Photo of the late Brogan, and pet parent by Max Whitaker, courtesy of The New York Times
How much would you spend to save the life of your beloved dog, cat or other pet? Haven't thought about it lately? Well, we don't blame you-it's not an easy or fun topic to consider. But given the rapid advances in treatment for our four-legged companions, it may be a necessary one. There are now entire oncology hospitals with the latest cancer treatments, organ transplants, prosthetics...if you can name a treatment for human illnesses, it's likely also been developed to extend our pets lives.
This lengthy article from The New York Times Money Blog helps us consider the options when confronted with a pet's illness, no matter his or her age. One of the points that hit home for us (or at least for Parental Unit) is that the total cost kind of creeps up on you...$1000 here, a $2,500 surgery there. In her case, the surgeries for her last pooch, Carson, the incredibly ornery Wire Fox Terrier, totalled a whopping $11,000, But the various surgeries were spread out over nearly eight years, and each one made sense at the time (really they did!)
What about you? What would you pay to keep your pet alive-balanced of course with your personal finances and the estimated quality of life for your pet? Let us know!
How much would you spend to save the life of your beloved dog, cat or other pet? Haven't thought about it lately? Well, we don't blame you-it's not an easy or fun topic to consider. But given the rapid advances in treatment for our four-legged companions, it may be a necessary one. There are now entire oncology hospitals with the latest cancer treatments, organ transplants, prosthetics...if you can name a treatment for human illnesses, it's likely also been developed to extend our pets lives.
This lengthy article from The New York Times Money Blog helps us consider the options when confronted with a pet's illness, no matter his or her age. One of the points that hit home for us (or at least for Parental Unit) is that the total cost kind of creeps up on you...$1000 here, a $2,500 surgery there. In her case, the surgeries for her last pooch, Carson, the incredibly ornery Wire Fox Terrier, totalled a whopping $11,000, But the various surgeries were spread out over nearly eight years, and each one made sense at the time (really they did!)
What about you? What would you pay to keep your pet alive-balanced of course with your personal finances and the estimated quality of life for your pet? Let us know!
