WWYD? Dog Owner's Edition

[therising]

Hypothetical Situation:

Your dog has been acting listless, so you take him to the vet. The vet tells you the dog is suffering from a rare disease - dogolitis. His insides are literally rotting away, and, if left untreated, he will die a sufferable death within six months.

"There's good news and bad news", he says. "The good news is that we've caught it early, and it's 100% cureable when operated". "The bad news is that the surgery costs $3,000".

What would you do?

The real question here is, what price do you put on your dog? Don't say "No Price", because there has to be a price? In other words, would you pay $20,000??!!

Personally, I look at it like this:

$1,000 Not a question, do the surgery
$2,000 I wouldn't be thrilled about it, but I'd do it
$3,000 I'd have to think twice, but I'd do it
$3,500 Sorry, dog.

BTW for the cat $375

[wheresthesun]

This thread seems familiar to me; haven't we done this before?

[therising]

This thread seems familiar to me; haven't we done this before?

That must've been on SpeakUpPortland. :rolleyes:

[wheresthesun]

How much for the bird and why is the cat worth significantly less than the dog?

[woodstock]

If... if you're being asked to fork over any amount of money for "dogolitis", you're being taken for a ride by your vet. Love your dog or not.... I searched it and according to http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/nt/ma/ma_search_1.gif it says


We did not find results for "dogolitis".

[therising]

It's a very new disease; not on the internet yet.

[woodstock]

It's a very new disease; not on the internet yet.

So "new" that even the "information super highway" doesn't know about it? :confused: hypethetically, I'd say .... you should do a little more research before committing $3,000. :eek:

BTW- "SARS" ...from day one .... was all over the internet. :rolleyes:

[Northshore]

Dog is on the "one weeks pay" rule.

I will go up to one weeks pay. After that, its off to doggie heaven.

[DR_GONZO]

Whatever I could afford for my best friend in the world, my dog would get. Heck if it was 100% curable, I might even take out a loan for him. If I were unfortunate enough to own a cat and was told by a vet that it needed some stupid operation in order for it to live, I would want to know how long it would take before it went to hell without the operation. That way I could plan a date for the celebration party.

[therising]

What we've learned from this tread, so far:

1) Northshore and Dr. Gonzo are willing to give honest answers

2) Woodstock does not know what hypothetical means

[yokes]

Well if it were just up to me 2000 would probably be my limit.

Speaking of limits since I know its not up to me, but up to my better half I would say that number probably goes up significantly.

[therising]

Speaking of limits since I know its not up to me, but up to my better half I would say that number probably goes up significantly.

So, how much would you spend on surgery for your better half?

[yokes]

unlimited

[OneEmerald]

What is the age of the dog? that would be an important deciding factor for me.

[Longtimegone]

I've been through this, although it wasn't dogitis, it was seizures. One of my dogs started having them when he was only a year old. When my regular vet couldn't control them, we went to UT Vet Hospital. My dog had two neurologists. They did blood tests, spinal taps, anything that might indicate what caused them. We never found out, but a group of medication kept them under control for almost a year. When they came back, he had 6 seizures in an hour. Even on a valium and phenobarb drip, he was still having them. That was when I made the decision to put him down. But all told, I probably spent about $6,000 (much of it on a credit card). Was it worth it? Yeah. He was my buddy.

I also had a cat who I spent about $1,000 on for an operation (we thought it was cancer, but turned out not to be). He lived another 5 years. Again.....worth it.

[Shasta13]

I spent $6000 for chemo for my dog (over the course of about 5 months). Some people thought I was nuts. But it was my money and he was my friend. I think if someone spends their money in a way that they feel it worth it, then it is. Like, I feel throwing $ away at a casino is a waste. But if someone goes and blows a couple hundred, and they feel they got something worthwhile from it, then it was worth it to them.

[therising]

What is the age of the dog? that would be an important deciding factor for me.

It's an excellent and very valid question, which I will answer, even though your opinion of me has changed since I refererred to katie Couric as a drunken whore.

The answer to the question is: There is no answer. It's your own dog/cat (assuming you have one), whatever his or her age may be. I can't give an answer, although you make a valid point, whereas spending $3,000 for a 17 year-old dog could be considered a poor investment by some, as St. Peter will surely come knocking soon, even given the best of circumstances. :)

Just for the record - there is no wrong answer to this question. (Except spending over $1200 on a cat)

[OneEmerald]

It's an excellent and very valid question, which I will answer, even though your opinion of me has changed since I refererred to katie Couric as a drunken whore.

The answer to the question is: There is no answer. It's your own dog/cat (assuming you have one), whatever his or her age may be. I can't give an answer, although you make a valid point, whereas spending $3,000 for a 17 year-old dog could be considered a poor investment by some, as St. Peter will surely come knocking soon, even given the best of circumstances. :)

Just for the record - there is no wrong answer to this question. (Except spending over $1200 on a cat)
If the dog was older, let's say over 12 years, I would not spend the money. Your faithful companion has lived a full life and would be prone to other ailments and at that age may not be able to recover from surgery as quickly as a pup, or even recover at all. It would be time to send him/her to the rainbow bridge. Many of us who had to do this with a pet anguished over the decision, but knew in the end that it was the right thing to do. The $3000 can be used in rescuing/adopting many more dogs/cats who still have their whole lives ahead of them.

[1964]

Well that's pretty easy. Give the dog a bone in Fire Hydrant Heaven... if you passed up Pet Insurance for the 68th time and never thought it made sense, every dog has it's day... and this Dogs about to get his.

