what's a dog worth??

[twr7cx]

That seems very expensive...

I have paid $5,000.00 for a GVD for a previous dog. Had to borrow the money from parents but would do it again.

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by 290GTP

How much would I spend on my dog? Well that depends on on whether he lets me have my beer back or not.

image

But seriously, I would spend whatever it takes.

Kicking back with a carton, see they are human.

[The Yeti]

what gets me is I was at one Vets surgery while on hoildays (Long story) and there were signs for finance company's that offered loans of up to 10k

I suppose its an option I just found it a little off putting

[LoudPipes]

What a heart-warming thread.
I often feel people would think we were mad if they knew just how much we love our dog.
We’ve had them all our lives and when they die we swear never again we get too attached but within a month or two a hairy replacement shows up.
They’ve always played a big part in our family.
And now the kids have left home our current one is even a bigger part of the family and our constant companion.
It’s great to know many others think the same way.

[290GTP]

Waiting for the Hulk ..."Which dog is better"... thread.

[Matty4]

Agree with others on here. We rescued our bloke from the Victorian Animal Aid Trust (in fact, our last 2 dogs have been from there).
He was maybe 6 months old when we got him and at 18 months he required a total hip replacement, that was over $8000. About 3 years later he started getting lame in his front legs, so 2 front elbow ops later (bit like a knee reconstruction, ACL type thing) over 3 years, another $4000 or so. Last couple of years he's been getting a lot of fatty tissue growth on his front shoulder which has to be surgically removed (twice sofar, it keeps growing back).

Don't know how much that cost, very animal friendly in-laws took that bill over for us.

As others have said, whatever it takes.

[cheap]

As for vet bills OMG ! our dogs previous owner spent hundreds/thousands which she didn't have on what turned out to a diet issue (as in the dog being fed crap food). I have a very low opinion of vets as they seem ready to play the emotional card and line their own pockets. My previous dog was 14 years old and visited the vet once, the day we put her down.

[tut0r]

Its such a hard decision for some of us myself included at times, I always have to weigh up the cost, plus quality of life after certain operation. Our dog was hit by a car when I was young but survived only with a broken front leg. Had to have a cast on him, typical small dog that when you came home liked to jump up and down at you expect he would hit you in the shins with his cast which wasn't pleasant!

I don't know how much I could spend to save my animal while the moral side of me would spend anything, the financial side leaves me always wondering 'will i be able to afford rent/food/car/bills' etc etc.

But we have been lucky with all our animals, not to many costly bills associated with them, but I bet anyone here who grew up with an animal would say they couldn't imagine life without a furry companion.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by xisled

I look at this way, if you brother, sister, mother, father needed an op and it cost $7000 would you pay for it, or let them suffer.

My thinking is the same with a family pet, they are basically family.

On the other hand though you can't exactly put your sister up against the wall and shoot her, I know some people who would take that option if it was available

[Silver Ghia]

Going back to the original OP post:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

placed our two female K9's in to the vet to get "fixed", vaccinated, tattooed and wormed......quoted $700 including 7 days follow up pain med's.

picked them up yesterday and copped a bill of $2,350 following "complications during surgery".

what if we didn't have the money?, a lot of folks don't, what would happen.

just wondering, what would you have done.......no payment scheme that I could see, not that I asked.

how much would you be willing to put out for your little furry mates.

Going to Lort Smith, RSPCA or other lost dogs or cats homes, for a fixed price which is generally a bargain, you get your new pet already fixed, chipped, wormed and vaccinated.

And save a life at the same time.

[Rodge]

Tough break Dave. I'm curious, do you think its morally right that they can get away with quoting $700 and then billing for more than $2,000 because of alledged "complications in surgury". Isn't there some sort of moral obligation on them to absorb some of that over-run in those circumstances ? I would have thought spaying a couple of bitches is a pretty run of the mill process ?

But in answer to your question we have three dogs and there's no question if you're a dog lover which i can see you and many others are then they become part of the family. In all honesty though I think it pays to try and keep some pespective. For me it would depend which dog and how much and it would have to be in consultation with she it is best not to argue with.

