How Much Would You Spend to Save Your Dog?

A new survey reveals that 10 percent of dog and cat owners would be willing to spend more than $3,000 on medical procedures if it would help save their pet’s life. (Would a cat owner have to do this nine times?) Some 15 percent would spend between $1,000 and $3,000. And 61 percent would spend between $100 and $1,000.

Doing the math (stay with me here), 10 + 15  + 61 = 86. So 86 percent of those surveyed are willing to spend $100 or more to save their pets. Does this mean that 14 percent wouldn’t even spend $100? Am I missing something? (Math is not my best subject, so I truly welcome some insight into these figures. Maybe I am misinterpreting?)

Regardless of the exact numbers, when I read the survey results I thought of my fellow Dogsters and wondered what the results would be if I put the question out to you: How much would you be willing to spend on your dog if medical treatment would save its life? When finances are limited, it’s a terrible question to have to face. For some, it may be a matter of choosing to pay rent or to save their pet. For those with more resources, the sky might be the limit. I know a woman who spent $50,000 to keep one of her dogs alive an extra year. The dog lived pretty well that year, and she doesn’t regret the expenditure for a moment. I know how much you all love your dogs, but is there a limit? Does it have anything to do with the quality vs quantity of life?

BTW, the survey was sponsored by Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery retailer. Why would a grocery chain sponsor a survey like this? I think it’s because Kroger now offers pet insurance. I guess the point is that if you have insurance, you don’t have to worry quite as much if you ever have to make a decision about what kind of life-saving care your dog should get. Do those of you with pet insurance agree?

(Photo from the Flickr photostream of Doglington. Lucy, the dog in the photo, had a terrible urinary tract infection at the time, with high fever and a lot of pain. Her owner, Lisa, realized later that putting her on faux fur was not a great idea with her fever. I hope Lucy healed fast after the meds kicked in. BTW, I got this background info from Lisa’s appealing blog, Left Coast Cowboys.)

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