Euthanasia and your pet

[HeartsOfFire]

Originally Posted by Pinner

Your a real hard ass aren't you

You're a real hard ass, aren't you? Yes, when it comes to proper English.

Being fiscally responsible ≠ being a hard ass. I cannot justify spending multiple hundreds of dollars in vet bills for one cat, when there are over a hundred cats in foster homes and at the volunteer shelters for the Meow Foundation each readily available for around $150 - $200.

Every cat at the Meow Foundation also comes with the basic procedures performed, like shots and sterilization. Every one of them comes with a 30 day return guarantee, and all necessary vet expenses are reimbursed by them within the first 30 days of adoption.

In short, if the cost to make one cat better is more than the cost to adopt another cat, yes I would be in favour of euthanizing the ill one and getting a new one.

[Pinner]

Keeping your girlfriend from dealing with the euthanasia of a pet must be worth something.

Some people feel really guilty putting pets down, especially if it was over just a little bit of money.

Cost of another cat $150, minus the cost of euthanasia, only leaves about $90 to spent at the vet per year for the visits and meds.

I like how you put your girlfriend in the position of covering any extra costs, or killing the cat. "Our Cat" You sir, are a hard ass. LoL

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

If vet bills run higher than this amount, either she covers the rest, or we euthanize the animal.

I am not looking forward to the outcome tonight.

[HeartsOfFire]

Some people are unable to put a price on the value of their pet's lives, and their pocketbooks suffer as a result of that. I can, and that price just happens to be whatever is the cost of a new cat adoption. If my girlfriend feels differently, then she can put her money where her mouth is.

I am not going to fall victim to vet bills the way my brother and sister-in-law did. Period.

Edit: Clarification is in order here, apparently. I thought I mentioned this before but I guess I have not.

My brother and sister in law, like me, have two cats. Both of them young, a little over a year old each I believe. One of them got sick. Really sick. They took him to the vet for an examination.

Exam, bloodwork, testing, and vet expenses later, the vet literally said to them 'I don't know what's wrong with your cat. I gave him a shot of steroids, it should clear up the infection. That'll be $900, all things said and done.'

Were it not for my father intervening a couple weeks later when the same symptoms popped up again, they would've likely been hosed for who knows how many more hundreds.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

Some people are unable to put a price on the value of their pet's lives, and their pocketbooks suffer as a result of that. I can, and that price just happens to be whatever is the cost of a new cat adoption. If my girlfriend feels differently, then she can put her money where her mouth is.

I am not going to fall victim to vet bills the way my brother and sister-in-law did. Period.

Edit: Clarification is in order here, apparently. I thought I mentioned this before but I guess I have not.

My brother and sister in law, like me, have two cats. Both of them young, a little over a year old each I believe. One of them got sick. Really sick. They took him to the vet for an examination.

Exam, bloodwork, testing, and vet expenses later, the vet literally said to them 'I don't know what's wrong with your cat. I gave him a shot of steroids, it should clear up the infection. That'll be $900, all things said and done.'

Were it not for my father intervening a couple weeks later when the same symptoms popped up again, they would've likely been hosed for who knows how many more hundreds.

So let me get this straight, because of 1 incident with a relatives cat, you will make your girlfreind make the decision to kill your cat or put out all the money herself? Even if a few hundred dollars might cure it and give you another 10-15+ years with your pet? Wow.

[HPLovecraft]

HeartsOfFire very obviously misses the point of having a pet in the first place.

[Suzles]

I will continue to advocate for having insurance for pets - I would hate to be in the position of having to euthanise because of money constraints.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Trans Canada on 16th does all of this for around $100.

I've been using Dr. Torrence at Trans Canada for 10 years, and my mom has been taking animals there for about 7 years before that. He's great!

[HeartsOfFire]

Originally Posted by Zevo

So let me get this straight, because of 1 incident with a relatives cat, you will make your girlfreind make the decision to kill your cat or put out all the money herself? Even if a few hundred dollars might cure it and give you another 10-15+ years with your pet? Wow.

No.

I am willing to contribute -- per calendar year and per cat -- the amount of money in veterinary costs equivalent to the adoption of a new cat.

Ballpark figure, $175 - $200 per year per cat specifically for extraordinary vet visits. This does not include annual checkups, this is strictly for when anomalies or emergencies arise.

Annual checkup costs $250? So be it.
Cat suddenly starts puking blood? Take it to the vet. If surgery is required to remedy the problem? $200 is my maximum and that's it for the rest of the year. If my girlfriend cannot front the rest, then it's a question of can the cat beat it on its own immune system?

If not, euthanize it.

I'm not the kind of person you're thinking I am. I'm not a heartless miser who only wants to keep a pet cat so long as it stays healthy. I'm willing to spend money to make a sick cat better, so long as those costs are not outrageous. I love my cats, and I love them to death. But at the end of the day, they are still just cats. And with over 100 cats at the Meow Foundation alone looking for loving homes to be adopted into, I would much rather end a sick cat's life and use the money to adopt a new one, rather than spend 2, 3, or 4 times that amount to try and save the sick one.

It's called fiscal practicality.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

I am not one to judge the money people choose to spend (or not spend) on their pets. But you should be aware that the rule you have arbitrarily hit upon will eventually stipulate that you euthanize a cat that has an ear infection.

[HeartsOfFire]

If that ear infection costs hundreds of dollars to treat/cure

and,

If that ear infection cannot be fought by the cat's immune system alone

and,

If that ear infection -- left untreated -- will cause discomfort for the cat for the rest of its natural life,

or,

If that ear infection is fatal to the cat if untreated

then,

Yes.

otherwise,

No.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

No.

