St_Kurt

I apologise for not getting the details exactly correct. I was trying to address the theme of low cash flow + vet school curriculum. (Plus I wrote it exclusively focusing on the knee surgery and then at the last minute remember their were 2 problems. Cataracts have a simpler treatment than glaucoma so I don't mind having made a mistake in your pet's favor.)

Obviously all vet school teaching hospitals charge differently and work differently. I know ours is a referral center for vets all over the area and we treat pets, service animals, police dogs, shelter animals and probably some I've missed. And that's just in the small animal side of the clinic. On the large animal side there is an even greater variety of pets, working animals, and production (food) animals. Part of our education is to be exposed to a wide variety clients and animals as possible. I wouldn't want it any other way.

You clearly have a history with your local school and its alumni and that's awesome. I had the impression from posts that you had simply written out of the blue to ask for a favor and was hoping to give you other options when they possibly provided a solution that was still beyond your current means.

Not to mention that, as others have suggested, I was really attempting to stress that there are many many options out there for those in the situation you find yourself. Suddenly needing several thousand dollars to save a beloved pet is not something most people plan for. It is a difficult place for any pet owner to be in. Nobody wants their pet to suffer needlessly and nobody wants to feel like they have to put a price on love. It is VERY difficult. (Our school actually has counselors on staff to help owners make these types of decisions.)

Again, I probably shouldn't spoken up. I was worried you would be disappointed by the response and it would increase the amount of guilt you already feel. I simply wanted to give an insider look at why the hospital may or may not respond and mention some other good options.

This is probably yet another case of "should have kept my mouth shut in the first place", but I didn't because I wanted to help and I'm sorry. If any of you ever find yourself in the U of I teaching hospital, maybe I'll see you in the clinic.

~SK

least

Actually I was born in Chicago,many years ago. I was not upset by your post. You were merely giving your opinion and advice from your experience. I found it useful anyway. I am going to check out the link posted for assistance with pet medical problems and expenses. I will leave no option unexplored as I am devoted to my dogs. (there's a picture of them in the Pet thread a few pages back) It's on the sixth page back.

I will try every possibility. I don't give up easily. Especially where the dogs are concerned.

And, as always, I'm still :praying


I've been doing my research and glaucoma can be caused by cataracts. So your point is well taken.

dave47

Praying for you Least.

IO Storm

Sure I will for you doggies least.....

In the Bible in Luke 12...Christ said this:

Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.

So God cares about animals...

Keep your eyes open.!..Answers to prayer can come from unexpected sources...

sometimes not from where you are looking.


Love,

IO

reed

I will pray for any dog. I just did a 1.5 mile walk with my sister and my dogs to help the unfortunate dogs out there.

All I can offer is: spend as much time with your dog(s) as you can. Hopefully, your dog(s) has had a good life. Let your dog(s) know you love it. All the problems you speak of are common with older dog(s), when it is time, it's time...don't let your dog(s) suffer too much, please. When your dog(s) stops eating, let it go....

Chip

caraway

:praying for you and your dogs least

1963comet

Said a prayer for your dogs.

My animals are part of my family, so I know how you feel.

Freedom1990

Sending out lots of prayers from Kansas and a home full of doggy love too!

Impurrfect

(((Least)))

Hugs and prayers to you and your furbabies.

Amy

citychick

tesquizito

I'll be praying for your dogs, Least.

I have two myself, and they are like my children.

Energy and prayers coming your way.

least

Thank you all for your prayers. It is so much appreciated. All animal lovers know how important our pets are to us. I cannot imagine life without my dogs, tho, with the beagle, I know she's coming to the end of her life, being that she's almost twelve years old. Rest assured that I would not be so selfish as to keep her alive when it's her time to go. I couldn't force her to live if she were suffering in any way.

I've always called the place where pets go when they die "God's Meadow". When I die I don't want to go to heaven, I want to live in God's Meadow with all my pets who have gone on before me. There are so many it would take a meadow to have room for them all.

Thank you all again. You renew my faith in mankind.:ghug

IO Storm

Still praying least.......and for you too!

resentful wife

Least, Don't know if your dog is a purebreed or not but maybe you could go on line to the breed rescues, sometimes they will be able to point you in the right direction. Also now would be a good time to have a rummage sale. Ask your neighbors, friends for donations of things to sell. Never give up hope!
Linda:praying

Luckyv2

I love my dog and all dogs! I will keep ya all in my thoughts. Yes there is a reason that Dog was spelled backwards from God!:ghug3

least

I have not heard anything from the vet school so it's time to start making calls to the places on the link that was given. Humane Society, breed rescues, I'll try them all. The beagle is in more discomfort and can't take very long walks like she used to love to do. The shiba is really completely blind now, except for light and dark. I hold his harness going down our stairs so he won't fall. He needs a good long walk every day to help control his diabetes but since the beagle can't walk that far, he often has to walk by himself. I've noticed he does not walk well by himself.

I think he's using the presence of the beagle to guide him somehow. I have to keep him on a short leash, literally, to keep him from running into things. I should wear one of those 'vests' as I am his 'guide person', his 'seeing eye person'. I will start looking seriously into other possibilities. And if all else fails, I'll just have to accomodate their disabilities. (gladly!)

They still are healthy and happy with me and that will always be enough for us. They know they are very much loved, and that is so much more than so many dogs ever have.

I'm not giving up yet.:praying

Impurrfect

Good for you for not giving up.

I've found that animals adapt to disabilities much better than we humans. I've seen blind animals, deaf animals and several 3-legged furbabies that did just fine. Animals don't know about pain pills (thank God!)...they just know how to survive.

I'm sorry the beagle is in pain. I know I went crazy recently when Elvis was howling and I thought he was dying...he just had a bad toothache but I was a wreck!

My friend has a pit bull puppy and after checking with vets about the costs of his shots, dewormer, etc. found they were pretty expensive. I told her to call the Humane Society and see if they could recommend someone. Turns out, they have their own clinic and all his shots and stuff have been about half what the vets cost. The only thing is, she had to wait about 3 weeks to get the first appointment.

Keeping you and your furbabies in my prayers!

Amy

least

Just now lying in bed with them but I could not sleep. So I started stroking Nikko (the shiba). He yawned and stretched and rolled on his side so I started rubbing his tummy. I know he likes it but will only permit it when he's asleep since he's not used to tummy rubs. But just watching him sleep, the deep even breathing, is like watching the kids sleep when they were babies. I took comfort in their even sleeping breathing. A great joy comes into my heart just watching them sleeping peacefully, safe and warm and mine to love. Lucky me!

Impurrfect

Gratitude is a great thing!

Hope you and the furbabies sleep well.

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

Hope

You've got my prayers!

Don't beat yourself up for the money you spent. We have all done stuff like that when we were drinking. I certainly have. So forgive yourself for the past.