Well we picked up our dog from the Vet Hospital this afternoon and are now over $1000 lighter in the bank account. Unfortunately, he has an enlarged heart so they can't fix him. He will be on heart treatment for the rest of his life. He is an 11 year old labrador so we don't know how much longer we will have him for, but he is happy at the moment and glad to be home with his little mate the mini foxie.
Wew - I see some people take out pet health insurance - with prices like that, you would need it I think. Glad he is home, enjoy him while you have him Chris.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Glad he is OK and back home Chris. I'm sure he missed you guys as much as you missed him. With a big heart, just think of all that extra love he has for you all now.
I'm looking forward to hopefully catching up this time next Month too.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
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if health insurance is anything like ours you will find they probably wouldnt cover your poor dog now that he has a diagnosis ,just like human beings ,its a disgrace
Chris, I'm sorry to hear you're dog is crook. If it is similar medication to what I had to give my little mate, it is far from cheap. I hope he is enjoying life for a while yet and you enjoy your time with him.
Yes, the bills run up very quickly. My boy Paddy has started having fits. Got the vet, as you do, and the vet said "yes, you're right, he's having fits." ($90). Me: What about treatment ? Vet: We can do a blood test ($120) Me: what would that show? Vet: Oh, maybe nothing, maybe a metabolic imbalance Me: then what Vet: we would probably follow it with a scan ($$), and he'd need an anaesthetic for that ($$'s adding up here) Me: and then what? Vet: It would give us a diagnosis, but won't really change it, so medication for the rest of his life ($$$$) Me: I'll think about it.
Watched my boy closely and got on the net.
He has his fits on waking from a deep sleep- so we introduced a few "new " rules- no sleeping an beds, lounges or seats in case he fits and falls / hurts himself. All stairs and steps are closed off with doors or gates for the same reason.
As his fits are about 1 or 2 pr month so far, I can't see why I would drug him every day, and certainly can't see why I would subject him to a general anaesthetic.
Its hard to do, when your heart and head get mixed up with the vet bills.
Thanks everybody for your input. Yep medication is expensive, $123 for 14 tablets for his heart plus $38 a month for a diuretic tablet, but what do you do? Can't stand by a see him suffer and he is still happy and relatively healthy on the medication and the alternative does not bear thinking about. Took him back to the Vet Hospital this morning, he now has kennel cough (apparently picked up while he was at the RSPCA after escaping.) A small bottle of cough medicine $43 thank you very much! Jeez!! I googled it, and it is just a normal human cough medicine, probably be about $10 at the chemist. They certainly know how to take advantage of your love for your pets. Oh well, lets hope that once he gets over the kennel cough he will be OK for a while. Fingers crossed.
Gidday Chris, I know how you feel, That $1000 bill is devided into 2 sections Sect 1 $400 for services rendered, Sect 2 $600 because you Love your dog. It's called Compassion charge,[ Also known as ripp-off ]
I to had a bad experience with ''Zac'' the black and white one in my Avatar, He got pretty crook [ diabetes at 12 years old ] Vet said they could stabilise him and he should be comfortable and happy for a few years yet, ???
8 days in hospital for treatment, then medication at home for 5 weeks, then his system crashed, and i had to put him to rest anyway. Total Bill for his extra 6 weeks of life $6000.oo It cannot be justified just a ripp-off of peoples love for thier pets,
Next time I will have to be strong [ and sensible ?] make them comfortable , spoil them rotten, and then let them go in peace.
Gidday Chris, I know how you feel, That $1000 bill is devided into 2 sections Sect 1 $400 for services rendered, Sect 2 $600 because you Love your dog. It's called Compassion charge,[ Also known as ripp-off ]
I to had a bad experience with ''Zac'' the black and white one in my Avatar, He got pretty crook [ diabetes at 12 years old ] Vet said they could stabilise him and he should be comfortable and happy for a few years yet, ???
8 days in hospital for treatment, then medication at home for 5 weeks, then his system crashed, and i had to put him to rest anyway. Total Bill for his extra 6 weeks of life $6000.oo It cannot be justified just a ripp-off of peoples love for thier pets,
Next time I will have to be strong [ and sensible ?] make them comfortable , spoil them rotten, and then let them go in peace.
You probably wouldn't have done it any other way dazren, even if you were being sensible. Unfortunately they have us over a barrel so we have to pay what they tell us. Whilst in New Guinea, we took our dog to the doctor (no vet on the island). He fixed him up and didn't charge us.
Our last dog was a spaniel and she had diabetes, I used to give her injections of insulin twice a day, she got used to it and lived for about 4 years after being diagnosed. She was 16 when she died so she had a good long life. Sorry you had such a bad experience, but I don't think we humans will ever change, we just love our pets to bits. (most of us anyway).
I think Dentist Bills are outrageous and the Gst it attracts is music to the Governments ears...Makes me think of Norma and Darkie I hope he never has to be checked by a Vet
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I always leave my camping area cleaner than I found it.
Last year our dog was attacked by another dog. He was put on the same tablets as my husband was for all the lacerations he received in trying to rescue him. Dog's tablets $90 Husbands tablets $5.80 We need a PBS for animals!
My son breeds White Shepherds, mainly for love of the breed. I think that the vet bills chew up most of the $1500 plus sell price.
He has just taken (re) posession of an 18month old pup that the owners changed circumstances make it impracticable for them to keep.
He would love me to take it off his hands (for free) & I would love to do so.
Its a beautiful (entire) dog, pick of the litter, that would be outstanding in the show ring, a classic animal. He has a great disposition, loves people & follows you round the place waiting for an opportunity for a pat. Puts his head on your lap when you sit down & lies outside the door when you go in. Learns quickly as well. He will be one of those dogs that follow at heel without the need for a leash.
I would LOVE to have him but all the inevitable costs make it impracticable for me on my smallish surburban block.
So it is likely that he will end up with a breeder, he will have no trouble placing it, & I'll be the poorer.
