Would You Spend $300 For Pet Surgery?

[HairyChick]

I would for my pet dog. But for a koi fish? No way.

Aussie Man Spends $300 On Surgery For Beloved Pet Fish

No one should ever question the love a person or a family has for their pet. Whatever the pet might be, the relationship between human and animal can sometimes go to ridiculous and expensive lengths.

But you don't have to tell that to an Aussie man who forked out $300 to have his beloved Bubbles the koi fish undergo surgery.

Michael Dare noticed his eight-year-old fish was developing a large lump on it's body and was worried it could be something sinister.

He's told the Daily Mail: "It wasn't looking promising for the fish. If we can have the choice to help or destroy, I'd rather help."

Michael took the fish to avian and exotic vet Ingrid Danylyk-Huisman who pointed out that the lump growing on the fish was a tumour.

Now, many people would sigh and think that the $30 fish could be replaceable, however Michael was committed to keeping Bubbles alive for as long as humanly possible.

So, the team at James Cook University got to work at removing the lump and thankfully the surgery was a raging success. However, it wasn't without its complications.

Dr Danylyk-Huisman told the Townsville Bulletin: "Anaesthesia is the hardest thing, it's quite easy to give them too much."

"If the tumours are small we don't do surgery, if they're large we choose to remove them. When we're finished the surgery we put the fish back in a tank.

Incredibly, she said that these types of surgeries are becoming more commonplace. She added that the price they paid was reasonable considering some koi fish surgeries get into the thousands of dollars.
"There is a lot of people that have really expensive fish and they are seeking more medical help now days," Dr Danylyk-Huisman said. "I've done [surgery] on a $25 goldfish before, it all depends on how the owners really think of their pets.

"Just because it's a fish doesn't mean we can't help it with medical treatment."
Mr Dare says the fish aren't as dumb as they seem, adding: "You put your hand in there and the fish will swim over your hand so there's obviously a connection here with the fish.
"They're not just some mindless creatures. They acknowledge who you are and we acknowledge who they are."

The bond is strong with these ones.

[Brian mike]

I love so much my cat that he is insured

[NatalieK]

yes, we would spend this kind of money on our cat, we love her so much

[Den BongaCash]

Same here, would spend $300 on my cat as well. Even though she's more than 15 years old.

[CurrentlySober]

Thing is, if you have the money and interest to have a Koi pond with the expensive Koi fish in the first place, then 300 is nothing really in the overall scheme of things.

My modest pond that contains about 30 large goldfish costs around 300 a year to maintain, and that's without the initial cost of the pond, multiple pumps and fountain etc to begin with...

[Nick_awt]

$300 is nothing. Thats a pretty cheap/standard vet bill (ok, yeah this is for a fish tho).
Especially, if it was AUD. That would only be $200 USD atm.

[tony286]

I wonder how they do that? Yes if the pet brings you happiness why not.

[BaldBastard]

I have no idea of the prices of treating pet fish.

I can tell you though here in Aus if you have a dog or a cat and you take them to the vet, you don't walk out when the bill is $300 you skip out punching the air going hell yeah!

300 is basically a checkup + something easy fix, eg eye drops. Costs go up from there, I've friends who've spent tens of thousands on dogs.

There's a golden rule when it comes to death, pain and pets "It's better to be a day early than a day late".

[tfto]

For my cat, YES!. I spent $3500 for my cat a few years ago when she almost died. For a fish, fuck no.

[King Mark]

I go all out for my pets. Back in the day when I was less responsible I paid way more to save my dog from parvo when there was a zero chance he would survive. He survived. I'd do it for fish too. I feel like that's part of the package when you get a pet.

I have 3 cats now... all insured, snipped, chipped and shot. And I'd break the bank to save them.

[beerptrol]

Why not. He most likely has a strong bond with the fish. Some people think that treating dogs and cats like family(or better) is crazy.

My dogs are like family so i would spend as much as needed. Plus I have pet insurance.

[MaDalton]

Koi are actually quite cuddly, they like to be petted...

[NoWhErE]

I hold the belief that if you take in an animal, it is your responsibility to treat it the same as a member of your family.

That's why my pets are insured. That way, if they ever get sick, I don't even have to think of how much it will cost.

Then again, if $300 is too much for you to take care of your pet... maybe you shouldn't have pets.

