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How much would you spend on your dogs healthcare?

Cuda1447

Cuda1447

Lifer
Inspired by the ass that wants his wife to kill her dog because it's getting a bit confused....


My wife and I often have this conversation. We are huge dog lovers, like many of you. We have two mini dachshund girls and an Akita/German Shepard mix boy. We've already spent a good deal of money on them in terms of puppy care, food, chewed up shit etc... The Akita had a genetic knee problem that we decided to have surgery on as it was just getting worse. It wasn't terribly expensive ($1000ish) but it wasn't cheap either. He is only 3 years old so it was an easy decision.

Here is the question though. Let's say your otherwise normally healthy dog at age 4 gets real sick and needs a surgery that is going to cost $5000 to save his life. Do you do it? Obviously the cost of care is relative to how much money you have. Let's just assume you've got enough money in savings to cover the treatment, but it'll definitely put some restraints on your financial issues for the near future. How much is to much to spend?

When I think about it... I really think I'd spend a hefty portion of my money. I couldn't see letting my 3 or 4 year old dog die just because I didn't want to spend some money.... but at the same time, that's a lot of money!


Thoughts?
 
If I can afford to spend $5k then yes why wouldn't I?

I spent $2200 on a 10 year old mutt of mine 2 years ago trying to save his life only to loose him a month later and would do it again. He had prostate cancer and I had the option to spend another $2k or so to have most of his prostate removed and end up with an incontinent dog and that is where I stopped. His quallity of life would have sucked being stuck outside, it would have put a real hurting o my savings, and he was already 10.
 
If it had a high probability of success, yes I'd do it. If it's a long shot I probably wouldn't. I wouldn't want to put him through a painful procedure for nothing.
 
When my dog was 1-2 years old, I spent $3,500 within 12 months on two ACL surgeries. I had plenty of income then so it was not a concern.

Today things are tighter and I would not have done that. When she couldn't walk (a decade later) and had the option for a VERY expensive yet un-guaranteed spinal surgery, I bought a kids pool instead. I gave her pool therapy every day and within a month she was walking. She walked/lived for 2 more years after that.

I put her down after I couldn't make her comfortable and give her a good quality of life anymore due to other health issues. Most of her final 2 years expenses were for expensive dog food and frequent visits, but no surgeries.
 
I have probably spent close to $20k on my dogs, not including the costs reimbursed to me by pet insurance and having a friend who's a veterinary neurologist who charges me at cost.
 
When I was a kid, a Springer Spaniel pup my mom rescued broke his leg, and needed about $4000 in surgery. We had to give the dog up, thankfully since it was a purebred another family elected to take the costs on for the dog.

I think I would probably spend as much money as I could reasonably afford, but would be hard pressed to sacrifice my future and savings for a pet.
 
$2-3000 is probably my limit, and it depends on what specifically it is, quality of life afterwards, and potential of working.

with something like cancer, though, I'd probably just put Fido down if he was in pain.
 
We put $2800 into an 8 year old spitz to save her life, and she lived to 17. But that was at the emergency vet on a weekend. The most costly way to do it, but they have the best vets and medical equipment available. Those last years she then lived out were the best. She was a typical spitz, moody and anti visitor friendly. When she reached 10 years, she suddenly became the "in your lap" friend to all visitors. Total 180 degree personality change.
Plus, she had those lovable bedroom eyes that no one could resist.
But as to how much would I spend, no limit if the surgery will and can actually save the pet. Something not cancerous, and fixable through surgery or long term expensive medication(s). If it turns out to be some cancer, the pet will suffer regardless. (Cancer, something I never had to deal with in a pet)
I've spent thousands on sick pets, and getting them well was worth every cent.
Only one, that had diabetes, did all our efforts fail in the end.
 
As the ass I can say thyis.

There is not a dollar amount that I would say no to (dog was run over by a car 7 years ago and I made NO dollar amount stipulations and I was unemployed)

However a better question is how much would you spend to keep you dog alive once it has reached it's expected life age.

to recap $2000 on dog with expected 5 yeas of life is fine

$2000 to find out why your dog is dying of old age not as fine.

