To feel that soon , dog ownership will just be for the well off? And thats not fair.

[Tunamelt]

We had a family dog and as a child I really benefited from it . As did my own dc when we had our beloved dog.
When the dc had a hard day she cheered them up so much and it was such a good experience for them.
We have just adopted a dog.
She needed the vets in the first week due to upset tummy.
Ist vet appt £75 and then x2 meds.
She now needs a stool sample and a further vet appt to
check her health.
stool sample test alone will be over £100.
We had appt with behaviourist at £90 ph .
Her food is £60 pm.
the vet thinks she may need fluxotine for anxiety and those meds are around £80 pm
So thats come to a good amount and she has only been here a few weeks.
Its made me realise that these sort of costs are just not do able for
many - and a concern to us -and it seems so unfair that the joy of a dog may be beyond reach for many these days .

I’m constantly rolling my eyes at posts on here from people who are struggling financially to feed and house their children, pay for basic activities etc and then talk about their multiple pets. It’s an extension of the weird personification of pets, it’s like people see the as family members that just ‘happen’ to exist and not expensive possessions that the have chosen to have. I completely appreciate that people adore their animals but I cannot fathom having them unless I was soundly financially secure. Children’s needs should come first. It’s not a right to have a dog any more than it’s a right to own other expensive possessions. It’s irresponsible to have them if you’re struggling financially, it’s just another expense.

@Secretvet

With respect, you are going to say that poster is giving false information. You are being defensive as you are a vet.

Even if YOU are super honest, and offer the cheapest and the best to pets and their owners, you can't possibly say that every other vet/big conglomerate who has taken over many vets behaves the same.

This thread (and many posts on it) is living proof that many people have been ripped off by vets. (Or they have had vets attempting to rip them off by trying to palm off uneccessary treatment on them - for their pets!)

I know, not ALL vets/vet practices do this, but it's just simply wrong and untrue to say that NONE of them do it.

I think you’ll find that I didn’t say that, I can only speak for my own practice. And as I reach the end of my professional career, I am steadfastly against selling out to corporates, and will never do so. I am fortunate that younger colleagues are willing to invest in their future and that of the practice. I do feel that corporatisation has been very bad for the profession and how we are viewed.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Thinking of you and your dog 💐

I completely agree with YeOldeGreyhound - dogs are members of the family, living breathing creatures with feelings who love you and whom you love, not possessions. There is a real problem with loneliness in this country and I believe dogs, cats and other pets alleviate this for many people, who might otherwise have nobody. That companionship and comfort shouldn't be out of reach for people if they need it. I myself am going to be widowed in my forties as my DH has terminal cancer and my DD will likely be going off to Uni in 2027, I will be living alone for the first time in my life. I hope that I can afford a dog one day, as the thought of being here alone makes me so sad. A dog won't be able to take away the grief but it would still be a companion and a comfort. Dogs have an innocence that helps people, they are unaware of the problems of humans and they can bring joy where there otherwise would be none.

our family had a golden retriever as a child. It had cheap dry supermarket kibble and the cheapest supermarket own brand tin of dog food. Plus doggie treats and separately scrap dog bones from the butcher, which the dog adored chewing/licking, which was a thing decades ago, now forbidden. The dog had 3 walks a day morning, afternoon an early evening about an hour or more a day. The dog lived to 14 years old. It never went to the vet once apart from the jabs it got as a puppy (think it was parvovirus jabs which all retrievers get). Dog was always happy and came with us everywhere on holiday to the beach, on canals, the lot.

Not really.

we have a rescue dog and she had an upset tummy when we got her, it was mostly anxiety and the worst case of worms I’ve ever seen in my life, sorted with de wormer and some pro biotic paste.

£60 a month for dog food is not an expensive food to the person who said it was!

my dogs don’t really cost me that much now really, pet insurance, food, flea and worm treatment and that’s about it I think!

lessglittermoremud

thanks for offer re support

• will message you as am feeling reallly anxious since our afternoon walk as she kept stopping and refusing to walk

Dogs are crazy expensive and keep getting more expensive. Love our dog to bits but don’t think we will get another after this one. Insurance is so expensive we have had to cancel it. It got to £125 a month when he hit 8 for a dog with no previous health issues and not a breed with known health issues (we do have savings to pay for issues). We have a 6 figure income with a child in private school and still feel our dog is a real luxury.