Just think what $3000 can buy!

A Shiney happy and healthy Puppy that will last another 15 years.
Pet insurance for the entire term of his or her life.
Doggie treats and food for the new dogs life.
Trips to the park, your fuel costs for them, parking, fee's, etc.

I've lost many great pets to sickness and age, but there's always a wagging tail and slippery tongue somewhere hoping a new master will arrive!

[truebe]

If I actually had the money up front, and if my Dog was under 9 years old then I would do it. But if he was already 10 years old, or if the money wasn’t readily available then I think the dog would have to die.

I would treat my cat equally. My cat and dog don’t fall short on much….. Well actually I can never get enough flea shampoo.

[granpabob]

I have had so many dogs that I realize there is another one just begging for a ride home. my bank account demands that my family comes first. besides I come from an old farm family where the dog had a job to do and when he could not do it you got another one. I am being honest if the dog got real sick I would replace it. watch dogs, hunting dogs and play toys for the kids have to be healthy. MY cats have the same rule when they can no longer hunt rodents they are replaced. I will pay a hundred or so to have them "fixed" ( maybe that's why they hate me) but much more then that and they are gone.
I feed them care for them nurse them when they are sick but when they get to the point of needing operations I draw the line. Stitching up wounds and setting broken bones is just part of having an animal around. shots are required so they get those from a vet or a clinic. If my dog bites a kid its gone no questions asked. if it goes mad and attacks someone I will kill it real fast. I was brought up differant then many of you. we raised many animals for food. butchering them was just something you did so you could eat. and yes you get to know your chickens pigs cows goat ducks or whatever else you raise some even reach your heart but they are their for one purpose. dogs help you with those animals protecting them and herding them. cats get the rats that try to eat their food. it may sound harsh but they all have a purpose and if they cant serve that purpose they get replaced.
yes it hurts when you get rid of them but it is something you do

[DR_GONZO]

Some of my family are dairy farmers. Through the years they have went through god knows how many German shepherds. You brought back some memories with your post, granpabob.

I guess I don't mind neutered cats. People just don't seem to want to pay for that though and neighborhoods become over-run with inbred cats everywhere.

[mesue]

I love both of my dogs, They're so good and sweet. I cannot imagine being without them. However, I cannot see spending what little I have in savings to prolong the inevitable. What starts out as an act of goodwill turns out to be a long, drawn out, bout of suffering. You end up putting the dog to sleep anyway. I will never put my dogs through that. I will never put my family through that. It's cruel to both. This is just my most humble opinion.

[ForestBird]

Money isn't a consideration, when it comes to my pets. What matters: How will Spot or Fluffy feel? If they can be helped to live and feel happy, then the vet can go ahead. But when it comes to making them miserable, leaving them in the hands of strangers for painful and frightening treatments, and even then life won't be pleasant - then no, life should end. Animals don't have the luxury of deluding themselves with false hope (as far as I know) ... so shouldn't be made to suffer through painful decline. That's the least we can do for our animal friends. ("animal friend" is the German equivalent of "pet", btw.... nice )

[DR_GONZO]

I think some are missing the point of the thread, so here it is again:


"There's good news and bad news", he says. "The good news is that we've caught it early, and it's 100% cureable when operated". "The bad news is that the surgery costs $3,000".

100% cureable

[therising]

Money isn't a consideration, when it comes to my pets.

Of course it's a consideration, stop fibbing?

What about $50,000, $100,000???? Still not a consideration??

Personally, there's only so much that I can afford, don't know about you.

My point of this thread was - where do you draw that line??

[Michele J]

I agree if my dog was older than 10, I wouldnt do it ( it would break my heart though) My dog has cost me thousands of dollars in damage shes done to my doors,bathroom vanity, shoes shes eaten, she once ate $137( but left me a $5 ) and shes still here,Shes a much loved member of our family and if she got sick I would do everything I could to make her well.
you can see her pic here www.newsfromabroad.wnymedia.net

[therising]

Lovely dog, Michelle, now answer the question. :)

How much?

[Michele J]

Up to 10k if I could make payments ( but dont tell my husband)

[mesue]

...
100% cureable
no surgery is 100%.

[DR_GONZO]

mesue, I'm just going with what therising originally posted. It's therising's thread.

[therising]

I don't know why you're all getting caught up with the "100% cureable" thing, it's a hypothetical situation.

Just play along. Or don't. Just don't over-analyze, like this gem :rolleyes:


If... if you're being asked to fork over any amount of money for "dogolitis", you're being taken for a ride by your vet. Love your dog or not.... I searched it and according to it says

Quote:
We did not find results for "dogolitis".

[therising]

Let's change the disease from dogolitis to priapism, so that this may be more realistic. :)

[mesue]

mesue, I'm just going with what therising originally posted. It's therising's thread.
I figured, but it's the nurse in me that is compelled to say stuff like that. :o sorry, I didn't mean to offend.

[Daisy H]

That must've been on SpeakUpPortland. :rolleyes:

Is there such a thing?? WTS, let's start it!

ps - DAMN, once again I'm responding to threads from 100 years ago!

[wheresthesun]

Is there such a thing?? WTS, let's start it!

ps - DAMN, once again I'm responding to threads from 100 years ago!
Where did you find this? It's a doozie. :confused: :confused: :eek:

[therising]

If my dog ever does get priapism, I may have to put him down.

[Daisy H]

Where did you find this? It's a doozie. :confused: :confused: :eek:

In the new pet thread that Res created.

I'm feeling a little dogolitis-ish today.