[freecartoonporn]

i would, its a pet. same as your kid but animal

[Rochard]

$300 for my dog? Sure. $3k for my dog? Well, I would have to think about that.

One of my friends had a problem with their dog and over two or three weeks the multiple operations to save him cost $14k. They blew through their savings, took out a loan, and had a GofundMe account to raise money. I'm sorry, that's insane.

[OneHungLo]

No bullshit. I have an Italian Greyhound and an English Bulldog that in the last 5 years have cost me over $25k in vet bills.

Sad thing is, both breeders tried to get me to sign up for pet insurance....and of course I didn't.

[OneHungLo]

Originally Posted by Rochard

They blew through their savings, took out a loan, and had a GofundMe account to raise money. I'm sorry, that's insane.

Not if you love your dog.

My dogs are part of my family.

[thommy]

In the last 2 months alone I paid almost 7.000 euro for one of my street cats which was bitten by a poisonous snake and spent 6 weeks in the hospital.

Of course there are other things you could buy with it - but if they make you as happy as the gratitude and affection of such an animal I dare to doubt

[OneHungLo]

Originally Posted by thommy

In the last 2 months alone I paid almost 7.000 euro for one of my street cats which was bitten by a poisonous snake and spent 6 weeks in the hospital.

Of course there are other things you could buy with it - but if they make you as happy as the gratitude and affection of such an animal I dare to doubt

See that Tommy ..we have some common ground with our love for animals

[candyflip]

I've paid over $300 for a pet rat that my kids were very attached to, to have a surgical procedure. He lived another year (not bad for an animal with maybe 2 years to live)...worth it. Would do it again.

[HairyChick]

I’d go bankrupt for a dog if I had to. Dogs do more than swim around in a small tank of water but I understand the feeling for a pet.

I want a dog now but can’t have one. I might be able to get one when I move but my hopes aren’t too high.

I still feel the pain of the death of my dog and that was thirty years ago. I’m not sure I want to go through that again. But I’d spend every dollar I had for my dog.

[2MuchMark]

I sent $5000 on my Cat, Sandy, a long time ago. I would easily do it again on either of my current cats without hesitation. Cats are awesome.

[Major (Tom)]

Every trip to the vet with an english bulldog is 1000

[thommy]

Originally Posted by OneHungLo

See that Tommy ..we have some common ground with our love for animals

means: you can´t be a bad person - just a blind one.

[Brian mike]

Originally Posted by thommy

means: you can´t be a bad person - just a blind one.

[Mediamix]

Originally Posted by Rochard

$300 for my dog? Sure. $3k for my dog? Well, I would have to think about that.

Then you don't deserve a dog..

[CurrentlySober]

Originally Posted by StefanG

Koi are actually quite cuddly, they like to be petted...

Perhaps he was having a sexual relationship with it, and he enjoyed inserting it up his bottom to feel it wriggle?

[CaptainHowdy]

Originally Posted by DukeSkywalker

Every trip to the vet with an english bulldog is 1000

I love bulldogs but they're pretty frail, ain't them?

[Video-Post]

What kind of animal is completely irrelevant. If it's your pet, it's your pet and you should have no problem with the fact that it will cost you money (not only medical bills). If that's a problem for you, you shouldn't get a pet in the first place.

[LustCore]

Last time the vet bill was 150 Euros. Antibiotics and check-up. It was just a "friendly" fight. Yeah, it did hurt my wallet but happens. Not something that I would hesitate for.

[TheLegacy]

It all boils down to quality of life and odds. If the surgery would fix the problem then yes if the quality of life wasn't diminished - I've paid close to a grand on surgery but also have said no when the age and quality of life wasn't going to be there.

[2MuchMark]

It's a terrible decision to have to make, and one that rationality can be twisted out of shape or pushed aside for love.

If you have a pet, especially a dog or cat or other being that you love and know loves you, you will do what you can to save its life. You can't help it.

[baddog]

For $300 it had better be prepared as the best sushi and sashimi ever.

[lock]

Koi fish will outlive humans oldest koi is over 200 in Japan but a good live expectancy is 75 years you are very lucky to get a dog to 20 years old. Koi cost $100 for a decent fingerling I can see why you would want to save it. Most expensive Koi in world sold for 1.5 million same price as most expensive dog sold Tibetan Mastiff.

[AmeliaG]

Definitely, yes.