Can you afford a pet?

We have never lived without an animal of some sort, but if we are lucky enough to outlive our dog we have said that he is the last. Not sure how we would survive without an animal but survive we must as couldn't bear to leave an orphan!

With 2 elderly dogs(15) and a horse I dread any vet's bill. Luckily my dogs have been healthy and rarely need the vet but my last vet bill for my horse was over £2000.
I dare not work out the cost of my animals but I'm sure it's worth it.....the thought of not having them horrifies me...what would I do with all my time?
At 64 with a 12 year old horse I know the time will come when I can no longer cope and as horses can live to 40 I will need to make provision for him. Along with selling the house that's too big I procrastinate...a case of head in the sand..

My only pet, Wiggy the Cockatiel, costs very little to keep. Her supplies of seed and millet work out at about £2 per month! However, when she was ill and needed an antibiotic injection it cost £38. But she is worth it as she is truly lovely company. She is sitting on the arm of my chair as I type this.

Our elderly rescue cat has had some sort of eye problem for the last year and it has cost us a fortune. A series of conservative treatments took us up to the year after which the insurance company will not pay out anymore for the condition. Now the vet thinks it is the eyelid turning in but wants her to go to a specialist 100 miles away and have a scan, cost approximately £800 with the likely outcome an operation by a veterinary ophthalmologist. It is unbelievable where this has all gone and vets and the insurance industry are just working hand in hand, it's costing us all such a lot of money.

Our rescue dog died last year after a stroke. She had been having back trouble and the story was pretty much like the cat with a visit to a fancy vet in Swindon who charged £1000 for x Rays and scans.

It's even difficult these days to get them to put down your animal - if you won't go with these expensive treatments you are seen as somehow uncaring. I've had animals all my life but when our present cat goes that will sadly be it.

Yes, vets bill's can be astronomical! Our old girl cost us a fortune during the last 18 months of her life, not that we resented a penny of it, but this time we are definitely getting some cover for our new little girl as you never know what's round the corner.

Legislation now says vets cannot dispense flea stuff without seeing the animal, so a consultation fee as well for a perfectly healthy cat or dog. The flea product covers umpteen parasites our pets don't need and is supposed to be used every 4 weeks.
Pet insurance is a must unless you're very well off. My little dog spent 24 hours at the vet hospital last year and died. The fee was £6000, almost all covered by her insurance. She was only three and her illness came out of the blue.

What we would like to do, when the time comes to have another dog (and that will be a rescue again, I just could not buy a dog personally, knowing so many need good homes)- is to find another person or couple with the same 'philosophy' about how to keep dogs (eg a dog must know he is a dog and not a human, no feeding from the table or sleeping in our bed, etc)- and to adopt 2 dogs that get on and undertake to look after each other's dog when going away, and in case of one of us not being able to keep the dog.

In the meantime- when Slinky does leave us- and may he live as long as he is happy as a little old blind diabetic elderly pooch- we plan to go on a 3 months tour or Australia, Tasmania and NZ, visiting places we've always wanted to go and lots of our friends and relatives. But only when...

We have just taken on a new puppy!! Our old spaniel died a year ago and we swore that we'd never have another, but the house seemed SO cold and empty so a new baby has joined us and she is a poppet!! However, we are aware that at 72 and 75, time is not on our side so before our baby came to us we made absolutely sure that our daughter was willing to give her a home if it becomes necessary. She is, her house is full of animals including ducks, so Cassie's future has been secured as much as ever it can be with our son adding extra back up if necessary.We have taken out insurance for her health, again, just in case!

I agree, nightowl Millie is seven and when her booster was due, two months ago, she had to have some teeth removed and a course of anti-biotics. The vet said she couldn't have her booster at the same time so postponed it for two months!! She has been in kennels during that time and when I explained why her record was not up to date they didn't bat an eyelid.

Surely there must come a time when a dog has enough immunity?

Immunisation is my biggest bugbear; I only take my cat for his booster every year because he has to go to the cattery when we go on holiday, and they demand it. There is absolutely no justification for annual boosters and many vets actually believe we are causing all sorts of problems by over-immunising pets. Again I'm sure this is driven by greed by the manufacturers.

