I recently ran across a NY Post article that hit pretty close to home. It was about a couple in New York with a French bulldog puppy that was having some problems and ended up racking up a huge vet bill — over $155,000! Our pets are part of our family and we do everything we can to keep them healthy. But that is one expensive puppy! There’s obviously financial considerations to account for when you get a dog, but is there a tipping point for putting a dog down? When do you decide that you just can’t afford the medical expenses? Or do you?
Our Decision
Before we had our Frenchie, we owned a sweet pug named Murphy. We loved him so much. He had such a great personality, he made us smile and laugh everyday.
Unfortunately, Murphy developed some health issues when he was 9. First he was diagnosed with diabetes and needed insulin shots twice a day. He also required a special hypoglycemic dog food. Several months later, we noticed a cloudy haze in one of Murphy’s eyes. Our vet referred to a specialist and they confirmed that he had cataracts. After discussing the different options, we decided for Murphy to have cataract surgery.
After the surgery there was obviously a lot of post-op care, such as medication, several different eyedrops, and months of follow up visits. Obviously none of this was cheap. Plus by this time, our very own itchy Frenchie was 5 years into his own issues. But, like most pet owners, we did everything we could for our dogs.
The eye surgery was a success and after a while, Murphy was back to his old self, except for the diabetes. However, after a few more months, his health started to decline. And by April of 2016, we had to make the devastating decision to put him down.
We were presented with the option for him to be hospitalized for a few days. They might have been able to extend his life a few more weeks, but this would have cost thousands and he seemed to be in pain most of the time. Even though it was one of the hardest decision we’ve ever made, it was the right one for Murphy.
It’s never an easy decision putting a dog down. So at what point do you decide the financial burden is too great? Or is there no limit for you? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.