Posted on 04/11/2019 9:37:56 AM PDT by fireman15
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publication TED: The Economics Daily, April 4, 2017:
“In 2015, households spent an average of $528 on pets, or about 1 percent of average household spending. Pet expenditures include pet food; pet purchases, supplies, and medicine; pet services; and veterinary services. Average household spending on pet food jumped from $190 in 2014 to $230 in 2015, or from 37 percent of average household spending on pets to 44 percent.
“Average household spending on veterinary services, which reached over $200 in 2008, was $133 in 2015, or about 25 percent of average household expenditures on pets. Average household spending on pet purchases, supplies, and medicine, which represented 34 percent of average household spending on pets in 2010, measured only 22 percent of pet expenditures in 2015, falling from $163 to $116 over that period.
(Excerpt) Read more at infodocket.com ...
Our dog is 10 years old, is happy and in good health. The vet was able to quickly identify her life long heart murmur, a small fatty lump on the side of her chest that has remained the same for 5 years, that her teeth are due for a cleaning and that she is few ounces above her "ideal weight". We brought her card from the other vet indicating that she "needed" 3 annual shots.
I was impressed that our new 25 year old vet quickly identified all of these issues. Unfortunately, she then went into the hard sell part of her presentation, wanting us to agree to her proposed "care plan". It started with a $600 electrocardiogram, and another $1300 to do bloodwork, anesthetize her, clean her teeth and cut out a small lump she has had for 5 years. She said that half the lumps she cuts out of dogs are cancerous, along with a bunch of other scary stuff to convince us to shell out another $1900 in addition to the $100 we just spent on shots and the hard sell.
I can still remember when we used to take dogs in to get their teeth cleaned for $60 and they gave them a shampoo and clipped their nails for free as a bonus. Pets are big business these days and we now have half a dozen of these little veterinary boutique/animal hospitals within 3 miles of our house.
Adopt a pet, if you can.
It will make your life better.
Adopt a rescue.
“Average household spending on veterinary services, which reached over $200 in 2008, was $133 in 2015.”
I believe that the part of the reason is that vets have priced themselves out of the amount people are willing to pay. We were thinking while listening to our new young vet that we were not going to get another dog if we had to listen to the hard sell every time we brought her in for her shots and annual checkup.
“wiener dogs” - the canine worlds Keystone Cops !
I have 3 of those 4 legged clowns!
Sorry you had to go through that. It tends to undermine one’s confidence in ANY health care provider, when they seem to go into the perpetual-care mode of lining up test-after-test and procedure-after-procedure - which seem to be “needed”, much based on one’s willingness to pay and/or insurance availability.
In honor of National Pet Day, our cat woke me up at 4:30 a.m. by walking up my body and meowing, louder with each step, until he was in my face. He wanted to go outside, so someone had to open the door for him. Tonight he will likely treat me to some other act of worship and/or servitude.
Believe me... we have adopted way more than our share of “rescues” over the years. But none from the new breed of "rescue scam artist organizations" that are now the rage. That is a whole new subject.
I do volunteer at a local rescue.
I do volunteer at a local rescue.
I know the “proper” spelling but like it better as one word. We had three at once for many years also and they were quite a team.
I have only 2 dogs, but a bit larger. The older one is a 122 lb. Great Dane and the other is a rescue who was represented as being at least a Dane cross. However, although he looks a lot like the older dog, he’s half American Bull Dog, about a quarter American Staffordshire Terrier, some German Shepard, some Lab, and the rest Curbstone Setter. Right now he’s still growing and weighs about 70 lb. Love ‘em both.
Thank you. That is very commendable of you.
Joe Biden’s ears perked up when he heard it was National pet day.
I’ve never bought a pet. Always had strays. We’re down to 1 dog and 5 cats.
Heck of a thread to post right next to one where the family pet took over the controls of a plane which crashed and killed it’s 90-year-old owner — and then walked away.
Get Healthy Paws pet insurance and your financial worries will be over. They pay 90% of illness/injury treatment.
I thought that you were joking. But I see that they actually do have a website. We have all seen what the government and insurance companies have done to our health care industry. My wife and I do not have health insurance... We use Christian Health care Ministries, until they come up with a plan for pets the dog will have to wait.
Well and good but I have a pug that had to have knee surgery or else walk on 3 legs the rest of his life. Cost me $3,000...Healthy Paws reimbursed me $2,700. Their premium is reasonable. Your call.
PS Dog is perfectly normal now.
I’m in the same boat.
My vet retired and sold his practice to some youngins. Nice, very competent, but the prices have skyrocketed and they keep pushing their for goofy “care plans”.
Luckily, I know a vet socially who’s office is far from my house but he’s a good guy (absolutely LOVES his dogs!) and I’m gonna transfer.
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