# What’s your limit at the vets?



## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

One of my dogs got banged up running in the woods on mothers day morning and as I was going to the vet I know I was going to get a good bill. The bill was actually less than I thought it would be and I knew he was going to be fine he just needed a bunch of stitches. But it got me thinking. What’s your limit on vet bills? What do you think is going over board? If your dog got banged up bad but after a ton of money effort and time should make a 90 percent recovery how much is too much before you say put him down? I got to admit I would have probably spent more than I would have said I would before this little incident happened. Especially since the dog was going to be fine. Now if you take into consideration the dog’s quality of life what do you consider not acceptable and would put him down? How much does the dog’s age affect things?


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I am probably good for 2-3k but not much more - at some point I have to say, am I keeping a dog alive for me or for it - it is not like dogs have stuff they have to get straight with their creator or that people depend on them. [well yes, I would justify things that would be economically viable to keep a working dog working]

When you start getting that high I wonder if it would not be better to help someone who needed human health care but could not afford it..........

Depends on the dogs age and prognosis too. I did spend 1K for rectal pull through surgery for a 7 year old GSD that bought him 4 years, but when he developed probable hemangiosarcoma at 11 I just made him comfortable and took him in when it was close to end it.


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## Meena Moitra (Jul 11, 2008)

It is hard to say.
Depends on cost od treatment relatie to my assets and if vet allows credit.
It depends on age and prognosis/quality of life. And it depends on alternatives.
If funds weren't a consideration, I would have to ask what is truly best for the dog. Not me. How do I best honor the integrity of dog's physical body. "Do no harm" may mean hands off... Just because a procedure is available doesn't mean I accept it as best for my dog. Sometimes I do.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Chris McDonald said:


> What’s your limit on vet bills? What do you think is going over board? Now if you take into consideration the dog’s quality of life what do you consider not acceptable and would put him down? How much does the dog’s age affect things?


I don't have any particular limit, per se. I judge a dog has a good quality of life if he can still actively participate in his normal life, still wants to play, eat, is interactive and engaged with me. A dog who no longer has a good quality of life and is ready to go tells you very plainly in his body language, his eyes, his withdrawal from life. 

I have no difficulty in deciding to spend my money on my dog rather than a person, and I do not see this as a moral dilemma in any way, whatsoever.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I've spent a small fortune (for me) to watch a few die. I'd probably do the same again if I had to/could do.
The down side of being retired though is I would probably be forced to make decisions based on my wallet today.
That would be hard!


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

It's comes down to a point of diminishing returns for me. Will I get the investment back. 

DFrost


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

$215 :grin:


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Lee H Sternberg said:


> $215 :grin:


They almost did not make the trip


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

my limit is when they start trying to sell me on IAMS, that's usually when I begin to boil over!


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

My insert image and other buttons dont work.. When I go to click on it nothing happens. I know you guys are trying to get rid of me. Even the yellow heads are on lockdown


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Chris McDonald said:


> My insert image and other buttons dont work.. When I go to click on it nothing happens. I know you guys are trying to get rid of me. Even the yellow heads are on lockdown


Reload the page. Log off and back on. Reset the browser.

No, we didn't do it.

Yet. :lol: :lol:


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Questions like this shouldn't be allowed then some of us wouldn't have to lie to protect the faint of heart. I will spend zero on "hope this work" procedures. The odds aren't good when they know something will work. Going to a vet is like going to McDonalds. The difference is McDonalds asks if you want fries with that burger. Vets have gotten so they just add whatever they feel because no one will say anything to them. The sad part is they do not learn not to do it the next time......they still pad it as much as they think they can. I lost a dog a couple of months back that was 14 1/2. He was at the vet when he was 1 1/2. He was the last dog I have that was ever inside of a vets office. Why did he live so long??? Guess! I have a twelve year old right now that is having a bad time with his back end. I always figued he would as we ran over his hips when he was six months old while we were hunting. I didn't take him to the vet. He was up and walking but his hindquarters would fall over on the ground if he moved fast. No blood in the stool or urine, stomach wasn't getting hard as I checked him pretty regularily. My diagnosis was a broken pelvic bone and I kept him in the house to keep him from running. He got over it and was a great dog and was always fast. Lastly I will not subsidize a group of so called professionals that push spay and neuter under false pretenses. They lay a guilt trip on everyone that has an intact dog.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

So if your dog was hit by a car and broke a leg, what would you do?


