Originally Posted By SpokkerJones As the recession lingers on, more articles about economic euthanasia are springing up. <a href="http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/2009/03/26/economic-euthanasia-tough-choices-in-a-tough-economy.htm" target="_blank">http://vetmedicine.about.com/b...nomy.htm</a> This is when cost is the primary concern when deciding to put your pet to sleep, whether the condition is treatable or not. However, economic euthanasia is nothing new. Even in good times, pets are put to sleep when the financial, emotional and physical cost of treatment reaches a breaking point for an individual or family. My girlfriend is no stranger to this concept. Her childhood cat suffered a broken leg. The cost of treatment was $1,000. Because the father was a disabled veteran on a fixed income, the cat was put to sleep. Today, she makes twice as much as her entire family lived off of in those days, but our own vet bills are trending toward a very painful breaking point. Our two cats developed separate eye problems within two weeks of each other. The first cat cost about $500 to treat. The second cat has cost just over $4,800 to date. The first cat recovered very quickly. The second cat is experiencing complications from surgery, which may require more surgeries to come. If our worst fears come to fruition, the total vet bill for the second cat will balloon to $10,000. We will find out more at a re-check exam in the morning. It can be difficult to determine whether this would ruin us financially. What I do know is that spending this amount would leave no room for error or risk in the future. The recession adds an element of uncertainty. She could be laid off. There is a very real possibility that I will not be able to find a good job after I finish grad school. I've already made my decision and I am not looking to be swayed one way or another. What I am curious about is your breaking point. It is a much easier decision to put a cat to sleep when the prognosis is poor (such as spending thousands to prolong life for a week). What do you do when you simply cannot afford treatment?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder My wife and I have faced similar decisions recently. We got a beagle from the shelter four years ago and he's easily cost us $10K since then. Just two weeks ago we dropped $236 on him. In the last year, my cat has developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The initial treatment was around $5K and he's up to around $8K or so but finally might be getting beter. We (and the animals) are lucky. We're a dual income no kids couple who make a nice living. For those who can't afford, the vet refers you to: <a href="http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/" target="_blank">http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/</a> and if they don't approve, in our many visits to the vet we've seen they sure don't treat anyone for free. It's very tough for those who can't afford it.
Originally Posted By fkurucz The structural changes the economy is undergoing will have a permament effect on many decisions we make. It will also have an effect on how corporations market their products to a middle class with increasingly shallow pockets.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones While it was probably not your intention, I feel that pushing CareCredit is a bit condescending. We have already exhausted our emergency savings fund on the pet. As of today, our savings is zero. Obtaining credit is not a problem. We *could* get all the credit we needed if we tried. I am carrying a zero balance on my credit card and have been for a few years. I could put $10,000 on it today. I'm probably eligible for a higher line of credit if I just call up and ask. The question is, is that a responsible thing to do?
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "The structural changes the economy is undergoing will have a permament effect on many decisions we make." This is how I feel as well. Based on what I am seeing in the news and in my own education, I am realizing that what we are experiencing right now might be the new normal. My generation especially might be the first to make less money than the previous generation. Even with a bachelor's degree (and working toward a master's), I do not carry much optimism about the future right now. Before I was accepted to grad school, I could not even get an interview. Many of the jobs I applied to ended up being scams with obvious red flags. With all of this in mind, I have to resist caving into the kinds of emotions that lead people to spend tens of thousands of dollars on veterinary treatments. I have to prepare what's left of my family for the future.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "While it was probably not your intention, I feel that pushing CareCredit is a bit condescending. We have already exhausted our emergency savings fund on the pet. As of today, our savings is zero. Obtaining credit is not a problem. We *could* get all the credit we needed if we tried. I am carrying a zero balance on my credit card and have been for a few years. I could put $10,000 on it today. I'm probably eligible for a higher line of credit if I just call up and ask. The question is, is that a responsible thing to do?" Condescending? Then I'm not sure why you even started this thread, especially since you can get all the credit you would need and don't want to be swayed since you've made up your mind. Moreover, maybe, just maybe, someone else could use the info.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Moreover, maybe, just maybe, someone else could use the info." Don't worry, vulnerable and emotional pet owners will know about CareCredit when it is pushed on them by the vet technician when they are going over the estimate.
Originally Posted By leemac How spooky. I've just finished an article about Commerce Bank founder Vernon Hill. He is looking to launch Petplan USA - a pet insurance scheme that we have in the UK.I never realized that pet insurance wasn't the norm in the US. Virtually every insurer in the UK offers pet insurance. My 18 month old golden retriever costs me about $30 per month in insurance and that will cover just about everything except his shots. Procedures are paid for up to $10k per illness (and the only treatment that would typically bust that is ongoing chemotherapy). My parents have two dogs - one is a 7 year old Bernese Mountain Dog and his insurance runs about $120 per month now. I wouldn't even contemplate getting a pet in the UK without insurance.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "those folks are not worried about the economy ." During the Great Depression there were folks who were unconcerned about the economy too.
Originally Posted By Terminus It's a MUCH different situation for me, not ever being emotionally attached to a cat. I guess $500? I'd think about it. $1000... Just get a new cat...
Originally Posted By disneydad109 those must be some really great dogs and cats. Can they do tricks or something?
Originally Posted By mawnck >>did they spent all that money on dogs and cats too ?<< During the depression? They ATE the dogs and cats. >
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones An interesting development has occurred in our case. Apparently our cat has become a medical curiosity and her latest treatment, which would have otherwise cost $2,171, was performed at no cost to us. This eye clinic receives grants to perform research, which is conducted by their resident vets. Whatever this cat has is not responding to her two previous surgeries and treatments, and the doctors want to know why. It is possible that she may become a case study in some veterinary journal. I wonder if her experience will help other cats and their owners beat whatever this is. "I wouldn't even contemplate getting a pet in the UK without insurance." It's not surprising that another nation is better at the US in yet another category. We looked at insurance plans in the US and it turns out that we did the right thing by not investing in one. The plan would have stopped paying out already for this particular problem and the premiums and deductible would have eaten up any savings anyway. Consumer Reports is very much down on Pet Insurance in the United States. There is also strong evidence that this is a pre-existing condition, feline herpes virus, which she probably acquired when she was born. Like I said, her litter mates were found dead and she developed very bad herpes symptoms as a kitten. Six years later, she appears to have flared up again and it's bad one, a really really bad one. I wouldn't be surprised if our claim were denied anyway.
Originally Posted By Terminus There's a joke here... It just seems like it would be inappropriate under the circumstances. I'm sorry to hear your cat is suffering, though, but it is nice that you saved the $2,171.
