Vet costs when uninsured
Discussion
We are in the unfortunate position of our requiring x-rays and potentially surgery for a ligament injury. He is 8.
He was insured but we had to claim for £300 when he was a puppy. Consequently our premium tripled and we decided to self insure as the amount of money demanded was ludicrous. We self insured for years, but both being public sector workers, we have had to use the money to get by and have no pot left.
Potentially we can continue to use painkillers, the dog is simply not putting a foot down but his demeanour and character is unchanged with him being happy and hyper active. The vets suggest x rays at £600 and potential cruciate ligament surgery at £3-4k. We will not be able to afford either under any circumstances.
What options do we have in this scenario other than try and obtain a loan for the amount? I looked at PDSA but they are unable to assist.
He was insured but we had to claim for £300 when he was a puppy. Consequently our premium tripled and we decided to self insure as the amount of money demanded was ludicrous. We self insured for years, but both being public sector workers, we have had to use the money to get by and have no pot left.
Potentially we can continue to use painkillers, the dog is simply not putting a foot down but his demeanour and character is unchanged with him being happy and hyper active. The vets suggest x rays at £600 and potential cruciate ligament surgery at £3-4k. We will not be able to afford either under any circumstances.
What options do we have in this scenario other than try and obtain a loan for the amount? I looked at PDSA but they are unable to assist.
I decided not to insure my pooch 6 years ago as I was quoted £80pcm despite being Mutley's vet, and would never have claimed for something I could have done for myself. So far "only" about £1500 for CT scan and elbow surgery. The figure of £600 for xrays although not specifically detailed sounds exorbitant, although the potential surgical costs could easily be £3k. Anyway, I sadly have to say that the option of leaving a dog with ligament damage of unspecified location could be deemed to be unacceptable. Is the ligament involved the anterior cruciate? I ruptured my ankle collateral ligaments 3months ago and would not have let a surgeon anywhere near me, but an ACL might have been different. So, depending on your dog breed, lameness location and diagnosis, the vet costs are debatable but possibly unavoidable. If you ask why, xray machines now cost £30k+ cruciate surgical kits cost from £8k training costs £3-4k so please dont assume it's profiteeringfrom vets, it costs a fortune to run a reasonably equipped practice.
Sad to say this but unless you put some away every month this was always going to be a problem.
Speaking from very raw experience,without insurance you are going to have to dip into savings and/or use a large proportion of a credit card.
I did it this way even though I knew in my heart my dog was dying - she was put to sleep a week today.
It cost me nearly £3,000 in all but I found it somehow,lets just say I won't be having a holiday for quite a while.
In no way do I regret it and will do it again with her sister if I had to.
Speaking from very raw experience,without insurance you are going to have to dip into savings and/or use a large proportion of a credit card.
I did it this way even though I knew in my heart my dog was dying - she was put to sleep a week today.
It cost me nearly £3,000 in all but I found it somehow,lets just say I won't be having a holiday for quite a while.
In no way do I regret it and will do it again with her sister if I had to.
Yes, all sound advice. The issue is, we physically won't have the funds. We are already maxed out on loans and mortgage / car payments, cannot save a penny and will not be able to fund this kind of cost.
Borrowing from family has been mooted but I am not keen on this. It was always going to be a problem.
Borrowing from family has been mooted but I am not keen on this. It was always going to be a problem.
My personal view is that you should find the money via loan/credit card and pay. As a dog owner I could never leave my dog in pain.
I understand though that it's a s
t situation to be in though as it could be a substantial amount of money required.
Worse case though, I guess the dog could be put down? Obviously that would be heart breaking,
I understand though that it's a s
t situation to be in though as it could be a substantial amount of money required.Worse case though, I guess the dog could be put down? Obviously that would be heart breaking,
MrHappy said:
Is amputation an option? It may seem an awful route to take but dogs are very adaptable and can lead happy lives with just three legs.
Honestly I would hope any vet would refuse amputation for a cruciate surgery but I understand the thought.OP, There are less costing surgeries for cruciates, they do have a higher risk of failure though hence why the more expensive surgery is the procedure of choice.
Where do you live and what breed is your dog?
I would be tempted to ask if any other vets can offer the surgery at a lower cost.
If not you need to delve into your credit card. You cannot leave your dog with a knackered cruciate, it is a painful condition for them, trust me even though he seems good with it, he will have pain.
If he is a small breed and can weight bear you may get away with it but he should at least have physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.
Finally the other option is signing him over to a charity etc but I can't imagine that is a route you want to take.
It is not your dogs fault you dipped into his safety net bit he needs your help now, I hope you sort it for him.
Edited by bexVN on Friday 9th November 22:10
Edited by bexVN on Friday 9th November 22:15
Whilst I feel for your predicament, you chose a path that has been discussed on here time and again; do I go without pet insurance?
Unless you can save for the inevitable, then this is not for a viable option for you. Let's say it costs £3,600 then based on your insurance quote £80 per month that is still 45 months of saving. On this basis you could have still been looking for money anyway.
Your financials sound, from your description, to be in a complicated situation. At least with a guaranteed payment insurance, whilst hard to swallow, would have forced you to protect one of your family.
