How Pets can Get You In Debt

cleopatra4485

Hi All

I have just come across a blog:

http://ivazone.com/blog/how-your-pet-can-cause-an-IVA

I think people who have money problems and are thinking about owning a pet, should read this.

People need to be aware that the purchasing of the animal and the food is the cheapest bit, its all the stuff after that cost.

People need to be more responsible when considering taking on a comitment for the next 10 years or more.

Cleo

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

Hi All

I have just come across a blog:

http://ivazone.com/blog/how-your-pet-can-cause-an-IVA

I think people who have money problems and are thinking about owning a pet, should read this.

People need to be aware that the purchasing of the animal and the food is the cheapest bit, its all the stuff after that cost.

People need to be more responsible when considering taking on a comitment for the next 10 years or more.

Cleo

I totally agree with this,I know you can get pet insurance but sometimes it just does'nt cover everything.I had a beautiful cat who had asthma.After the first year was up he had had so much treatment no one would cover him.We had him till he was nearly 16 and in that time it must of cost us in vets fees over 10k.
When he contracted cancer,I found out my other 16 year old cat had developed multiple lymphoma(another form of cancer).We tried to save them and in those eight weeks we spent 4k in tests and treatments.I would say it was all worth it and I would pay it over again if it had helped.We were lucky enough to be able to afford to pay.Goodness knows what we would have done otherwise.

pollyanna24

Hiya.

I haven't read the link, but got the gist of what it was about.

I've recently changed my pet insurance to the cheaper £7,000 per condition category rather than the £7,000 per year which we used to have. This isn't because I'm an evil person, but because of what happened with our last dog.

He got cancer (pretty much everywhere, but started in his stomach/spleen). In the end we spent £6,000 or more on him and it continued his life for about a year. We were so desperate at the time to keep him, but it was probably not very nice for him (although he had six months of being our old lovely dog again) and so stressful for us what with all the appointments and operations and finally choosing a day to say goodbye to him.

If ever we find ourselves in that kind of situation again with our current dog or our cat, I would have them put down. Not because I'm evil, but sometimes it's the best route and there's just too much heartache involved.

For anything else, I'm hoping £7,000 will be plenty.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

pollyana,sorry to hear about your dog.I know what you mean about the stress of the appointments ect. but I think at the time it is so instinctive to want to make your pet live that you don't care about the money.I'm sure you will agree you just want to try to give them that extra day,week whatever.
I know that my cats were both comfortable and in the end they both gave up and decided to go within hours of each other.My vet was brilliant and came and sat with them till the time was ready and at least I gave them a good death if nothing else.It broke my heart,I had had them all their lives,but I'd do it all again.I had'nt even thought about the money till now.

cleopatra4485

Well this is a subject close to my heart at the moment.

I got a kitten when she was 8 weeks old, she is now 7 months and has had never ending reacurrences of the cat flu virus since I got her.

She has a runny nose all the time, but I don't want to put her to sleep as she is a happy little thing. But the vets told me that she is the size of a 5 month old cat.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Well cleo,one of my cats mentioned above had the cat flu virus,we found him wandering as a tiny kitten of about 6 weeks with the flu.He developed the asthma later,and nothing to do with the flu.He grew to be a fine strong cat.He lived a long life.Most insurance companies will insure during the first year even with problems like this.
We have had lots of cats and one was never very big and she was 17 when she died with nothing ever ailing her, her whole life till she developed diabetes as an old lady.
My daughter has a 3 year old cat at the moment who is so small she looks like a kitten,yet her brother is full size.She is extremely healthy.
I would'nt worry about the size of your cat as long as the vet is'nt worried in relation to her health as regards her growth.Cats are like everything else they come in all sizes.

pollyanna24

I know, and I would probably do the same for the two animals I have. But it was just so heartbreaking. Me and my mum were constantly in tears and I couldn't go in the end to have him put down. My bf went with my mum as it was his dog too.

I think after over £6,000, there wasn't much more that could be done for him. The chemo he was on rotted away his bladder lining and he couldn't control himself and constantly wanted to go to the toilet. It was such a pitiful sight and we probably let him go on longer than we should have done, maybe for our own selfish reasons.

It was 2 years ago now, but I don't think I will ever forget it. Sad, sad times. I'm glad euthanasia exists for animals though. Sometimes I wish it was available for humans aswell, but I know that's going right off topic, so I'll stop now.