I am willing to contribute -- per calendar year and per cat -- the amount of money in veterinary costs equivalent to the adoption of a new cat.

Ballpark figure, $175 - $200 per year per cat specifically for extraordinary vet visits. This does not include annual checkups, this is strictly for when anomalies or emergencies arise.

Annual checkup costs $250? So be it.
Cat suddenly starts puking blood? Take it to the vet. If surgery is required to remedy the problem? $200 is my maximum and that's it for the rest of the year. If my girlfriend cannot front the rest, then it's a question of can the cat beat it on its own immune system?

If not, euthanize it.

I'm not the kind of person you're thinking I am. I'm not a heartless miser who only wants to keep a pet cat so long as it stays healthy. I'm willing to spend money to make a sick cat better, so long as those costs are not outrageous. I love my cats, and I love them to death. But at the end of the day, they are still just cats. And with over 100 cats at the Meow Foundation alone looking for loving homes to be adopted into, I would much rather end a sick cat's life and use the money to adopt a new one, rather than spend 2, 3, or 4 times that amount to try and save the sick one.

It's called fiscal practicality.

Just out of curiosity, what's your monthly car payment? Beer budget?

[HeartsOfFire]

Sure thing:

Monthly car payment: $0.

Reason: Don't own a car. No need. Girlfriend owns a car and it's fully paid off, but I never use it. It's hers.

Beer budget: $0.

Reason: I don't drink. Unless it's a very special occasion. In which case, I'm usually within the capacity to order them. But as for purchasing from the liquor store, I don't do it.

Heh... in hindsight, I should've just posted "My what?"

[Zevo]

Each to thier own I guess. I consider pets to be a major responsiblity and a big commitment as well as part of the family and I just can't fathom thinking 'you are costing me too much money therefore I must kill you'.

You seem to approach this like your cat is just another possesion, not a living creature that depends on you for it's existance, or at least until it's existance becomes too inconvienient.

[HeartsOfFire]

UPDATE: Everything is fine.

Turns out, my eldest cat Darby (and likely the new kitten. If not now, then he soon will) has Feline Viral Rhinotraceitis (also known as Feline Herpes and/or Feline Influenza) and was just having a flair-up in reaction to the new kitten arriving in the house last week.

Vet says both will be just fine.

Apparently, this disease is so common that to use a proper analogy, it would be like going to Japan, and assuming that everyone you meet speaks Japanese as a first language. The people that don't speak it as a first language are the exception to the rule. Likewise, the cats that do carry this virus and never show symptoms are the exception to the rule.

I found it fascinating, because our family cat lived a good 14 years and never once did he have any problems related to it.

But boy, am I relieved. Darby got an anti-biotic shot, and we got some Lysiene supplement, which will prevent viral replication and flair-ups.

Both kitties should live long, happy lives!!!

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

UPDATE: Everything is fine.

Turns out, my eldest cat Darby (and likely the new kitten. If not now, then he soon will) has Feline Viral Rhinotraceitis (also known as Feline Herpes and/or Feline Influenza) and was just having a flair-up in reaction to the new kitten arriving in the house last week.

Vet says both will be just fine.

Apparently, this disease is so common that to use a proper analogy, it would be like going to Japan, and assuming that everyone you meet speaks Japanese as a first language. The people that don't speak it as a first language are the exception to the rule. Likewise, the cats that do carry this virus and never show symptoms are the exception to the rule.

I found it fascinating, because our family cat lived a good 14 years and never once did he have any problems related to it.

But boy, am I relieved. Darby got an anti-biotic shot, and we got some Lysiene supplement, which will prevent viral replication and flair-ups.

Both kitties should live long, happy lives!!!

Thank god it came in under budget!

[Ramsayfarian]

I've known for awhile that it was only going to be a matter of time before I'd contributing to this thread. All that unconditional love comes with a pretty steep price.

Adios Dude. You were one hell of a dog.

After putting The Dude down, I drank a ton of beer and threw this together.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I've known for awhile that it was only going to be a matter of time before I'd contributing to this thread. All that unconditional love comes with a pretty steep price.

Adios Dude. You were one hell of a dog.

After putting The Dude down, I drank a ton of beer and threw this together.

That's a great video man. What a great dog. Seems like the Dude truly lived the dogs life. Sorry to hear.

[Cowperson]

Abby (below right) is out of surgery and smiling and wagging her tail today, coming home tomorrow we think.

She lives with a certain zest for life and tore her cranial cruciate ligament a few weeks ago and had surgery on Monday for a plate/bolts and what not for her leg BUT we also had an x-ray done of her larynx to check out some coughing that had been coming up.

The x-ray revealed a cancerous mass in her lung, something we probably would never have known about if not for the leg injury. Surgery number 2 was yesterday to remove the cancer mass and she has a very good recovery prognosis.

Normally very healthy, she earlier this summer chewed up and swallowed two (2) six-foot leather leashes (gifts from a vet!!) that had to be surgically removed, she had three teeth taken out, then she ripped out a nail clean to the root and tore up tendons and ligaments in a paw at the same time while mining for rodents . . . .

Her sister Keeper had three operations for cancer and follow-up chemo two years ago, but is cancer-free now.

Both are 12 so there is definitely some sorrowful days coming in the next few years . . . . but not right now.

Fortunately, we have the cash flow ability to service all of this but it's been a very, very, very expensive last three months for Abby, leader of the pack below at Ptarmigan Cirque in K-Country, Keeper trailing.



Cowperson

[IliketoPuck]

Beautiful dogs Cowperson. Good news about the surgery too.

[Ramsayfarian]

Good thing they're not owned by HeartsofFire.