“I’m 25 and have never been in debt before, so I’m not really sure what to expect as I consider my options. My dog dislocated one of her hind legs, and the vet said it keeps sliding out of place. She needs a Femoral Head Ostectomy surgery, which costs around $5,000 where I live. I could go into debt to get her the surgery, or I could opt for leg removal, which is more affordable. She’s an older dog (12 years old) and not very active, but I’m not thrilled about the idea of having one of her legs removed. On the other hand, $5,000 doesn’t seem like a huge amount of debt, but I’m not really sure how debt and interest work, or how quickly I could pay it off. I’m uncertain about whether going into debt is a good idea. Any thoughts?”
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Pets are all about potential “what if” scenarios, as others have mentioned. You must exercise responsibility and have backup plans in case something unforeseen occurs. It is absolutely up to you now as to what you ought to do. Care Credit enrollment is available (most veterinarians take Care Credit; contact ahead to confirm). When you register online, you are granted a credit line designated only for those uses. That’s the only guidance I can offer. Wishing you luck.
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I don’t recall it being this lengthy, but care credit is a lifesaver. You can make payments for a good amount of time, and the interest is very minimal, if it is at all. If necessary, you can use it at the dentist as well.
I recently paid for my elderly Chihuahua’s $11,000 surgery. Well worth the money. I don’t regret paying it off because I’m doing so before the interest rate increases, even though it’s a rally. The only option to treat it was with surgery. (Removal of the parathyroid) She’s now a contented, healthy girl. I have no regrets. There are some debts that are worthwhile. In your situation, I would advise having surgery rather than having the leg amputated.
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That surpasses my parathyroid operation, wow.
For an elderly dog, losing a leg might be fatal. In the grand scheme of veterinarian treatment, $5,000 is quite little. Naturally, it still costs a lot of money and is terrible. However, you have a responsibility to care for your pet and make decisions that are best for them. You can always make more money later. So act in your dog’s best interest.
Well, I wouldn’t advise making this a habit, but I had an elective operation done on myself last year for about the same price. I’m not sure about your circumstances, but I went on a website to research credit cards that had 0% interest for 15–18 months, and I got approved for one. I have very good credit, though. I put the cost of the procedure on the card after being authorized for one of those. I could pay off my debt, interest-free, by at least a couple hundred dollars a month, even while I was in debt. My balance was far lower at the end of the 0 interest period, thus that didn’t affect me as much.
“How’s your credit? And how much could you afford to put toward this debt each month? Wells Fargo and Citi both offer credit cards with 21 months of no interest if your credit is excellent. For a $5,000 balance, that would break down to about $240 a month. If that fits your budget, that’s the route I’d recommend.
Care Credit also offers 0% financing that you can use at the vet, but you might not get as long a term—maybe 6 months to a year—so you’d have to make larger monthly payments.
Also, I’m really sorry about the lack of empathy from some people in this discussion. I have two dogs, and I would do anything for them. I would never judge their worthiness of a medical procedure based on how much time they might have left.”
Dogs adjust surprisingly well to living on three legs if your vet determines that she is a good candidate for amputation at her age because they typically don’t put much weight on the damaged leg anyhow.
However, the only experience I have is with cancer, and the decision between chemotherapy and amputation.