I usually feed the neighbor's cat a can of cat food a day (half in the morning, half at night), as well as assorted scraps, because I think it's older and hungry and needs the extra energy. So it's an expense and it isn't even my animal! Nice cat, though.
Anybody have an expensive pet?
- Thread starter Wayne02
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jomommy
Member
My free labx cost me over 3k in the course of his life, torn ACL, seizures, cancer. Worth every penny, he was the best dog ever.
Now the three dogs I currently have have numbers assigned to them, e.g how much I'm willing to pay for testing and treatment. The dumb lab is the lowest and the American bulldog the highest. Of course, since I am a vet it makes it a little easier to diagnose and treat.
Now the three dogs I currently have have numbers assigned to them, e.g how much I'm willing to pay for testing and treatment. The dumb lab is the lowest and the American bulldog the highest. Of course, since I am a vet it makes it a little easier to diagnose and treat.
mesell
Member
We also have a miniature schnauzer named Suzy who is three years old . She gets a special diet or she gets pancreatitis which is about 400 dollars a episode! Shes part of the family and we would spend whatever it takes. So my wife tells me! Mark
BarbC
Member
If you never had a horse, I don't even think you'll come close.
Custom trailer, because one horse was tall and one was short.
Special horse shoes because one had soft feet - every 6 weeks, too.
Wormers, hay, fly treatments both in their feed and environmental, grain, equine dentist, lessons, tack, riding habit, show fees, spring and fall shots, leg wraps, stall bedding. They were kept on our property so there wasn't boarding fees of an additional $500/month and upwards.
And all this doesn't take into account somebody gets sick or injured.
Horses have green poop because they eat money.
Custom trailer, because one horse was tall and one was short.
Special horse shoes because one had soft feet - every 6 weeks, too.
Wormers, hay, fly treatments both in their feed and environmental, grain, equine dentist, lessons, tack, riding habit, show fees, spring and fall shots, leg wraps, stall bedding. They were kept on our property so there wasn't boarding fees of an additional $500/month and upwards.
And all this doesn't take into account somebody gets sick or injured.
Horses have green poop because they eat money.
scottaschultz
Member
And then there's Siberians...
One of them (who died last November) had cruciate ligament repairs to both of his hind legs and one of the others had one cruciate ligament repair surgery. So you see, its not just football players who have issues with their ACL's! (Dogs only have one set of cruciate ligaments, not anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments like humans)
Every month the oldest one gets a pain management pill called Deramaxx. This stuff is a real god-send, but it is $3 a pill! They all eat the same dry food called LifeSpan by a company called Pet Guard. a 38lb bag cost $65, but it is all organic and is made from human grade ingredients. Even the so-called "premium" brands like Iams and Ukanuba use ingredients that are literally not fit for human consumption.
And the list goes on and on and on.... and we wouldn't have it any other way! All of our dogs have been rescued from shelters where they would have been euthanized or from one of Missouri's infamous puppy mills.
We do what we can.
Scott
One of them (who died last November) had cruciate ligament repairs to both of his hind legs and one of the others had one cruciate ligament repair surgery. So you see, its not just football players who have issues with their ACL's! (Dogs only have one set of cruciate ligaments, not anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments like humans)
Every month the oldest one gets a pain management pill called Deramaxx. This stuff is a real god-send, but it is $3 a pill! They all eat the same dry food called LifeSpan by a company called Pet Guard. a 38lb bag cost $65, but it is all organic and is made from human grade ingredients. Even the so-called "premium" brands like Iams and Ukanuba use ingredients that are literally not fit for human consumption.
And the list goes on and on and on.... and we wouldn't have it any other way! All of our dogs have been rescued from shelters where they would have been euthanized or from one of Missouri's infamous puppy mills.
We do what we can.
Scott
mkk41
US Veteran
Anybody have an expensive pet?
Does a blond G/F half my age count?
Does a blond G/F half my age count?
BOB THE PALINDROME
Member
Great Dane tails run about $300.00 an inch. Don't ask me how I know.
Amici
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Got that right - my wife had one before we were married. Sort of like a boat or a plane, except they only require fuel when actually in use.
Minature Golden Doodle $ 1,000.00
Yorkish Terrier $ 900.00
Countless dollars spent on pet toys and clothes.
My exwife is not interested in any free/cheap dogs!
Yorkish Terrier $ 900.00
Countless dollars spent on pet toys and clothes.
My exwife is not interested in any free/cheap dogs!
My last Saint Bernard was like that - "free."
He had more than his share of health problems, but was a terrific dog. I have never regretted a single penny spent on any of my dogs. They always repaid me many times over, in my opinion.
S/W - Lifer
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I've got 3 Mini Schnauzers now and been through 2 more. I feel your pain. The easy fix is to move up to a Standard Schnauzer. Great dogs and far healthier than the Minis.
gunlovingirl
Member
Well, my youngest mini Doxie has turned out to be expensive. On mother's day of '08, she ruptured a disk in her back. Couldn't move her back legs. Rushed her to the vet, who contacted one of two surgeons in the area who could do spinal surgery. He left his family to meet us at his office. After emergency surgery, two months of crate confinement and home therapy, and $3000, she was walking and running again. Some might think I'm crazy for spending that much on a "pet". But she's more than a pet, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Here's a pic when she came home after surgery.
red14
US Veteran
Well, my youngest mini Doxie has turned out to be expensive. On mother's day of '08, she ruptured a disk in her back. Couldn't move her back legs. Rushed her to the vet, who contacted one of two surgeons in the area who could do spinal surgery. He left his family to meet us at his office. After emergency surgery, two months of crate confinement and home therapy, and $3000, she was walking and running again. Some might think I'm crazy for spending that much on a "pet". But she's more than a pet, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Here's a pic when she came home after surgery.
