I don't see insurance cheapening at all. It's a huge issue here, and it's just ridiculous. You know, for centuries there were no fancy hospitals and people did a lot of things using home remedies. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I think we've over-evolved, so to speak.
This has been a thing to considered when we decided to take my sister's dog. Good thing we haven't had much of a problem so far. But lately yeah, rates have been going up crazy.
As I said earlier, there are good and bad in every profession, which includes vets.
I have a lot of doggie friends, having used to work my dogs, and many of them also get the 'are you insured' question.
My old vet before we moved didn't ask this, but the first one we tried here did. However our old vet, good as they were, did appear to be very expensive, compared to the one I now use.
I do think that many do see pet owners as a 'cash cow', knowing that we will do everything possible to ensure that our pets keep healthy, or get over illnesses, even promoting treatments that wouldn't help our pet. My new vet actually totld me this when we were given the awful news that Rudi was terminally ill. He said that many vets would push us to give him chemo, but in his view, this would not do any good at all.
I know that medications through your vet can be horrendously expensive, but I believe that they cannot refuse to give you the prescription to obtain it elsewhere. What many seem to do, is make you pay (usually a lot) for writing that prescription, so that if it is needed every month, it is not going to make it that much cheaper, having done so. A real con, and just going to show, that there are some that see pound/dollar signs when you walk through the door.
However my new vet and the practice, I couldn't praise highly enough, so obviously they are not all like it.
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I agree, centuries ago things were very different - maybe dogs were far healthier back then so there wasn't the need for them? You know, 60-70 years ago, my fathers dogs were brought up on table scraps, milk and bread and the rest of it they had to go hunt for themselves - those dogs were rarely ill. I am not saying they lived any longer because life was harder for them - they slept outside and were working dogs - used for hunting and guarding the farm, but they were healthier - no vaccines, no medicines etc. My father's farm was in a small little remote area of Greece and the nearest vet was in the city, miles away, so if any of the dogs did fall ill, people used natural remedies - grasses, herbs etc.....things that we are coming back round to now.Originally Posted by Orrymain
I think that until perhaps 20-30 years ago the range of treatment for dogs and cats was limited in comparison to now, so it is hardly surprising that the cost of insurance is now prohibitive.
We all want the best for our pets but personally I don't believe that quality of life is necessarily the same as quantity of life and I would not put my pet through a lot of medical procedures if it would be difficult for the dog or if it wouldn't extend life significantly.
If I'd do it for me, I'd do it for my dog. Actually, I'd do more for my dog than I would for me.
Orrymain, I agree that I would do more for my dog than for me, but having witnessed the illness and death of my husband I know that endless tests and treatments are too much for many people to cope with, and I wouldn't want it for myself so I wouldn't put a pet through it..
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