How much would you spend on your pet?

[Onepocketj]

I guess this is something you might not know until the situation arrives.

My dog was having breathing troubles yesterday. Around 2 am he started scratching the side of the bed to get attention and we rushed him to the 24 hour vet. They put him in an oxygen room which the vet said was helping. He let us know that was $1,500. While they were running tests, he let us know it would be around $2,000-$2,500 a day to keep him there. Unfortunately, he passed away about two hours later while we were waiting for his test results. Rough day but had eleven amazing years with him.

I remember back before Black Friday when we all played poker online. My buddy took his dog to the vet and they said he needed a hip replacement and the cost was $22k. He went home to figure out what to do and that night, hit keno in an online casino for $25k. Didn't think twice, went to the vet the next day and paid for the surgery.

[49ersSF]

I spent 6k on the vet when I had my cat. No regrets, as he was part of the family and never considered a pet.

[Onepocketj]

Originally Posted by 49ersSF

I spent 6k on the vet when I had my cat. No regrets, as he was part of the family and never considered a pet.

No regrets here either. I told my wife that it was worth it last night just to have him breathe easier at the end in the oxygen room.

[Siberian13]

Originally Posted by Onepocketj

I guess this is something you might not know until the situation arrives.

My dog was having breathing troubles yesterday. Around 2 am he started scratching the side of the bed to get attention and we rushed him to the 24 hour vet. They put him in an oxygen room which the vet said was helping. He let us know that was $1,500. While they were running tests, he let us know it would be around $2,000-$2,500 a day to keep him there. Unfortunately, he passed away about two hours later while we were waiting for his test results. Rough day but had eleven amazing years with him.

I remember back before Black Friday when we all played poker online. My buddy took his dog to the vet and they said he needed a hip replacement and the cost was $22k. He went home to figure out what to do and that night, hit keno in an online casino for $25k. Didn't think twice, went to the vet the next day and paid for the surgery.

I would do anything I could to help any of my dogs throughout life. They give you everything and would die for you.


The doctors gave up on one and I had to give it a catheter 3-4 times a day so he could relieve his bladder. And he’s still here. Best damn dog ever. He knew we were helping him and he’d just come over, lay down and let me help with the catheter.

Dogs are troopers. Humans a weak

[Dacubs2]

I had previous smaller pets, guinea pigs, rabbits, turtle, bearded dragon, etc that I probably would not have spent more than a usual vet visit amount for. I had never understood why ppl spend $8k on surgery after their dog ate rocks or like in your example $22k for hip replacement, etc.

We've now had our dog for 3 years and at the beginning, we had the conversation of what would be the "limit" in costs if something were to happen. In my mind it was $3k, but i told my wife it would be whatever she felt comfortable with. She has gotten majorly attached and is human #1...I'm like #4, but he has grown on me.

I know if anything were to happen and he needed medical care to prolong his life, my wife would not have a limit to what it would cost.

[JeffG1954]

My wife and I have always said we would limit the vet expenses, but when push came to shove, there was no limit.

April of 2024 my 4 legged walking buddy lost the use of his back legs. Vets thought it was a slipped or ruptured disk, so we authorized a rather expensive MRI....turns out he had a tumor on his spinal cord and surgery was not an option. Vets said that with meds they could temporarily shrink the tumor, but the overall prognosis was between 2 weeks to 2 months before his body would assimilate to the meds and become useless. That was April 15, 2024.....here we are 15 months later, still on the meds and we are walking 3 miles every morning....best money we have ever spent.

[7nohitter]

This thread is SO timely. My kids are older and will be out of the house very soon. My son insists I get a dog, which I would love to get a German Shepard. However, the known elbow and hip troubles with that breed is putting me off. Literally said to my son, "I don't have (in my very low estimation, apparently) $10,000 to spend on a hip for a dog.

I'm very torn.

