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And things can change. You might be well able to afford a pet when you get them, but later with more and more vet visits, an aging pet or a change in income, it becomes difficult. At that point most people will do without things themselves rather than giving up a loved pet who might be their only companion and I would do the same. I'd eat ramen everyday before I gave up a pet that was bonded to me and I loved.
That is so true. When we retired, our cat was 17 and our dog was almost 15. We really did not expect them to live this long -- two
years later and both still going strong WITH medication and special diets. Spending $350 a month on our pets for their meds and special diets was NOT part of our retirement budget, but what can we do? There is no way we would euthanize our beloved pets just because they have become expensive. If they were in pain, that would be different, but they are both still active and evidently enjoying life.
I personally believe there's a lot of "upselling" going on with vets. IMHO, owners should do their own research and use their own judgment and not necessarily agree to go along with everything every vet suggests to them. Also, as they age, more treatment isn't necessarily better for them. Quality, and not quantity, of life should always be the main consideration. For too many, constantly going to the vet's, having blood drawn, being put under anesthetic, or having pills forced down their throats -- which for every benefit, there also seems to be an unwanted side effect -- doesn't make for a happy animal life. They have a natural lifespan, and no amount of tinkering will change that. I see too many people bankrupting themselves trying to do so and making their pets miserable in the process. After all, they can't consent.
I'm also hugely skeptical of the "prescription food" so many of these vets push and sell.
^Agreed wholeheartedly. But I've also been exceptionally lucky with pets, and I'm grateful for that. I certainly don't take it for granted, just got lucky.
I personally believe there's a lot of "upselling" going on with vets. IMHO, owners should do their own research and use their own judgment and not necessarily agree to go along with everything every vet suggests to them. Also, as they age, more treatment isn't necessarily better for them. Quality, and not quantity, of life should always be the main consideration. For too many, constantly going to the vet's, having blood drawn, being put under anesthetic, or having pills forced down their throats -- which for every benefit, there also seems to be an unwanted side effect -- doesn't make for a happy animal life. They have a natural lifespan, and no amount of tinkering will change that. I see too many people bankrupting themselves trying to do so and making their pets miserable in the process. After all, they can't consent.
I'm also hugely skeptical of the "prescription food" so many of these vets push and sell.
YMMV.
In my experience -
Our cat had asthma. At the end, our upper westside NYC vet recommended oxygen therapy. It didn't help and only stressed him out. We think we should have let him sooner. It was definitely an "upsell."
We adopted a visually impaired 12 year old basset hound with arthritis. The poor dog began bitting us. Our MA vet said it was time for him to go. Great vet! Not an "upsell!"
My favorite animal had bladder stones. He needed emergency surgery which was $4,000. Otherwise his bladder would have burst. Definitely not an "upsell."
He developed diabetes afterwards. For two and a half years, our lives revolved around his insulin shots. He need special prescription food for maintain his blood sugar levels. It was pretty expensive but necessary. At the end, he developed acute pancreatitis which needed a hospital stay. Not an "upsell."
Finally, he developed glaucoma. The glaucoma surgery was going to be $10,000. The glaucoma surgery was necessary as it's a pain condition. He was so frail from diabetes and pancreatitis, we thought it was wrong to do the surgery. The doggie eye doctor and my regular vet understood our decision. Not an "upsell" but a lot of understanding and support. Instead our vet came to our backyard to end his life. It was the nicest day of August. Very peaceful.
Our cat had a thyroid issue and needed a radiation treatment for another $4,000. It's been six years and he's still going strong. He would have died otherwise. Not an "upsell" but at the time, it felt like it.
My current doggie had ACL surgery. It was $3,000. It's been six years since the surgery. It really helped whereas the low cost physical therapy was a waste of money. Not an "upsell."
Last week, we found out she has a rare thymus cancer which might have spread to her liver. We won't really know about her non-functioning liver without a biopsy. The testing so far has been $3,000.
