A Dog’s Life: Sometimes Longer Than it should Be
March 23rd, 20108 comments Posted in Wapatui
Jane says…
Last week when Dan found out how much my husband and I were about to pay to get our dog’s broken leg fixed and to keep said dog comfortable and hospitalized until she could have the required surgery, he geeked his cigar smoke inhale and might just be coughing and wheezing still. Then he suggested that a single bullet would be a lot less expensive and we’d still have a bunch of cash left over to buy a goldfish at Wal-Mart.
And Dan’s a dog person!
So at what point does a pet owner say, “Too rich for my blood” and cash in the pet’s chips? I can only answer this question in terms of dogs…maybe cats, but it would have to be a seriously awesome cat – no shedding and scratching and sleeping on my head. Fish and rodents and reptiles? One of those gets a hangnail and I’d have very little trouble sending it off to enjoy a big dirt nap.
I would not spend so much money that my children had to sacrifice something essential. I would not spend money that I didn’t readily have if there was only a small chance that the treatment would be successful. I would not spend money I didn’t readily have if if I were only prolonging the dog’s life for my own happiness and comfort, rather than the dog’s. Otherwise…I’m paying. I can’t imagine pulling the plug on a pet, a pet who loves and trust and needs me, for any reason other than a humane one. If I wasn’t willing to incur the expense and hardship of dog ownership, whatever that brings – broken bones and complicated surgery including pins and plates included – then I shouldn’t have brought the dog into my home in the first place.
…but Dan thinks…
I think the dollar amounts are relevant here. When we discussed their family pet’s current predicament, she explained that it would likely cost in excess of $4,000 to mend her pup’s broken wheel.
And then she said something about writing a post about universal healthcare for pets.
And then I said “You know what? You go ahead and write that post. Here’s my take on the issue: you can get a brand new dog, with that new dog smell, all legs intact and functioning, for about sixty bucks.” Or put another way, for the same money Jane’s about to spend, she could get SEVENTY new dogs.
I know. They’re a part of the family. And the childless couples are all certain that the dog thinks it’s a person (here’s a news flash: if the dog DID think it was a person, she’d feel at least a little bit guilty about not chipping in for mortgage payments and grocery expenses, and wouldn’t piss on the floor (unless she was watching an NFL playoff game and got really drunk and forgot what a toilet looked like (Mike? Lookin’ at you, my friend))).
I love my dogs. They’re awesome. I’m not sure they’re $4,000 worth of awesome, though.
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I thought I’d be qualified to comment on this, having recently spent over $700 on a freaking BIRD, but $4,000?!?!?! Damn.
I’d probably spend it too, but ouch.
I spent $200 on my bird. IT was a cockatiel.
I have been in that predicament. A broken leg a dog can heal from. When you have a pet, you have a responsibility to take care of that pet. Including to feed it. If it was something the puppy would NOT heal from, it would be one thing. But, my parents’ dog, my friend’s dog and now Kristin’s dog are all dog-survivors of leg surgery. I can tell you that the other three dogs I know that have had the same or similar break? They are now fine.
Also, if it was something that I felt was my fault (like when my high school dog got hit by a car) I’d TOTALLY do everything in my power. My current older dog has a tumor on her liver, kidney failure and pancreatitis. We’re keeping her comfy. No chemo, no biopsies. She’s eleven.
My puppy? If she had something bad going on, I’d do something. She has a long life to live. If it were fixable, no problem.
Just sayin’.
The Domestic Goddess´s last blog ..This is How You Know Mommy Needs to Clean up Her Potty Mouth
Hey Dan: when’s the voting thing going up…and can we have some kind of score card on the home page b/c I think I’d be beating your butt.
Jane´s last blog ..If You Buy The Kids A Puppy
Hey Jane – you’d be missing my butt because I’ve been working that butt off on all kinds of other projects. And finding a votey thing sounds easy, but isn’t.
And besides – no, you’d be losing.
my dog’s only 7. and he seriously thinks he’s human. fucker’s been sleeping on my bed…under the covers…drooling on the pillows. that said, i’ve put up a baby gate so he can’t get up there – but hell Yes, i’d pay to keep him around. cancer? put him out of his misery. broken fixable bone? cash out.
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I’d sell my body. Especially for my Liebe dog, whose snorts make my heart go pitter patter.
The Hussy´s last blog ..Oh, Yes We Did.
It would be awesome to poll dog owners and find out if this is a man/woman thing.
The Domestic Goddess´s last blog ..This is How You Know Mommy Needs to Clean up Her Potty Mouth
I can’t believe this is actually happening, but I’m about to agree with Dan. (No, not about health care!) I just couldn’t justify it. Period. Why does the song “put down the ducky” keep playing in my head as I type? And Damn, that dog is cute. And I love me my dog too. And there are things right now I might sell my body for – like braces for my oldest kid or a heater that actually works or a reconstructed leg bone for my three-year old. I would choose the dog if I had the money over, let’s say, a boob-job. (There, now I’m disagreeing with Dan. Feels right.) But for my six month old puppy? Dude. Put down the ducky.