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

I would set it......like people used to.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Don Turnipseed said:


> I would set it......like people used to.



I would want an x-ray. I'd want to see the break(s). In fact, I'd want a whole lot of mod cons that I don't have in my house. :lol:


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

The same dog that we ran over was broadsided by a 220 lb sow at a full run. She folded that 75lb dog up like a paper towel. I put a 45/70 round in her but was high as the dog was in the way. He stayed with her and we killed her in the creekbed. I loaded the dogs and hog up and went home which was about a mile. Hunter couldn't get up to get out of the box. I took him out carefully and he spent the next two to three weeks on the mend from what I suspect were some fractured ribs..
You can believe this or not but, it is the good dogs that get hurt the most so you want to keep them away from the vet.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

for me it depends on the age, health, how much I like the dog and whether or not it will be the same afterwards.

I don't understand these people who drop $1000s on 14 yr old dog who are dying of cancer or something else. 

A few years ago we had a Rott that we raised from puppyhood, develop cancer at the age of 9 1/2. I didn't mind buying pills and what not to ease her pain. Then one day the cancer started eating away at one of her toes and it was in her jaw too. The vet and my wife wanted to remove the toe, and do surgery on the jaw and remove some teeth. I was going ballistic with this because it was going to cost over $3K and that's not acceptable for a dog that is going to die anyway. 

That's when I went out an bought my current male Rott, at the time I knew I wanted another Rott so I spent the extra money we had on a puppy. Now we didn't have enough to fix the dying dog. We ended up putting the dog to sleep about 2 months after I bought the pup.

To me that would have been $3000 that was wasted.

If one of my current dogs got hurt it would depend on the injury. I think a dog can recover from a mildly broken leg or rib or whatever but if it were worse, I won't be having any one eyes, three legged dogs in this house like I see some of those other knuckleheads doing.

If the dog came to task and helped prevent me or my wife from being raped or murdered etc , I would do just about anything I could if the dog got severely hurt. In that case the dog would have more than earned the right to be a pet and otherwise useless eater.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

I have to correct my statement Connie. I have had 4 dogs in the vets since the big guy. I had (on different occassions) two 6 week old pups in with dislocated shoulders and one 7 week old male with a broken leg. All from puppy fights. Relocated shoulds were $200 each and the leg was $300 something. Had Titan OFA's. By the way, Titan was the winner in the deal with the broken leg and he is still here.


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

For me it would depend on the dog, what needs to be done, and my finances. I can do quite a bit myself, mostly the emergency fix-up stuff. If it's anything more complicated than that, how much I'd spend depends on which dog, and what kind of a life they'll have afterwards. I am never spending money on any cosmetic stuff, like reconstructing a false eye for example. 

My one-time limit is probably $1000-2000, but it has never come to that yet. The most I've paid to date was about $350-400 for Cyko's exam and x-rays at the ortho specialist...


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

You boar hunters are in a league of you own.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Chris, when you use dogs for dangerous game, hog in particular, you learn a lot about patching them up. You have a whole kit in the field with you that has everything from sutures and staple guns to syringes and different medications. The first thing I learned is the resilience of the dogs. Another thing to remember, it isn't like I make my dog risk their lives, if they didn't like it they wouldn't do it. If I had one that was afraid of hogs, I would sell him becuase it would be pointless to hunt him. To some dogs, fighting a hog is like conquering Everest is to a few select people.


