I came to the same conclusion. I don't have all of the cash on hand but can put it on my CC and cut a couple of loads of wood to pay that off. I went through this with my last dog, although it was considerably less money at the time. She had the surgery when she was 4 years old and didn't start to slow down until she was twelve. There's a slight chance that my self diagnose is wrong, but given his inability to use that leg and the lump in the side of his knee, it seems like deja' vu all over again.
How much would you pay for a pet's surgery?
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CalG
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My experience with MANY pet dogs, (and some working hounds)
If they need costly medical treatment, they are not long for this world at any expense.
You can buy them a year of "less pain and suffering", but how do you really know? Dogs don't show much unless you catch them off guard.
Best for me is to put them away when it's time. I hate the anguish as much as they hate the suffering.
If they need costly medical treatment, they are not long for this world at any expense.
You can buy them a year of "less pain and suffering", but how do you really know? Dogs don't show much unless you catch them off guard.
Best for me is to put them away when it's time. I hate the anguish as much as they hate the suffering.
Beltzington
Platinum Member
I can only reference a friends situation were they spent over $10,000 trying to save a dog and it died anyway, so allot depends on how well you trust your vet to give you an honest prognosis, for that kind of money maybe a second opinion would be wise.
I have already made it clear to my vet I do not intend to spend hundreds of dollars keeping my 14-year old dog alive I just want to keep her comfortable. Our vet was ok with that and has modified her treatment plan. Additionally, I highly suggest you have this conversation with other family members concerning what is reasonable treatment for your pet in case of serious health issues. If you come to an agreement before anything happens it will help you make a better decision when emotions running high.
Tough situation loosing a pet, best regards.
I have already made it clear to my vet I do not intend to spend hundreds of dollars keeping my 14-year old dog alive I just want to keep her comfortable. Our vet was ok with that and has modified her treatment plan. Additionally, I highly suggest you have this conversation with other family members concerning what is reasonable treatment for your pet in case of serious health issues. If you come to an agreement before anything happens it will help you make a better decision when emotions running high.
Tough situation loosing a pet, best regards.
oosik
Super Star Member
I'm with Newbury on this - - I REALLY HATE ?? LIKE THIS. I've had several dogs out here the 36+ years I've been here. All, I have had to be put down or have died almost instantly of old age/heart attack. I have a 7 1/2 month old Chocolate Lab puppy right now. At times, I think God is testing me with this puppy. Its for sure - the dog has a lot more stamina than I do. But after a good hour romp out in the pucker weeds - he's good for a 2 to 3 hour nap - so am I. One of these days he will convert over from puppy to dog. He may then walk around the house rather than ricochet off the walls and furniture.
I have never faced a vet bill - of major significance - for any of the many dogs I've had out here in 36+ years. My last dog - Cocker Spaniel - had a cyst removed on one leg - $350. Biggest and only vet bill ever. No problem.
Right now I will give you this answer - but it could change. I would consider almost any size vet bill if it meant life or death for the dog. Particularly a young dog like my Lab puppy. Cosmetic surgery on me or a dog - - we can both live with most disfiguration or deformities and still have a happy, meaningful life.
I have never faced a vet bill - of major significance - for any of the many dogs I've had out here in 36+ years. My last dog - Cocker Spaniel - had a cyst removed on one leg - $350. Biggest and only vet bill ever. No problem.
Right now I will give you this answer - but it could change. I would consider almost any size vet bill if it meant life or death for the dog. Particularly a young dog like my Lab puppy. Cosmetic surgery on me or a dog - - we can both live with most disfiguration or deformities and still have a happy, meaningful life.
IXLR8
Veteran Member
We had a 18 month old mixed breed that was hit by a snow plow, broke her rear leg in several places. Vet bill was going to be about $2800, she was already a great dog and looking at her sad eyes.... there was no option... I dropped my credit card on the table and told them to fix her. She lived 9 years until she got Lyme disease and the vet didn't treat her properly. I was not sorry for one second for spending the money. She was the best dog I ever had. If she had been older, towards the end of life, I might have made a different decision. But as young as she was, it was a no brainer to spend the money.
