JAWM

[Indigo Blue]

My cat had an expensive eye surgery on one eye. We were fortunate that we could give her that. She had an exam yesterday. Her other eye may be developing the same problem. 
 

I’m sad that pet care has gotten so expensive (even routine care, not counting expensive oddities) that I am contemplating not getting another pet in the future. 
 

But when I do that, I have come to realize that I NEED them. I rescue them and give them what they need, but I truly need the emotional support they give. 
 

But the last two have required a lot of physical and financial care. I have ended up with a few pets that have had very tragic/traumatic issues for them and me. It’s so hard emotionally to get them through it, but the idea of not having a pet at all seems to be, emotionally, too much to bear. 
 

I don’t want to go through it again. It’s too hard. I get so attached. But I can’t not have a pet. Something to love and something that loves me. And they need and deserve to be rescued. 
 

It’s too expensive. It’s too painful when they have devastating problems. But I need them. 
 

I will get my cat through this ….again, sigh….if that is the best choice for her. Owning a pet has become astronomically expensive. 
 

Her last surgery was ROUGH. 
 

I’ve had one with bone cancer. One whose little legs just deformed and he became almost lame. Several with kidney disease. And now one with multiple corneal ulcers. And others. My heart was crushed each time. 
 

I can’t do it again, but also I can’t not do it again. 😔

JAWM, please. 
 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Indigo Blue

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

I’m sorry.  My dog had a double ear infection last week and I am up to $800 on that alone. Part of it was that they did a lot of bloodwork and fecal testing to make sure that is all it was causing his lethargy, but we are on his fourth meds and two visits and it is really a lot of money.

My youngest dog is only two, but we’ve already decided once this trio of dogs have passed, there won’t be more pets for us.  The expense plus paying for dog sitters when we travel is too much.

[Pawz4me]

I can easily agree with you on this.

[SquirrellyMama]

I completely understand what you are saying. We adopt senior pets, and I absolutely love them. If they were in a bad situation I want to do everything I can for them for the rest of their life so they know love. If they were in a good situation I want to love them like their former owners. But, it is expensive. Right now we have 3 cats and 2 dogs. We've lost 2 dogs and a cat this year. 

It is so hard and expensive, but I just adore these babies.

Kelly

[happi duck]

I do agree with you that the heartache and costs are overwhelming (hugs)

(Possible idea: find a good shelter with a foster program.  It won't take away the heartache but does take away vet costs.  The shelter remains responsible and you provide love and day-to-day supplies )

Edited August 24, 2023 by happi duck

[Katy]

I’m sorry, it’s rough. I have some relatives in the South who treat animals the same way people did 50 years ago - if they can’t get through something with simple vaccines and an occasional round of antibiotics they don’t treat it. If the animal is in pain or has a life long illness they have them put down. I don’t tell them that our dogs last vet bill was $2500 because I don’t want to hear it. But sometimes I wonder if their way is more humane. They love their pets but they don’t prolong misery. And they generally get another fairly quickly, and since they live in a rural area there are plenty of non-pit rescues to be had. It’s a different way of owning pets than I’m used to. 

[Pintosrock]

I don't know if there is a program like this in your area...

https://www.leaderdog.org/volunteer/raise-a-puppy/

Basically,  you care for a puppy for 1-2 years, then the organization takes it back to be trained. Different kind of difficult, in that you have to say goodbye to the pup,  but your also doing good in the world. And they pay for all vet costs!

[Faith-manor]

I get it! Lewis is our last regular pet. His last vet bill was $450. I don't regret it, but once Mark retires, we have to consider the logistics of fixed income and our own rising medical costs. But, I am a person who likes to have furry things to pet and cuddle. So I may get myself a bunny. I love bunnies, and have had them in the past. I spend a lot of time snuggled with them. The reality is there is no real impetus in veterinary science to do much for rabbits. So they just kind of go until they don't go anymore. There a few things vets can do, but not much, and none of the local vets will give an appointment to a rabbit except to put it down unless it is a low day and the small animal vets aren't busy. There just woke be much for vet bills.

