Expensive Pets

As I was logging into my email account this morning, I ran across an article by Nancy Keates, "The $20,000 Pet". Since Dan is always saying that Lexi is so expensive & that we should've just had a baby when we were contemplating buying her from the breeder down in South Carolina, of course I had to read it.

"It's no secret that Americans love their pets. But these days, all that love is leading to an unprecedented level of expense for millions of owners, who are only beginning to understand the pet-world concept of sticker shock. Caught up in a wave of new medical options and lured by an increasingly sophisticated cadre of veterinarians, pet owners across the country are forking over thousands -- and even tens of thousands -- of dollars to treat illnesses that would have gone undiagnosed or untreated just a few years ago. And then doing it again if they have to. Of course, pet owners and most vets have the animals' best interest in mind. But that doesn't make it any easier: With health insurance covering the humans in many families, it's not unusual for pet owners to spend far more money on health care for their cats and dogs than for their sons and daughters. According to a report by market-research, Americans spent $20 billion on veterinary bills in 2010 -- an 8.5% increase from a year earlier and more than double the amount spent just a decade ago.

Much of that money is being spent on new medical technology. With some of the advances in human health care spreading to the animal kingdom, pet owners have many more options for treatment -- and many more chances to fork over money to cure their pets or at least prolong their pets' lives. Dogs and cats can have pacemakers implanted at a cost of $1,000 to $1,500, while pets with kidney failure can get a kidney-clearing procedure that runs $20,000 to $25,000 for just the first few weeks. Not long ago a vet would most likely have recommended euthanasia for a cat or dog diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness. Today high-tech procedures and equipment, such as chemotherapy and MRIs -- and yes, CAT scans -- allow for better diagnosis and more-advanced treatment."

After reading this I'm actually thankful for Lexi's sensitive tummy & knocking on wood that we don't have to deal with anything more serious. I do have to say that I would be in the category of paying whatever cost is necessary in order to keep Lexi here with us. For those of you that are interested in reading the entire article, click here.