Dog seriously ill, due to go to Australia on Sunday

[77788r]

My dog has become seriously ill in just a few days, she's having an operation on Wednesday next week and we've been told there's a 75% chance of success of her surviving the operation. If she doesn't have the operation she would likely have less than a month to live.

I am due to fly to Australia on Sunday for 2 weeks. The holiday cost me thousands. The travel insurance won't cover a cancellation or change in dates for a pet, and the pet insurance will cover £1000 which is better than nothing.

I feel devastated. It is a huge sum of money, I've saved up and done so much planning and preparation and I feel sick at the thought of it just going to waste. It was for a big birthday. The operation is also thousands of pounds, so this whole situation is costing nearly 6 months of salary for me. I also feel sick at leaving my dog, not knowing what the outcome of the surgery is gonna be or knowing if it's the last time I'll see her. I've spoken to family and friends who think I should go, aside from the family member who would be looking after her while I was away - they said it would be wrong for me to go and they would never consider going themselves.

I don't think I'll go but it hurts so much, I'm so upset at the timing of it all

I have dogs and I don't think I would go. I also have an expensive holiday coming up and genuinely am trying to put myself in your shoes in terms of whether I would cancel it or not if one of them became seriously ill to the point of needing surgery with a 25% chance of failure.

Obviously I can't be 100% certain of how I'd react in that situation, but I think I would cancel.

You know that pets , dogs especially bond to their families don't you ? They see you as their pack , and would literally kill for you if necessary ,
Do yourself a favour and don't ever get one if that's really how you feel .

Your partner presumably could look after dog as well as you. And you'd feel reassured by this?

If so, that puts a different spin on it really.

Oh so her other owner is home with her? That makes a big difference. You are not leaving her with a stranger, it's your partner. I assume you have full trust in their ability to look after the dog in recovery?

I was gonna say don't go....until you said the 'relative' looking after her is her other owner - your partner!!

I feel like that possibly changes things.

What reasons would allow you to claim on the insurance?

Regardless the personification of animals is getting out of hand. I love dogs but they are not people or children and shouldn’t be treated as such.
I am sure the dog would prefer its owner to be there but she has expensive plans on the other side of the world.

Hell no. My dog like yours means more than any holiday..I'd not go.

Sincerely hope your lovely dog pulls through the Op. 🙏 safely.

Hi OP! We've been in a similar situation recently - please please check your PET insurance (not travel)! We're with Pet Plan for our pup and it covers holiday cancellation if your pet falls seriously ill in the 14 days before travel! Best of luck for the dog's operation <3

I think I’d go.

Theres a very strong chance she’ll make it and you’ll find that out 4 days into your holiday if I read that right? So you can then relax and look forward to seeing her when you get back. Does your dog know the relative who’ll be caring for her?

I think it’s unfair of the relative who said that to you; it’s not their choice and I’m sure they know it’s a massive guilt trip if you were otherwise wanting to go.

Have you tried calling the airline and accommodation to see if you can push it all back by a week? That way you’ll know how she’s recovering and be able to enjoy more of the holiday?

Changing dates is counted as a cancellation (it's a package holiday) with full fee charged with this short notice.

The surgery is to remove a tumour, the vet thinks it's worth trying the surgery - they told me they would not advise it if it was not worth it but they think she has a fighting chance.

@77788r This does indeed make a huge difference..Assuming dog is happy to be left with him?

I think her post said she could get £1000 back which sounds like a drop in the ocean of the costs of the holiday.

Are there any other underlying reasons why your partner might not be 100% supportive of you going? Why are they not going to Australia?

How much of your partner’s position on the dog is related to him not wanting you to go anyway or objecting to have to do the care? It’s a bit rich saying he would cancel when he’s not in the position.

If you were my partner I would be encouraging to go. I can look after the dog. If she survives there’s no reason to cancel the holiday, if she doesn’t you will need a holiday and it would have been cancelled for nothing.

I wouldn't go , as others have said you wouldn't relax or enjoy .
My dog means the world to me , he would come first , without question .
Shit timing but thems the breaks x

If my dog was staying with “daddy” then I may well go. I know he could care for her as well as I could. But then I trust him. How do you feel about your ex?
Re the op what will be will be, whether you are there or not.

Your dog is not being left with a relative! Your dog is being left with your partner (in your words their other owner)! You can still go to Australia because your dog is being left with someone they obviously know and trust.

I'm going to go the other way and say go. Dogs don't understand death and operations. If the dog was going to be fine with you going away for two weeks, which it sounds like he/she was going to be, then go. To be brutally honest, the dog will either die in the operation or still be about when you get back. Either way, the dog isn't going to know much about it. If your partner is with the dog, then the dog has an owner about? I'm assuming the dog is equally bonded to both of you. Our dog is happy if one of us is about. I don't think it makes much difference to her if we're both there or not... Also what sort of state is the dog going to be in after the operation? Again, I think dogs are either painfree and happy or in pain and not esp happy. If the dog's quality of life is going to be compromised after the operation, then I would really question the op at all. I'm probably going wildly against the mumsnet grain here, but I simply do not understand the logic of keeping animals alive when they're in pain. They don't have the capacity to understand past pain.

WTF op!?

So from the dogs perspective she has the love and care from her owner when recovering?

So the only real risk is your feelings, which is up to you to decide.

Im actually cross at your partner for guilt tripping you! Is it possible they’re secretly pleased you’re not going?

I get it’s not ideal timing at all, but the odds are she’s going to be fine! I would say go and have fun, knowing the dog is in safe hands, it’s fellow owners.

I wouldn’t go, cancelled my holiday to NYC for my beloved guinea pig and she’s still with us 2 years later aged 7. I’d never have enjoyed the holiday worrying about her

It definitely depends on the strength of the bond.. My dog absolutely adores my adult son and I know son would be trustworthy to look after her should the need arise..I fact I joke that she loves him more than me!

100% this

After your first post I would have said stay, but your dogs other owner is going to be right there through everything, so I would say go, just make sure to give your dog big snuggles before you go.

Urgh I’d probably not go but I’d be absolutely spewing about it.

But this is why I don’t have a dog. I love dogs. But I don’t want my life to be ruled by one.