At a Loss: managing the cost of an old dog

[Java]

That's a really tough spot to be in. Choosing between treatments & testing is so difficult when you love your dogs. I've seen my two previous dogs through their senior years - one with insurance, one without. Between the two, neither option came out ahead. So all things being equal, I decided to get coverage for my current dog (now nine). The monthly payments for a senior, large dog are significant & will likely jump when he turns 10. In this case though, the decision paid off because he was diagnosed with oral melanoma (with the best possible outcome). Without insurance, I definitely would've made different decisions. I know what you mean about ongoing management though. My previous dog needed more and more supplements & different types of meds each month to maintain her health. I came pretty close to drawing the line to any more but lost her to something else. I'm so sorry you're being pushed financially. The most important thing is you're there for your dogs and doing the best you can. That's all a person can do really.

[3ChocMom]

I hear you. Brandy is 11 now and ever since I lost my first lab Luke 4 years ago, at the young age of 7, I have been doing anything and everything I can to make sure she stays mobile and healthy as long as possible. I just couldn't bear the possibility of losing her too soon, but that has meant spending a lot of money over the last 4 years. Some of it is necessary, some just for my own peace of mind. I do have pet insurance, and that covers some of it, but it certainly doesn't cover "routine" things like the bloodwork every 6 months (she is not on any medications that dictate this, I do it because Luke died of liver failure and I will never make the mistake of not doing regular bloodwork again). I pay $160 for that, but it includes a full blood panel, urinalysis and heartworm test. Insurance also does not cover her bi-weekly hydrotherapy sessions because they are related to her HD, which was pre-existing. That's $90 per month by itself.

She also has allergies, which were late onset and started when she was 7. She goes every 6 weeks for treatment, plus she's on a ridiculous number of supplements to modulate her immune system and control her symptoms. That is covered by insurance, but I still pay a deductible every year, plus a 20% co-insurance, which adds up. She has terrible teeth and no matter what I do, which includes brushing them every single night, her periodontal disease keeps coming back. It makes her breath smell like a toilet and I have no choice but to have dentals done. Last year, she needed 6 teeth extracted, plus the roots of 4 teeth that were left in when my regular vet pulled them 3 years ago. I took her to a veterinary dentist for that, which cost $1700. And now her breath is terrible again, so she needs to go back soon. I'm just hoping she won't need any more teeth pulled this time. Her dentals have been covered by the insurance so far because she needed teeth pulled, but I don't think it will be covered if they just need to be cleaned.

So I do understand. I wish I could give you some pointers on how to save on all this stuff, but I haven't figured it out either.

[ZZSW7Y]

We have to remember that Vets are there to make money just like we are, but some are there to make more and more money from those willing to spend the money. I sometimes cringe when i hear people spending thousands and thousands of dollars on allergy shots and teeth cleanings and etc; not to mention cancer treatments. If I had listened to the board certified dermatologis over 10 years ago Aowyn would still be getting weekly baths with expensive shampoos, daily allergy shots because she was allergic to everything under the sun. that lasted 9 months and i did my own research and she hasn't had an allergy shot in 10 years and hasn't had a staph infection due to allergies.

One of the weakness' that Vets have is nutrition and you will see most carry Science Diet for their 'medical" blends. The food is garbage.....i solved Aowyns allergies and other issues through good food and continue to look at other alternatives than what the vet recommends. For teeth, I give Aowyn either a femur bone from the butcher, or i get her an elk antler......the vet always comments how good her teeth and gums look. Never had a vet do teeth cleaning.

Not saying Vets aren't needed but remember we are in charge of our pets health and there are methods that Vets don't embrace because they aren't taught that in school. Its not always there fault but I find that our role as their guardian is to give them the love and quality of life they deserve.

[3ChocMom]

We have to remember that Vets are there to make money just like we are, but some are there to make more and more money from those willing to spend the money. I sometimes cringe when i hear people spending thousands and thousands of dollars on allergy shots and teeth cleanings and etc; not to mention cancer treatments. If I had listened to the board certified dermatologis over 10 years ago Aowyn would still be getting weekly baths with expensive shampoos, daily allergy shots because she was allergic to everything under the sun. that lasted 9 months and i did my own research and she hasn't had an allergy shot in 10 years and hasn't had a staph infection due to allergies.

One of the weakness' that Vets have is nutrition and you will see most carry Science Diet for their 'medical" blends. The food is garbage.....i solved Aowyns allergies and other issues through good food and continue to look at other alternatives than what the vet recommends. For teeth, I give Aowyn either a femur bone from the butcher, or i get her an elk antler......the vet always comments how good her teeth and gums look. Never had a vet do teeth cleaning.

Not saying Vets aren't needed but remember we are in charge of our pets health and there are methods that Vets don't embrace because they aren't taught that in school. Its not always there fault but I find that our role as their guardian is to give them the love and quality of life they deserve.

I understand what you're saying, but it's not that black and white and every dog is different. My dog does not get allergy shots, that is not the treatment I was referring to. She goes to a holistic vet and is treated with herbs and homeopaths. She went from having horrible hive breakouts every couple of months to not having had one at all in almost 2 years. My dog chews on bones all the time. Her teeth are still bad. That is sometimes just genetics and giving a raw bone every once in awhile isn't the answer for every dog. You can't let periodontal disease go, you just can't. It will eventually start to affect overall health, it can even damage organs like the heart. I went to a veterinary dentist because my regular vet does not have the equipment necessary to do dental radiographs, which are needed to accurately assess the health of the mouth. Also, he uses a lighter method of anesthesia, which is much easier on the animal. When Brandy came home from her dental with my regular vet 3 years ago, she had complications the next day due to the anesthesia (a gas bubble formed in her belly, we think, causing her a lot of discomfort and giving the appearance that she couldn't walk with her back end). It also took her almost 3 days to get back to normal. When she came home last year from the doggie dentist, I was able to pick her up an hour after they woke her up and she was completely back to normal by the evening. My dog doesn't eat kibble, she has been eating a home cooked diet for about 4 years now.

So like I said, I get what you're saying and I'm all for alternative treatment methods. But sometimes, good old Western medicine is still best.

[ZZSW7Y]

I understand what you're saying, but it's not that black and white and every dog is different. My dog does not get allergy shots, that is not the treatment I was referring to. She goes to a holistic vet and is treated with herbs and homeopaths. She went from having horrible hive breakouts every couple of months to not having had one at all in almost 2 years. My dog chews on bones all the time. Her teeth are still bad. That is sometimes just genetics and giving a raw bone every once in awhile isn't the answer for every dog. You can't let periodontal disease go, you just can't. It will eventually start to affect overall health, it can even damage organs like the heart. I went to a veterinary dentist because my regular vet does not have the equipment necessary to do dental radiographs, which are needed to accurately assess the health of the mouth. Also, he uses a lighter method of anesthesia, which is much easier on the animal. When Brandy came home from her dental with my regular vet 3 years ago, she had complications the next day due to the anesthesia (a gas bubble formed in her belly, we think, causing her a lot of discomfort and giving the appearance that she couldn't walk with her back end). It also took her almost 3 days to get back to normal. When she came home last year from the doggie dentist, I was able to pick her up an hour after they woke her up and she was completely back to normal by the evening. My dog doesn't eat kibble, she has been eating a home cooked diet for about 4 years now.

So like I said, I get what you're saying and I'm all for alternative treatment methods. But sometimes, good old Western medicine is still best.

I agree with you not all situations are the same. I research both options as I pray I am making the right descsion based on comfort and cost. I have to admit I spent more money on vet bills in the last six months than I have in doctor bills for the kids.