Are you ready to shoulder such a vet bill?

[lightweight]

yes i do agree that everyone has their limits and there must be people that just simply cant afford it.... but why then do they have pets? if they can not afford vet bills they probably dont have money for the quality food and normal check-ups which would make the risk of the animal getting sick a lot higher in the first place.

i would also max out all the credit cards and live on soup and bread if my animals needed vet care.

but yes, if the animal is at that age you have to think about the humane part... my other dog (who is pretty big) is 15 years old and starting to get problems... its not that we wouldnt want to spend the money on him, im just not sure how much we would actually be helping him

The age of the animal would definitely affect my decision as well...They do have to go sometime and sometimes it's more humane.

We usually have the credit card clear as well but with 2 major issues within 2 weeks of each other that's gone...so fingers crossed nothing happens over the next 2 months while we pay it off.

My Dad is one of those people who gets an animal and either gets rid of them (we once had a puppy for 3 weeks then he realized he didn't want a dog...). One of their cats was going to the bathroom all over the house and instead of taking it to the vet for a checkup and some meds (not that expensive to clear up a UTI which it most likely was) they asked to put her down instead. When the vet refused (because the cat was healthy otherwise). When my stepmom took her to the humane society and told them they found her stray so they wouldn't have to pay to hand her over. Now the remaining cat is doing the same and they called and asked how much to put her down (because according to them she was suffering which is more bull...they're just too lazy to take care of things)...and when they found out the cost she magically wasn't suffering anymore. They won't pay to fix the problem but won't pay to put her down either. I really wish I could step in but I have my own vet bills and house full of rescues. Our animal related costs can range from 300 a month for the basics (food, litter) up to 1100 if anybody needs vet care (which lately has been a lot). I have a cat with a cold right now which he does need meds for but we have to wait until payday next week since the credit card is maxed out. I am just thankful we can afford to pay it off within the next 2 months...then we have another cat with a dental issue and possibly the one with the cold going on which need to be taken care of...oh and my bunny with urine issues (possibly calcium build up there as well...have to see if the last round of antibiotics worked )

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I guess I'd never use the chronological age of a pet as the metric, but quality of life certainly plays a big part in the decision to treat a condition or say goodbye. For me, the question is always hinged on a trade between the possible unpleasantness and stress of the treatment vs. how much good quality life is likely to result. I don't see a point in prolonging a miserable existence on the one hand, but if a relatively painless treatment may give an elderly cat months to years of happy life, then I will likely choose to attempt it. I was skeptical with Kira that sticking a needle in her twice a day to give fluids was really going to improve her life, but the vet convinced me to try it, and it actually did. She seemed to realize the treatments made her feel better and they did not seem to be all that painful (except on one occasion where I must have hit a nerve or something and she exploded into a ball of flying teeth and claws but that was certainly the exception). But again, at some level, the finances factor. $10,000 for one more good day... maybe I WOULD say no. I'm rather sure my husband would...

[MandyG]

I'd like to stress the importance of having a very large vet fund once again.

For those of you that have vet funds, do you pay for your regular vet visits out of that fund as well? Or is it strictly for emergencies? What would you do if you used most of your vet fund to pay for a well-bird exam and then your bird has an emergency before you're able to replenish that fund?

Personally, my vet fund is my vet fund; for emergencies and for regular appointments. Thankfully I have a lot more in my vet fund than is required for regular appointments, but due to timing it may not be enough. You always expect to have time between regular appointments to replenish that fund but that's not always the case. After we bought Pele I took him in for a well-bird exam and DNA sexing. Because it included a lot of tests and blood work it was the most expensive exam available. The cost of the exam was fine, and I do have a lot saved up above and beyond that amount and it would only take one paycheck to top it off again. Then my dog got sick before I was able to do that. I'm not sure how high my vet bill will be as he's still at the clinic but the tests, xrays, possible surgery, and daily costs of keeping him there (he's on his second day) will likely wipe out my vet fund entirely. And that's when I got the letter in the mail saying that my dogs are due for their vaccines. Now, depending on how much this bill will be, I may not have enough in my fund to get my dogs vaccinated on time. Even if I have enough saved up I absolutely don't have enough saved if another of my animals requires emergency care in the near future. And it will take time to replenish my fund.

This is why I also keep my two credit cards clear so I do have the means to pay for additional vet bills if *knock on wood* my animals do need to go in while my vet fund is empty. I never thought I'd need to use them as a back-up but I'm very relieved to know that I have them. To be honest I always thought I was being over cautious, but I always say being over cautious is better than being caught short. I'm very thankful for that now.

For those of you that maybe don't have clear credit cards as a back-up, what would you do? Do you have a back-up plan? Do you have enough in your vet fund to pay for all of your animals if they were to get sick at once? What if your bird gets a disease and requires long-term vet care or medication? Are you able to cover those costs while maintaining an emergency vet fund?

[pennyandthebrain]

I found this topic when I woke up in a cold sweat invisioning broken legs and all sorts...as I'm currently unemployed and wondering about such dilemas.

I like what you say MandyG...I have a small amount of savings at the moment...I'm going to be a student soon meaning I can get a credit card...I don't really believe in debt except in serious situations and I'm not sure I'd be able to pay for certain expensives up front!

I am considering bird insurance, in England we have Pet Plan that does all sorts of exotic pets.

As I know family would help pay, but I have to pay it back and with insurance least you get some back...if it wasn't for the insurance NO WAY would we have afforded my old dogs expensive monthly treatments! Our cat is insured too...but of course vet bills are expensive whatever the size...and I'm moving vets in the vain hope he is useful...my old avian vet didn't seem to want to know unless it was a rare exotic breed. So I'm hoping new one will be more willing with treatments as I don't care how much it costs, I'll find some way of paying. lol

I got the birds when I was young and stupid...for some reason you don't seem to think of the vet bills!!! Even though I'd had a previous hamster and I'd gone on and on and on until my parents forked out the vet bill so I should have known really.

[lotus15]

I always, always, always have a few thousand in my emergency vet fund. It's for emergencies only-- no regular appointments dip into it.

[captwest]

I wish i could keep a "few thousand" in my vet fund but that's not always the case. I do foster birds for my vet and help out in emergencys, i carry plenty of fish and seafood by and stop at least once a week to visit and offer advice with behavioral issues, there have been times when i couldn't pay my bill in full but always settle up quickly and completely. I have offered to help with things like landscaping, handyman chores and such, i think it's vital to establish a good relationship with your vet and there's more to making the world go round than just money. Maybe you could volunteer to walk dogs or help out on holidays, a little goodwill goes a long ways, Just my 2 cents worth.

[kathis]

We have already spent quite a bit on Bobbin's vet bills with the cost of the DNA, initial exam and lab work, but it was worth every dime to find out she was healthy.

When OG got sick with PDD it cost us over $2000 in vet bills, plus the cost of gas and time making two 40 mile round trips to the vet's office everyday for her tube feedings (we drive a long way to see an avian vet, that we believe is the best in our area). Then of course there was the cost of her cremation. Prior to that she had yearly exams and lab work at the vet. Again, worth every dime. The money just came out of our savings and we drastically cut the amount we spent on Christmas this year.

Birds are a huge investment, but they are also a priceless addition to our family.