Good morning.
Mayze wasn't very well so yesterday I rang the vet and made an appointment. You can book online but there is no guarantee that you will get an appointment for the same day, or with the vet of your choice. I think vet practices are following the same format as human doctors surgery's. I booked an emergency appointment which incurs an extra cost. I thought it was important that she be seen sooner rather than later.
After the consultation I left her there with the instruction that she has an ultrasound scan. Later in the day I received a phone call that I could go and collect her. Janet came with me, as my support backup. With my hearing not being too good I find it helpful that if I miss anything that the vet says, Janet will pick up on it and we can discuss what was said.
So here is the bill which I paid promptly. I made a guess about how much it might be, and I was almost spot on. No problem, it's accounted for in my budget. This last minute cost before the end of the month bumps my January expenses up to over £1,300.
One must budget over the long term when taking on a puppy or kitten. Soft and cuddly they might be, but if you add up the costs over the whole life of the animal, think twice whether you can afford it. Pet insurance is available, but you can guarantee that the monthly payments will become more expensive the older it becomes.
My first cat, Bugsy, was insured. I paid the monthly payments for 15 years, and never needed to claim. After that I have always put money aside, and will pay as and when a vet visit is needed.
I feel sad that the cost of visiting a vet has shot up so much it means that the rescues are going to be full to bursting, and animals will be abandoned. For some people, especially those who live alone, their pets are their best friends. A cat or a dog in the home is a comfort. It's a shame that people are denied that.
Mayze at this moment in time is sitting on the back windowsill basking in the sunshine. She has eaten well overnight, and seems a whole lot better than she did a couple of days ago. They didn't find anything untoward on the scan, so maybe the two jabs will do the trick.
Enjoy your weekend. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. ilona
I hope lovely Mayze is on the mend and back to her normal self soon.
ReplyDeleteYou’re absolutely right pet ownership is a big responsibility and people need to budget accordingly. Pet insurance is expensive and it increases if you make a claim. I’ve always had it for my dogs but have only claimed when it’s been for something really expensive. I’ve never had more than two dogs and only have one now because of the expense.
I have four cats, and two are elderly. I am about to take Alfie to the vet as it looks like he may have kidney problems as he is drinking more. I don't insure as when I had horses and insured them, recurring problems are not covered.
ReplyDeleteWe had amazing success with a product called ‘Astro’s Oil’ with our Golden Retriever who had kidney failure. We got an extra 22 months after the vet gave up, and lost him aged 15 and a half. Developed by a Canadian doctor for his own cat (Astro). If interested, check out their Facebook for reviews. Hope this might help. H
DeleteOops, pressed send too soon. I hope that Mayze is better soon.
ReplyDeleteMayze has perked up a lot since the injections. She is eating well now. I am hopeful that she will last a bit longer.
DeleteYou are a great pet owner. Too many people enter into pet ownership without thinking about the associated cost. Many acquired pets during Covid and afterwards, have left them at shelters when realizing they were not prepared for the responsibility. Shelters are overloaded. Vets costs have been getting higher and higher. I know people who have spent thousands for surgeries and diagnostics. Pets become family members so having to surrender them is tragic for the pet and the owner. I have owned dogs all my adult life but now that I am retired I feel I no longer can take on the physical and financial responsibility. I could never surrender a pet.
ReplyDeleteOne should never take on a new pet, thinking they can give it away or abandon it once their circumstances change.
DeleteGet well soon Mayze.
ReplyDeleteWe have 5 pets. I took in 2 rabbits 9 years ago, not investigating properly as to their lifespan! They're brothers who are now almost 10. I had them both neutered on acquiring them, then annual vaccinations. Last summer one of them took a bit poorly. He spent the day in the vets but came home at night. Took him back the next day for a check (he was better), but they wanted to keep him in again. I foolishly agreed - no surgery, purely observation, feeding, rehydration . The bill was just over £800! This was one of the big vets! Our 17yr old inherited Jack Russell had a big op last year at my local vets - major surgery and 7 teeth out - yet his bill was only £500. I'll never use the big vets again!! My 13yr old cat has never needed a vet. My 3yr old lab has insurance which like you say is pretty cheap now at £24 a month, but with age I'm expecting his premium to soar. These will be our last pets.
Costs soon mount up once they realise that you have a bottomless purse. Mayze is a lot better. She is eating as I type.
DeleteYes, pets are expensive and you have to budget for them. However, I think vets charges seem excessive at times. When my daughter's hamster was poorly and the vet said it was kinder to let him go, they asked if she wanted it cremated and take the ashes home! Her answer was that there wouldn't be anything left! We buried him in the pets' 'graveyard' in our garden instead. She also received a condolences card from them which she could plant to grow wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteCremate a hamster, that's crazy. Best to have a ceremony at home and put some flowers on the grave.
DeleteSo glad Mayze is feeling better. Vets are the very same here in the US. We take our dog for annual check up they check her blood. They come back in the room do you want us to run a full blood panel? Yes $$$. Do you want six months or a year of her heart worm and flea med? One year, $$$. Because she has chronic bronchitis/asthma. Is it ok if we take an X-ray to check on lungs? Yes $$$ By the end we walk out at least $500.00 lighter in our pockets. But you want the best for them. 🩷
ReplyDeleteI think vets are all about running a business now. Yes they have overheads, but I think greed has kicked in.
DeleteLovely lady vets at our local surgery, but it went over to being a big chain several years ago, so you have to be careful with costs. We “self insure” ie put money aside. One thing though, as we have a dog: third party public liability insurance. If you own a dog and it bites someone (or their pet) or it causes an accident, you are potentially liable for £££. You might not think your dog ever would, but if they’re feeling ill or startled / afraid, they quickly revert to “animal”. We have annual membership of the charity Dogs Trust, which offers the benefit of third party cover. It also offers Vetfone advice 24/7 for 5p per minute. (I’ve never used either.) Search “Dogs Trust membership benefits” online for details. Ha! Just checked online myself and they’re not currently signing new people up to Companion Club, but worth checking in future, or searching for alternatives. Heather
ReplyDelete