With a face like that, how could you refuse? Just look at/into those eyes!
.
gunlovingirl
Member
You should have seen those eyes when it happened. Soooo sad and scared. Now they're full of love and mischief again!
red14
US Veteran
You should have seen those eyes when it happened. Soooo sad and scared. Now they're full of love and mischief again!
Great picture. Bitterseet, makes me think of Fred's eyes right before we put him down. I miss him.
I took Missy into the vet this morning for her kidney stones surgery. We have a great Vet but Missy hates going there. She has had to go there so much over the years that she knows within two turns from leaving the house where we are going.
She usually loves going on car rides and loves stick her head out the window in the wind, but when we are going to the vets she is very subdued and when we reach the halfway point she will go from the front seat of the truck to the back corner of the rear seat. She starts shaking about two turns before the vet parking lot and then she shakes uncontrollably while in the vet waiting room or exam rooms. I've often wondered if this kind of stress contributes to the declining health.
She will be there two nights for recovery and I will bust her out of the joint on Saturday.
As and aside, our cat is going to be a real pain the next two nights as she will have no one to antagonize or bait into chasing her around the house.
She usually loves going on car rides and loves stick her head out the window in the wind, but when we are going to the vets she is very subdued and when we reach the halfway point she will go from the front seat of the truck to the back corner of the rear seat. She starts shaking about two turns before the vet parking lot and then she shakes uncontrollably while in the vet waiting room or exam rooms. I've often wondered if this kind of stress contributes to the declining health.
She will be there two nights for recovery and I will bust her out of the joint on Saturday.
As and aside, our cat is going to be a real pain the next two nights as she will have no one to antagonize or bait into chasing her around the house.
TNDixieGirl
Member
I totally agree. They do become part of the family.
oldRoger
US Veteran
We have had several dogs and cats. Mostly we have been lucky in that the health issues have come late and are age related. Like the current problem with Medical Costs for humans, I think it's fair to say that 80% of the expense comes in the last year of life.
We have an 18 ½ year old Abby who has very severe arthritis. It's a rare type of rapidly progressing arthritis, stem cell treatment is out, only palliatives are recommended.
It would not occur to me, as I see it hasn't to any of you, to euthanize him unless his pain is uncontrollable or he looses all muscle control.
I find this argument no different than for people, we spend the necessary money because we want to do so. I am sure that many progressives would say that our money is wasted on a pet that will surely die anyway. It could be "invested" in their social causes for example.
Obviously death is one thing along with taxes that we can all be sure awaits us down the road. I am not in any hurry nor is Mac, our Abby.
We have an 18 ½ year old Abby who has very severe arthritis. It's a rare type of rapidly progressing arthritis, stem cell treatment is out, only palliatives are recommended.
It would not occur to me, as I see it hasn't to any of you, to euthanize him unless his pain is uncontrollable or he looses all muscle control.
I find this argument no different than for people, we spend the necessary money because we want to do so. I am sure that many progressives would say that our money is wasted on a pet that will surely die anyway. It could be "invested" in their social causes for example.
Obviously death is one thing along with taxes that we can all be sure awaits us down the road. I am not in any hurry nor is Mac, our Abby.
I have 2 dogs, one is a Bullmastiff/shep mix, 8 yrs old next month, the other is a Aussie mix, 8 1/2 yrs. I got the big one as a puppy, she was an accidental litter from my ex-bf coworker. She has had so many health issues, I can't begin to add up the cost. She had severe allergies from the start, anal glands, ear infections, chronic diarrhea, etc. She has had a broken toe, broken tooth and surgery for aural hematomas. Allergy shots didn't work and since she is a drama queen, giving them was very stressful for both of us. She has been on the raw diet for 3 or 4 years now and that has helped more than any medicines. She gets anywhere from 6-9 50 mg Benadryl pills a day. She wears the e-collar any time I leave the room because even when she does not have an ear infection, she will scratch her ears bloody. I came home one day to find blood splattered all over my walls and one side of her face like she had the mumps it was so swollen. I do have insurance and almost every year it has been worth it as what I get back is more than the premiums. She has a great temperament and is my baby.
My 2nd dog was from the shelter. She was chosen for a companion for Shrek and is not what I would have chosen for myself but they get along so well, that was the important thing. She doesn't have health issues but she has emotional ones. Extremely high strung and very bratty. She is only 40 lbs to Shrek's 90 but she will go up and snatch a toy right out of her mouth. All summer she is on valium for thunderstorms. The noise doesn't bother her as much as the change in atmosphere so training with thunderstorm dvds did nothing. She was abandoned and after being adopted from the shelter she was returned by 3 families before I got her. It took me 2 years before she adjusted and she is still partly a psycho. I have insurance on her also but have never used it and probably will never need to.
My 2nd dog was from the shelter. She was chosen for a companion for Shrek and is not what I would have chosen for myself but they get along so well, that was the important thing. She doesn't have health issues but she has emotional ones. Extremely high strung and very bratty. She is only 40 lbs to Shrek's 90 but she will go up and snatch a toy right out of her mouth. All summer she is on valium for thunderstorms. The noise doesn't bother her as much as the change in atmosphere so training with thunderstorm dvds did nothing. She was abandoned and after being adopted from the shelter she was returned by 3 families before I got her. It took me 2 years before she adjusted and she is still partly a psycho. I have insurance on her also but have never used it and probably will never need to.