Her cancer is thymoma. It's a growth between her lungs and heart and is about 2 1/2 inches large. Our options are open chest, break her ribs, and remove the growth. At 12 years old, it might only buy her another year. Our second option is chemo which might buy her ten months more.
At this point, she's on special food for her non-functioning liver. We are all for it.
The rest of the procedures we don't know about. It would be cruel to break the ribs of a 12 year old. The surgery recovery is a terrible six weeks of pain. It's awful situation so no "upsell." Vets have told us it's more than okay to let her go.
Pets are expensive, but worth it. I get more joy from a pet than a expensive vacation.
Last edited by YorktownGal; 03-13-2022 at 03:46 PM..
I'm not saying everything is an upsell or unnecessary or not worth it... I'm saying think for yourself (you know your pet best and are his representative) and decide. Don't just blindly follow everything a vet prescribes or believe everything he says. Far too many pet owners practically worship their vets, from what I've seen and heard, and I believe too many vets can and do take advantage of that. Second opinions are also a good idea before spending a boatload of money on tests, procedures, diagnoses, or treatments that sound a bit sketchy.
I worry that almost as many pets now suffer from too MUCH vet care as do from too little.
I personally believe there's a lot of "upselling" going on with vets. IMHO, owners should do their own research and use their own judgment and not necessarily agree to go along with everything every vet suggests to them. Also, as they age, more treatment isn't necessarily better for them. Quality, and not quantity, of life should always be the main consideration. For too many, constantly going to the vet's, having blood drawn, being put under anesthetic, or having pills forced down their throats -- which for every benefit, there also seems to be an unwanted side effect -- doesn't make for a happy animal life. They have a natural lifespan, and no amount of tinkering will change that. I see too many people bankrupting themselves trying to do so and making their pets miserable in the process. After all, they can't consent.
I'm also hugely skeptical of the "prescription food" so many of these vets push and sell.
YMMV.
I sort of ran into that here in Texas when I moved back from Oklahoma. I went around to the different vets to see what would be a good fit.
Well one ended up killing my pup after my pup had been surviving on heart meds prescribed by Oklahoma vet. This vet said it was wrong dosage. Well at least they didn't charge me for the visit - as I carried his little body out.
Another one ran several tests on dead pups sibling, wanted to do this and that - very costly.
Finely went back to the one I had used before - but under a new doctor. She was and is great. And reasonable.
But prices here overall are much higher than the Oklahoma vet.
And even there when I first became a pet owner and didn't know what I was doing - I took one pup to a vet there in Oklahoma and the first two times he did not charge me at all!!
As far as food prices go and cats, I shop around, stock pile, go for cheaper containers of the treats, limit the number of treat times, have cut back canned servings to 2 cans a day for 6 cats, and keep the kibble bowls filled.
As far as Vet visits, well, those are expensive but what to do? I do have a number of books on home remedies and perhaps I should read those more, if not for expenses, then as insurance if society goes south.
One thing about cats and soon to be retirement about costs is another item I need to add to the stock pile list of before retirement......the things cats are destructive of, such as furniture and coverings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jim9251
No steak every Sunday anymore. No more wandering on back mountain roads in the Jeep. Oh how I long for the olden days of 2019...
While it is not on a schedule, sometimes I do Moors & Christians, my version, as the meal. Doing meatless days is a possibility but then again, just how much meat is in the stew for a week of dinners when you are only using 1/4 lb for the big batch?
The ranch has long been the stay at home on the weekends and don't budge. It is rather interesting in that I ought to take the F250 out for an exercise run and that run is usually "scheduled" to get rid of the recycling and that is best on a weekend......but I rarely find the take off energy to do that.
Then the work week rolls around, it would be combining trips, but the Subaru is more efficient for work and besides, it there is that exercise run for the F250 for the weekend to be done and......
About the only thing that is constant is......the F250 costs about 2.5X as the Forester to operate.
Last edited by TamaraSavannah; 03-13-2022 at 10:46 PM..
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