Putting your pet to sleep sooner to save money

[sheehs1]

In 2002 we had a 3 year old schnauzer who became ill very suddenly. Off to the emergency vet. Long story short, he had hemolytic anemia. My husband and I had no experience with this. So we agreed to the preliminary treatments of blood transfusions, chemo, doggie ICU, oxygenated kennel...etc. Once into the process, we agreed to more of the same. It kept him alive for 2 weeks. I went down and held him for an afternoon. When I got home, the Intensive Care vet called me and Max had gone into convulsions. I told him to put him down. It was a crisis and I was an hour plus away. My husband wanted to do more and I said "No....at this point it is selfish of us to put him thru any more of this". Cost was over $3,500 dollars and I swore I would never put another pet of ours thru this again. Cost does becomes a factor when the possible outcome is not at all positive. Of course they didn't tell us that in the beginning.
Max was so much a part of our family that we made a family album just for Max. We grieved his loss. Making the album helped.

 

[ziggy29]

Euthanasia for convenience? - No
Euthanasia a day sooner rather than later due to pain or illness? - Yes
Euthanasia over the high cost of treatment? - Yes

This is about right, I think, though we'd all have our own thresholds for what is "high cost" beyond what we are willing to bear. If I can reasonably afford veterinary treatment that maintains and extends a "life worth living" for my pets, the cost isn't even remotely a factor. But if the cost of saving the life is a serious financial hardship -- especially if it's not an acute condition that can be fully "cured" -- then we'd have to swallow and think long and hard.

In 2002, we had a 13-year-old cat which started to get really sluggish around the house and was barely eating. Turns out her kidneys were failing and she needed immediate "inpatient" treatment for 48 hours, and after consulting with the vet we started a course of treatment beyond that as well. But we noticed that with the initial "detox" and the ongoing treatments, she seemed to have a high quality of life otherwise. As long as that was the case and we could afford the treatment, that's how it was going to be even if it meant a little out of the discretionary budget for other stuff.

But after a few months, she developed anemia (common among kidney patients) which was treatable with Epogen for a while (not cheap stuff). But then she developed antibodies and started rejecting her own red blood cells. We had to stop that treatment, just keep the previous treatment regimen and make a judgment call on when to let her go. She did fine for a while and then started crashing one day -- a Friday afternoon -- and it was obviously time. We called the vet's office on Saturday, and after they closed at 4 PM she came over to our house with a tech and put our cat to sleep.

In all, we probably spent over $2,000 on everything for the last 7 months. But I'm very glad we did it, and very glad we also received a pretty clear "signal" from our cat that this was the end and it was time to set her free. If we had it to do over again, I think we would have done the exact same thing.

 

[Midpack]

We have an 8 year old dog now, healthy and full of energy when not napping. Sure I rather not pay the vet, kennel, etc, but he'll be part of the family for another 7 - 8 more years, not changing that if within my power for a few bucks or convenience. Not looking forward to the day when we have to put him down due to health as my kids known him all their life.

Hopefully you won't have to. We've had 5 dogs, and only had to put one down for health reasons (cancer)...the others all died relatively peacefully.

 

[Texas Proud]

Euthanasia for convenience? - No
Euthanasia a day sooner rather than later due to pain or illness? - Yes
Euthanasia over the high cost of treatment? - Yes
I am an animal lover and have been present when having made that ultimate decision for many cats, dogs and horses. I just wish we could have the same option for humans as we do for our pets.

This is kinda what I was trying to say, but it is said a WHOLE lot better than how I put it.... thanks....

 

[Lsbcal]

...(snip)...
I have a yellow lab that will be 10 years old next May. The vet put her on Rimadyl earlier this year (pain killer for dogs) because she was crying out while getting up. The medicine helped, but she is losing her spark a bit more each day.
...

I realize that Rimadyl is probably not your chief cost issue. This is a small savings tip: for our dog we got a prescription from the vet and used an on-line vet (might have been Foster Smith) to fill the order. Also got the larger pills and split them.

 

[ziggy29]

This is a small savings tip: for our dog we got a prescription from the vet and used an on-line vet (might have been Foster Smith) to fill the order.

With the caveat that some vets won't write a prescription to be filled outside their own practice. in that case, you have to decide whether to eat the higher cost to have them fill it or find another vet.

 

[Lsbcal]

With the caveat that some vets won't write a prescription to be filled outside their own practice. in that case, you have to decide whether to eat the higher cost to have them fill it or find another vet.

I think the Foster Smith vet offered to call in the order to the local vet. Makes you wonder who's side the vet is on if they won't help with costs.

P.S. Eventually we did have to put our wonderful Corgi down. But he had some years of good life left and was doing straight runs with me down the street (while blind) even in the last week. Got a little more costly towards the end but we stopped at the "think about an operation" stage.

 

[Finance Dave]

Seems pretty split in the gray area...I vote for thinking first of the quality of life of the pet. I always ask myself one question...and it reminds me of economic classes in college...but substitute "happiness" for "utility" in the phrase my teachers used....

