Last weekend, we found that the family dog had a blood clot in his ear that had to be repaired. He went into the vet for surgery and came home Monday night. Those of you who know me must realize that my dog is one of the family as far as my son and I are concerned. My daughter thinks that way too, but she also imagines him dressed in pink frilly bonnets with ribbons dangling off them. The dog disagrees with her view of the world and there is some tension in the house as a result.
You may not have known, however, that my husband thinks of our dog as part of the family too. When I talked to him about the potential for how bad the surgery could have been, he said, “I just can’t see not doing it. It doesn’t make sense.”
For many people, that phrase “I just can’t see not doing it.” doesn’t come to mind when it comes to animals needing surgery or regular veterinary care. Animal surgery can be particularly expensive. In the case of my dog’s ear, the surgery to repair his damaged artery was 500$, including the antibiotic cocktails he’s on until the area heals. In my mind, given what they did and how wonderful my vet is, that’s cheap.
But other surgeries, such as those for hip displaysia, can run into the ten to fifteen thousand dollar range. Few people have this kind of money on hand for veterinary purposes. My mother’s dog may be in just such a situation. This surgery is prohibitively expensive. Often times, the best thing that owners can do for their pets when they are in the extreme pain of such a disability, is put them to sleep, because it is all that their finances allow for.
I think I have pointed out this organization many times, but if you have a spare five bucks, throw it at IMOM. IMOM (In Memory of Magic) is an organization dedicated to helping people help their pets. Your donation to them can save a pet’s life, and the pet’s life you save, could be your own.