Sigarms
Super Member
All depends on the dogs age and prognosis after surgery IMO.
We've spent a ton of money on our dogs, by the same token walked away from eye surgery that was 5k and another 5k operation that gave the dog a slim to chance to make it 80% of where she was when she went in (we had to put her down after being with us for 10 years, VERY hard to do, but she was suffering and the vet said the surgery was risky at best and she could actually get worse even with surgery).
I treat every dog I own as if they're me or my wife LOL
Dogs are lucky, the law doesn't care when you put them down no matter how old they are. Us, if we're lucky, we get to go in our prime say around 75 from a massive heart attack. Scares me to death to think 40 years from now I could be in a nursing home all by myself not knowing anyone.
With my luck, I'd find out Dick is my roommate:laughing:
We've spent a ton of money on our dogs, by the same token walked away from eye surgery that was 5k and another 5k operation that gave the dog a slim to chance to make it 80% of where she was when she went in (we had to put her down after being with us for 10 years, VERY hard to do, but she was suffering and the vet said the surgery was risky at best and she could actually get worse even with surgery).
I treat every dog I own as if they're me or my wife LOL
Dogs are lucky, the law doesn't care when you put them down no matter how old they are. Us, if we're lucky, we get to go in our prime say around 75 from a massive heart attack. Scares me to death to think 40 years from now I could be in a nursing home all by myself not knowing anyone.
With my luck, I'd find out Dick is my roommate:laughing:
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Two years ago our five year old Akita blew out her knee while chasing a suicidal guinea that flew into the dogs yard. The guinea fot away safely, but my wife and I both heard her knee pop. Surgery for a knew knee was about $2,500 and its a waste to only do the one because they where both bad, so six months later, we had the other one done too. She has mad a full recovery and back to chasing everything outside the fence and catching a few that come over into her area. It was a lot of money that caused us to make some lifestyle changes to afford it, but she is family and we'll do it again if we have to.
MossRoad
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We just spent $1100 on our cat with a plugged urethra two weeks ago. Seemed fine. Friday night he starts meowing and panting. Heart failure and fluid in his lungs. Had to put him down Saturday morning. Only 2.5 years old. Seemed healthy as a horse. One of the best cats we ever had. Just a couple months ago I taught him to sit, shake hands, sit up and high 5. We've had several that we've spent a couple thousand on with good results and a couple that didn't make it. It's a toss-up. If you have the money, the animal isn't really old, and there's a good chance of a long, happy life, then do it. You can't take the money with you.
newbury
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I considered my self "lucky" that we had two highly regarded vets close by that agreed with the prognosis, small chance of recovery, great expenditures.
Condolences for your cat.
My son and wife adopted two kittens about 8 years ago. They lived in a 4th floor apartment. About 2 or 3 months after adoption one escaped and fell off the balcony. About $1500 to fix. Both cats are still eating food and scaring mice. I probably wouldn't have paid it back then.
westcliffe01
Veteran Member
My wife and I rescued a redbone coonhound when on vacation in Florida. His owner had died and he had been abandoned and running around free on a large adventure type resort property for more than 2 years. The property owners had arranged for his capture and euthenization the day after we were due to leave for the drive back to Michigan.
So needless to say, he came back with us on a 1000+ mile road trip and when we got back home I set up a dog run for him with an overhead wire between 2 trees and built him a nice doghouse. Well, the neighbors fell in love with the dog and were kidnapping him at every opportunity they could get. We went away for a week long vacation to Colorado and while we were away, he apparently took to crawling UNDER his dog house (which I raised about 16" off the ground for snow clearance). Somewhere along the line, he succeeded in injuring one of his knees. Initially we didn't know what was up, and chased a few other minor injuries and scrapes, but his symptoms got worse and worse till he was no longer getting up and obviously in constant pain.
