$20,000 on a pet?

[ohiofarmgirl]

yep we have been doing the shots for Kai also. i had no idea you could do it yourself.

but we'll take her in for rabies in a couple weeks and schedule her to be fixed. i couldnt imagine a whole posse of Akitas! but the woods would be cleared of bears (and poodles) for sure
;-)

 

[Denim Deb]

only thing I had to consider was surgery for my 22 year old horse when it got twisted gut. vet said surgery was iffy cause of age that recovery would be long for her and reoccurance could happen very easily happen again even after surgery. I put her down. I was looking at least $5-7K and it wasn't happening for a horse.

I lost my 1st horse to colic. She was 22 at the time. If it had been just a simple colic surgery, I was willing to try. But, when they opened her up, they found a tumor in her small intestines, and several feet of dead intestines. There was a slim chance that they could have saved her-at the cost of about $10,000 minimum. I made the decision to put her down. That was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make.

W/what I know about colic now as compared to then, it's highly unlikely I'd even go for the colic surgery. While most horses survive the surgery, many don't make it thru the recovery.

 

[lwheelr]

You can get health insurance for pets now. And it is pretty pricey!

One of the things we are studying for our farm is investing in, and preserving, more self-sufficient animal breeds. Horses that are no food finicky and which birth easily. Sheep which are field-sufficient - easy birthers and more disease resistant. Cows with high twinning rates that have been bred to not need birthing assistance, and which are resistant to many common parasites and diseases.

Vet bills can kill a small farm. So our breeding programs are focusing on hardiness and ease of care as a major factor.

Getting hardy breeds to start with can make a huge difference.

 

[CrimsonRose]

You can get health insurance for pets now. And it is pretty pricey!

One of the things we are studying for our farm is investing in, and preserving, more self-sufficient animal breeds. Horses that are no food finicky and which birth easily. Sheep which are field-sufficient - easy birthers and more disease resistant. Cows with high twinning rates that have been bred to not need birthing assistance, and which are resistant to many common parasites and diseases.

Vet bills can kill a small farm. So our breeding programs are focusing on hardiness and ease of care as a major factor.

Getting hardy breeds to start with can make a huge difference.

that is what we are striving for!

 

[AL]

an ACL surgery costs about $1400 here, I guess that is the difference in cost of living in places huh? On that site it listed an exam starting at like $200 - a routine exam is $30 here.

One of my Australian Cattle Dogs had to have ACL surgery several years ago and it was $600.... a couple of months after healing from that surgery she ruptured the other and I had that knee done.
Yep... I have paid a ton of $$ for my pets. I'll pay it again, actually even more if they need it. I do have a limit, but I haven't gotten there yet.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

One of my Maremma LGD tore an ACL this year, and the Vet told me she had to have surgery, that it would not heal on it's own. I got quotes on 3 types of surgery, from 3 grand up, and while those were happening did a bunch of research on line. Found many accounts of them healing just as well with rest, even from Vets! Also found out that it's often related to hypothyroidism so I had her tested and started her on a holistic nutritional support. Her test came back the very low end of normal so the Vet said no drugs for her. I tied her up for 7 weeks with only on leash walks so she could not run. then I did a graduated return to work and freedom over another 6 weeks. She tolerated it well, and guess what, she is totally sound now. The ACL repairs they do don't fix the ligament anyway, they reinforce the joint so it scars up. Well she did that naturally give the right conditions.

Really pays to do your own research. Vets are in it for the money as well as the critters, but due to the money most will not tell you about the cheep or free ways things can be treated.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Cows with high twinning rates that have been bred to not need birthing assistance, and which are resistant to many common parasites and diseases.

Just curious, but why would you want cows with high twinning rates? It's great if you get both bulls or both heifers, but with the free-martin problem every heifer/bull combo you get will be a waste of a heifer. :/

 

[FarmerChick]

yea Deb

unless the horse is Secretariat or a very expensive show horse, the twisted gut/colic surgery is very sketchy for recovery and no reoccurance. My vet did say it wasn't worth the price and that if she did fine, I could lose her again fast. I just couldn't do that to her and did think that putting her down was the best quality of life she could get at that point.

and yes, it sure is painful.....whew

I had to put down my 30 year old QH. Poor thing's hip was out of whack...just painful for him and no fix to that. I made the decision one day and wow, was that hard. But I couldn't have him suffer and he lived a great life.

Horses are so hard to vet ya know for big recoveries. Not like a small dog you can cuddle and pick up and handle to help with the recovery. Horses' size make it so hard. It can sure work against them.

 

[journey11]

I suppose if I were loaded and could afford it, I would. 20K is a bit steep though!

I lost my 12.5-year-old chow-mix Monday before Christmas. I got her while I was in college and she had been everywhere with me and through so many changes in my life. If there had been any hope and if it had been reasonably within what I could afford...but there wasn't anyway. She had a seizure and I took her to the vet and they said at her age it was most likely a brain tumor. They ran her bloodwork, which took 10 minutes in office, and that alone cost me $75! She was very hardy and healthy for her age, no arthritis and they said her bloodwork was as healthy as that of a much younger dog. I really thought I'd get a couple more years with her.

 

[FarmerChick]

pretty picture

yea no telling what could go wrong with pets...just like people they get all the problems huh? life is tough on all things...