A Clarifying Question

[BG and Gavin]

WARNING:  IF YOU ARE THE OBSESSIVE TYPE, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER!

 

Nearly a year ago now, we left Gavin overnight at a boarding kennel.  The owner asked me a question that day which continues to haunt me from time to time.  The question was this:

 

If there is some kind of freak accident and I an unable to get a hold of you or your designate, how much money will you authorize me to spend on your dog in an emergency? 

 

This was before DK so I really had no idea how much things costs so I said what I thought was an outrageous amount: “2,000 dollars.”  At the same time my DH said “500 dollars.”  After fighting with him for 10 minutes after we drove away that he could be so callous and cheap and think our dear puppy was only worth $500, I really started to consider the question.  About an hour into our trip I called the kennel and said “make it 5,000 dollars.”

 

Fast forward 6 months and we were off to the kennel again for a three-night stay.  DH dropped Gavin off with my instruction to “make it $10,000.”  Then I started thinking my car is worth more than that!  Is he worth more than my car?  Of course!  Is he worth more than my house?  Not really, because if I was homeless neither of us would have a place to live.  But I now tend to look at everything in between is he worth more than this or that? 

 

What would you have answered the kennel owner?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Ugh, I can't even bear to think about it.

[Adina P]

Is it even likely that an emergency event would be more than $5000? Just curious. I've always imagined anything more than that would be for new hips, chemo, etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I had a friend whose dog ate something made of soft plastic and needed surgery that ran $5000; and that was more than 10 years years ago, so it just might be more than that now.
But I think if a dog got hit by a car and had crushed or mangled limbs, it could certainly run more than $5000.

[Lesley, Wellington & Bingley]

I completely agree. Im sure we all get so preoccupied with medical advances and what 'could' be done - we forget to really think whether or not it 'should' be done.

Dogs really do live for the moment. If I had to put him through misery and make him suffer for any lenght of time I would deeply consider for who's sake I was treating him.

After seeing friends dogs go through Chemo and others struggle in vein with amputation I began to really wonder.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think the idea of a living will along the lines of what Jane was saying is a great idea. When Rex the poodle was ill, I paid for his x-rays, bone biopsy etc. I researched around for treatment of his kind of cancer and even spoke to a veterinary oncologist at a southern school who had some expertise in his kind of cancer. I think I would have had him treated if a treatment offering a possibility of a good life existed but there was none. Not only did he begin to eat very little, he was in pain despite the pain meds. I also lived in fear that the femur with the biggest tumor would fracture and I could not lift him if he needed to be carried. I would have spent some number of thousands of dollars but instead I had to make the very difficult decision, with my son his actual owner, to have him put to sleep. I would make a living will out for the doodles and I may just attempt to do so.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I ask DH this all of the time. I'm one of those awful people who always want to play the "what if" and "would you rather" game. (I know, real mature.) I just like contemplating things before they happen. He of course refuses to answer, he says he can't just come up with an amount. I don't think we would hesitate to get a 10,000 dollar loan if that is what was required. But I find it hard to believe if you get above a 10,000 dollar bill, that the dog would be able to recover enough that they would have a good quality of life. I think that amount of money probably means that your dog is going to go through a lot of suffering... even if they do survive.

Another thing I worry about. DH and I both work part time, and go to school part time. We don't have a house, and our car is worth like 2000 dollars. Would we even qualify for a 10,000 dollar loan? I have never tried to get a loan, so I don't know. Hmmm. I know for a fact my parents wouldn't help us out, so we'd be on our own. Hopefully we would be able to come up with the money if that happened. Pet insurance must be the answer!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hip dyplasia surgery in both hips can easily run over 10,000. So can spine surgery. And a life-saving amputation surgery with rehab is way up there. But all of these scenarios can still allow a dog to live many years with outstanding quality of life.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I definitely need to get pet insurance. I sincerely hope nothing like this ever happens but I don't want to be caught unprepared.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My greatest regret is that I don't have pet insurance. When I first got Jack, they didn't have the options they have now, and I was only worried about genetic issues. Now that there is a wider range of options, he's much older and has already been diagnosed with a genetic illness. Fortunately, I'm in a place in my life where I can take care of him regardless, but it sure would be less scary to know you have help if you need it.
Camilla, I really think you should look into it. Once a dog has been diagnosed with something, it's probably much harder and more expensive to get.

[shelly]

I'm with YOU Camilla! I keep saying "Pet Insurance, Pet Insurance"... I MUST get it too... so scary to even think about!!!

[Kyoko]

Yeah, I need to get another insurance... When Butter had bloat, it ended up costing something like $2,600, and I had to put it on my credit card, which took me awhile to pay it off. And I had VIP for Charlie when we first got her, but canceled it recently, because I felt like I was paying $45 per month for no reason.... I am going to look into another insurance and get the coverage!!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Camilla, please consider the insurance...especially in your current situation. The pinch of $200 (average I think) is just that but the thought of a huge Vet bill makes my skin crawl.