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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Eastern Iowa
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    751

    How much for vet bill??

    This is our dog Sam. He is a few years older now. He is the first to greet me when I come home from work. He sits and cuddles on my wife's lap when she is grading papers, He sits patiently outside my workshop till I am finished.
    sam.jpg

    Took him for his morning walk today and he started limping on his front paw about half mile out. Had to carry him home (he's a Bichon, only about 20 pounds). After closer examination it was only a burr, but it got me thinking... "How much would I have been willing to pay in vet bills if it had been more serious?"

    I started to talk to my wife about it and her reaction was, "I don't want to talk about it." I think she thinks if we don't discuss it, nothing bad will happen.

    Which leads to the title.. and a question - how many have insurance on your pet?

    I will broach the subject with my wife again, but I thought I would try to get an idea from some others.

    Cross-posted to FW
    Last edited by Charlie Velasquez; 01-13-2007 at 6:46 PM.
    Comments made here are my own and, according to my children, do not reflect the opinions of any other person... anywhere, anytime.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Lewiston, Idaho
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    Charlie.....I can tell you from experience....I've spent a lot of time and money when we had dogs......It's no object......One dog had to have some special eye surgery..several times......I can't wait until I retire and can have a couple of dogs again. Right now the wife and I both work and once of us needs to be home to house break a new pet.....but...I've spent thousands and will do it again.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    North central Pa Tioga Co.
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    Dogs give you unconditional love! We spent 350.00 when our cairn terrier when she took on a porcupine and lost ,she had over a hundred quils in her mouth nose and face missed her eyes ,I guess that is why they have long snouts!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Menomonee Falls, WI
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    When we had to leave our last dog, Buddy, in an overnight pet hospital (following surgery) their intake form asked for a dollar amount that you would be willing to spend for an emergency. Struck me as cold and my heart wouldn't let me think about it. Later, after Buddy developed a heart murmur, we started thinking about whether insurance would be smart (for the next dog). The thousands we spent on Buddy's bills over his life time certainly would have been better spent on insurance. With our new dog, Sandy, we are getting insurance.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Lewisville, NC
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    Charlie,
    My wife and I have 3 Bichons that sound just like yours. They are (in my mind) irreplaceable and therefore I have spent many a dollar on them. One of them had cataract eye surgery a few years ago (he was only 4 and almost blind). It has delayed me from having laser eye surgery to help my own eyesight. As much as they cost me, I would never be without dogs. I guess that I need that unconditional love that they are so good at giving. The best prayer I ever heard goes something like.... "Lord, please make me half the man my dog thinks I am".
    By the way, as my 3 have aged, I have definitely considered insurance, but have not bought it as of yet.

    Jim
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Sammamish, WA
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    Once a dog becomes a part of the family you find a way to take care of them. I've put a dog to sleep that was past his life expectancy and the vet told me that surgery, if successful, would give him another few months (cancer), because I didn't want him to have to go through the trauma of surgery for that little benefit. It seemed to me as selfish. On the other hand, our younger current dog swallowed a sewing pin, and it perforated his intestine (poked through) and became infected. The surgery was $3,200, plus another $400 for a night at the emergency vet because the regular one had no one on duty all night to watch him after the surgery. That's a lot of money and it was a hardship for us at the time. After that I did look into insurance, the best I found was $75/month, and it was $100 deductible for everything but the included checkups and vaccinations. We didn't go for it.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Harrisville, PA
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    It is a DOG. I have had to put down more than my share of pets over the years. Live on a farm for a while and discover that it is cheaper to make hamburger from a cow that had problems giving birth than calling the vet. Yes, even your beloved 4-H project.

    With all of the people that could use a hand I cannot se spending thousands or even hundreds of dollars on a dog. The local shelters are over flowing with animals that have bee abandoned and could use a good home.

    I think it is selfish and foolish to spend this kind of money on a pet.
    Chuck

    When all else fails increase hammer size!
    "You can know what other people know. You can do what other people can do."-Dave Gingery

  8. #8
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    Eastern Iowa
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    Thanks for your quick replies.

