Comments on: The high cost of top-quality veterinary care http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/ The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:47:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Colorado Transplant http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266449 Colorado Transplant Fri, 16 May 2008 14:27:40 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266449 I am glad that the veterinarian schools are doing research. Not only am I glad that I have more choices in having my animals survive longer, what is learned at the vet school can be applied to human ailments as well sometimes. I am glad that the veterinarian schools are doing research.

Not only am I glad that I have more choices in having my animals survive longer, what is learned at the vet school can be applied to human ailments as well sometimes.

]]> By: lovinpets http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266446 lovinpets Fri, 16 May 2008 14:20:49 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266446 I bought Vetinsurance when my pets were all young. I'm Canadian as well, I agree with Caveat that understanding the high costs is difficult for most people, but compared to human medicine, it's a small fraction of the cost.Vetinsurance has covered everything I've claimed (over $3000), so I'm happy with the company and I'm also happy that I don't need to make decisions based on finances, only on the well-being of my pets. I bought Vetinsurance when my pets were all young. I’m Canadian as well, I agree with Caveat that understanding the high costs is difficult for most people, but compared to human medicine, it’s a small fraction of the cost.Vetinsurance has covered everything I’ve claimed (over $3000), so I’m happy with the company and I’m also happy that I don’t need to make decisions based on finances, only on the well-being of my pets.

]]> By: Shopgirl http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266431 Shopgirl Fri, 16 May 2008 13:29:44 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266431 This post reminds me of Christy Keith's article for the SF paper regarding her journey with her young dog who ultimately died of kidney failure after thousands of dollars of care... I am blessed that vet bills do not present a financial hardship for me and so far I have rolled the dice and made the right choices for me and my dog. I am grateful that there are choices. This post reminds me of Christy Keith’s article for the SF paper regarding her journey with her young dog who ultimately died of kidney failure after thousands of dollars of care… I am blessed that vet bills do not present a financial hardship for me and so far I have rolled the dice and made the right choices for me and my dog. I am grateful that there are choices.

]]> By: Caveat http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266308 Caveat Fri, 16 May 2008 02:17:19 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266308 There have been some tremendous advances in veterinary medicine. Today, some procedures are almost routine, where they would have been rarely available in the past. R&D costs money. I live in Canada where we have socialized medicine. People think healthcare is free - and it isn't. I like to point out to people who think $3,000 for a double cruciate repair is expensive that a simple knee replacement for a human costs around $15,000 and a coronary bypass is around $100,000. Veterinary medicine is much more reasonable than that - it's just that you have to actually pay for it (haven't tried any of the pet insurance schemes, so I don't know if they are good and what they cover). I fully agree with you about putting dogs and other pets through heroic and radical procedures. I'm against it. Unless it's something treatable with meds or snippable by a good surgeon, I refuse to drag my pets through extended, difficult medical procedures. I owe them more than that. Hell, I avoid doctors myself and usually check in every decade or so. My 'doctor' called me a couple of months ago to see if I was OK, hadn't seen her in 8 years LOL. I'm fine, by the way. My pets get frequent routine and necessary visits, only because they can't make those kinds of decisions for themselves. I never balk at the bills because I've been fortunate in having outstanding care for my little loved ones. There have been some tremendous advances in veterinary medicine. Today, some procedures are almost routine, where they would have been rarely available in the past. R&D costs money.

I live in Canada where we have socialized medicine. People think healthcare is free - and it isn’t. I like to point out to people who think $3,000 for a double cruciate repair is expensive that a simple knee replacement for a human costs around $15,000 and a coronary bypass is around $100,000. Veterinary medicine is much more reasonable than that - it’s just that you have to actually pay for it (haven’t tried any of the pet insurance schemes, so I don’t know if they are good and what they cover).

I fully agree with you about putting dogs and other pets through heroic and radical procedures. I’m against it. Unless it’s something treatable with meds or snippable by a good surgeon, I refuse to drag my pets through extended, difficult medical procedures. I owe them more than that.

Hell, I avoid doctors myself and usually check in every decade or so. My ‘doctor’ called me a couple of months ago to see if I was OK, hadn’t seen her in 8 years LOL. I’m fine, by the way. My pets get frequent routine and necessary visits, only because they can’t make those kinds of decisions for themselves. I never balk at the bills because I’ve been fortunate in having outstanding care for my little loved ones.

]]> By: slt http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266245 slt Fri, 16 May 2008 00:05:09 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266245 The good pain meds Vets prescribe now are the best benefit to me. And the fact that Vets DO prescribe pain meds now. Not so long ago, the attitude that I most encountered was that pets do not require pain meds. But having had multiple surgeries on pets w/out post op pain relief in the past and comparing it to the modern day recovery WITH pain meds, it sure seems to make a difference! The good pain meds Vets prescribe now are the best benefit to me. And the fact that Vets DO prescribe pain meds now. Not so long ago, the attitude that I most encountered was that pets do not require pain meds. But having had multiple surgeries on pets w/out post op pain relief in the past and comparing it to the modern day recovery WITH pain meds, it sure seems to make a difference!

]]> By: Carol V http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266203 Carol V Thu, 15 May 2008 22:43:40 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266203 Three weeks ago today we said goodbye to my Harry--2 1/2 y/o golden retriever. At age 16 months, when we discovered a very aggressive sarcoma, we decided that due to his young age we wanted to give him a change at a longer life so we chose to make the financial commitment and treat him aggressively which fortunately had little side effects. However when it returned in January of this year, we chose comfort measures as we knew that with such a very slim chance of remission, it was better to make his last days the best we could... and we did! Three weeks ago today we said goodbye to my Harry—2 1/2 y/o golden retriever. At age 16 months, when we discovered a very aggressive sarcoma, we decided that due to his young age we wanted to give him a change at a longer life so we chose to make the financial commitment and treat him aggressively which fortunately had little side effects. However when it returned in January of this year, we chose comfort measures as we knew that with such a very slim chance of remission, it was better to make his last days the best we could… and we did!

]]> By: ellipsisknits http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/15/the-high-cost-of-top-quality-veterinary-care/#comment-266118 ellipsisknits Thu, 15 May 2008 19:14:59 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2485#comment-266118 Hmm, to cite an example from the original article, I think a $6,000 (masterful) repair of a congenital heart defect is definetly in the pet's best interest. I'm assuming that sort of thing comes with a full recovery and probably quality of life better than any point pre-surgery. The question to me (and I wonder this most often in relation to shelters and rescue organizations, but it pertains to personal pets too) is what else could that $6,000 have been spent on? A better brand of food, A better trainer/groomer/dogsitter, a safer car, an apartment that lets you have a second foster, a house with a bigger yard, a week of vacation to actually spend with your animals? Everything is a trade-off, even if it does help the animal in the immediate sense. Hmm, to cite an example from the original article, I think a $6,000 (masterful) repair of a congenital heart defect is definetly in the pet’s best interest. I’m assuming that sort of thing comes with a full recovery and probably quality of life better than any point pre-surgery.

The question to me (and I wonder this most often in relation to shelters and rescue organizations, but it pertains to personal pets too) is what else could that $6,000 have been spent on? A better brand of food, A better trainer/groomer/dogsitter, a safer car, an apartment that lets you have a second foster, a house with a bigger yard, a week of vacation to actually spend with your animals?

Everything is a trade-off, even if it does help the animal in the immediate sense.

]]>