All 3 dogs of our dogs are 8 so if it was a matter of spending a couple of thousand to save a life or restore health then provided that what was was quoted and agreed too I'd pay it.
In your circumstances I'd have been looking for some "accomodation" from them, perhaps meet half way.

OTOH if when the dogs are 14, (suppose life expectancy is 16 years for the sake of this theoretical example), and one of them needs some operation that requires $7,000 I think common sense should prevail.

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

On the other hand though you can't exactly put your sister up against the wall and shoot her, I know some people who would take that option if it was available

You left out son or daughter...plenty of parents I know would pay $7,000 for the privildge if they could get away with it

[STINKY NINJA]

two words"pet insurance" you have it for your house and car,why not your pets???
Its saved us thousands of dollars!

[poppa smurf]

morally......probably not.....but I guess they can't foresee complications, rather them do what is needed to pull the dog/dogs through.

I could have stood my ground and ramped and raved I guess but in the end I just want my girls back.

the vet and staff are fantastic folks who, I am sure, did everything correctly and their follow up is astonishing....3 phone calls today to see how they are doing.

but from a professional point of view, possibly could have had a little "leeway".

[Lotte]

I'll put it this way, my friend found a stray kitten with a broken leg in her backyard and I gave her half the surgery value so she could get it done and keep it, no questions asked.

I do a lot of volunteering with no kill shelters, and if you're going to get a pet that's the way to go.
The RSPCA is ok.... But through my work, we've rescued cats from there, and heard some horror stories of people surrendering their animal, and the animal being euthanased before they've even left the cat
car park. I'm also not a fan of the 28 day role etc.

[Phil67]

Yep whatever it takes and have done many many times. Lotte I love what you are doing but hearing about the animal being put down even before the owners got to their car just makes me sick, no more donations to RSPCA for me now. Tell me about the shelter you work at.

Surely we have a vet on this forum that can do us a deal? Hahah

[XCH00N]

Money is no object with any of my 3 dogs. At the beginning of this year 1 of our dogs (was still a foster dog at the time) was poisoned she had 2 blood transfusion 5nights stay with after hours care and multiple blood tests/blood counts done. the vet bill was near $4500. I spent that week and the next 2 weeks working 5hours away from home to pay for it. She is now part of our family we decided to not let anyone adopt her after the hard life she had before we got her and we gave her the chance no one else would. Now she has put on about 5kg and causes trouble with our other 2 dogs every day

[poppa smurf]

I know where you're coming from XC, fuggles was that neglected her belly skin was almost opaque/yellow, wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink for anyone else but me.

she took to me right from the minute she seen me, still won't leave my side, right here now trying to push Gidget out of the way.

she gave birth to 3 litters of fantastic puppies that went to good homes, I was the worst "parent" out there the way I grilled the perspective purchasers, I turned 3 lots of folks away because of their appearance and "attitude".

fuggles now weighs 6.6 kilo's even though she is only 18" long by roughly 10" high, she's a little fatty but in magnificent health.

[karj]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I know where you're coming from XC, fuggles was that neglected her belly skin was almost opaque/yellow, wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink for anyone else but me.

she took to me right from the minute she seen me, still won't leave my side, right here now trying to push Gidget out of the way.

she gave birth to 3 litters of fantastic puppies that went to good homes, I was the worst "parent" out there the way I grilled the perspective purchasers, I turned 3 lots of folks away because of their appearance and "attitude".

fuggles now weighs 6.6 kilo's even though she is only 18" long by roughly 10" high, she's a little fatty but in magnificent health.

I wouldn't want to unfairly pass a judgement on you and I don't mean to offend, but I feel quite strongly that deliberately cross-breeding an already mixed dog of unknown parentage/bloodline is irresponsible. Do you mind me asking why you do it?

[Charliewool]

Kiddin aren't you? What a bull crap post!
Why do YOU do it?

[karj]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Kiddin aren't you? What a bull crap post!
Why do YOU do it?

Is that directed at me?

