help with vets bill

[lawsanass]

Please can anyone help....My dog was hit by a car yesterday and was rushed to the vet. xrays and exams show that his pelvis has multiple fractures and are especially bad in the socket of his hip. The vet is sending the xrays to a specialist orthopedic surgeon. Based on the info given on the phone by the vet to the specialist he has estimated the cost to be about �4000 to repair with a moderate prognosis. My dog will only be 2 in August and is a yellow lab. He is a very much loved family pet. Does anyone know if I can get help with the costs, I have tried blue cross and pdsa with no luck. I do not have the money and will have to tell the vet yes or no tomorrow about doing the operations. thanks all

[bamps1]

I think you should cut your losses and have it put down, a new one dog be cheaper and it'd be like trading your car in.

[cruella]

I assume that you are not on any benefits, otherwise the PDSA would have helped with this bill.
I can only advise you to speak with the Vet and ask if you could pay for the treatment through monthly instalments. Try appealing to his better nature. I do hope your dog gets treated.
I am so sorry to hear what has happened.

[yogasun]

I agree In A Pickle.

Can't suggest anything myself if you have tried the two obvious Blue Cross and PDSA. I can't believe there can't be some way to help people with such a massive bill rather than them having to have the animal put down.
Can't the vet let you pay in stages lawsanass?

[LoftyLottie]

Bamps. To put it bluntly "You are a pathetic idiot".

Lawsanass - I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Try contacting the Dogs Trust to see if they can provide any help, or at least they might point you in the right direction. As Cruella has said, the PDSA only help if you are on benefit. Would the vet agree to an installment plan (if you can afford it)?

My thoughts are with you, whatever you decide. It is a terrible thing to have happened and a horrible decision for you to have to make. x

[~max~]

Oh poor thing! I can't believe how much it is!!! Really, can you try to negotiate with the vet? Do you not have pet insurance (I'm guessing not...)? I really don't know what I would do in this position. Even �400 would be more I can afford...Try the PDSA and Blue Cross too. What about the car that hit him, do you know who they were? Maybe their insurance would work?
I hope you find a solution, and wish you all the best. xxx

[cruella]

I have been trawling the net and unable to find any organisation that would be of help to you.
Once again, it may be that your Vet will take the money over monthly instalments as I suggested earlier Explain your situation to your Vet and ask him if he can advise you as to any help out there.
Are you on any benfits or over 60 years of age.
You have to go down every avenue.
Oh, I just wish I could help you.
Please keep us informed. xxx Fingers crossed the Vet will allow instalments.

[lawsanass]

Bamps.....you obviously dont have animals and I really hope for their sake you never do.... To everyone else who had some great suggestions and sympathy, thankyou. MAX.....you gem......I checked and found out I can claim from the drivers insurance, just as well she gave me her details. thankyou all so much, the vet says in future years he will most definately suffer with arthritus, but at least I dont loose my lovely dog, its the beginning of a long road to recovery but at least we have a road to go along, thanks all x

[yogasun]

That's great news. Why didn't I think of that? Well done Max. Thank goodness you got all the details.

Hope he gets better soon. Good luck.

[LoftyLottie]

I'm thrilled to hear about the success with insurance. Great news. It will be a long haul, but I am so pleased you can now go forward with the operation and with your dog years of happy life. Thank goodness for people like you who take on all the responsibilities of pet ownership through the good and bad times. With very best wishes x

[kita1]

Glad to hear you can claim off the drivers insurance. Also glad to see that you are able to cope with thoughtless idiots like bamp1 who obviously have nothing better to do with their time than go around trying to upset people and cause distress!

By the way did your vet give you any other options? Did he say it was the specialist or put to sleep and nothing else? I just ask because sometimes fractures can heal themselves without any treatment as such, just restricted movement.

As for arthritis in later years - well I am sure you can cope with that when it arises! There are lots of things on the market to help prevent it too (eg Cortaflex etc.).

Hope you get your boy home soon and your next BIG problem will be trying to keep him quiet whilst he heals!

[~max~]

Oh I'm so so glad it helped!!! I only wrote that as an afterthought too! Wonderful news! xxx


All the best to your wee dog now!

[LoftyLottie]

He will probably have to be confined to a large cage while he healts lawsanass. But as long as it is in your living area and he has you all around he will get used to it.

Well done Max!

[wolf63]

Best wishes to both of you. I hope that he goes on to lead a long life.

[cruella]

I am absolutely delighted that you have found a solution to your problem.
I wish your dog a speedy recovery.
So glad it all worked out in the end. xxx

[Ice.Maiden]

I can only say what the others have - a speedy recovery to your lovely dog - xx

[Tichfield]

Getting payment from the car driver's insurance company is not going to be automatic. Unless the driver is at fault, and you can show that, then don't expect it to be easy.

For example, if the dog just ran out in front of the car then I don't think you will get any payment.

[Ice.Maiden]

I was thinking that myself Tichfield, but thought that best wishes for the poor dog were more in order at the moment.
If anything goes wrong with the insurance claim lawsanass, I think I'd explain to the vet what you're hoping to do, and, if you get no joy, ask if you can pay in installments. Most vets will agree to this. Then - get pet insurance as soon as possible - xx

[Tichfield]

I agree with your sentiments ice.maiden.

But �4000 is a lot of money, and this is a dog.

If I had �4000 I would gladly spend it on trying to get the dog put right if I had to, but there is no way I would do that if it meant putting the human members of my family into financial difficulty, and depriving them of what they need.

[garner]

I'm so glad there is a good outcome from your terrible problem lawsanass, at least you will not feel as doing nothing.Good luck to your boy, hope everything goes well for him and he is soon on the road to recovery.g