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## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

For me and taking dog's to the vet it's about being as informed as possible. I am fortunate to have very good K9 vets that know I'm not a 'lay down', as far as what they can do and not do with my dogs! Open dialogue is the key with any vet I use 

Thankfully my boys are pretty heathy. But after 20+ years in dogs I had my first ever visit to a ER - ICU vet. You know you're in big trouble when they send in a "financial" expert to speak with you:roll: She started talking about out of this world money, "before" test results were even back. I guess she thought I'd hand over my dog's leash and my credit card?! NOT!! Once they figure out it's not your first rodeo, they have a different perspective:twisted: 

The sad part is watching people coming in the ER and either timidily handing over the plastic or making the emotional decision to not proceed. I watch this play over and over for hours! 

And Don I'd like to say if I knew how, I'd stich and patch up just like you do  Good on ya!


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Absolutely the very worst experience i ever paid a vet for was to put one of my girls down. Good healthy dog but she had a benign tumor on her anus sphincter muscle and it was also attached to the large intestine also. I had noticed she was having trouble doing her business and that is one end opf the dog I would just as soon let the vet take care of. To remove the tumor she would have been totally incontinent. I said to put her down. I sat with her while they did it and it was a god awful experience that I will never repeat....much less pay for.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Don Turnipseed said:


> I sat with her while they did it and it was a god awful experience that I will never repeat....much less pay for.


Then something was done wrong.

Having been through it as often as any multiple-dog owner of my "mature" years, I know that the dog goes quietly to sleep.

If something else happened, then something went wrong.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Candy Eggert said:


> Once they figure out it's not your first rodeo, they have a different perspective:twisted: ....


I'm sorry that we humans tend to do this: to make assumptions about a whole huge group of people based on our experience with a few. Or one.

"They."

I guess "they" means all vets everywhere. 

eta
I know, we all do it.


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## Meena Moitra (Jul 11, 2008)

(Not able to access edit for my last post to correct grammar!)
I would add that chronic problems are a different ball game from accute emergencies.
I had a Weimeraner suddenly go into shock, young. Ran to the vet and paid bill to get a shot. I had a hound who suffered years of ear infections.
Numerous vets told me to have his ear canals resculpted. UC Davis said that $850 in 1st round of tests may indicate what to do. Eventually BARF diet and Chinese herbs healed him and kept him infection free for 8 years. When he was old, I paid for massage therapy to ease pain and put him down at 13.5 years.
My older ADT started foaming at the mouth at 4 months. Took her to the vet to treat mystery toxin and she came out fine. I'll pay for foxtail removal. But even if I had the money, I doubt I'd do hip replacements.
At my dog park there's a woman with 2 year old Newfie that she paid $12K in surgeries and bills plus 8 months confinement to correct something. I wouldn't do that.
Just because a procedure exists doesn't mean I'll say yes to it. And, I will not accept my willingness to pay or no as a measurement of my care for my dogs.


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## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> I'm sorry that we humans tend to do this: to make assumptions about a whole huge group of people based on our experience with a few. Or one.
> 
> "They."
> 
> ...


Sorry Connie you're absolutely right! I'm a big fan of good vets  Not 'they' in general, but in this particular situation, 'they' :wink:


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

one of my best friends from HS is a Vet and he married a Vet. They were to only two that I trusted and it's one of the unfortunate things about moving from MN.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Don Turnipseed said:


> Chris, when you use dogs for dangerous game, .


I've been known to use dogs in a dangerous "game" as well. I've been very glad on more than one occasion a vet was available. 

DFrost


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Candy Eggert said:


> Sorry Connie you're absolutely right! I'm a big fan of good vets  Not 'they' in general, but in this particular situation, 'they' :wink:


Oh, Candy, thank you for being so gracious about responding! I was worried that maybe I had sounded (and been) judgmental, and your reply was perfect. Thank you.


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## Candy Eggert (Oct 28, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Oh, Candy, thank you for being so gracious about responding! I was worried that maybe I had sounded (and been) judgmental, and your reply was perfect. Thank you.


No worries Connie I know you've been running defense on this topic for a couple days now. I understood where you were coming from...and "judgemental" was not on my list.