My cat is 12, so he's had a full course as a kitten, then 11 boosters. Humans with a far longer lifespan don't have that many for the same diseases. When my last cat became old and frail, the vet recommended no more boosters. When I needed to leave him in the cattery the same vet wrote a letter confirming his immunity, without a blood test of any kind. The cattery owner remarked that that proved what nonsense annual boosters are.

Yes you are right about the abandoned animals, particularly cats. I suppose when times get hard, pets might be the first things to go.

On holidays to Italy we have seen cat 'hostels' where people have taken in abandoned cats and look after them. Not all of them were plain Moggies.

We were walking along the road in Spain, in a small town and a gentleman was opening tins and putting cat food into trays and then putting them through a wire fence round an abandoned building site.

We watched and gradually cats appeared from the building that they were living in. He obviously did this regularly. It was sad and lovely, at the same time. X

Expat Forums in France, Spain and elsewhere are full to the brim with people looking to re-home pets of every kind. There have been many instances too of people just leaving, and leaving behind all their pets, horses, donkeys, ducks, pigs and multiple cats and dogs. Gatsby was the youngest ever of our pets to die- all the others made it to 18+, so it is very much a long-term commitment. I so wish people would not ignore this when they commit to adopting or buying pets (:

If we do get another dog or cats on day, I shall make sure that we have adoptive homes in place and confirmed in our will with the finance to go with them- in case we peg it before they do. Anyone over the age of 60ish should make plans for their pets, in case.

Granjura, your story shows the real commitment that is involved with pet owning. It is a pity that it seems to have become an ' industry'.

Although we no longer have pets, family members do. One has relocated to Spain and had a van especially converted so that her 4 dogs would travel in air conditioned comfort! X

Our Rhodesian Ridgeback wasn't insured and when she was seven, the vet said she could feel a small lump in a mammary gland. I was quoted hundreds of pounds for surgery and treatment but decided to 'wait and see'. I then started saving up just in case!!

The vet didn't refer to it again and Nahla lived to 12 yrs old and only had to be put to sleep when arthritis got the better of her.

I would have gone ahead with the surgery if she'd been insured and it wouldn't have been necessary.

what a lovely story granjura apart from the sad day at the RSPCA of course. We only have our dog and cat vaccinated because of occasional cattery and kennel stays, if not for that we wouldn't do it, just have any problems dealt with, and of course worm and de-flea on a regular basis. These darned pet insurance policies never seem to pay out anyway, both our dog and our cat may have possible joint/arthritis problems in the future due to their repaired injuries, and the insurance wont pay out on existing conditions. Far better as someone said, to take a chance, then stick it on a credit card if you have an emergency. Most vets, like my lovely practice, will take stage payments if you cant pay it in one go. There is not a no claims bonus or discount with these policies, and you can end up, as a neighbour of my Mother, with a monthly fee of £200 for 2 dogs and two cats.......that would pay for a lot of emergency treatment.

J52- our Pepper was a black collie cross with a white bib and 3 white socks- found by our girls very hungry and limping badly- beginning of September- so I guess one of those poor dogs kicked out when owners wanted to go on hols. We took him to the vet to be checked out, nothing serious- and put ads in the local shop, local Post Office, local hairdressers and of course the vet. Nothing at all!

When we took him to the vet for his next check-up a week later we told him we were going to take him to the RSPCA afterwards as we could not keep him, as we both worked. He said, just hold him whilst I put him to sleep then. We were shocked- why we asked. Vet said he had had the most awful day of his career, putting all the dogs down at the Scudamore Road RSPCA, and they had distemper and that they had not been able to sort out the situation. They had taken the decision to put all the dogs to sleep so they could disinfect the premises properly and start again. He cried. We cried- and he told us 'this dog loves you, and you obviously love this dog- just get organised and make it work. He knelt by the girls, then about 7 and 9 and asked them 'will you take him for a walk before school and after school every day' 'yes of course Mik' they replied. NO NO he told them again, I don't mean next week, or the week after- I mean forever, as long as you live at home, and without arguing about it- your mum and dad have enough to do... I REALLY mean forever! Yes we will we promise, they of course replied. He got up and looked at us and said, any trouble from those 2 about walking the dog, and you just send them to me, ok. And they were true to their word, until they went to Uni.

