How Much Would You Pay To Keep Rover Alive?

[Angio333]

The new issue of Smart Money Magazine has an article about the growing business of treating pets for diseases such as cancer.

One person in the article spent $20,000 on her dog! Yes, you read that right - $20,000! $14,000was spent treating him for cancer and $6,000 for treating another illness.

I love my cat, but I would not pay $14,000 to treat him for cancer. However, I would spend a decent amount of money to treat him for illnesses and injuries. Right now, I don't know what my limit is - but it is WAY less than what the lady in the article paid. I guess it would be around $1,500 - but I am only estimating. It may be a little more or less.

What about you? How much would you be willing to spend to treat your beloved cat or dog?

[krantcents]

The new issue of Smart Money Magazine has an article about the growing business of treating pets for diseases such as cancer.

One person in the article spent $20,000 on her dog! Yes, you read that right - $20,000! $14,000was spent treating him for cancer and $6,000 for treating another illness.

I love my cat, but I would not pay $14,000 to treat him for cancer. However, I would spend a decent amount of money to treat him for illnesses and injuries. Right now, I don't know what my limit is - but it is WAY less than what the lady in the article paid. I guess it would be around $1,500 - but I am only estimating. It may be a little more or less.

What about you? How much would you be willing to spend to treat your beloved cat or dog?

I don't know if I can say a dollar amount out of context. It depends on age, illness and if I can afford it. After all, a pet is like a family member.

[KTP]

The general rule of thumb of how much to pay is:

(2x original cost of dog) + (expected dog years left x 10)
- (number of dog poos in house x 100) - (times dog barks all night x 1000)

[DebbieL]

I have $30,000 health insurance on my dog so I won't have to worry about these issues. I truly love him like a family member. If he were very old, I don't know if I would want to put him through cancer treatments that would only give him an extra few months (and make him miserable). If he were 5 years old or something, it is a different matter. He is the best friend I could ask for.

[Ima saver]

I would spend any amount to keep my girls with me for as long as possible.

[jaystone]

I think this is one of those situations that you can't really answer until you've been in it. From my experience, it typically isn't presented as spend X dollars to save your pet. It usually starts out with a visit, some tests, maybe an overnight stay, more tests, medicine, more visits, etc. My wife and I had two dogs and one of them became ill a little over a year and a half ago. I am the type of person that cringes at the $30 bill for the groomer every six weeks, but when confronted with this situation I didn't bat an eye at spending about $2000 in a 4 week timespan for an illness that ended up being terminal. The negative prognosis is what stopped us from spending more.

[Redraidernurse]

We choose to not have any pets because I see them as an added expense and chore in our lives. I think I would bond with a "fluffy" and have a difficult time not spending money to save their life.

[disneysteve]

As a physician, I can't help but point out the human corollary when these discussions come up. People will have a sick animal put to sleep to avoid pain and suffering (and perhaps, expense) but when it comes to grandma, they always want the doctors to "do everything possible." For some reason, people consider quality of life and cost with their dog but not with their loved ones. I think, honestly, a big reason for that is that with the dog, the person is paying the costs out of pocket but with the person, insurance in footing the bill so people don't have the personal investment in the decision.

The only pets we have are fish, so cost is minimal and there isn't really the personal attachment. When one dies, we get another. Or in our case, our fish breed in the tank, so they replenish themselves. I've spent very little for "medical" care for our fish tank - perhaps $25 over the past 5 years.

As jaystone said, it is hard to answer this question until you are actually there, but I can't see myself ever spending thousands of dollars to keep an animal alive. I guess that is just one part of why we don't have any.

[GREENBACK]

As one who has spent thousands of hours and dollars breeding, training and caring for dogs this is one of the more difficult decisions to make. For my animals I often look at quality of life first. My dogs are sporting dogs that have their greatest joy when out swimming, running and pursuing things. When this becomes nearly impossible to do for them, it's time to look at the end of life issue. While I'd easily spend a few grand to keep a relatively young healthy animal going, I might not for an older animal that probably won't be around to do the things they love to do in a couple years.

I've learned to not look at it as a money issue as much as a quality of life issue. I know it's hard to put a dollar figure on it until moment of truth arrives. My high so far has been 4k for a dog that lived 6 more years and had two litters. The pups paid for the surgery. Not the way I intended for things to go but it worked out that way.

[cjscully]

This is definitely a tough call to make before you're in the position of having an animal needing that level of care. I love my dog. I don't think I could pre-determine a spending limit on her care or use a formula like the one posted by KTP. I guess I have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

[jpg7n16]

On a related note, as I don't have any pets... do they sell vet insurance? (not life insuarance on a pet, but like health insurance for your animal)

[Snodog]

$0 because I never would have bought Rover in the first place.

We are cat people.

Jazzy our 6 year old whom we call our cat-dog, acts just like a dog following us around from room to room and is genuinely interested in what we're doing.

She uses the litter box and doesn't slobber or bark.

Don't know how much I'de spend to keep her alive. A lot would depend on the prognosis.

[Mjenn]

This has been a question we've struggled with since we have 2 pets and love them to death. We decided to get them insured, and I am very grateful for it. Our cat, for example, suffers from extreme allergies - and needs shots on a regular basis - surprisingly enough, our insurance covers this cost with only a small deductible. It makes a big difference.

I could see the dilemma of putting an animal down because they had cancer - but I would hate to have to put an animal down because they suffered from allergies (she was terribly uncomfortable - itchy, sneezing and vomiting all the time) - and the cost would have been well into the thousands by now - 3 years after her diagnosis.

For me it would be about quality of life and length of life - if I knew the treatment would be painful and that it would only give another year, I don't think I would do it, irregardless of the cost.

[Slug]

When I read the title, I thought maybe NASA was taking donations to keep the Mars Rover exploration alive.

[jpg7n16]

Nerd hahah