muskrat89
New member
I'm normally not one to air my problems in public (or to anybody, for that matter). That being said, you guys seem a supportive bunch, in spite of your outward, uncouth appearances
You know, in the past, I have had hypothetical discussions with my friends about the amount of money people will spend on a dog, at the vet. I was raised in the country - and when I was growing up, you rarely took a dog to the vet to put it to sleep, even. We were more practical than that. I have said there's no way I would spend hundreds of dollars on vet bills, especially in my current situation, where we simply could not afford it. It's amazing how you can change your mind, when the situation changes from hypothetical, to actual. Here's our story -
We have a houseful of pets, including four dogs. One of the dogs is an old cocker/terrier mix, that my wife has had for 15 years or so. That ol girl is on her last legs. My wife had asked for a puppy for Christmas. I think, whether she would admit it or not, this was a replacement for the old one. She chose another cocker/terrier mix, a cute little black and white pup. I picked it up a week ago. Anyway, I've been sick for a week, and around 3 yesterday, I finished all my work - was going to bail out of work early, stop on the way home to get some medicine, and go to bed. As I was getting ready, my pager went off - and I had to phone home. My wife was frantic - the puppy had been injured. My wife uses an electric wheelchair, and the puppy had momentarily disappeared from her sight, and she had jammed it pretty hard against the wall, with her tire. So, off I went - home is about 45 minutes from work. When I arrived home, turns out she had asked a neighbor to take the pup to the vet. Off I go, to the vet's. The whole time I'm waiting at the vet's - I'm squirming at all the scenarios - if I have a choice, should I just have her put down, and tell my wife she didn't make it? No, I could never lie to her, even if it's a white lie.. What if she can be fixed, but it's going to be hundreds of dollars? I'm really hoping that it's clear cut, one way, or the other. Well, the vet comes out, he's taken x-rays, the dog is on oxygen, blah blah. He says he "thinks" she'll be OK, but really recommends that she spend 12-24 hours at the emergency vet clinic, for observation. So I pay my bill, call my wife, and away I go. I get her to the other place, and the vet checks her out, and after awhile comes out to talk to me. Says the damage is pretty extensive, and its not going to be a matter of "keeping her overnight, and sending her home". He doesn't recommend putting her to sleep at this point, cause he thinks she's got a chance. Just the overnight stay is going to be 500 bucks. He says even then, she may need days or weeks of care, even if it is at the other (cheaper) vet's, or at home. This is the exact conversation I was dreading, and thought I had dodged, at the first vet. I'm still of the mindset it's crazy to spend this much, but it's not really my dog. I call my wife again. She is absolutely beside herself, and I can't bring myself to talk her into anything, one way or the other. She decides to keep her overnight. I have to pay the vet upfront, of course, so I do that, and head home. Of course, I'm worried about the pup, very worried about my wife, and I'm just dismal that all of our Christmas money is gone. I wouldn't say we're poor, by any stretch; but - we're a single-income family, and check-to-check is a way of life. We had finagled together a little to spend on Christmas - a little for each other, and most for our daughter. That all just went to the vet. Around 9 that night, the vet calls and says Kiani is struggling, even with oxygen. He has one more thing she can try - xrays and some procedure to get air out of her chest. This time, I make my wife get everything directly from the Doctor. She tells him to go ahead and try. An hour later, he calls and says her condition is worsening, and recommends we put her to sleep. I give him the green light. To say my wife is depressed is an understatement. She, of course, blames herself. I hate to include finances with the loss of a pet, but I just keep asking myself if I should have done something different. I think if it would have been MY dog, the decision would have been easier. 20 years ago, I would've taken one look at that pup, I think, and headed for a bucket of water - maybe that's cruel, but the net result would have been the same.
I'm real curious as to what you guys/ladies would have done? Is there a limit to how much you'd spend? Would your thought process be different, if it was your spouse's pet?
This just SUCKED, all the way around...thanks for reading my whine
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-09-2003 10:35: Message edited by: muskrat89 ]</font>
We have a houseful of pets, including four dogs. One of the dogs is an old cocker/terrier mix, that my wife has had for 15 years or so. That ol girl is on her last legs. My wife had asked for a puppy for Christmas. I think, whether she would admit it or not, this was a replacement for the old one. She chose another cocker/terrier mix, a cute little black and white pup. I picked it up a week ago. Anyway, I've been sick for a week, and around 3 yesterday, I finished all my work - was going to bail out of work early, stop on the way home to get some medicine, and go to bed. As I was getting ready, my pager went off - and I had to phone home. My wife was frantic - the puppy had been injured. My wife uses an electric wheelchair, and the puppy had momentarily disappeared from her sight, and she had jammed it pretty hard against the wall, with her tire. So, off I went - home is about 45 minutes from work. When I arrived home, turns out she had asked a neighbor to take the pup to the vet. Off I go, to the vet's. The whole time I'm waiting at the vet's - I'm squirming at all the scenarios - if I have a choice, should I just have her put down, and tell my wife she didn't make it? No, I could never lie to her, even if it's a white lie.. What if she can be fixed, but it's going to be hundreds of dollars? I'm really hoping that it's clear cut, one way, or the other. Well, the vet comes out, he's taken x-rays, the dog is on oxygen, blah blah. He says he "thinks" she'll be OK, but really recommends that she spend 12-24 hours at the emergency vet clinic, for observation. So I pay my bill, call my wife, and away I go. I get her to the other place, and the vet checks her out, and after awhile comes out to talk to me. Says the damage is pretty extensive, and its not going to be a matter of "keeping her overnight, and sending her home". He doesn't recommend putting her to sleep at this point, cause he thinks she's got a chance. Just the overnight stay is going to be 500 bucks. He says even then, she may need days or weeks of care, even if it is at the other (cheaper) vet's, or at home. This is the exact conversation I was dreading, and thought I had dodged, at the first vet. I'm still of the mindset it's crazy to spend this much, but it's not really my dog. I call my wife again. She is absolutely beside herself, and I can't bring myself to talk her into anything, one way or the other. She decides to keep her overnight. I have to pay the vet upfront, of course, so I do that, and head home. Of course, I'm worried about the pup, very worried about my wife, and I'm just dismal that all of our Christmas money is gone. I wouldn't say we're poor, by any stretch; but - we're a single-income family, and check-to-check is a way of life. We had finagled together a little to spend on Christmas - a little for each other, and most for our daughter. That all just went to the vet. Around 9 that night, the vet calls and says Kiani is struggling, even with oxygen. He has one more thing she can try - xrays and some procedure to get air out of her chest. This time, I make my wife get everything directly from the Doctor. She tells him to go ahead and try. An hour later, he calls and says her condition is worsening, and recommends we put her to sleep. I give him the green light. To say my wife is depressed is an understatement. She, of course, blames herself. I hate to include finances with the loss of a pet, but I just keep asking myself if I should have done something different. I think if it would have been MY dog, the decision would have been easier. 20 years ago, I would've taken one look at that pup, I think, and headed for a bucket of water - maybe that's cruel, but the net result would have been the same.
I'm real curious as to what you guys/ladies would have done? Is there a limit to how much you'd spend? Would your thought process be different, if it was your spouse's pet?
This just SUCKED, all the way around...thanks for reading my whine
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-09-2003 10:35: Message edited by: muskrat89 ]</font>
