." NO! It's enough already! 

Back then, all we used was Blue Spray and Absorbin. 90% of the time that was enough which is why I stocked up on it. There is no need in running to the vet for every single darn Scratch and to have your dogs put back on Antibiotics... _just in case_.


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## rooandtree (May 13, 2012)

my favorite vet that retired made me realize one day....we thought my GSD who was at least 11 or 12 had maybe broke his spine or neck the way he was acting and in so much pain. My vet said if this is the case he would have to go under surgury and your looking at least $5000 and up and thats no gaurntee he will make it ...i said it dosent matter ill pay it...my vet looked at me and said..no you wont..this dog is a senoir dog hes lived a great life..you have 3 young children who still have their lives ahead of them and will need college funds..i would advise you not to...i was shocked...and luckily it turned out to be lymes disease...and my dog lived another 2 years..but he was right i would of put that money into a dog that may of died in surgury and been left with a huge debt..dakota had indeed lived a great life with me...and after watching 3 family members suffer long peroids of illness ive come to know that sometimes its a blessing that we can let them cross at a old age when they are ready....but i will say if my 6 month old needed medical care of 5000 to save his life i would do it ..but he has many years ahead of him


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

The vet I go to changed ownership a couple of years ago and I have noticed that they have a more salesman like approach.

They give you many suggestions instead of just treating the immediate issue. 

I took my puppy in and said I thought she had Pano. What should we be doing. So first I got a lecture on grain free kibble being a bunch of bs and we should use foods recommended by them. We finally agreed to disagree. Then he did actually give some advice on her activities etc. 

Then he ordered an x-ray and came back and said I had pegged it she had Pano. I paid $300 for that visit.

She is doing fine, no limping. I told my wife the x-ray must have cured her.


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## Laney (Feb 12, 2012)

Emoore said:


> If God spoke to me today and said, "I can send Cashdog back to you, but you'll have to give up all your savings and go deeply into debt to have him back," I'd do it in a heartbeat.
> 
> _To me_ the purpose of money is to care for my family and consider my dogs family. I have a sizable emergency fund and money doesn't make me happy if my dog is dead. I'd rather have my dogs and no money, than money and dead dogs.
> 
> ...


I agree 100%. I could not have said it better. I have pet insurance to prevent any health issues Rivers may have from being too expensive for me to handle. He brings me more happiness than any money could ever bring me. I would do anything for him. He is my family. 
That is not to say I don't respect other peoples decisions or situations. I do. But I know exactly where Rivers stands in my list of priorities and I would definitely put him before myself.


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## deldridge72 (Oct 25, 2011)

It is truly a very personal question-as long as I can provide quality of life then I will do so regardless of the cost, but when I no longer could I let go. Yet I would give anything in this world to have those two individuals back in my life-they do live on in my heart and memory


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

It's more about quality of life then money

If the vet told me that I had to pay $5000 but it would cure my animal and it would have a long healthy life then I would do it. If it meant a payment plan, begging off friends or family or even a bank then I would do it if at all humanely possible

I adopted Alex from the local humane society and took him to my vet and my vet told me he had horrible ears and needed a total ear canal ablation. It was going to cost a minimum of $3000 and he was 8 years old with bad eyes, skin, and joint problems. I talked it over with my vet and we were honest with each other, I didn't have the money and while the surgery would work, the risks of the surgery coupled with his other health issues made my decision for me. We treated his ears with medication and he lived for three years with me before it became too much and I had to put him to sleep

Do I regret not doing the surgery, not really since it would have added on one or maybe two years in the end. I loved him for the time I had him and still love him


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## Pepper311 (Sep 11, 2011)

It's not about the money it's about the quality of life. 
Are we talking old dogs or puppies? 

Lots of times the vets will work with you if you have a young dog that can be saved. 

When I worked at a vets there was a 11 year old german shepherd that came in for Chemo every week. They dog was not getting better and would never fully recover. Yet the owners spend 1,000+ a month to keep this dog around as long as they could. To me it was unfair to the dog. Chemo is very hard on the body and the dog was not happy. 

But then if you have a healthy happy younger dog with a long life ahead of it. Spend as much as you can if it means the dog can live a normal long happy life. If you are spending lots of money to just keep your dog around a little longer it might not be worth it.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

didn't read anyones reply, but here is mine. first thing i would have to ask myself is, is the procedure, treatment and maitainance allow my dog to live as a dog, or will he/she spend to much time couped up in a cage or the house. is pain involved and can i afford this. this is how i decide and am comfortable with this. also there is pet insurance.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Jack's Dad said:


> She is doing fine, no limping. I told my wife the x-ray must have cured her.


Dang it, next time one of my dogs needs an x-ray I'm heading your direction
:rofl:

Thanks for bumping this back up, I hadn't seen it.

I'm taking the no quality of life thing right off the top - wouldn't keep an animal alive without good life quality.

I've not had to face this with my dogs (some would have faced it with Dante those first 2 years) and so it's really impossible for me to answer.

I have no children so don't have to worry about that but I'm also single and therefore I do have to worry about my future when I'm too old to work and so I'm not sure a 2nd mortgage on my house would occur like it did for a friend of mine for their dog with Osteosarcoma, but I really can't say that for sure.

When offered a range of options I always ask: "What would you tell your sister who has a single income and a mortgage to do?" 
I started that when Dante's OFA report for his elbows came back as DJD I and the Orthopedist gave me a number of options. 
I find with a new doctor or vet (I use this for my own care as well) that it gives them a moment of pause and so far I feel that I have gotten heartfelt truthful answers. 

I so hope I never have to face this, though it's rare that a person can own multiple dogs over years and not have to.


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