So off my soapbox, to just say please sort your friend out properly. If the NHS said to you no treatment, for you, on an injury that could affect you the rest of your life, you would be mighty pissed.
Harshly and in some degree reality; a previous poster has said you need to consider whether a pet is really for you, given that you suggest you can't fund it adequately.
On the other side, you sound that you want to do the right thing, so hunt around for prices or alternative ways to fund the operation / xrays.
Sorry but ..... [ps yes, I did get out of the bed on the wrong side]
And I hope I never have make a decision on the predicament that yourself in
Unless you can save for the inevitable, then this is not for a viable option for you. Let's say it costs £3,600 then based on your insurance quote £80 per month that is still 45 months of saving. On this basis you could have still been looking for money anyway.
Your financials sound, from your description, to be in a complicated situation. At least with a guaranteed payment insurance, whilst hard to swallow, would have forced you to protect one of your family.
So off my soapbox, to just say please sort your friend out properly. If the NHS said to you no treatment, for you, on an injury that could affect you the rest of your life, you would be mighty pissed.
Harshly and in some degree reality; a previous poster has said you need to consider whether a pet is really for you, given that you suggest you can't fund it adequately.
On the other side, you sound that you want to do the right thing, so hunt around for prices or alternative ways to fund the operation / xrays.
Sorry but ..... [ps yes, I did get out of the bed on the wrong side]
And I hope I never have make a decision on the predicament that yourself in
Sorry to hear about your issues. I was not a massive believer in insurance until a few years ago when we took in a rescue and ended up claiming in the free 7 days you get given, I then kept it going, just in case, with the intention of cancelling it a few months later once we knew more about her. It costs us £34 a month so in just over two years it has cost me "only" around a grand plus another 500 odd in excess payments. In vet fees over those two years she has cost the insurance company about 10-11k over 4 operations. One of them being the same as yours which was the one we had in the free 7 days cover. I don't think I would own a pet without it now as on most of the operations we were given a cheap choice and the 5* choice, we were able to go for the best one every time which upped her chances, left her in less pain and meant she had a better recovery.
It may feel a little begging but is it possible you could maybe start one of these Just Giving pages? Explain the story and the hardships, hope some kind hearted people chuck some cash in? even if it only covers some of the cost maybe then only a small sum maybe needed off friends/family? Maybe a word with the vets may help, they may even have some fund available for things like this maybe?
It may feel a little begging but is it possible you could maybe start one of these Just Giving pages? Explain the story and the hardships, hope some kind hearted people chuck some cash in? even if it only covers some of the cost maybe then only a small sum maybe needed off friends/family? Maybe a word with the vets may help, they may even have some fund available for things like this maybe?
3-4K seems like a lot of money for a cruciate surgery. There are different types of surgery available depending on size of dog some being cheaper than others. Perhaps shop around. A good proportion of first opinion practices will offer it.
Also once one cruciate goes, the other usually goes the same a year or so down the line, therefore amputation is out of the question.
Anymore questions let me know!
Also once one cruciate goes, the other usually goes the same a year or so down the line, therefore amputation is out of the question.
Anymore questions let me know!
Mr Tom said:
3-4K seems like a lot of money for a cruciate surgery.
Depends on the type of cruciate surgery. Our dog had both sides done with over two years between the first and second instance. The first was about £2200 all-in, with X-rays and aftercare and things, while the second one in February this year - same procedure, same practice, same surgeon - was just over £3000, but that was partly because she had to have an overnight stay this year, which she didn't last time. (I don't actually know why that is, but I think they changed their procedures to include overnight monitoring rather than releasing the dog back to its family the same day.)Our girl is a 29kg lurcher, so we went with TTA. I understand there are other, less expensive types of surgery for smaller dogs - maybe ask your vet about those, or phone around a few different places for info?
SGirl said:
Depends on the type of cruciate surgery. Our dog had both sides done with over two years between the first and second instance. The first was about £2200 all-in, with X-rays and aftercare and things, while the second one in February this year - same procedure, same practice, same surgeon - was just over £3000, but that was partly because she had to have an overnight stay this year, which she didn't last time. (I don't actually know why that is, but I think they changed their procedures to include overnight monitoring rather than releasing the dog back to its family the same day.)
Our girl is a 29kg lurcher, so we went with TTA. I understand there are other, less expensive types of surgery for smaller dogs - maybe ask your vet about those, or phone around a few different places for info?
Of course it does, but 3-4k for a tta, in my opinion is a lot of money. Our practice does them for £1500-2200 depending on the size of the dog etc. A lateral suture should be a lot cheaper still. £3-4K should be diploma holder level - likely doing something like a tplo. Our girl is a 29kg lurcher, so we went with TTA. I understand there are other, less expensive types of surgery for smaller dogs - maybe ask your vet about those, or phone around a few different places for info?
The recent acquisition of practices by corporates have, in my opinion, pushed prices up. Check whether your practice has been taken over by a corporate? There are a few that don’t change the branding and you wouldn’t necessarily know.
