Vet Shock

Hey, look at me!  I'm cute too.

Although I always tell potential buyers that owning a dog is a luxury, it was really driven home to me yesterday when I took Mariah, Patrick & Edward in for vaccinations, and the boys for health checks.  For years I have given my own shots, but because we have had so few puppies, I can't use a box of vaccine before the expiration date.  No wonder Vets are complaining that fewer clients are scheduling regular visits - they can't afford it!  I am well aware of the argument that the routine visits pay for the office help, the mortgage & utilities, etc., BUT the idea that a vaccination should cost $62.50 for $3.00 worth of vaccine is a bit much.  Fortunately it was Vaccination Clinic Day, something I was not aware of when I make the appointment, and the shots were half price, but still the damages were almost $200.00 for three healthy puppies.  How can the family with two kids and a new puppy afford to take it to the vet?  OTOH, if it gets sick how will they pay for it?  Dogs are a indeed a luxury, but are also a necessity for many of us.

That reminds me that there is someone soliciting donations to help pay for surgery on a 4 month old Dalmatian puppy who has what sounds to be Persistent Right Aortic Arch, a very serious condition that will eventually kill the pup.  However, the surgery costs something like $6,000.00 and the person who owns the dog does not currently have a job . . .    It may sound heartless, but euthanasia would be a good option in a case like this.   Sorry.   There are probably suddenly unemployed owners of  middle-aged beloved family pets that also need vet work that will not be nearly as expensive.  I'm always more than a little suspicious about such tales anyway, but I can think of far more useful ways to spend $6,000.00 and help many more animals.

I realized yesterday that I was actually reading/listening to SIX different mystery novels at the same time.  Oops.  Better get a few of them finished this weekend, since I just picked up a new audio book at the library, one I had been waiting for.  Two on the IPOD, two on the Nook, one on the CD player, and one in the car.  Sometimes a bit hard to keep the plots straight!  Bless the technology that makes it possible to be as O-C as I want to be!