By keeping the dog alive, is his/her overall happiness positive? If so, keep him/her alive. If, on balance, the dog has more bad times than good, then perhaps it's time to let go.

I know there are financial limits for all of us, but sometimes I can find something I'm willing to give up in exchange for more "happy" time for my pet if it comes to that. I can give up the one week vacation or cancel my cable TV for 4 months if that provides me enough money to keep my pet happily alive for another few months.

Good luck with this difficult decision. We have a 12-year-old Sheltie and we may struggle with this same decision in the next few years.

 

[citrine]

If it is just arthritis, then you can massage the joints and help alleviate some of the pain. There are lots of great videos on youtube for massaging your dog/cat. If it is just because you are "done" with having all the responsibility of a yard, big house, and pet....then I would highly suggest you give your dog over to someone who will appreciate her.
As for the discussion on when it is "ok" to euthanize your animal....they will give you the look...I have had to do this twice and both times they let me know.

 

[rescueme]

If it is just arthritis, then you can massage the joints and help alleviate some of the pain.

Can you write me an Rx to give to DW? ...

Sorry, I had to add some levity to this thread...

 

[haha]

It's hard, however dogs can recover from their separation anxiety if they are placed in a good home. Many years ago an old Chihuahua showed up on my porch one day when I lived in the megacity. I checked newspapers, vets, humane society, etc. and no one was looking for this dog. He was not only old, he was sick. I took him to my vet and he was able to remove the little guy's diseased teeth and stabilize his congestive heart failure. The little guy used to sit on the lower ledge of the front window of the house just wanting to go home - wherever that was. Eventually he began sitting on the ledge waiting for me to come home. The morning his little heart gave out was one of the saddest times for me. He just wanted someone to love him and take care of him. I hope he found both with me.

I think it is a dead cert that he did. You are a very good dog daddy.

Ha

 

[citrine]

Can you write me an Rx to give to DW? ...

Sorry, I had to add some levity to this thread...

Sure! One of my clients has actually brought her 9 year old Golden Retriever in for sessions with me. In three sessions (1 hr total), she is able to get in and out of the car easier, walk up the steps relatively quickly, and ROM has increased in the hips. We are working on getting her front legs better.

 

[Blackwoodt]

I know a couple that had their healthy, but older two cats euthanized when they moved into a new house because they planned to travel. Honestly I will never understand their decision, I do not consider pets to be disposable.


All of the animals I have now (3 cats, 2 dogs) are ones that I have found on the road, on my property, or up for adoption at the local feed store.

Your situation is different, but in my opinion it all comes down to what their quality of life is at the time, not cost or convenience for me.

 

[kcowan]

I know a couple that had their healthy, but older two cats euthanized when they moved into a new house because they planned to travel. Honestly I will never understand their decision, I do not consider pets to be disposable.

We fly our 2 older cats to Mexico every year. The locals just shake their heads. These boys are part of our family. This year one of them has difficulty jumping up on the bed. It seems to come and go in the back end.

 

[Khan]

After one experience where I think I kept the treatment for the cat going too long, I have tended towards the sooner rather than later.
I have asked the vet: "How much better is he going to get?"
If kidney disease, diabetes, stroke...will take current cat in and hold him while put down.

It's what I want for myself.

 

[jerome len]

We have an 8 year old pup and a 15 year old son. If we didn't do everything possible to help our pup live the longest enjoyable life possible, I think we would lose the respect of our son. And, I'd have a hard time living with myself as well.

Let me add that paying some hefty vet bills won't keep us from putting food on the table.......on the other hand we clip coupons and watch our pennies.

 

[Nuiloa]

Two of my cats - Phil and Doug - died at age 14. Phil had lymphoma and Doug developed diabetes and kidney failure. Molly, who died at 19, developed liver failure so suddently that she was gone within a week.

I would have re-mortgaged the condo if there had been any hope. Those were my kids. However, I was happy that they were at least able to be euthanized and not have to go through the hell that we put humans through before death.

 

[Lakewood90712]

After one experience where I think I kept the treatment for the cat going too long, I have tended towards the sooner rather than later.
I have asked the vet: "How much better is he going to get?"
If kidney disease, diabetes, stroke...will take current cat in and hold him while put down.

It's what I want for myself.

+ 1

 

[FIYes]

I started reading this thread a couple of days ago and had to quit as it brought tears to my eyes. I had to make the decision to have a much loved pet cat put down a few years ago. He had cancer, was elderly, and had gotten very weak. If I have any regrets, it is only that I should have done it a couple of weeks sooner. I was with him and held him when the vet gave him his final injection and his passing was very peaceful. I was there to comfort him...he never liked going to the vet. I told him he was loved, but I couldn't make him young and healthy and I was not going to ask him to suffer any longer. While I thought I was there to comfort him, being there was as much for me and the chance say goodbye.