The AP Petside Poll posted on the main page about how far will pet owners go to cover the medical care costs of their pets, really hits close to home.
It probably hits closer to home for a lot of folks who dearly love their pets, but are unprepared for the thousands of dollars in vet bills when a major accident/disease happens.
That was our situation with two $1,500 surgeries needed for two separate dogs in one year. Were we prepared to handle $3,000 in vet bills within six months? No….thank goodness for credit cards and tolerant vets who allowed us to do a payment plan.
This year has been a good one with one surgery for $200.
But I get this balancing act you do with animals. The adoption fee is often the cheapest part of having a pet. Most of the costs of owning a pet come in the last months of their lives. It’s a game of numbers. It’s a contest of weighing the costs.
One of the best books out there about what to do when faced with vet decisions is “Speaking for Spot,” by Dr. Nancy Kay DVM, who practices at the Animal Care Center in Rohnert Park.
Before spending thousands of dollars on vet bills, do some research on the issue. If the decision you make is to not proceed with treatments, don’t let anyone shame you in to or out of tough decisions about your pets.
