help with vets bill

foreign_correspondent

but if the mother is not housebound and the building is accessible I am not sure this would apply? No harm in asking though.

nancmat

Why do these people have animals if they clearly cant afford to keep them healthy... do you clean your dogs teeth? Do they eat a good diet? Get you dog seen to if the vet advises and ask if you can pay in installments.

You can never prepare for pet costs, insurance helps but doesnt cover everything. We had to pay over £300 for our cat who was hit by a car last month and eventually had to be put to sleep, but I would have begged, or borrowed the money from family, as it was I made scarifices to pay for her, maybe you need to do the same.

It really frustrates me when people get animals and dont look into the costs of them.. you always need to think what if??

zaksmum

There's no way I'd ever consider having a dog if I couldn't afford insurance for him. Vet bills can be crippling and I'd hate to be in a position where my dog's health would be at risk purely because of lack of money.

Both my dogs are cross breeds but when it comes to vet treatment I can insist on the best available, and thank God I have the insurance.

And I would go without whatever was necessary to afford that insurance. It's not an option for a dog owner...it's vital.

MrsTinks

I'm sorry but whilst I can appreciate that it's inconvenient for you to bring your mother along to the PDSA then they have a set of rules and guidelines they have to follow. It's not their fault and to be honest it IS your responcibility to care for your dog, not theirs - they're are charity there to provide emergency care for animals for people on benefits to ensure the animals are not left suffering.
They have very restrictive funds and there has to be a cut off somewhere - the fact they were willing to see the dog at all I think has to go in their favour here...
If you can't afford to care for the dog then sadly it may be that the best option for her is to find a new home? I know that sounds harsh but having pets are a priviledge, not a right. And ultimately it's the pets welfare that has to come first...

UKTigerlily

OP your attitude disgusts me, rules are rules & they shouldn't have had to see the Dog at all as it's not owned by your Mum, it's good they did. I'm disabled but if I couldn't get my Dog to a Vet i'd not have one! I'm sorry but when you take on a Pet you register right away with a Vet's & get Insurance & plan for these things, in my case i'm not legally allowed to drive & have nobody to take me to a Vet & so it's meant opening an account with a £200 bond with the taxi firm (As I can't save money either) so I can always get there, plus i'm building up money on my account at the Vet's.
You should be saying thank god they agreed to see my Dog! I really hope the Dog is ok, when did the back problem start? You didn't mention that in the first post. Sorry but this makes me so mad!

Kimberley

Hang on a minute folks but the OP has rescued this dog please be a bit more sympathetic to them. To the Op have you had a word with the Greyhound trust who you rescued her from? They always help you and give advice and help throughout the Greyhounds life, they may have been able to help you financially or have their own vet who would have done it cheaper. We all come into financial difficulties throughout our lives.

Bubbles, I understand your view on stealing, borrowing or selling stuff to help your pets but that is not always practical to each persons situation and people come before animals. If it were between your dog and putting food on your table then i'm sure the dog will come second because after all if you are i'll through starvation then your no help to the dog. It is so easy to say this and have a go at the Op but you do not live with her and anybody could say well i'd steal or borrow to pay for vets treatment.

Frugalista

UKTigerlily wrote: »

OP your attitude disgusts me, rules are rules & they shouldn't have had to see the Dog at all as it's not owned by your Mum, it's good they did. I'm disabled but if I couldn't get my Dog to a Vet i'd not have one! I'm sorry but when you take on a Pet you register right away with a Vet's & get Insurance & plan for these things, in my case i'm not legally allowed to drive & have nobody to take me to a Vet & so it's meant opening an account with a £200 bond with the taxi firm (As I can't save money either) so I can always get there, plus i'm building up money on my account at the Vet's.
You should be saying thank god they agreed to see my Dog! I really hope the Dog is ok, when did the back problem start? You didn't mention that in the first post. Sorry but this makes me so mad!

And I find your attitude quite disgusting too :mad:. The OP has already stated that she has NO INCOME at present and is not on any benefits. We don't know if this was the case when she originally adopted the dog, or not.

She is obviously struggling with a disabled mother plus hospital visits, and has stated that she will try to raise money through her car (possibly her only transport?). To say she was worried about the £80 cost if the dog needed to be PTS is quite understandable under the circumstances. £80 is an absolute fortune when you have nothing. You could try showing a little empathy!!

You are very lucky that you have enough disposable income to afford the things you can for Chaya and your cats - behavioural therapy, pink coats, etc. And didn't your cat have her teeth done (plus one removed) in March at a cost of around £200? Plus a nice little pot at the taxi firm, and another at the vets.

You must have a really good job - what is it you do? How about a little bit of "there but for the grace of God"...

UKTigerlily

I don't work, I save everything I have & plan ahead, in the case of the Dog that was a good few years of planning & saving! So the Cat needed a tooth out, yes & was insured! If I was a student I wouldn't have the Pets as i'd be aware if I wasn't eligible for benefits. Still, it's not so much the not having planned for the Dog, but the attitude about the PDSA & the other Vet's taking the P!!! Vet's are there to help & aren't taking the ! when asking for £200 to do a Dog's teeth! It comes with pet ownership!

foreign_correspondent

I can see both sides of this to be honest - I can appreciate how hard it is to find money for vets bills, but the again, it is something you have to be prepared for when you take on a dog. However, you cannot always predict what lies around the corner in life.

I did not have a dog when I was a student, as I knew I could not afford one... if I had one it would have influenced my decision about what I did and how I lived.

When I had my next dog I did not insure, but knew I had enough set aside to pay for most eventualities... now my income is less certain and more sporadic, I take out insurance, though a relatively cheap policy that just covers the first £1000 - but if I had a vets bill of more than that I could still cover it.

I still keep some savings aside to pay for any extras - not because I have loads of disposable income, but because I work hard and choose to set a bit aside rather than go out, buy new clothes etc...however, if my income decreased substantially I would up my insurance policy - and it would come ahead of other 'non essential' monthly outgoings.. not that I have many!

If you have a dog that needs vetinary attention which you cannot afford, it is a bit of a lottery whether you live in a PDSA catchement area or not, and whether you meet the criteria or not, so many people are without this option anyway.

Although I didnt find the earlier post very clear, as I understand it, it appears that the OP has been lucky enough to get offered help from them, even though s/he does not strictly qualify, and it is proving to be a bit inconventient - I do then think it seems bit rich to then grumble and complain that it puts you out to get there and meet their conditions re: ID etc... particualrly that the PDSA 'should be ashamed of themselves' - their help is, after all, a gift, not an entitlement.

OP - have you decided against the PDSA now? does that mean you will have to find the funds from elsewhere? What about ngoing costs - if she has a bck problem this culd get very pricy, and I think you need to think about the long term possibilities and options here if you are not going to be availing yourself of the services offered by the PDSA

moomin5

I think i paid £160ish for my greyhounds dental with a couple of extractions so doesn't sound like your being ripped off by the vet. I'm sure not all insurance policys pay for dentals as they can be avoided, but i could be wrong.

It does sound like a bit of a faff with the PDSA, although you can get that customer service with so many places these days. So you can't take your mum in to get paperwork done and then go back in for an appointment later with just you and the dog?