How far would you go?

[MizElz]

how far would you go for your horse? if, for instance, s/he suddenly started displaying alarming signs of ill health, but the vet was at a loss as to a diagnosis, would you be prepared to spend huge amounts of money on finding out wat was wrong, without being certain that your horse will still live, even if you do find out?
if the illness meant that the horse was potentially endangering itself and others (eg. balance issues, personality changes etc), would this influence your decision?
especially if your horse isnt insured.....would you be prepared to get into financial dire straits in other aspects of your life, in a bid to save your horse?

 

[EquestrianFairy]

hmm, im biased because i always insure for everything!

Because of this i am and was and actually did prepare to go the full hog and find out everything.. bills were around the 3k mark and shes now retired.

However, if uninsured then i am unsure myself- partly because i dont have savings as such so id be worried about things but in the first instance id start proceedings and see where they would end up to start with.

This would be regardless of a balance issue or a lameness issue (as mine was)

 

[Tia]

It would totally depend on the diagnosis and the subsequent prognosis and it would depend on which horse it was. If there was likely going to be a positive outcome then I would consider spending up to 2K of my own money; but it is doubtful I would spend any more.

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
It would totally depend on the diagnosis and the subsequent prognosis and it would depend on which horse it was. If there was likely going to be a positive outcome then I would consider spending up to 2K of my own money; but it is doubtful I would spend any more.

[/ QUOTE ]

what if you had to pay, for example, 2k just to find out what was wrong? if there were no promises that once the prob had been found out, the horse would recover?

im interested to find other peeps views on this; at present, my aunt is going thro precisely this situation with her dog, and i have so much respect for the lengths she has gone to to find out the problem, even with knowledge that she may have to have her PTS at the end of it all.

 

[Persephone]

I just insure. It's easier

 

[Tia]

If a vet can't figure out what is wrong with a horse for 2K then they won't be my vet for much longer.

 

[Tia]

I think she perhaps mean't how much of your own money would you spend ie. once the insurance has maxed out?

 

[ihatework]

I would never put myself in financial ruin for an animal I'm afraid. That's not to say I wouldn't do everything I could within reason. I think if it was an animal I was very attached to then I would be prepared to spend 2-3 K

 

[Alex_kate]

i would do absolutely anything

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
If a vet can't figure out what is wrong with a horse for 2K then they won't be my vet for much longer.

[/ QUOTE ]

hmmm.....i can understand where you are coming from, but, as in the case of the dog i mentioned, the vet initially thought she had some kind of inner ear infection. when treatment failed to cure it, they delved further, but couldnt find anything. so she had xrays and an MRI (v expensive) but they revealed nothing......she was put on a strong course of antibiotics, fluctuated over three weeks or so, and then began to get worse...so we took her to a major animal hospital for another MRI and an EEG. this time, severe swelling was shown up, because whatever is going on has had long enough now to become visible. she's had a brain tap, she's been in the hospital for 4 days....and still they aren't quite sure what is going on. and this has cost my aunt well over £2000 already....
sorry to ramble on, but this is just one example of an instance where the problem isnt immediately obvious, even to the most trained specialist. which brings me back to my original point really - how long would you go on trying to find out what the problem is, before calling it a day!!!

 

[ouzebeck]

HI was just asking yesterday on here if there had been any news about your aunt's dog. I would pay any amount and in fact did not once but twice with both my staffies. First one was while living with parents ( eventually turned out to be epilepsy ). Then year before last my old staffie developed a brain swelling wich took about six weeks to be diagnosed by vets, they then told me he had maybe six weeks at the most my dog then surprised every one by living another 18 months qiute happily till at the age of sixteen and a half he passed away. Would definately pay any cost as long as the animal is happy.

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
HI was just asking yesterday on here if there had been any news about your aunt's dog. I would pay any amount and in fact did not once but twice with both my staffies. First one was while living with parents ( eventually turned out to be epilepsy ). Then year before last my old staffie developed a brain swelling wich took about six weeks to be diagnosed by vets, they then told me he had maybe six weeks at the most my dog then surprised every one by living another 18 months qiute happily till at the age of sixteen and a half he passed away. Would definately pay any cost as long as the animal is happy.

[/ QUOTE ]

bless u...thank u for your concern! she's still in the hospital at the moment, they have narrowed it down to one of two things at present; it's either some form of meningitis causing brain inflammation, or its a lymphoma. but the vet has said that, either way, it looks like she should be able to continue living at a reasonable standard....so we're playing the waiting game at the moment!

 

[aimeerose]

I would never bankrup myself for a horse - i insure for vets fees, alternative treatments etc but there is a very definate limit - as Tia said £2000 of my own money would be my limit, and that would be for a very loved equine friend.

 

[ouzebeck]

Bet your aunt was glad to hear that even thought it is now a waiting game. Best wishes to her and will keep fingers crossed.

 

[Tia]

Well as I say, it would totally depend on the horse and what the vets diagnosis was of the condition.

Comparing a dog to a horse is not really the same to me I'm afraid - I would definitely pay more in vet bills for one of my dogs; I would not be keen to spend more than a couple of grand on most of my horses.

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
Well as I say, it would totally depend on the horse and what the vets diagnosis was of the condition.

Comparing a dog to a horse is not really the same to me I'm afraid - I would definitely pay more in vet bills for one of my dogs; I would not be keen to spend more than a couple of grand on most of my horses.

[/ QUOTE ]

oooh gosh now i cant agree with you here im afraid!!!!! my horse means just as much to me, if not more than the dogs.....i cannot understand why people think their dogs are more important!

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
oooh gosh now i cant agree with you here im afraid!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well then that will be about the errrrm....hundredth time perhaps?

[ QUOTE ]
my horse means just as much to me, if not more than the dogs..... i cannot understand why people think their dogs are more important!

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!! You know just how much I love irony don't you.

 

[Ruggers]

my lovely mummy spent over £5,000 on my first horse who had a spavin and had to in the end have an operation. he was insured striaght away but went lame only two weeks after we bought him so insurance wouldnt cough up cash because it was too soon after buying him to make a claim. my mum re-mortgaged the house. so YES i would spend anything to get my horses better agian. hes totally fine now!