Archive for May, 2010

Is your Dog (or Cat) a Money Pit?

Posted May 21st, 2010 at 1:02 pm in Pet Health, Pet Stories

How Much is Too Much?

Hard question to answer, especially if you found yourself in a situation similar to mine, that of having owned a dog for one day before he was stricken with an almost fatal illness. It almost cost him his life and me money I didn't have. That's when you have to look within yourself, you know it's the right thing to do, that of giving a dog or cat a shot at a good life. But if the money isn't there what can you do?

The vet took one look at my dog's condition and his first words were "since you just adopted this dog yesterday, fortunately you have not had a chance to bond with this dog so we will prepare to put him down". I was agast, What was that you just said? 'Doc, this dog had me at woof, do what you need to do to save him.'

This was a question that I was reading about in a waiting room at the dentists office, just a month before I adopted my dog. This guy they were doing a story about had a cat that was blind and needed more work, surgery and care requiring thousands of dollars, all this on a pet that was already 14 years old. I wondered then what I would do in a situation like that and since I didn't own a dog or a pet then, the clinical decision I arrived at would surprise me later.

He didn't hesitate to do what it took for that cat because #1, he loved it and #2 he could afford it. What about those of us who can't afford it, what would you do?