[fairfarmhand]

3 hours ago, Katy said:

I’m sorry, it’s rough. I have some relatives in the South who treat animals the same way people did 50 years ago - if they can’t get through something with simple vaccines and an occasional round of antibiotics they don’t treat it. If the animal is in pain or has a life long illness they have them put down. I don’t tell them that our dogs last vet bill was $2500 because I don’t want to hear it. But sometimes I wonder if their way is more humane. They love their pets but they don’t prolong misery. And they generally get another fairly quickly, and since they live in a rural area there are plenty of non-pit rescues to be had. It’s a different way of owning pets than I’m used to. 

Yeah this is kinda how we manage animals on our farm. It’s definitely not “puppy is a member of the family.” But boy I did spend some money on my last dog and she died anyway. And man it hurt. 
 

eta: I don’t judge anyone with different priorities. It’s fine that people view their pets differently. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by fairfarmhand

[Clarita]

100% agree. 

I currently have 2 cats. One is super low maintenance (just so you know those exists), vet keeps saying she's chubby but she isn't getting chubbier. The other cat has had dental surgery, we have to brush her teeth every night and recently she got put on kitty Prozac. She's on anti-anxiety medication because she pees in inappropriate places. (She still does this even on medication but it's better. Not all the time, now she keeps it in the same spot so it's manageable, and she has reduce the number of times she pees a day 4x+ to 2x.) My husband and I will probably still be sad when she passes... 

[itsheresomewhere]

I get it.  Just paid an $1800 dental/ear infection bill for the elderly dachshund.  Same dog 8 months ago had a very large benign tumor ( it grew quick all through her shoulder) removed for another $1000.  This is my daughter’s dog who we got three years ago and they have this bond that I swear helped her deal with when the world shutdown. 
 

For those of you who want a dog/cat but can’t own one due to age/finances- check out the programs offered by some rescues and breed specific ones that want someone to love and elderly animal in its final stages of life.  They pay for vet visits and basic pet care for the animal while you give it a life filled with love and care ( and plenty of spoiling 🙂).

[livetoread]

6 hours ago, happi duck said:

(Possible idea: find a good shelter with a foster program.  It won't take away the heartache but does take away vet costs.  The shelter remains responsible and you provide love and day-to-day supplies )

This is what I do now. I like having a cat to snuggle, but don't want the bills or responsibility when we travel or major heartache. Our shelter provides the food and litter as well, but I find it easier to just buy it myself. You can pick how tough of a case to take on, and there are lots of cats who have no issues other than needing a couple of weeks at a home before adoption just to free up space in the shelter. If you choose the short term ones, there's not enough time to build a real bond and become a foster failure, but you still get the pleasure of seeing them warm up to you.

[Jaybee]

7 hours ago, Katy said:

I’m sorry, it’s rough. I have some relatives in the South who treat animals the same way people did 50 years ago - if they can’t get through something with simple vaccines and an occasional round of antibiotics they don’t treat it. If the animal is in pain or has a life long illness they have them put down. I don’t tell them that our dogs last vet bill was $2500 because I don’t want to hear it. But sometimes I wonder if their way is more humane. They love their pets but they don’t prolong misery. And they generally get another fairly quickly, and since they live in a rural area there are plenty of non-pit rescues to be had. It’s a different way of owning pets than I’m used to. 

This is pretty much the way I grew up. Except my dad (family doctor) just got the vaccines and gave them himself. I don't think we ever took one to a vet. Daddy would get the meds and treat it. When we lost a dog, another stray would show up and would become our dog. Though occasionally we got puppies from here or there. Had a few cats too.

I love our little dog. He is such good company. I share him with our 22yo ds, who paid part of the cost to get him. But I do think often of whether we should get another pet if he moves out when ds does. I'm concerned about the cost on a fixed income as well, which we don't have yet, but will in a few years. Thankfully, we haven't had any expenses outside of the regular care and grooming so far (he is a little over 3yo), but even that adds up. If vet bills are too much, we just won't be able to do it.