TPLO for one of my previous Great Danes was nearly £2k and that was about 15 years ago. He wasn't insured but had the (successful) op and the vet mentioned the high incidence of the problem occurring on the other side so we made sure he was insured from then on.... which turned out to be very handy when the vet was right.
Another Dane had cardiac hypertrophy and the insurance paid out for meds in the region of £250/month for 15 months.
My current Dane is coming up for 10yrs old and (touch wood) has only ever seen a vet for annual boosters and kennel cough. His current pet insurance premium is £115/month.
Pets can be expensive.
Another Dane had cardiac hypertrophy and the insurance paid out for meds in the region of £250/month for 15 months.
My current Dane is coming up for 10yrs old and (touch wood) has only ever seen a vet for annual boosters and kennel cough. His current pet insurance premium is £115/month.
Pets can be expensive.
Sorry to hear about your situation.
All I can add is that our Rottie Lexy who sadly passed had a cruciate ligament snap a few years ago. We used Langford Vets who are fantastic and they discussed with is the options.
Option A was to let it heal but because of her weight 39kg was extremely unlikely to ever work.
Option B was a Lateral Suture which was £1,700 and needed about a weeks rest then 5 minute walks a few times a day and rising by 5 minutes every week.
Option C was to shave down the bones IIRC so the leg joint fits together properly. Cost £4,000ish and would need 8 weeks in a crate but then the leg would never fail.
We opted for Option B as we work full time and because she was a rescue the idea of having her in a cage and taking away walking for 8 weeks was a last chance option for us. The lateral suture was successful and she enjoyed 2 more years running around at full strength.
I hope this is helpful, I know it's a lot of money but when you think all the love and loyalty they give us if you can help them I know you will.
All I can add is that our Rottie Lexy who sadly passed had a cruciate ligament snap a few years ago. We used Langford Vets who are fantastic and they discussed with is the options.
Option A was to let it heal but because of her weight 39kg was extremely unlikely to ever work.
Option B was a Lateral Suture which was £1,700 and needed about a weeks rest then 5 minute walks a few times a day and rising by 5 minutes every week.
Option C was to shave down the bones IIRC so the leg joint fits together properly. Cost £4,000ish and would need 8 weeks in a crate but then the leg would never fail.
We opted for Option B as we work full time and because she was a rescue the idea of having her in a cage and taking away walking for 8 weeks was a last chance option for us. The lateral suture was successful and she enjoyed 2 more years running around at full strength.
I hope this is helpful, I know it's a lot of money but when you think all the love and loyalty they give us if you can help them I know you will.
I should update this thread.
After my first post, we took him to the vet for a follow up to work out how best to proceed.
My wife took him, and came back in tears. The vet diagnosed an aggressive cancer in his joint, one x ray was sufficient to show this. There were no options.
We took him home and kept him on pain relief for 3 days so we and the kids could say goodbye. He was put down this morning with both of us by his side. Its an experience I can' t really describe, and it's hit me hard. I watched a family member die in front of me. We took him out for a nice walk before hand. He had no idea, and spent the time chasing the ball as all collies would, on 3 legs.
Thanks for your support. We did the right thing, the vets were first class. I have dealt with a lot of death in my life through work, most of it having little effect on me personally as they were unconnected to me. This was something else though. We also had the whole scenario to explain to our 4 and 6 year old. This is the first pet to die since we have been married for 13 years - and the first time our kids have had to deal with this.
I am not ashamed to say I have had a good cry. Can't remember the last time I actually shed a tear. Feeling his warm body and watching the moment his heart stopped was surreal. As well as what a great pet he has been, goes 9 years of memories. He has been in our first ever house bought together, to our current one 3 houses on. He has seen a lot.
Life is such a bh. But, he had a great hoot. He did 3 peaks as a puppy, and has had nothing but love and trips to the in laws in Dorset with walks with the family dogs.
Onwards we go I guess.
After my first post, we took him to the vet for a follow up to work out how best to proceed.
My wife took him, and came back in tears. The vet diagnosed an aggressive cancer in his joint, one x ray was sufficient to show this. There were no options.
We took him home and kept him on pain relief for 3 days so we and the kids could say goodbye. He was put down this morning with both of us by his side. Its an experience I can' t really describe, and it's hit me hard. I watched a family member die in front of me. We took him out for a nice walk before hand. He had no idea, and spent the time chasing the ball as all collies would, on 3 legs.
Thanks for your support. We did the right thing, the vets were first class. I have dealt with a lot of death in my life through work, most of it having little effect on me personally as they were unconnected to me. This was something else though. We also had the whole scenario to explain to our 4 and 6 year old. This is the first pet to die since we have been married for 13 years - and the first time our kids have had to deal with this.
I am not ashamed to say I have had a good cry. Can't remember the last time I actually shed a tear. Feeling his warm body and watching the moment his heart stopped was surreal. As well as what a great pet he has been, goes 9 years of memories. He has been in our first ever house bought together, to our current one 3 houses on. He has seen a lot.
Life is such a b
h. But, he had a great hoot. He did 3 peaks as a puppy, and has had nothing but love and trips to the in laws in Dorset with walks with the family dogs.Onwards we go I guess.
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