What is the most money you've spent on vet bills?

Do you folks that spend upwards of 3K on your pets have kids?? I'm trying to understand the justification... I guess I'd go maybe 500-1000 on my Lab if whatever I was paying for would heal him to the point of having several more good healthy years...

Not sure, though, but I have a wife and three kids to worry about too...

Just curious...

 

$1,300 on my shepard, he chewed his own tail off for some f-ed up reason, great dog, would have spent every dime i had on him. He lasted 1 more year and had to be put down. Have a 2 year old pit now, great dog, just an asshole, u know how some people are just dicks or assholes, thats him in dog form. I wont be spending much on him lol.....

 

1 kid just turned 4. Vet bills are less than child support..

 

Two mostly grown children however, I have always done as much as I can safely afford to care for my animals even doing payments at times when money is tight. My largest bill was around 4k for xray,mri,knee repair, weeks worth of kenneling at the vet. I would never want to add up what I have spent on animals in the last 25 years.

To me it's worth it though I to have a line, money spent is in direct relation to the dogs age. Ie if the dog is 12 and needs a new hip or spinal surgery for 3k it's not likely to happen. I will adjust the living (ramps and such) and see if meds can keep them pain free if not it's a big day for them same as someone once posted here before.

I have always stayed with them while the vet puts them to sleep talking and petting etc, and yes come out choked up and tearing up. They have given you all thier love for their entire lives you owe them this during their last moments.

Cypher

 

They are our children with tails.

We have not been into the extreme vet bills at any one time but our criteria is:

1) Is the animal in distress?
2) Will the treatment really heal the animal or extend its life while maintaining the quality of life?
3) Can we write the check without it bouncing?

If the answer to all three is yes then the decision is easy. Harder when it is not so clear-cut.

 

me too.
Simon ate rat poison in a trail shelter while I was hiking. I carried him off the mountain and rushed him to the vet.
Thankfully my hiking companion saw him eating it otherwise it would have been awful. To get him treated was not that expensive or fatal.
I have put animals down though. It's never easy and always pick their needs over mine.
Currently his treatment has not been that much monetarily.
My mods cost more.
But would spend it if I had too.

 

$0. I'm married to a vet. I did spent $90,000 paying off her student loans though.

 

so far..only 300-350 bucks
Adopted a pup from the shelter June of this year. She had a really bad case of kennel cough when I brought her home. Couple vet visits + adoption fees. well worth it. She is an awesome lap dog

 

Just found out my yellow lab/husky mix needs an ACL surgery. How is a one hour procedure and a few hundred dollars worth of parts amount to 3500.

 

My dog Molly is high maintenance...that's why I have pet insurance.

 

Ummm...she might have gotten about 700 bones from me around 3 weeks ago. Is this the one on Montague?

I've spent way too much time and money in that place! And by nature, everyone in there is depressing as hell given their circumstances (not the staff, of course...I'm referring to all of the clients).

 

Oh, BTW...I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I really do appreciate having 24 care available.

 

largest vet bill was close to $500, but that was for his initial blood work, shots, microchip etc. .. the expensive part is sending him to the borders .. 100lbs = $40 a night + bath at the end .. each vacation cost me an extra $450+ just for his "dog hotel"

 

Wow, sorry that happened.

That cat I was referring to is 13...We've checked in to pet insurance and found it fairly expensive, but I think we will revisit it at some point. We have 4 cats (we are both librarians so that explains that, eh?) and 2 dogs so the hits will keep coming for years.

 

$4000

Our dog was in SEVERE pain from a nerve pinch in his neck caused by blown disks. It was the most agonizing 2 weeks (suggested treatment before pursuing surgery) of our lives. We think the trauma has taken a year or two from his life, but it was still worth it. It's been almost 3 years since surgery and he's been happy and healthy ever since. It was worth $4000. Putting our family member down was not an option.

If anyone has a similar problem and lives in South Florida, I highly recommend seeing vet neurosurgeon Doctor Blackmore (Stuart, FL). The care and expertise she gave our pet was above and beyond anything I've ever seen. She is a Godsend.

 

A few years ago I have to spend $5200 at the vet on our dog because she ate 30+ Ibuprofen's, she only about 9lbs. Dang dogs.

 

It all depends on what it is, and the age of the pet as to what I'll spend, and the chances for meaningful recovery. If the animal would have a diminished life at all, I won't think twice about putting them down. I would hope by the time I'm old enough to have to worry about it, it will be legal for someone to do the same for me.

As for my present pup, he just turned 12 and is well cared for. But I consider anything over 10 to be bonus years. $500 sure. $1000 probably. But at this point, I'd never put him through major surgery or chemo or anything like that. It's not so much about the money .. but quality of life matters more to me than quantity.

 

What kind of sick fuck does that?

 

Not worth it! There are plenty of other dogs/cats that will give you the same amount of loving and happiness!

First dog, we spent a butt load on surgery, only to have the dog die a year and a half later...

Second dog, needed 3k surgery for digestive problems at 7yrs old and we made the decision to put it down.

Sucked, but not as much as blowing a ton of money only to have them die shortly after.

Got a pup from the shelter 2 months after the second dog passed and the new dog helps you forget the old one.

People should know that dogs/cats are not going to live very long, not like a human. If you can't understand that and can't get past the fact they are going to pass away someday in the not too distant future, then a pet probably isn't for you....