Also lets be clear on another thing. I have paid every vet bill and they can not say what is wrong.

But your generalizations are nice.
 
How much does it cost to raise a dog anyway, if you assume he doesn't get sick? Sure, it depends on the size of the dog and the stuff you feed him, but if you don't go overboard?
 
Well i dont have any dogs but i have 2 cats that me and my g/f both love. If it came down to it we would probably spend up to 2,000-3,000 on them if the surgery had a high chance of sucess and a low chance of complications. They are both young though(both under 3). If the chances of sucess were not good i would keep them till they were in pain and then have them put down.
 
We have spent more than I care to mention on our dogs.

One had a ruptured disk that resulted in paralysis. After local consultation we drove 2 hours and had the surgery and lengthy stay at the vet. That was just over 4 years ago, now that dog is 11+ years old and had a full recovery - no paralysis.

Another dog had acute onset of chronic kidney failure. After several weeks of treatment we lost. He was 5 days away from 6th birthday. I would have paid anything ...
 
If it was going to strain me financially then yes id put them down or give them away to someone who is willing to pay $5k for a pet. Even though i love my dog i know ill end up loving the next one just as much.
 
I draw the line at chemo. Not because of cost, but because the dog has no idea why it is suffering through chemo.

Either way, if it was 5K and it wasn't going to break me financially, then I would do it. I just spent 8K putting in a set of kennels/fencing for them to play in.

I've probably spent better than 15K on the two of them since I got them 2 years ago, so it would ruin my "investment" so to speak if I were to go and put them down over a few thousand dollar medical bill.

I guess it would also depend on age. I'm not sure I'd drop 5K on surgery for a dog that is reaching it's average life expectency.
 
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$500, any more than that and it's put to sleep time.

Now, if the dog had saved my family's life in a fire or something like that, I might go to $750
 
bignateyk said:
I draw the line at chemo. Not because of cost, but because the dog has no idea why it is suffering through chemo.

Either way, if it was 5K and it wasn't going to break me financially, then I would do it. I just spent 8K putting in a set of kennels/fencing for them to play in.

I've probably spent better than 15K on the two of them since I got them 2 years ago, so it would ruin my "investment" so to speak if I were to go and put them down over a few thousand dollar medical bill.

I guess it would also depend on age. I'm not sure I'd drop 5K on surgery for a dog that is reaching it's average life expectency.
Click to expand...

One of my dogs developed cancer at the age of one. The specialist wanted to do chemo and radiation treatment and gave her a lifespan of possible five years based on how aggressive the cancer was. I elected chemo only. The drugs did a number on her and it took a full year for her to be her normal self but she lived to a happy 11 years.
 
2k is pretty much my limit. It really depends on how successful it should be. I spent around 2.5k on my 14yr old Belgian Malinois only so she could last 4 more months (was hoping at least a year). It was a little worth it, because our dog got to meet our new son. I would not do it again, because Dusty was old, and it isn't like the operation got her back to her puppy self.
 
Rifterut said:
Well i dont have any dogs but i have 2 cats that me and my g/f both love. If it came down to it we would probably spend up to 2,000-3,000 on them if the surgery had a high chance of sucess and a low chance of complications. They are both young though(both under 3). If the chances of sucess were not good i would keep them till they were in pain and then have them put down.
Click to expand...

he said dogs not cats

dogs love you, cats don't give a rats ass
 
Don't you people have insurance for your dog? 45-55 bucks a month and we pay 20% of whatever they need including preventative care. I can afford 50-60 bucks a month all year for a decade, I might not be able to afford a 5k medical bill! If I am paying 20% of that 5k I personally shell out my deductible ($250) + ~$1000. much much better then the full 5 grand.
 
How much for a new dog? That's about tops for me.

People who spend thousands on dogs or cats have far more money than sense. How many malaria treatments could you buy for that money? You know, saving actual human beings from dying.
 
My wife and I spent almost $1,000 when my wifes dog was shot.

Depending on the age of the dog, I would have to decide between putting it down and cost.
 
I love playing with dogs but I don't think I can stand raising one. My gf has a dog and I see the amount of $ and time she has to invest in it.
 
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