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Originally Posted by duckie215  Hey, I would say that you guys are right on the ball. No matter what kind of Dog you have or if you have children, emergencies do arise. Most pure breed's have histories of certain issues. With some of the lareger breeds its hip problems. But if you find a good breeder with "good stock" then it will be a whole lot less likely to happen. I'm glad you guys are responsible owners and thinking about these things before bringing a pup into your lives. props too you! |
Purebred dogs are much more likely to have genetic conditions because the gene pool is so small. For instance, Yorkies are 36 times more likely to have a liver shunt than all other breeds combined. Testing and surgery for a shunt easily runs into the thousands.
The key is to get a puppy from a reputable breeder who screens her breeding dogs for health problems and is very knowledgable about genetics. That narrows your choice of breeders considerably. I would only get a puppy from a breeder on the YTCA breeder list or from a breeder recommended by one of those breeders.
Yorkshire Terrier Club of America About The Club
Even a healthy dog can rack up big vet bills. Toy breed dogs can dehydrate quickly from vomiting and diarrhea form a "simple" tummy upset. Often hospitalization with an IV is required. Dogs get into garbage or are fed fatty table food and have a bout with pancreatitis. A co-worker's Yorkie recently had a close to $2,000 vet bill when her dad slipped Sugar a little piece of ham from the holiday table.
Senior dogs can really rack up vet bills as most develop conditions that need monitoring and medications. Don't forget to plan long term. If you will be putting a child through college or expect to have a family and big day care expenses when your dog is a senior, that should be considered.
It is always important to have a savings account set up for unexpected vet bills because they will happen. Emergency vets always require payment at the time of service as do most vets. Some regular vets will set you up on a payment plan, but many will only suggest Care Credit.
Here is a good (and conservative IMO) estimate of the cost of owning a dog:
The Cost of Owning a Dog