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## Guest (May 25, 2009)

"I don't have any particular limit, per se. I judge a dog has a good quality of life if he can still actively participate in his normal life, still wants to play, eat, is interactive and engaged with me. A dog who no longer has a good quality of life and is ready to go tells you very plainly in his body language, his eyes, his withdrawal from life. 

I have no difficulty in deciding to spend my money on my dog rather than a person, and I do not see this as a moral dilemma in any way, whatsoever."

-Amen!


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

I don't have a set limit....like others it would depend on the quality of life that the dog would expect to have and the suffering it would endure getting to that life...and *hopefully* *a honest vet(s)* who would be straight up with me. I spent _well over_ 5k in order to try to save my Rott - One day she was fine running around like she was 2 and the next she coughed once - she went to the vet that same day. After numerous tests and her conditioning worsening all the while ..... they said there were no indications by the cultures, ultrasound and numerous other tests and samples that they took that her condition (now pneumonia) was associated with heart problems ...no cancer...What frustrated me more then anything is that I could not get a straight answer from any of the vets treating her at this "specialty 24 hour care" hospital that we ended up at....they *had* one of the best reputations in the state. I personally saw no signs of improvement each day. I signed a DNR _on day one_ and told them numerous times that if there was little hope that I wanted to let her go....rather then prolong the pain, discomfort and the inevitable. Never could get a straight answer...hell they were hesitant to admit, until I physically cornered two of them up against a wall, that there were no signs of improvement and at a loss as to why some of the strongest antibiotics available along with other drugs were not working for her. It was only then that they admitted what they were now doing for her....giving her meds....could actually be done at home. In the end, she let me know when it was time - the day after she came home with us. I don't regret the money spent....I do resent the fact that not one of the vets would be straight up with me and she needlessly suffered for as long as she did. She deserved better.....we deserved the truth.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I'm so sorry you (and the dog) had that awful experience. :-(


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

David Frost said:


> I've been known to use dogs in a dangerous "game" as well. I've been very glad on more than one occasion a vet was available.
> 
> DFrost


What, you mean you don't take the bullets out of your dog or stich up knife wounds yourself? Weenie!!!!! hehehhe


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> What, you mean you don't take the bullets out of your dog or stich up knife wounds yourself? Weenie!!!!! hehehhe


The PSD union took a vote. Vet de-bulleting is mandatory.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

David Frost said:


> I've been known to use dogs in a dangerous "game" as well. I've been very glad on more than one occasion a vet was available.
> 
> DFrost


David, if the department was paying the vet bills on the dog the sky would be the limit for sure.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

I have seen dog field kits in trucks and shops . Not for boar hunting but just in case a dog got banded up during some rough training or two dogs went at each other. When my Greyhound had a foot of skin flapping it did cross my mind that I wish I could take care of this. There are dogs that might lay there and stitch them up, my greyhound aint one; he needs to get put under. But considering this is second time and hopefully the last I won’t look into learning. Ill suck it up and pay. As far as the vets, its like anything else you got good and scum. But once a industry is experiencing a reduction in income by being flooded or whatever the reason a lot of the good turn to scum real quick, and the ones just entering learn the ways of the scum. You got to pay for the education and living somehow even if it means pushing dog food. There is still good ones but I think the industry has become a bit more shady over the years. Quilt is one of their tools I still cant post pictures, I don’t know what im doing


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Chris said:

_"You got to pay for the education and living somehow even if it means pushing dog food."_




Yes. That's a whole 'nother side to the incredibly high cost just to get that framed paper on the wall. :sad: 

I do not know how long I myself would hold out against that shiny food in the waiting room if I couldn't pay my student loans and my rent. Maren's personal answer of seeking out the best of the commercial foods (NOT the usual waiting-room crap-in-a-bag) seems to me like an honorable way to go.

My daughter's vet took a nutrition degree (extra) as distance work after her vet practice was opened and started helping those who wanted it to compose and prepare (many are home-cooked rather than raw) their own dogs' food. 

