This pet has given you his/her whole life and heart. Now in old age, he needs more medical care, and the expenses add up. Isn’t a life of love and loyalty worth some later expense?

That said, we do have to live in the real world. Not everyone can afford a $20,000 kidney transplant for their cat (only one of our clients in 40 years). We understand. Veterinarians HAVE TO recommend the best options for care. If you truly can’t afford this, be honest. Talk with your veterinarian about what you CAN afford, and discuss changes to the treatment plan to accommodate that.

You are the person most qualified to determine your pet’s quality of life. However, medical care can improve and extend that quality of life. Work with your veterinarian to provide the best care you can manage. Reward your pet.

Believe it or not, veterinarians are high-empathy people. If they were really “in it for the money”, they would have gone into human healthcare. I have a family friend doing surgery on people, earning $700,000 a year part-time, yet the national average starting veterinary salary for full time is $111,000, after incurring debt of $147,000 for 8 years of college. (DVM figures from the American Veterinary Medical Association - avma.org)