That was about when the knee problem was properly identified and the prospect of surgery was raised and the vets were clear that if 1 knee was failing, you could expect the second to not be that far behind. There was no way we could afford the procedure, but my neighbors had grown very attached to the dog and they felt that if it was their dog, they would be willing to cover the surgery if it was ultimately needed. So that was how the neighbors adopted the dog. They got him some pain and anti inflammation medication and because their house is all on 1 level, were able to avoid some of the daily injury potential associated with stairs up and down, which is the case with my house. After a few months rest, his knee healed without surgery to the point where he was as happy as a clam.
With the knee healed, they turned their attention to any other medical issues and discovered that he was infected with heartworm from his time as a free ranging dog after he had been abandoned. After some discussion with their vet, they decided to try a new treatment for heartworm that was supposedly less toxic than the regular stuff. It gets administered in 3 visits, each time with a substantial increase in dosage compared to the previous visit. Unfortunately, he died after being given the second round of treatment at a cost of nearly $2000. Prior to being treated he had no outward symptoms of ill health.
So its a sad story. We couldnt have given him the knee surgery if it had come to that. As it turned out, despite all predictions to the contrary, his leg healed without surgery, with just the re-arrangement of his living arrangements so as to avoid stairs while he healed. Finally, he was then killed by a treatment that he didnt absolutely need and without which he might have lived another 4-5 years in fine health. So, my caution to anyone in this situation is that sometimes, less is more.
Picture below taken the night before he died, he "escaped" from the neighbors and paid us a visit at 1am. You can see his pet fence collar is still on ... The next afternoon he passed at the vets office.
So needless to say, he came back with us on a 1000+ mile road trip and when we got back home I set up a dog run for him with an overhead wire between 2 trees and built him a nice doghouse. Well, the neighbors fell in love with the dog and were kidnapping him at every opportunity they could get. We went away for a week long vacation to Colorado and while we were away, he apparently took to crawling UNDER his dog house (which I raised about 16" off the ground for snow clearance). Somewhere along the line, he succeeded in injuring one of his knees. Initially we didn't know what was up, and chased a few other minor injuries and scrapes, but his symptoms got worse and worse till he was no longer getting up and obviously in constant pain.
That was about when the knee problem was properly identified and the prospect of surgery was raised and the vets were clear that if 1 knee was failing, you could expect the second to not be that far behind. There was no way we could afford the procedure, but my neighbors had grown very attached to the dog and they felt that if it was their dog, they would be willing to cover the surgery if it was ultimately needed. So that was how the neighbors adopted the dog. They got him some pain and anti inflammation medication and because their house is all on 1 level, were able to avoid some of the daily injury potential associated with stairs up and down, which is the case with my house. After a few months rest, his knee healed without surgery to the point where he was as happy as a clam.
With the knee healed, they turned their attention to any other medical issues and discovered that he was infected with heartworm from his time as a free ranging dog after he had been abandoned. After some discussion with their vet, they decided to try a new treatment for heartworm that was supposedly less toxic than the regular stuff. It gets administered in 3 visits, each time with a substantial increase in dosage compared to the previous visit. Unfortunately, he died after being given the second round of treatment at a cost of nearly $2000. Prior to being treated he had no outward symptoms of ill health.
So its a sad story. We couldnt have given him the knee surgery if it had come to that. As it turned out, despite all predictions to the contrary, his leg healed without surgery, with just the re-arrangement of his living arrangements so as to avoid stairs while he healed. Finally, he was then killed by a treatment that he didnt absolutely need and without which he might have lived another 4-5 years in fine health. So, my caution to anyone in this situation is that sometimes, less is more.
Picture below taken the night before he died, he "escaped" from the neighbors and paid us a visit at 1am. You can see his pet fence collar is still on ... The next afternoon he passed at the vets office.