I took him for massive walks through the Leics countryside, checking and recording all the local badger setts- and became know thus as 'the badger lady'. Priceless, absolutely priceless.

GillT57- a very good point you make, Private insurance, be it for humans or for pets- do too often lead to over diagnosis and over-treatment.

Touch wood all our pets have reached a very old age with very few problems. When our first and wonderful dog, Pepper, was found romaing the streets of East Leicester- was diagnosed with a tumour to one testicle, aged 19- the vet wanted to operate. Fortunately he was a friend and neighbour and we just looked at him and said, thanks Mik will take him home and love him to bits, and call you to come to our home when the time comes. And he agreed that was the best.

For me, the very best money you can spend on a dog is to call the vet to your home when the time comes- so the dog does not have to suffer the pain and stress of getting to the vet. My neighbour took her dog to the vet recently to be euthanazed- he hated the vet and got really stressed every time- but she said calling the vet was too expensive! She then spent over £200 for a private cremation and urn!!!

It has occurred to me that you hardly ever see loose dogs roaming around, as you did in the 50s and 60s. You had to have a dog licence and used to be dog catchers!

The dogs all seemed to be brownish mongrels with curled tails! x

Things changed when the old style James Herriott type vets all retired and the younger, trendier vets became the norm. Remember Trude Mostue of Vets in Practice fame? The insurance companies were quick to flog policies and the vets all thought, Kerrrrrchinggggg!!

When we were farming we only had the children's ponies insured. The dogs and cats hardly ever needed the vet because the vet wasn't constantly looking for problems. No compulsory health checks with their boosters in those days. You were sent a bill for any treatment which you were expected to settle within a month. I know vets sometimes had problems getting their money so I suppose you can't blame the new regime for having none of it.

If we ever have another dog (after the two we've got) I will do what DD2 does and stick any treatment on the credit card. You may have interest to pay if you spread it over a few months but you've probably already saved a lot of money on insurance costs.

Too late now. We're in the system and my beef is not with the insurance company because so far they've coughed up but vets are becoming greedy.

rubylady I watch all the episodes of Supervet and the work of Noel Fitzpatrick although he is a pioneer in his work I would guess most of his work with the animals are funded via Pet Insurance the average person would find his fee's very hard to find I think. (but he is amazing in his work)
We are fortunate to not have to worry about the cost of insurance for Poppy we have always paid it within our family budget for our animals,this past fortnight we have paid £55.00 for booster injection and kennel cough nasal drops for her as she is going into kennels for 6 days whilst we are away at end of the month.

We have not had pets for 30 years. ( child had allergies ) Before that we had two half Persian cats. They were not insured but did have their vaccinations and de fleaing. I cannot remember it being very costly at the time.

When I was a child we had a Siamese cat and a Chihuahua. Neither of them were insured or hardly ever needed the vet.

The Siamese was a rescue cat and the Chihuahua was not expensive, from friend's dog's litter.

I suspect the initial high cost of pets results in the need for expensive insurance and vets. They do give a lot of pleasure and comfort. x

If any of you are on benefits, the PDSA do a wonderful job. Plus there is a new practice in our town where you only pay for the medicine the pet receives and not the vet's fees. They believe that every pet deserves affordable care.

Talking of which though, has anyone seen Noel Fitzpatrick on tele? He is a marvel, a genuis with the animals he treats, a lovely man dedicated to his craft. I love watching him, my little doggie not so much as she doesn't like to see the animals on the operating tables.

I think you take a chance whichever way you do it. You might get off lightly and resent paying insurance for years but then you might have a young dog that needs expensive treatment and there's nothing to stop you cancelling the insurance once they've paid out.

You just have to cross your fingers that it doesn't happen again.

We think pet insurance is a rip off and choose not to have it. So far dog aged 6 has had o one major op costing £1300 and cat cost £1500 in 10 years for car accident and then for eye injury so we are probably quids in when you take into account excess on insurance and possible over treatment by vets when you are insured. I trust my vet completely to do the best for my pets and luckily we are in the position of being able to pay when these injuries have happened

It's no use putting the equivalent of a monthly insurance cost in a savings account unless you start it off with a lump sum of at least £1,000.

You can't tell when an animal is going to need treatment.