[Josh611]

My current dog is 4

When he was 6 months, we discovered he wasn’t eating great and would aspirate his food. Food and water would go down his trachea and he would throw it up and end up eating the food again. First vet said he just needed to learn how to drink. Then we found a vet that had a brain and he needed surgery to fix it. That was probably $10k when it was all said and done.

Then a couple years later he was very lethargic and wasn’t feeling great. Took him in for blood tests and we found out his kidneys were failing. He had some sort of
Accute kidney damage. We could either put him down that day or start kidney dialysis. We tried one session of dialysis and his numbers starting improving drastically. Now he’s doing great and his numbers are on the low end of having any sort of kidney issues. That was $15k minimum through the dialysis and multiple weekly visits to the vet.


Needless to say, we have spent a lot on this dog, but wouldn’t trade him for anything. More fortunate that we have the means to pay for that stuff.

[asujbl]

I would have a limit. I don’t know what that limit it

Hopefully I don’t have to find out

[Onepocketj]

Originally Posted by JeffG1954

My wife and I have always said we would limit the vet expenses, but when push came to shove, there was no limit.

April of 2024 my 4 legged walking buddy lost the use of his back legs. Vets thought it was a slipped or ruptured disk, so we authorized a rather expensive MRI....turns out he had a tumor on his spinal cord and surgery was not an option. Vets said that with meds they could temporarily shrink the tumor, but the overall prognosis was between 2 weeks to 2 months before his body would assimilate to the meds and become useless. That was April 15, 2024.....here we are 15 months later, still on the meds and we are walking 3 miles every morning....best money we have ever spent.

That's awesome. How old is he?

[JeffG1954]

Originally Posted by Onepocketj

That's awesome. How old is he?

He just turned 9. He and I have walked the equivalent of 3 times coast to coast....never complained once. The med that shrunk the tumor is Prednisone....the same med my father was on years ago when he was in hospice care. One of the side effects is that it has stopped his hair growth. Jax is a shedder....but since he has been on the Prednisone he stopped shedding....so a good side effect. When they were doing the MRI they had to sedate him....they also told us that they were going to have to do another procedure....a spinal tap....to figure out what was wrong with him. While they had him sedated they shaved a small patch on his back, the spot where they were going to do the spinal tap. Well, after reading the MRI they didn't need to do the spinal tap, they could see the tumor and knew that was the cause of his problems. Since the Prednisone stopped his hair growth, this is what his back looks like 15 months later:



Along with not shedding, the patch they shaved never grew back.

[callou2131]

Last year my dog had his small intestine slide into his large intestine causing a blockage. All in we ended up paying $7,000. Honestly...it was my wifes call. Im not rich by any means, and it took out 1/3 of my savings. My dog is stubborn, hard headed, wont come inside when you call. Doesnt listen to anything, is an escape artist and just does whatever he wants. I would have been okay going the other way with it, because thats a cheap used car, or one hell of a vacation.

[pskell02]

My chiweenie, 9 at the time, had an abscess tooth while we were away for Christmas vacation. Her face swelled up and our sitter took her to the vet. Tooth pulling turned into them discovering a major blood issue. 20k and 2 months at the ER vet later she was home and healthier than ever.

[Patsfan]

I'd pay anything I can to save my dog unless it was just going to be a poor quality of life.

[DioBrando]

I haven't had any crazy vet bills, but I have spent $1000's on the custom enclosures for my snakes and monitor if that counts

[bullrose23]

Originally Posted by Onepocketj

I guess this is something you might not know until the situation arrives.

My dog was having breathing troubles yesterday. Around 2 am he started scratching the side of the bed to get attention and we rushed him to the 24 hour vet. They put him in an oxygen room which the vet said was helping. He let us know that was $1,500. While they were running tests, he let us know it would be around $2,000-$2,500 a day to keep him there. Unfortunately, he passed away about two hours later while we were waiting for his test results. Rough day but had eleven amazing years with him.

