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Originally Posted by milliecorrales I got my first sick yorkie on Febuary 28th and the pup was hospitalized on the very next day, March 1st. I had moved and did not have a vet, but the one that I rushed Max to, stated he needed $600 before he could do anything. They kept him overnight, that was $600 plus a few blood tests, one week later, Max was sick again, again we went to the vet, $300 and a prescription for antibiotics and he was hydrated. Two weeks later, Max was sick again, I had talked to a breeder who recommended a Dr. W of a rich area animal hospital. I rushed Max there, he was in the process of dying. Dr. W and his staff were excellent, however, I was told that payment would be required in full and a deposit placed immediately. I gave them what was my rent money. After calling often to check on Max the next few days, I received the call at work that I could take Max home, before I could leave work (and I was so excited to think that Max was coming home) I received the call that Max had passed and I needed to come into the hospital to settle things. I went in and paid almost $800 for Max's bill. After a long and protracted battle with my BYB, he met me at his vets office and I was given two identical yorkie pups with a clean bill of health from the BYB's vet. I was thrilled though still sick at heart over Max. This was Wednesday afternoon. I took the boys home and not feeling well, laid down. I woke up three hours later to one pup being seriously sick. Since Dr. W was so far from me, I rushed the pup to the first vet, where the doctor actually took out his calculator while I was holding this sick pup, added up some numbers, told me a $300 deposit was required immediately (there went my car payment), I gave him the money. I was called about two hours later and told that the pup had parvo and would require radical treatment. In the meantime I reached the BYB who instructed me to pick up the pup from the vets immediately, which I did (did not get a dime back from this vet, even though the vet had him less than 3 hours), the BYB picked him up and when I walked out to the car with the pup, he had another yorkie pup in the car that he was taking to his wife, I took that pup. I had to keep the second pup away from the first for two weeks to make sure that neither had parvo. My two boys are healthy and after an experience with an OD with one of them (vet bill of almost $1600, different vet) I now have insurance on my two boys. It costs me almost $60 a month for the two of them, but it offers me immense peace of mind. It took me almost a full year to recover financially from all those vet bills. To say that one should not take on a pet unless they are financially secure is to do a disservice to all that love animals. I did what I had to do to provide for Max and my boys and would do it again, but to say that you should not have an animal unless you have lots of money is wrong. If you love your pet you will do whatever is necessary to provide for them. I would lay down my life for my boys. Those that truly love animals and go into the business of caring for them need to be understanding of others financial limitations. If payments had been allowed, I would have made those payments if I had to sell blood to do it, but to turn a sick animal away due to the financial constraints of its owner shows not a love of animals, but someone who is more concerned with their financial happiness. A true animal lover would work something out with the owner, even if it was a few dollars a week. JMHO. |