Does anyone else have a very expensive pet?

[Mudcat]

I'm not talking about the purchase price - although if you want to go there I guess that's fine - but I'm thinking more of the maintenance I am paying on my little bundle of joy.

I have a 13 year-old female cat named Mudcat. Damn I love that cat - and the purchase price was right: zero.

But about a year ago she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Now I take her to the vet once a week for sub-cutaneous fluids. About 4 times a year she has to have blood and urine work-ups. Once a year there is the regular check-up. And then there is the extra expensive food she has to have now.

Estimated cost for the last year? ~$2500

And she is still going strong. Apparently she could have years left in her. That's obviously good but I'm just saying she could end up being one expensive little furball.

Can anyone top that?

[Brick Tamland]

are u goin to retir the sn when she tanks?

[DrSlamm]

my gf's dog just had 1200 dollar surgery

[sergfro]

my dog has to be on a steroid pill everyday otherwise she cannot open her mouth at all. you go 2 days without the pill you can hear her crying in pain all day. Also she has two dislocated legs which cost $3,000 to fix, plus $40 for the roids every other month

[onlooker]

Sorry, I cant say that I do.

I have a son, does that count? He can get pretty expensive.

[Illusion]

We have an African Grey parrot that cost roughly $1500. The cage was almost just as expensive. You need the best cage with these birds because they are so smart they can escape from a cheap cage.

[jjgold]

Pets are too costly and like having another child. If you have the time it is fine, secondly many pets are dirty.

[Hulu]

Wow and I thought my cat was bad. A couple of years back he swallowed 2 sewing needles at my mother's place and the surgery was $950.

The x-rays were cool though...you could see his skeletal structure and then 2 needles in the form of an 'x' lodged in his intestine. Think when he dies I'll get those from his file at the vet and frame one. Nice conversation piece.

[Willie Bee]

Understand exactly what you're going through, Mud. Got a kitten from a litter my dad's cat threw back in the mid-80s. Pretty good cat, didn't cost me much more than annual vaccinations and crunchy food for 11 years.

Then I notice it's constantly drinking water and not eating much. Take it to the vet who informs me the cat is diabetic. Tells me it will cost at least $500 in lab work to figure out the right dosage of insulin and then I'll have to give the cat two injections a day. I love the cat, but I'm thinking no way. Just didn't seem fair to me or the cat that had already lived a pretty good life as far as cats go. Ask about how to keep the cat comfortable until it's time to put it down, vet tells me some things, and I go home.

Once back at the house I tell the Mrs what the deal is, and she won't hear of it. Back to the vet, ended up costing closer to a grand for the initial lab work, then about $50 a month in insulin and syringes, plus when we go out of town we have to pay an assistant at the vet to come by and inject the cat. Damn thing lived almost another nine years after that much to my surprise.

[Mudcat]

I have a friend who probably wins the award for most expensive pet pound-for-pound.

His daughter's hamster got sick. My friend grew up on a farm where you gain a good level of acceptance of animals having to die - but of course his daughter didn't look at it that way. Long story short he ended up taking the hamster to a vet who specializes in "pocket pets" and having a $500 procedure done.

I just laugh when I think of the I-can't-believe-I-actually-did-it look on his face as he's telling me. "$500!!!! For a hamster!!!"

But I guess when your little girl's heart is breaking, that's what you do.

[crackerjack]

But I guess when your little girl's heart is breaking, that's what you do.

I have three kids and if this were me, I'd use it as a teaching opportunity ... you know, pet heaven, better place, etc, etc. No way could I spend $500 on a hamster (although $2500 on a cat is worse, IMO).