Vet bill limits?

[Wholehearted]

Hey everyone,

I’m having a really bad day today. My dog ate a wrap with garlic last night and possibly some aluminum foil and is currently at the vet where they’re doing X-rays and bloodwork to figure out why he’s so sick. Our current vet bill is up to $350and that’s without a treatment plan or medication. He’s only 2 and I’m stuck now with the terrible decision of how much I can afford to spend on him. I have a $700 limit on my emergency credit card, though obviously I’d really like to NOT get anywhere close to that, plus whatever I can spare from my checking account.

Do you have a limit like that? Is it preset or just whatever you can afford? Objectively, I know I’ve spent way, way more than just that on him, from getting him to vaccinations and neutering, doggie daycare, toys, obedience classes, not to mention emotionally what it’s doing to me to think that I might not have a dog at the end of today.

In any case, jingles for my pooch, please. His name is Zane, short for NOZANELEAVEIT!, and I’m really not sure what I’d do without him in my life.

[irkenequine]

I do have personal limits on my dogs, though its not a flat rate. It differs…what I’d spend on an orthopedic trauma is different than I’d spend on soft tissue involvement in a hit by car situation, vs cancers, etc etc. And the number is different for each dog.

Of course the generic answer is to say “there’s always Care Credit!” but ultimately remember, especially in emergency (and I say it with love and respect for the clinics out there) you get a bonus for convincing someone to go through with the surgery, or to continue pursuing rads and tests. Of course all vets want to do whats right but don’t let their pressure sway your gut feeling.

Realistically they’ll do a few hundred dollars worth of bloodwork, and lots of fluid therapy which is relatively cheap. They might want to do a barium swallow, with frequent repeat rads which will get you into the multiple-100 dollar range. However at least in my part of the country, when you’re talking about impaction SURGERY, you will be WELL into the 4 digits, and most likely over 2000. THen there’s 2-3+ days post operative ICU care. I am by no MEANS saying not to do it, but many dogs who have the surgery often are repeat offenders from a) re-blocking on lesser materials because of the damage left behind from the first surgery and b) are OFTEN repeat offenders.

Not having the money doesn’t make you an evil person. I WORK in referral medicine and even with a massive discount, I’m fairly positive I wouldn’t do surgery on one of my boys. He’s always had GI issues, has some compounding medical problems and a problem with PICA. Even with owning cage muzzles he’s always eating plastic, strings, shoes. If I DID the surgery he’d be dead a year out afterwards.

Anyway, this is not about me. Just wanted to let you know that whatever you decide, its obvious you’re doing it in his best interest. You are taking care of Zane WELL beyond the basic medical care he couldn’t have alone and he’s not there because of negligence. Keep us updated but in the mean time, MANY jingles for Zane.

[Emryss]

Haven’t found that limit yet…just spent $1200 a week ago to unplug a cat’s urethra. OK, there was meds and overnights and fluids and a urinalysis in there, too, but that’s a whole lotta bucks to spend in order to have cat pee in a litter box.

Jingles for your dog, and your wallet, too.

[SquishTheBunny]

jingles for your pooch!

We generally quote clients $2500-$3200 for an uncomplicated foreign body from start to finish.

If an R/A is needed its likely $3500-5000 without post op complications.

I have seen dogs go through several surgeries due to dehisence, and a bill of $8000.

Then again, a dog came in last night who ate a kinder suprise, and walked out of the hospital under $500 (vomited it up!).

Diagnostics, just like ina human hospital, arent cheap - and often its the ONLY way of knowing whats going on with your pooch.

Can you try supportive care with IV fluids and gastroprotectants for now? Coud be hepful if its something like pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, some small foreign bodies etc. before giving up on your dog?

I dont put a limit on pet care, but do use my brain. If its something treatable, I will treat. I grew up with dogs, and know that things happen and they arent always cheap!! Something that only buys time, I would only do symptomatic care.
I always recommend pet insurance to people for these very situations.

I dont know if you have a local humane society that you could give your dog to if you couldnt afford surgery (IF he needed it, jingles he doesnt!). We have one that is privately funded that will often take heathy animals that may just require a foreign body surgery and pay for the surgery, then adopt them out to a screened family.

[LauraKY]

I have limits. But it fluctuates, depending on the animal, the relative health of the animal, the chances for a successful recovery and quality of life.

I would have spent almost anything on my Bluey, but there is no fixing a fractured femur. In a way, I’m glad there was no decision to make. Pure emotional reaction, no critical thinking at all.

However, after going through high medical bills with two of my dogs, I have insurance for all of my new ones (except for the 14 year old cocker I adopted…no one will insure her). It eliminates the financial pressure from the decision making process, for the most part, and I can focus on what’s best for the animal.

Jingles for Zane, here’s hoping he just passes whatever it is.

[Casey09]

I do exactly what Squishthebunny wrote. If it is something with a good prognosis, then I don’t really have a limit. If an animal has what is basically a terminal condition, then that is a little bit different.
I hope your dog is doing better. There are also a few shelters here who take animals with treatable medical conditions if their owners can’t afford the care. I don’t know if that is an option or not for you. It is so hard when they are sick.

