Discussions

My dog needs knee surgery and I was quoted 1,950.00 plus costs of initial visit and x-rays. I was trying to hold off as I cannot afford that, but he's beginning to limp. I don't understand why vet costs are so high, how do others afford these costs?

I keep saying I am going to get another account and put money away every pay day to strictly "the pet fund". Mind u I still haven't. If I were u right now I would probably go to the bank and see if they can give u a line of credit.

Timetowakeup said "My cousin had his dog done last year and had to be done in Winnipeg was close to $5000 by the time it was all done. For his dog we gave him Motrin based on weight till we could get him to his appointment and the vet had to reschedule as it cured the limp so well while he was on it vet couldn't diagnose properly. You could try that to give him relief till your in a better position. "

DO NOT self medicate your dog!!! I suggest you talk to your vet and see if they can do some kind of payment plan, go to the bank and get a loan, start a gofundme page. Talk to friends and family and see if they can help. Or get some PROFESSIONAL advice from a VET about anything that can be done in the mean time to help relive your dogs pain/make him/her more comfortable until you can afford to have the surgery done.  
 
I would also suggest, in future looking into pet insurance. premiums can be as low as $10 a month and cover regular check ups and emergency surgery. Your vet should have some information on that too.  
 
Good luck and I hope your dog gets the help he/she needs  
 
Again please DO NOT give your dog human medication without consulting your vet first.

"timetowakeup" said:  
 
"For his dog we gave him Motrin based on weight till we could get him to his appointment"  
 
As per this link;  
 
https://www.drugs.com/slideshow/giving-human-medicine-to-pets-1076  
 
the second paragraph reads....  
 
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pets are available and are often used for arthritis. Human nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are felt to be too toxic for safe use in pets at any dose.  
 
Mortrin is a mix of ibuprofen and naproxen so it is actually one of the worst things you can give to your dog.

Yes ask them if they can do a payment plan, and if they cant maybe as at another place. Also a fundraising page could be an idea. Or maybe you could hold some sort of auction or other fundraiser to raise funds? I hope you can find a solution.

We have insurance for our cats now... however we did not when one of our cats got sick. 2000$ later it was a good idea to get insurance lol!  
Now if only there was insurance for rabbits.  
 
Some of the ways i have come up with emergency vet care were  
Have a yard sale  
Do odd jobs  
Start a go fund me page  
Make a wish on ebrandon  
Survey sites  
Deliver papers  
If you have a car you could offer rides or do errends  
Sell stuff on ebrandon  
Have a fundraising bbq for friends and charge so much per plate  
Have an indian taco sale  
 
Hope some of these help.

Glucosamine it's a natural supplement that is helpful to joint health. You can buy them at any pharmacy type place as the doses are higher and more helpful. It worked very well with my dog who had a deformed bone. That price is very low, but that doesn't i:nclude the travel time. Try a go fund me account. People can be helpful.

Motrin is not a mix of Ibuprofen and Naproxen....Motrin a trade name for the generic Ibuprofen. Naproxen is a totally different drug....Naproxen is the generic name and it is often called by its trade name Aleve. Both are NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Should not be given within 12 hours of each other. Both drugs have a narrow margin of safety and should not be given to dogs without consulting a veterinarian.

RainaRo said "Glucosamine it's a natural supplement that is helpful to joint health. You can buy them at any pharmacy type place as the doses are higher and more helpful. It worked very well with my dog who had a deformed bone. That price is very low, but that doesn't i:nclude the travel time. Try a go fund me account. People can be helpful. "

As it is fairly harmless and can give some relief. But don't waste your money buying the pricey powder from the vet - just buy human glucosomine capsules. You just open the capsules and sprinkle the powder on their food. I have been doing this for my elderly cat for years and he is far more mobile than he was five years ago and he is sixteen years old.  
 
As for price, the only thing you can do is call around. You will get the vets' offices quoting "but we follow a provincial billing guide" to explain their high costs. (Similar to what dentists have)  
 
But I am beginning to question that because I see there are more and more mobile vets and country vets that are becoming more popular and they quite often have less costly services. Now, the answer to that is less overhead, but I am not sure how on one hand they can claim they follow vets pricing laws but can tack on overhead fees.  
 
Call around I guess.

Ask your vet for something for pain until you can get the surgery done.  
Mine usually prescribes Metacam which costs less than $10 for a 10-day supply. (that will probably vary depending on size of dog).  
Agree with other posters - do not use people remedies.  
Good luck, hope all goes well. Have often said I'd mortgage the house if I needed money for the furry ones.

I thought I read on Mortrins website it was a mix of Ibuprofen and naproxen. I was mistaken. I guess there is Motrin (ibuprofen) and Motrimax (naproxen) Either way both are considered toxic to animals. My point is still valid.

I had friend that went to Virden substantially cheaper. Also Glenboro has a good vet.  
Good luck

When our dog broke his leg in 2 places we couldn't afford the $5000 vet bill but our vet told us about a line of credit we could get. The amount you get stays at the clinic and they charge to that every visit. It will take us a year to pay off but it's better than paying all up front.

Vets are expensive because they are doctors.. They go to school a mininum 8 years to be able to effectively diagnose and treat animals. They deserve every penny they make. Though alot of that cost will be going to other expenses - not just the vets pay cheque.  
 
Get pet insurance, it will save you in times like this!  
 
Ask about a payment plan, or get a loan from the bank.  
 
Sorry you're in the tough situation that you are in. Definitely not fun or easy.