That took her three years, but now that part of her practice is wonderfully successful, and I believe that it carries over to the benefit of all her patients in the form of her ability to assess and recommend commercial foods.

But how many vets get done with that expensive education and then jump back in for nights and weekends (and the COST!) of still more degrees.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

My father went through 2 yr of Vet school before a realized he could do less work and become an MD. So he dropped out of Vet Med and went into people medicine.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Chris Michalek said:


> My father went through 2 yr of Vet school before a realized he could do less work and become an MD. So he dropped out of Vet Med and went into people medicine.


Scarry ain't it!
You can become a human doctor with fewer hours of study then a vet student.

As with Vets, doctors, auto mechanics, etc, someon is taking their pet, their self or their car to the one that just squeeked by in the learning process. 
Some will luck out with the tops in the field!
Life is a crap shoot!


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> What, you mean you don't take the bullets out of your dog or stich up knife wounds yourself? Weenie!!!!! hehehhe


I get a little queasy at the sight of blood. ha ha.

DFrost


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

It's like the old saying goes; You know what they call the person that graduates last in his class at med school? Doctor.


DFrost


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Meena Moitra said:


> Just because a procedure exists doesn't mean I'll say yes to it. And, I will not accept my willingness to pay or no as a measurement of my care for my dogs.



=D> 

Like others here, it's a balance of cost, expected outcome, quality of life and finances - not always an easy balance to achieve. 

I'm sure, to some people, I have spent far too much on a useless, dysplastic dog, and to others, I haven't done enough for my beloved pet.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

The outcome as to whether the dog could lead a more or less normal life, depending obviously on whether this was a livewire "let's exercise" dog"or a couch potato and, the age of the dog but this could be a secondary consideration, depending on the breed.

I can't honestly say I have a limit - if I have the money and the dog can be saved to lead a normal happy dog life, then so be it. If not.....


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

..if not then I'd f.....g well go bust tables to raise the amount.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

For me it depends on what the dog did to itself and how the outcome looks. I have a GE CareCredit account with a $7,000 limit just for dog emergencies and high vet bills that I cannot pay all of right then and there, so if it comes down to it, I guess $7,000 is my limit.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

OK, a little re-think on the original question, how much is too much for a genetic problem ??


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> OK, a little re-think on the original question, how much is too much for a genetic problem ??



What kind?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Doesn't matter.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Depends on the dog, what needs to be fixed, what their quality of life will be afterwards, what my current financial status is, etc. And wether or not your name is Cali LOL 

I spent 3000 to fix Mac's tooth when it broke (root canal on the broken one and capping a different tooth so it wouldn't break). I had the money, and felt it needed to be done since he was just getting started with his training/trialing career. I also happened to have the money at the time. Next tooth he broke I did nothing for, in part $$ issues and in part because I didn't think anything really needed to be done. I've had dogs with broken teeth be just fine without a root canal, so ... If I'd known then what I know now, considering the damage chewing on the chain link had caused, I'd have just had all 4 capped right from the start, it might have cost a little more up front but probably would have been cheaper in the long run.

On the flip side I've decided not to spend 1000.00 on a surgery because I felt the potential quality of life gain wasn't worth the risk, ie a 6 month recovery for no gain at all. I decided I'd rather just make the last 6 months a good time, and give up the chance to get 12 months because I put the dog through a 6 month rehab from surgery. 

For me it's less about injury vs genetics and more about final outcome of the surgery. I'd do entropian surgery on a dog (a genetic condition) before I'd do spinal surgery for ruptured disks (from a bad crash) because the entropian surgery is a one shot deal, problem solved, dog will go on to live a long and normal life. 

And I'll be honest, I also weigh in the dogs age, working qualities, individual value to me, etc. I'll spend more on vet bills for Cali, even though she's 10 and retired, then I might on a different dog, because it's Cali.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Doesn't matter.


Does the genetic problem interfere with working or life quality? Is it easily corrected with surgery and then the only drawback is no breeding?


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