Pet expenses - Ouch!

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good that nobody brought up how many kids in the third world one can save with $2400.....
but then again the same goes for the cost of a transmission...
 
So if you all haven't figured out, pets are a luxary. If you choose to take on a pet you are faced to make decisions regarding their fate. People all the time talk about how expensive their veterinarian bills are, and that their doctor visit didn't cost that. How about health insurance or medi-cal, or the health clinic. Once you have a child and you have lost your health insurance for that child you quickly realize how expensive medicine is. Why would one think this is different for pets. One their is vet school, technician school, ancillary staff, and normal costs to run a business. And I always wonder why when some body needs a $1000 set of tires or mechanical repair it gets paid for. You would be shocked how many times people don't intend to pay for their veterinary bills. I commend all who love their pets and understand that they took them on and they do right by them. Veterinary medicine is not cheep. Neither is a birfield job or axel swap or lift kit, need I say more. It is just where we put our priorities. People should think more about that.

Wife of Nor Cal Sam, Teresa, Registered Veterinary Technician.
 
NorCalSam said:
So if you all haven't figured out, pets are a luxary. If you choose to take on a pet you are faced to make decisions regarding their fate. People all the time talk about how expensive their veterinarian bills are, and that their doctor visit didn't cost that. How about health insurance or medi-cal, or the health clinic. Once you have a child and you have lost your health insurance for that child you quickly realize how expensive medicine is. Why would one think this is different for pets. One their is vet school, technician school, ancillary staff, and normal costs to run a business. And I always wonder why when some body needs a $1000 set of tires or mechanical repair it gets paid for. You would be shocked how many times people don't intend to pay for their veterinary bills. I commend all who love their pets and understand that they took them on and they do right by them. Veterinary medicine is not cheep. Neither is a birfield job or axel swap or lift kit, need I say more. It is just where we put our priorities. People should think more about that.

Wife of Nor Cal Sam, Teresa, Registered Veterinary Technician.
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Alright Teresa!!!

What people also don't realize is the amount of schooling it takes to practice veterinary medicine, vs. the income potential. In case anyone was wondering, DVM's and staff are NOT on par with human doctors when it comes to earnings...
 
patride71 said:
WTF?! reconsidering getting a dog now....

we got 3 cats and we don't spend much at all on those fawkers. *knocking on wood*
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Part of these numbers are for things like if the dog eats your dashboard - boom - ther goes $3500. So some of these numbers are not typical food, medicine, vet visits...

I can post the article if anyone likes.
 
Thanks for adding what I left out. Veterinarians go to many years of school to learn a variety of species, not just human. Their pay however nowhere equates to that of an MD. Same goes for RVT's compared to RN's. On another subject, want to donate your 40 to a charitible cause???:D :D LOL
Teresa
 
I've got you all beat, $2000 dog, 6 years old, $10,000 in the last year fighting a loosing battle with lymphoma cancer.
 
cary said:
I've got you all beat, $2000 dog, 6 years old, $10,000 in the last year fighting a loosing battle with lymphoma cancer.
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I'm sorry to hear that.
 
NorCalSam said:
Thanks for adding what I left out. Veterinarians go to many years of school to learn a variety of species, not just human. Their pay however nowhere equates to that of an MD. Same goes for RVT's compared to RN's. On another subject, want to donate your 40 to a charitible cause???:D :D LOL
Teresa
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Teresa,

Do many of your clients ask about pet insurance?

Does your clinic talk to them about it?

Thanks,
 
My $8000. dog, Henry RIP 12/83- 3/94
 
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PabloCruise said:
Teresa,

Do many of your clients ask about pet insurance?

Does your clinic talk to them about it?

Thanks,
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Few clients ask about the insurance but I am starting to see more and more claim forms come in. I haven't seen any medical catastrophe's with pets of people who have the insurance though so I couldn't say how satisfied they are with the insurance.
Yes we give them information typically when they come in for their first puppy or kitten visit.
 
Having grown up on a farm, and keeping live stock and pets of my own. It is hard for me to understand why someone would spend so much on vet bills. I love my dogs, but their job is to make sure that the fox does not get into the chicken coop. If the get too expensive or cannot do the job they get replaced.
 
PabloCruise said:
Bernese Mtn Dog?
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Yep. Champion by lineage and accomplishment. Best dog I can imagine so I've never gotten another.
 
albee said:
Having grown up on a farm, and keeping live stock and pets of my own. It is hard for me to understand why someone would spend so much on vet bills. I love my dogs, but their job is to make sure that the fox does not get into the chicken coop. If the get too expensive or cannot do the job they get replaced.
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Different roles - dogs have moved out of the barnyard and into the bedroom...

They have gone from farm hand to companion to surrogate child.
 
Thanks for the kind words. He has been a loyal friend, protector for my wife, and sibling for my child. He is still holding on well, but at every vet visit I wait for the bad news that it has returned. Here are some pictures from yesterday.
IMG_5899.webp
IMG_5922.webp
 
NorCalSam said:
Wife of Nor Cal Sam, Teresa, Registered Veterinary Technician.
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Thank you!

I think what people fail to realize is that becoming a DVM is just as difficult if not, statistically speaking, more difficult than becoming a MD. Granted DVM's do not have the typical clinical rounds after graduating that MD's do but it is statistically harder to get into a DVM program than it is a MD program because of the sheer number of applicants and the number of schools (there are only something like 36 Vet schools in the US).

I am not demeaning any health profession but people often do not realize that a DVM is a MD who instead of treating people, is responsible for the treatment of everything else, primarily (at least in my geographical location) including dogs, cats, cattle, horses -mules and donkeys, swine, reptiles, and birds.

Generally speaking the pay is not on par for DVMs, though I know a doctor who recently graduated (3 years out) who is making 90K working for another Veterinary clinic in a medium size city.

With pet insurance becoming more and more common I would expect to see Veterinary bills increase also. I have never been to the doctor when they haven’t billed my insurance company ~50 bucks (+ my copay) for just speaking with him; most Veterinarians do not even charge for office visits.

I also worked as a Veterinary and Pharmacy tech all the way through highschool and my undergraduate degree, I am applying in to Vet school in the fall (hopefully I can get in, we’ll see).
 
$2400 on a Rat????


Wow!!!
 
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