Dogs hind leg needing surgery, advice wanted

[fawcett123]

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Hi, first post here, just a little lost on what to do

I have a 2.5yr old Staffy/Frenchie cross, he has numerous allergies we have put a lot of money to trying to solve and help. Currently on apoquel and a raw food diet, costing me a lot of money. Its not solved it 100% but he is better, this has been on going for 2 yrs.

He started limping a few weeks ago and have since had an xray done. He has a fracture, muscle ligament damage and hip dysplasia. He needs surgery which is going to cost £3500. There is nothing to rule out it happening to the other side either now that's going to take more weight

I honestly cant keep pouring money into him anymore, he costs more than my 2 kids combined and there doesn't seem to be an end. At only 2.5yo I'm not sure if it gets worse or better

Numerous people i have spoke to suggest putting him down with a few saying to give up to a rehoming place

Looking for advice really
Sorry for the long post, just at a loss now
Thanks

 

[JudyN]

Realistically, it's very unlikely you'd be able to rehome him because not many people would choose to adopt a dog that is going to require a £3500 op and quite possibly another in the future, plus have the expense of lifelong medication.

Bear in mind that (for now at least...) we have a wonderful NHS that gives us free medical treatment - this is why your dog costs more than your children, and of course you do pay for this in taxes. So it's not quite a fair comparison.

Are you asking for medical advice/suggestions, or opinions on whether you should put your dog down rather having the ongoing financial burden? The latter is a very thorny subject.

 

[fawcett123]

Thanks for your reply

Yes, that is my worry. No one is going to want to take a dog that requires that and i wouldn't want him to sit in a kennel scratching himself to death because of no medication

I didn't really mean in regards to this operation just month to month cost. Im spending £200+ a month with medicine, raw food and insurance. As well as frequent vet visits and other stuff on top of that (obviously didn't see this coming before getting him, and i was a lot better off 2 years ago)

I can just about find the money for the surgery now, but bills rising constantly its hard to stay afloat at the minute. So yeah the worry he could keep costing thousands year on year is a ongoing financial burden

People have suggested putting him down given the allergies and potential problems he might have but it seems wrong. Guess I'm just looking for opinions on what others might do. Bare in mind i have 2 kids and pretty much work 6 days/50hrs to cover expenses etc

 

[JudyN]

I'm assuming that with the treatment he should have long-term quality of life - if not, of course that changes the equation.

Do you get the medication directly from the vet? If so, it may be a lot cheaper to ask your vet for a prescription and then buy it online. Can you cut the raw food bill at all? Some suppliers are a lot cheaper than others, but of course a good quality diet could help with his allergies. You also mention insurance - I'm assuming you've claimed all you can through that but that it wouldn't make financial sense to cancel it.

I'm fortunate that I've never had to ask myself when 'expensive' becomes 'too expensive'. Some people would literally go hungry themselves rather than let their dog suffer or put it down, but ultimately it's a decision you have to make for yourself and your family. Many people will be all too ready to judge, so you have to be comfortable with the decision yourself and know that you won't regret it in the future. Bear in mind that you will also need to justify it to your children. Depending on their age, maybe have a discussion with them about whether they would prefer to cut back on the things you'd like them to have?

I think that if I could afford the op, I would go ahead with it and keep my fingers crossed - after all, when we get a dog we should make a committment to it, 'for better or for worse' - though I'd be pragmatic about the future. Apart from anything else, this sets a good example to your children. But I haven't walked a mile in your shoes...

 

[fawcett123]

No idea, the surgery is usually successful. Or if you mean for the allergies. I've tried everything to eradicate the cause, apoquel is the cheapest option which is prescribed and bought online. Next step is injection at £150 a month

If this was the first and only thing i would of course get it done, but its been 2 yrs of vet visits and money for all different things, so this just really pushes it

Its easy to say cut back but i saved for 5 years to buy a house 3 yrs ago, worked a lot, no holidays, no weeks off. Then all seemed to be going well and then I've sunk a lot of money into my dog and the cost of living is ridiculous, so I'm back to square one. We also have a lot less time for him now as my and my partner are working a lot more

Sorry to come off as moaning but I've cried enough thinking about all options. There is a part of me which thinks i need to be selfish now and think about me. My only other option would be to get the surgery and then look at a rehoming

 

[Hemlock]

Some vets will take money in instalments. It's worth asking yours, if you decide to go the surgery route.

 

[JudyN]

Sorry to come off as moaning but I've cried enough thinking about all options.

My heart goes out to you because you are in a horrible position - so many people are struggling financially right now - so I think you deserve a darn good moan :-(

There's several articles online about what to do if you can't afford your pet's bills, with lists of organisations that can help with costs, vet bills and/or rehoming. Maybe you might find something helpful here? What to do if you can't afford your pet any more - MoneyMagpie

If you do decide to rehome to an individual (or less than reputable rescue), be very careful. Someone who is willing to take on a dog with high running costs may not be interested in the dog's welfare at all...

 

[Tinytom]

Wont his insurance pay for the operation...