[deesun]

Well how about that 48 posts and not a disagreing word amongst us. We have had to put down two family pets but thankfully have never had to weigh up against a dollar value. We flew our son in so he could be there to say goodbye to one. It had been my mothers dog and was our last tangible link to her. Yes there have been increasing bills but thankfully never huge. We had a neighbour who spent 5K on their dog which died 3 months later. I thought that was excessive 10 years ago but recently a girl at work spent 13k and the dog passed away 3 months later never really fully recovering. I will spend money but the animal has to have a reasonable prognosis and MUST have quality of life.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by karj

I wouldn't want to unfairly pass a judgement on you and I don't mean to offend, but I feel quite strongly that deliberately cross-breeding an already mixed dog of unknown parentage/bloodline is irresponsible. Do you mind me asking why you do it?

I wasn't cross breeding, I bred a full blood mongrel with another full blood mongrel to produce litters of full blood mongrels with parentage that goes back for many generations........very strong little dogs.

now I don't know if you have been living under a rock but this has been going on since time began.

little mongrels make the best pets.......they were all vet checked, vaccinated and given a clean bill of health before sale.

[usernametaken]

Pet insurance is a given

$30 a month for 75% of your bills covered.

No brainer!

[karj]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I wasn't cross breeding, I bred a full blood mongrel with another full blood mongrel to produce litters of full blood mongrels with parentage that goes back for many generations........very strong little dogs.

now I don't know if you have been living under a rock but this has been going on since time began.

little mongrels make the best pets.......they were all vet checked, vaccinated and given a clean bill of health before sale.

I'm not being a pure-breed snob, I've had mongrel dogs before and agree that they can make awesome pets.

The point I was making is that there are genetic disorders that may not present early (eg: retinal atrophy, cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia) and breeding should really be done to reduce genetic issues.

[poppa smurf]

ah! okay $30 per month X 3 dogs = $90 per month X 12 months = $1080 X 12 years of good health without vet intervention except standard vaccinations = $12,960.

yep! perfect sense!

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by karj

I'm not being a pure-breed snob, I've had mongrel dogs before and agree that they can make awesome pets.

The point I was making is that there are genetic disorders that may not present early (eg: retinal atrophy, cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia) and breeding should really be done to reduce genetic issues.

like the back disorders from daschounds or the jaw protrusions and ingrown eyelashes of bulldogs or the hip problems of labradors or the eye bulge of pekinese or the seizures common in Chihuahua's.

I could go on and on and on about "purebred" problems but I won't, mongrels are the most stable form of dog that one can buy!

how do I know this, never you mind but I can assure you I know about dog's....I know of these problems you mention but they are more prevalent in "purebreds" than mongrels.

[Nova 8]

Difference between a mutt and a pedigree is a piece of paper. Pure bred dogs have a slue of potential issues, ime mutts always seem to be healthier and live long lives.

Also I know its not the same but hybrid fish will generally be larger and stronger than the two species used to create it.

[danzvtil]

I was dog sitting my sisters malteese/shitzu while she went on a holiday to Melbourne. The first day he started limping, I called her for advice, with out a lie she was hailing a cab back to the airport to fly back to her boy while on the phone to me.
My ex has bought a little maltese rat looking thing, I look after her the weeks my daughter stays with me, I can understand why people are so attached, they give all in return unconditionally, and are better companionship than most people.

[In Focus]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Any pet is part of the family, spent $800 on our cat to get it pumped up with steroids but it ended up having to be put down anyway as its kidneys were too far gone.

All our cats died from kidney failure around the 15 years old mark.

Now we've got a bunch of strays we adopted, they hang around all the time and we feed them.

There was a period in this neighbourhood when no one had cats, and we had heaps of rabbits around, now theres cats everywhere and no rabbits which is good.

You don't happen to feed them a lot of dry food, do you? I remember reading somewhere that the kibble feeds are often full of salt, which affects the kidneys.

I have a 19 year old cat, which lives inside at night, which I think has helped keep it alive - no stress over fighting with other cats, cold nights etc.