I remember back before Black Friday when we all played poker online. My buddy took his dog to the vet and they said he needed a hip replacement and the cost was $22k. He went home to figure out what to do and that night, hit keno in an online casino for $25k. Didn't think twice, went to the vet the next day and paid for the surgery.

My dog is my baby so whatever the cost it would have to be done.

did I read correctly you lost him yesterday. I am so sorry.
what was his name?

[Onepocketj]

Originally Posted by bullrose23

My dog is my baby so whatever the cost it would have to be done.

did I read correctly you lost him yesterday. I am so sorry.
what was his name?

Thank you. Yes, long day. Been really rough for my wife. His name was Casper.

[r0yals2012]

I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. My dog was 14 and a half when we lost him last year. I don’t think there is a limit to where I would have paid to save him but we couldn’t.he was my baby. He had luxating patella and his knee completely went out he was in severe pain and he couldn’t walk and I think he also had cancer. Worst day of my life was when my family had to put him down and it was rough because he was in so much pain and we don’t have an emergency 24 hr vet here so we had to wait until the vet opened in the morning. My mom had to pay $800 when he had pancreatitis when he was 7. When he was 11-12 his knee that eventually went out became really bad and the vet would not operate on him because they said he was too old

[sethc1020]

My cats go the vet when they are young to get shots and spayed or neutered and thats it. I love my cat but anything over $500 and its night night. No way in the world would I spend $1000 plus on an animal unless it was a breeder or something. I know dog people are different and spend crazy amounts on them like they are people. I will never understand that. 22k for a hip replacement for a dog is just mind boggling to me that anyone could see that as a legitimate option.

[jcardstore]

There's definitely a limit but the answer is: "it depends".

I'm not spending thousands of dollars on an elderly dog for something that's not life saving.

Like the post above, there is 0% chance I would spend 5 figures on an ACL or hip replacement surgery. I paid $2500 for my dog from a breeder, which was a lot but I don't know how I could justify spending 5x that on an ACL or something.

I wouldn't even repair my own ACL for that price.

[Coach Ditka]

We put down our cat (was originally my wife's prior to our marriage) about a year ago since she had cancer. I forgot the details but we choose to not spend roughly 10K to keep her alive a few additional months since the cancer was already spreading. I don't fault anyone who spends crazy amounts though.

[solt0131]

As much as it takes.

[ssbledsoe]

Originally Posted by asujbl

I would have a limit. I don’t know what that limit it

Hopefully I don’t have to find out

Same page here

[Onepocketj]

I guess I get some of the answers. I have a neighbor with three dogs that are kept outside and never go inside. He probably wouldn't spend $50 to help them.

On the other hand, I once saw someone at the vet with a hamster and I was thinking they could spend $3 and go get another one.

Personally for me, dogs become a part of our family and it's always been that way with my parents as well. They do everything and go everywhere with us and even though I know they won't be around too long and how much pain it will cause, I always get another one.

[Sticks33]

Originally Posted by Onepocketj

I guess this is something you might not know until the situation arrives.

My dog was having breathing troubles yesterday. Around 2 am he started scratching the side of the bed to get attention and we rushed him to the 24 hour vet. They put him in an oxygen room which the vet said was helping. He let us know that was $1,500. While they were running tests, he let us know it would be around $2,000-$2,500 a day to keep him there. Unfortunately, he passed away about two hours later while we were waiting for his test results. Rough day but had eleven amazing years with him.

I remember back before Black Friday when we all played poker online. My buddy took his dog to the vet and they said he needed a hip replacement and the cost was $22k. He went home to figure out what to do and that night, hit keno in an online casino for $25k. Didn't think twice, went to the vet the next day and paid for the surgery.

Really sorry to hear this. You must be wrecked. You sound like a great dog person.

When my partner’s dog died, it was so difficult. The only thing I could really say was to encourage her that she was an amazing owner and that Scout was the luckiest dog in the world to have her.

From your story, you fit that mold too.