The $240,00 pine needle

[onlyme]

When I brushed Rufus Sunday night I found a blackish, hard lump the size of a peanut on his lower leg. Hypochondriac that I am the first thing that comes to mind is cancer so off we go to the vet's office on Monday morning. Vet wasn't sure what it was and recommended a biopsy. When I picked Rufus up at 5.00 p.m. they handed me a plastic bag with about 1/6 of an inch of a pine needle in it. That darn thing had embedded itself in Rufus' skin and was encapsulated like a pearl in an oyster. After adding all the costs for anesthesia, surgery, biopsy, antibiotics and pain medication we left with a happy dog and a much lighter wallet. I can't believe what that dog has cost us so far :smt118

[firefly]

Oh, but they are our 4-legged children & we have to take care of them.:-D

[onlyme]

Oh, but they are our 4-legged children & we have to take care of them.:-D

I know.....and they usually listen and behave better than the other kids :-D

[firefly]

You can say that again!:smt118

[dollfus46]

When I brushed Rufus Sunday night I found a blackish, hard lump the size of a peanut on his lower leg. Hypochondriac that I am the first thing that comes to mind is cancer so off we go to the vet's office on Monday morning. Vet wasn't sure what it was and recommended a biopsy. When I picked Rufus up at 5.00 p.m. they handed me a plastic bag with about 1/6 of an inch of a pine needle in it. That darn thing had embedded itself in Rufus' skin and was encapsulated like a pearl in an oyster. After adding all the costs for anesthesia, surgery, biopsy, antibiotics and pain medication we left with a happy dog and a much lighter wallet. I can't believe what that dog has cost us so far :smt118
It's good to see someone who cares for dogs like they do people. Ian is my family. That's some wild infection though. Weird. Glad rufus is okay.:clap:

[Maggie-Doodle]

Hope Rufus continues on the mend...thank God you found the lump when you did...the infection could possibly have cost him his leg. What kind of dog is Rufus? What vet did you use IF you don't mind saying?

[onlyme]

Hope Rufus continues on the mend...thank God you found the lump when you did...the infection could possibly have cost him his leg. What kind of dog is Rufus? What vet did you use IF you don't mind saying?

He is a miniature schnauzer and I took him to the All Animal Clinic on Oak Grove Road. On Monday he was seen by Dr. Morgan but I like all doctors there. They are very friendly, take their time and the best thing is that I have never needed an appointment.
Oddly enough Rufus did not show any signs of pain. No limping, chewing his leg, fever, nothing. If I hadn't accidentally found the lump while brushing him it certainly might have gotten a lot worse :ohnoes:

[Honey]

Sometimes our dogs are more expensive than our kids. Once I was in the driveway waiting for the garage door to open and I eased the SUV into the garage. I probably wasn't going 1 mile an hour and I ran over our dog. My daughter was in the car and went to crying. I was crying. It was awful. Called hubby and the vet came to the house. I gave my daughter some tylenol PM so she could go to sleep. The dog made it through the night and the vet did surgery the next morning after extinsive research to see if it would work. Broken jar and broken hip. Every time the phone would ring my daughter would start crying because she thought it was bad news. It was to the point with each phone call I would pray it was actually the vet and not the banker wanting to know just where was our house note. I hated to tell the banker that the vet had it. The dog stayed at the office for a long time and slowly recovered. Finally after the bill got to the point where I'm thinking monthly installments the vet called to come get him. The dog had to stay completely still for several weeks and I'm thinking HOW? But our precious dog recovered and was sent back outside in the yard to enjoy his freedom. And he did. Went right over to the neighbors house and ate their rat poison. I not kidding. Did you know the antidote for rat poison is Vit K? I do now because precious dog had a prescription for that for several days. Yep. I had to trade that dog in for a cheaper model.

[just-Wynn]

Is that $24,000? or $240,000? I think either bill would have sent my pup to that great big doggy bed in the sky. :police:

[jkspatty]

$2,400.00 sounds more realistic.

[TheCapitalist]

How much does a 22 cal. round go for? (Don't groan me, just kidding). I would and have done the same thing. Current cat caught as a stray by my kids near the 40th ave. post office. Dang thing tangled with something at least 5 times requiring a vet trip ea. time. We use all animal clinic also. Saw a vet in petal advertising the weight loss pill for your dog. is that stupid or what. i mean, we control how much food he gets, right? oh well, another way to part you and your money.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[fuzzis]

I actually think it's $240.00...onlyme uses a comma where we would use a decimal. Or at least I've noticed that in other posts. :smt102

[Honey]

You know capitalist if my daughter had not been in the car that is what hubby would have done. Well not with a bullet but at the vet';s office. Even the vet didn't know if the dog would survive and that's why he waited until the next day to do the surgery. And he didn't even know if it (surgery) would have worked. But the daughter was so upset that they had to try something.

[jkspatty]

I have six dogs. Each has a file of all vet visits since I have had them. I'm actually scared to add up the costs. But, my babies are a joy and worth every cent for the love, loyalty, and affection they bring to my life.:smt001

[onlyme]

I actually think it's $240.00...onlyme uses a comma where we would use a decimal. Or at least I've noticed that in other posts. :smt102

ROFL, yes, you are absolutely right. Me and me weird European habits :laugh:
Sorry about the confusion!

[Hermione]

That's why I put my oldest kitty on the very pricey premium food. It's cleared up his digestive problems, and I figured that even at $1.09 a can, a year's worth was one round of vet treatment.