Do you make it or buy it?

I buy my cat Nutriment, she costs a bit over a pound a day to feed since she's only 4kg and eats a quarter of a tub a day.

I considered making my own but I don't know where to source the ingredients. I priced up supermarket stuff and it's more expensive than Nutriment!

My girl used to do this. Baffling! It does get better though. Try walking her in different directions - even if that means you’re going around in circles sometimes. And if she doesn’t want to be out, take her home. Knowing she can trust you to respond to what she’s telling you will help her settle.

Sorry you are saying goodbye tomorrow yeoldegreyhound,it's a very hard time,I can tell by your message she's very loved,and you gave her a lovely life and home. Big hug to you ❤

I voted you are being unreasonable just because that seems like an excessive amount of vet care for an upset stomach? And of course the vet will want you to pay £80 pcm for extra meds.
You know you can shop around, vets charge a lot more in affluent areas than less so/rural areas.
I have a dog and she has only ever been to the vet for vaccinations. She’s had plenty of upset stomachs, ate loads of things she shouldn’t, had weird limps for a couple of days, all sorts of the years….. I always take a let’s wait and see approach, otherwise the vet would have her in for “observations” and x-rays etc. She is now 10 and plenty healthy!

Life isn't fair OP. We don't all have the same amount of money.

You have to cut your cloth. Can't have a champagne lifestyle on a prosecco income...

either you can afford a dog or you can't. That might involve cutting back on other things to afford it or you might just have to accept you can't.

The owner would have been told by my receptionist to try pro-kolin (or similar) online for a few days along with boiled food and if any deterioration or concern, book in to see me. Behaviour wise - I haven’t used medication in 12 years of being a vet. A good trainer goes a long way. Both pieces of sound advice and no charge.

As with every job - you’ll have the good and the bad. And I understand that. Not all vets are saints. But it’s the generalised slander that upsets me as believe me when I say, caring vets do exist.

I will tweak costs, give free advice, take in strays and fix them, wildlife too. Not because I’m a saint but because I’m proud to be in a position where I can help animals and their owners. BUT responsibility has to be taken as well by owners and not just assume costs are ridiculous without researching and being prepared.

On a different point, yes people are being ripped off by vets. The CMA has been looking into it.

I think the same issues are happening with private dentists too - they get bought up by the likes of Bupa and hike the prices.

This is why I pay for monthly insurance. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to our dog and I had to choose between spending money I didnt have or not getting the care for him that he needed.

Yes dogs can be expensive.
Our pet insurance though once we had paid the excess for a particular health condition once then that was it ..all further claims paid in full .
Some minor health conditions can be treated at home though , same as you would for your child. You wouldn’t have your child at the GP for every minor illness .
Eg upset tummy try plain chicken and rice or even some probiotic goats yogurt

This.

I am lucky because my dog is super fit although a bit overweight but of course that's my responsibility. The cost of vet fees is staggering and definitely not in line with inflation - far more expensive nowadays because of this takeover by big exploitative business.

I think it's really sad that people are becoming excluded from having dogs and cats. My daughter went to the vet to get flea treatment for her three cats and the quote was £800. Luckily, I was able to steer her to an online website for veterinary medication on line and the bill was reduced to about £60 for all three for the identical medication which demonstrates how much money they are making.

I agree with the "it's irresponsible to have them if you're struggling financially"

But with children too, if you can't afford them dont have them. Most people dont see it that way because everyone has a 'right' to have children, apparantly... meh.

Yachts are only for the well off and that’s not fair…

We had a dog with lots of allergies and we eventually gave her a grain free vegetarian kibble. The vet ok'd it so long as she was eating enough of it and got on with it. Also re monthly meds, you can ask for a prescription from your vet and buy them online much cheaper. Our dog had to have an eye cream for dry eye which was £90 a tube. Online it was about £25. Might be worth looking into this and seeing how much you'll save if the dog needs monthly meds.

@Tunamelt my old FCR didn’t tolerate rice well, which is odd as low allergy. We found salmon and potato (Simpson’s sensitive tummy) worked
for him. if you’ve got a local dog shop, worth asking them for advice. We never ever deviated and used his kibble for a treat as his tummy was
so sensitive.

good luck x