-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
Could you afford vet treatment?
- Thread starter Hugo's There
- Start date
I think you're right, sometimes some vets will do this.
I know that after the girls cost £600 at the vets I was shell-shocked, and I could only stretch to one or two more
Hugo's There
Wise Old Thumper
My answer would be along the lines of MissMinnies and Blackberry & Co. I definitely could not say yes full stop. but not a no full stop either. And my bunnies arent insured so that one wasnt an option for me.
I woul have to say it would depend of the nature of the treatment, the potential risks, the chance of success, the bunnies nature and tolerance of the treatment, the chance of recurrence and also whether my vet would arrange a payment plan with me, which I think mine would. Oh and also any potential other bunnies I had an what their needs were.
As tbh obviously I wouldnt know definitely until the event arose but my leaning is towards no?I have 3 kids, potentially still another 11 bunnies to think of, and I'm not sure I could justify spending in excess of £1000 on one when I have responsibility to the others too and what that money could give my kids, or my other buns in terms of treatment etc
Soooo... I didnt vote on the poll as I cant give a straight answer!
I definately meant treatment that in all other respects was considered the best option for that bunny and all decisions had been made and all that was left was whether you could afford it.
I'm not sure whether referral vets offer payment plans :? i think you have to pay there and then.
Obviously there is the other concern for us that if we spend in excess of £1000 on one rabbit, just think how much that money could help a lot of our other rabbits. But Elwood is Elwood, there is no other bunny like him ( which may be a good thing :lol
Anyway, this was more a general question than an Elwood question
I was watching the bionic vet last night and they were talking about the costs on that too, which got me thinking. ( also wondering if they could make Elwood a bionic, non rusting, willy :? :lol: ):lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :thumb:
Fairy13
Wise Old Thumper
Obviously there is the other concern for us that if we spend in excess of £1000 on one rabbit, just think how much that money could help a lot of our other rabbits. But Elwood is Elwood, there is no other bunny like him ( which may be a good thing :lol
Liz I dont envy you at all with that decision. So very very hard. I have been thinking about it myself. And I havent come up with anything vaguely conclusive. Fingers crossed there is a viable treatment option which isnt as much as it could be?
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
It would depend what the procedure was. I have savings, but that would leave less money for emergencies or for the other rabbits.
I watched the bionic vet programme too, and I have to say I didn't agree with the operation done on the black lab, when the vet openly admitted that it may only give him another few months. IMO just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it SHOULD be done.
I watched the bionic vet programme too, and I have to say I didn't agree with the operation done on the black lab, when the vet openly admitted that it may only give him another few months. IMO just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it SHOULD be done.
I haven't voted as not sure what to put. I'm single and live from month to month but have always paid whatever vet bills have come up for my buns and cats - and sometimes that's been a lot. I either increase my overdraft facility or use a credit card or work out a repayment plan with the vet.
I definitely don't have a spare £1000 I could find though
I definitely don't have a spare £1000 I could find though
Hugo's There
Wise Old Thumper
It would depend what the procedure was. I have savings, but that would leave less money for emergencies or for the other rabbits.
I watched the bionic vet programme too, and I have to say I didn't agree with the operation done on the black lab, when the vet openly admitted that it may only give him another few months. IMO just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it SHOULD be done.
But he could also have up to two years
I didn't have a problem with that op as the dog was young and it didn't seem to faze him at all. I had more of problem with replacing the arthritic joint with all those pins for the dog in the first episode. i really wasn't sure about that one :?sillyrabbit
Wise Old Thumper
Yeah I have savings for my lot as well as insurance so they would be fine
Bex Dave and Robbie
Warren Veteran
i voted if covered by insurance in reality I would go to parents and in laws....
abbymarysmokey
Wise Old Thumper
But he could also have up to two years
The black lab only had a maximum of 2 years, and that was with chemo and other cancer treatment. I personally wouldn't put an animal through all that, but I guess we all have different opinions.
I didn't see the first episode.
This is something that really scares me. We would have enough money to cover one animal, but that would be it- although I would sell stuff to try and raise more. Having so many animals with illness there is a very good chance that more than one will be ill at the same time- at the moment I'm waiting for the vet to come and see Bluebell the goat, although 'livestock' tend to be less expensive because there isn't much you can do for them. The horses, except Pippin are insured, but its the cats, dogs and small furries that worry me- so much can go wrong.
giantbunnymummy
Warren Veteran
I would've voted yes, in that we would always find the money somehow, but the reality is we couldn't afford it in the sense of easily doing so - it would involve more debt and begging the o/h's parents, so I voted only if insurance covers it. But of course we would do whatever it took to find the money if the insurance wouldn't pay out.
VickiP
Wise Old Thumper
Yes I would find it providing the treatment was guaranteed to either improve their quality of life or prolong their life, if it was an elderly animal and there was less that 75% chance of success I am not sure I would want to put them through surgery/stress however, thats not about the money.
helgalush
Wise Old Thumper
I voted yes but the same as GiantBunnyMummy above - we couldnt in reality afford it but we would find a way to pay somehow. But then again, we arent in the position of constantly paying out for very poorly bunnies *touch wood*
We dont have insurance as there seem to be so many ifs and buts and exclusions and excesses etc and its quite expensive so we would just rather try and save up ourselves or pay on credit if we had to.
We dont have insurance as there seem to be so many ifs and buts and exclusions and excesses etc and its quite expensive so we would just rather try and save up ourselves or pay on credit if we had to.
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
I'd have to say yes. Not as in I have a spare £1K in the bank that I'm wondering what to do with (I wish!!) but they are all so precious that I would make that money available. There are times over the last few years where having to commit that money would panic me greatly (but I would still have done it) so I've made myself get into a better position where a £1K debt wouldn't get me into a panic and sleepless nights (it would just be the sick bunny I would lose sleep over). I'm in a lucky position of being able to do more work to pay it off. Hopefully if interest rates stay low a while longer I will have the cushion to fall on without requiring the credit card. But because of past times of financial hardship all except Artie are now insured and are likely to stay that way. Roo does have exclusions though so if it were digestion, teeth or eyes in his case real money would still be required. As for whether spending £1K on whatever procedure was required - I've got one of the bestest vets there is and I would rely on her 100% to give her opinion on whether it was in the bunny's best interest.
Hugo's There
Wise Old Thumper
With or without insurance I have a feeling that most people are going to be in a similar position
I voted yea, purely because 4years ago my pony cost £11k in vets bills. Since then I have an account which I save money for vets. There all under insurance but some have parts not covered. Since getting my new job any horse I sell I get 15% of the price sold so been keeping it for emergencies ontop of my normal wage.
If I didn't I would put no.
If I didn't I would put no.
BobbleG
Mama Doe
I don't think that "not being able to find the money" being your reason would ever make people on here think badly of you (nor should they).
£1000 is a lot of money!
I think there's a big difference to just taking on pets and not thinking through the financial responsibilities and therefore not being able to afford it so giving them up
evil to caring for them as best you can but struggling with a huge, largely unexptected bill.We'd have it - and have had to spend it in the past - but it's never lost on me that we're fortunate. Vets can cost a fortune and that's a lot of money to find if someone is struggling financially.
I'd sell Rob if it meant I could afford treatment for our 2!