i know this is a little different from what your wanting to know- but i feel its important to add...
my dexter was a resuce 2 years ago. he is a chihuahua and wasn't left at a shelter, he was taken to my 'mentor' and dropped off with a slight explaination of why... the woman was leaving for england and couldn't take him with her- but also had been told by neighbors that dexx couldn't be left with her son and husband either. the man had a new gf, and she had a big dog who used him as a chew toy; when this happened they just covered him in tcp (the disinfectant) and left him to it. they couldn't be bothered feeding him properly so he was only getting table scraps. and worst of all, he had been grabbed by the leg by the son and thrown against a wall because he was in the way...
i was asked to take him and was worried what he would behave like after being treated soo bad- but agreed to take him for a little while to see.
1st vet visit came the next day...
he had a Terrible gum infection that had very nearly gone to his jaw- he needed an injection of antibiotics into it for 3 days and tablets for a week- and that dealt with the infection in the bite marks too. which are now nothing more than faint scars
because of the poor diet, which he also needed a special food to help with his severe weight problem,
he also needed his shots (just incase) and as for the leg, when it was broken it wasn't professionally strapped- a lollipop stick and masking tape was used on it so it is very badly bent under the knee- and will probably need amputated in a few years as every winter it causes him to limp because of the arthritis building up.
he is the most expensive dog (health wise) i have ever owned but he's worth it just to see the appreciation and love he gives; no-one (with a good heart and love of dogs) can sit on the sofa without him on their knee- his experience has taught him to tell the good from the bad (useful for when placing puppies
) and although he still has his annoyances (like a fear of plastic bags so he has to wee on them) i couldn't give him up- it would destroy him and me!
so even though you may end up with a couple of extra vet costs, if you get the dog insured with a good company (that will cover things for life), what you get in return is in so many ways more rewarding than that little extra cash!