[Burbank]

I do have limits, it really depends on the current financial situation to be honest, have there been any bonuses, did my car just break down etc

we spent more on Whiskey trying to diagnose him then my husband ever thought he would spend on a dog, but it was not a lump sum and spread over a few months w/ testing etc, and that made it easier

so after my rambling, Jingles for you and your boy and I hope that he pulls through with nothing major needed, you never know

[vacation1]

Jingles! This is probably one of those things where what you would actually do could be radically different from what you’d think you would do. I have the one animal, and she gets it all - I would have to be facing ruinous, catastrophic bills to do more than pause. I think. On the other hand, I nearly swallowed my tongue when they quoted the cost last year of a tumor removal. I did agree, and I knew I would, but man, I had to go through the stages of grief about the cost. It sounds crass, but unless you have pet insurance, you face vet bills completely alone and that’s very hard.

[SMF11]

After my Best Dog Ever died of pancreatitis (2 weeks in intensive care) and my bill was $6,000 I looked into insurance. The problem with insurance is it has a limit, something like $1500 per incident. So if you are faced with really high bills most likely most still would not be covered. I’d love to learn of insurance that covers more, if it is out there, I’d sign up. Otherwise, it doesn’t really make financial sense to me.

[511]

Nope don’t have one or a lick of sense either.
Spent over 8K to save a 2K bird.

I’ll be paying the CCards I ran up on his vet bill for the next year or so.

[Macimage]

Jingles for Zane from S. Calif.!!!

[Marshfield]

Jingles for Zane! As for pet insurance, ASPCA’s catastrophic policy for accidents and injuries is the best I have seen. I think their upper limit is pretty high. As for my personal limit, it does vary by pet. We have a repeat offender foreign body GSP who is 13 who I married into. I am fairly certain DH would opt against another surgery for her. But the younger GSP with a fondness for cloth would be on my surgery table immediately.

[Wholehearted]

Thanks everyone! I’ve really enjoyed reading everyone’s replies. Realistically, I know I can offer my pooch whatever is available in my checking, savings, credit cards and now I have a separate credit line just for him (thank you Care Credit, I will be paying you off ASAP).

My pooch is doing just fine after they determined that nothing is very wrong with him, he’s just having some minor liver problems and they gave me some pain meds and some anitbiotics and some bland food for the next couple days. If I had to do it again, I know I would because coming home to an empty house would be awful and he’s been with me through so much.

[bits619]

So glad he’s not seriously ill! Pets really know how to scare the bleep out of us, don’t they?I don’t have a set limit either, it depends on the dog, the injury/illness, treatment and prognosis. We spent about 1400 when all was said and done on my younger schnoodle when she was attacked by a dog. Granted, she was a foster at that time and the rescue paid for the treatment (and i paid them back after it was apparent I’d be keeping her!) So I was able to give the money as I was able.

[SkipHiLad4me]

@SquishTheBunny;6443154

I dont put a limit on pet care, but do use my brain. If its something treatable, I will treat. I grew up with dogs, and know that things happen and they arent always cheap!! Something that only buys time, I would only do symptomatic care.

This :yes: I found myself in the exact same situation recently with a senior dog and even asked a similar question on here - how much do you continue to treat? Where is that stop point and how do you know when you’re there? I had told myself that as soon as we discovered something that would be terminal or when further treatment would not improve her quality of life, we’d stop treating. For her situation, all test results kept pointing to a treatable condition, so we treated. I felt that I owed that to her. She was very sick and had to stay in the vet hospital for 4 days at NCSU. I stopped tallying her bills and medication once we hit $4000 over a 6-8 week period :no: Everyone thought we were nuts! But for a dog that has a good prognosis and no other serious health issues, if I have the money to spend I’m gonna spend it. Fortunately for us, her condition is currently managed, she seems to feel good and she’s happy… so I know I made the right decision for her. Obviously, you can’t risk your own financial safety so everyone’s stop point is a personal decision. Don’t let it make you feel like a bad pet owner if you choose to stop treatment due to financial reasons - you’ve done the best you can and that’s all you can do.

Just saw your update and glad to hear that he’s doing better!!

[LauraKY]

OP, so glad to hear the dog is better. Now take a look at some insurance, there will be exclusions based on past history. I have VPI, which I"m not completely happy with, but it’s only $34/month per dog and it covers well care visits, vaccinations, flea or heartworm treatment. I’m going to pay for all that anyway, so it really works out to about $20 a month for peace of mind.

[oliverreed]

I haven’t found my limit yet. Have a wonderful wonderful Shaded Silver Persian who I’ve probably spent close to $10K on so far. And I do not regret one cent. In retrospect, health insurance for this boy would have been SO worth it.

[Wholehearted]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;6443723]
OP, so glad to hear the dog is better. Now take a look at some insurance, there will be exclusions based on past history. I have VPI, which I"m not completely happy with, but it’s only $34/month per dog and it covers well care visits, vaccinations, flea or heartworm treatment. I’m going to pay for all that anyway, so it really works out to about $20 a month for peace of mind.[/QUOTE]

I currently have something like that through Banfield, the vet clinic in Petsmarts. It kind of works for me since I move so much. It covers a biannual vet visit, vaccines, and I get 10% off all other things. I’m definitely going to consider a more substanatial form of insurance though, and not just a wellness plan.

[Arcadien]

I “say” my limit is $1000 per dog, $500 per cat - but fortunately I haven’t had to test that. I’m recovering from a financial set back right now, but once I’m secure I want to do VPI at least for the dogs. My friend has had good results with that insurance for her Anatolians who needed abdominal surgery. Ultimately I’d like to get my cats insured too, but I need to have less of them to make that realistic.

Glad Zaney pulled through & didn’t break your bank account! Good luck to you both.

[pinkpony321]

More Jingles for Zane, hoping for continued improvement!