    Charles - a few years ago I thought the same thing. Money was -and is- really a just a choice of wants and needs. I thought, "Mmmm. money on a pet, or money for my kids' college..?" Well, now all the kids are gone. Sammy was an "empty-nest' present from my daughter. When the choice was between a dog or my kids it was an easy decision. Now, not so easy.
    Comments made here are my own and, according to my children, do not reflect the opinions of any other person... anywhere, anytime.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Lewiston, Idaho
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    Charles...........I've lived on a farm....slaughtered chickens, hogs.....Hunted squirrels, rabbits, deer, elk, pheasants, quail, doves, fished in the oceans, freshwater fishing in Canada, Idaho, Wyoming, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Mississippi, Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota......I'm sorry you don't feel as attached to pets as my family has. There's a difference! I elk hunted with a guy for 18 years. My only problem with him.....His horses and mules were pets...spoiled...and sometimes a pain in the rear as a result...But...they were his animals and I was a friend who had the privelege of having those spoiled animals carry elk out of holes that most humans couldn't carry a quarter out unless it was boned out.....

    Pets to some are members of the family and as a result get treated differently.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Fitzgerald View Post
    Charles...........I've lived on a farm....slaughtered chickens, hogs.....Hunted squirrels, rabbits, deer, elk, pheasants, quail, doves, fished in the oceans, freshwater fishing in Canada, Idaho, Wyoming, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, Mississippi, Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota......I'm sorry you don't feel as attached to pets as my family has. There's a difference! I elk hunted with a guy for 18 years. My only problem with him.....His horses and mules were pets...spoiled...and sometimes a pain in the rear as a result...But...they were his animals and I was a friend who had the privelege of having those spoiled animals carry elk out of holes that most humans couldn't carry a quarter out unless it was boned out.....

    Pets to some are members of the family and as a result get treated differently.

    I remember one story from about 15 years ago. A Man Married his Girlfriend. Everything was fine for the first 6 Months of their Marriage. Then, she started trying to CHANGE HIM !! The last straw was when the new Wife wanted her new Husband to get RID of HIS DOG, that he had for 12 YEARS!!! The Wife told her Husband " IT'S ME , OR YOUR DOG!! EITHER YOUR DOG GOES , OR I GO. WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE !!???!!"

    The Man thought about it for a minute, and then came the words I will never forget !! This is what he said......

    "Honey, I have known you for all of 12 MONTHS! I have had my DOG for 12 YEARS!! MY DOG IS STAYING RIGHT HERE !! "


    They Divorced soon after that! His Dog was very happy to see her go !! LOL!

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Charles McKinley
    It is a DOG.
    If it's your dog then maybe it's just a dog. If it's my dog, then it's a different story. My dog wouldn't take precedence over my wife or kids but he's pretty close behind them.

    Charlie, I guess I'm a little like your wife, I don't want to think about it.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles McKinley View Post
    It is a DOG. I have had to put down more than my share of pets over the years. Live on a farm for a while and discover that it is cheaper to make hamburger from a cow that had problems giving birth than calling the vet. Yes, even your beloved 4-H project.

    With all of the people that could use a hand I cannot se spending thousands or even hundreds of dollars on a dog. The local shelters are over flowing with animals that have bee abandoned and could use a good home.

    I think it is selfish and foolish to spend this kind of money on a pet.
    Agree completely. Dogs are farm animals and can be replaced. This is even more true for cats, especially out in the country where outdoor cats often only last a few years because of the coyotes. Only a few smart ones last until old age.

    edit: sorry, I didn't realize I added to a 10 year old post that had waken up.
    Last edited by Steve Peterson; 12-10-2017 at 3:04 PM. Reason: added comment
    Steve

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Peterson View Post

    edit: sorry, I didn't realize I added to a 10 year old post that had waken up.
    How does that happen?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wade Lippman View Post
    How does that happen?
    In this case, Charlie provided an update. I think sometimes it is after finding an old thread through a search.

  15. #15
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    Sep 2004
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    Pacific, Mo.
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    No insurance as the dogs are way to old to insure now. Our littlest one is my wifes dog. As such she, and I, would spend what ever was necessary to insure her health and safety.

    Now my dog is another story. "Get your dog out of here his paws are muddy"? She treats me like that too. I guess I could convience her to spend what ever I wanted to on him as well.
    Making new friends on SMC each and every day

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