Vet Bills -- What's Been Your Highest
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wendi leigh
Well-Known Member
2006 was a very expensive year for me, and 2007 has been a very sad year. When my 4 week old filly needed colic surgery last spring, the hospital bill for the 5 days was $4000. When she needed colic surgery again at 4 months, there were other complications and her month long stay in the hospital cost $8500. She was doing great at home for several months and ready to start her show career this spring, but she passed away unexpectantly in February, cause unknown. She was only 10 months old. My favorite mare aborted 3 days later and I lost another foal in early May this year during delivery. To add to the vet bills, my elderly cat had a stroke just before Christmas and her hospitalization bill, MRI, and other x-rays cost over $4000. I lost her nevertheless at the end of May from other causes, at the ripe old age of 18.
Given the outcomes, I can't say that I would follow the same course of action again. At the time, however, I thought I was making the right decisions.
2008 will be better, right?
:
Given the outcomes, I can't say that I would follow the same course of action again. At the time, however, I thought I was making the right decisions.
2008 will be better, right?
HJF
Well-Known Member
Our highest one was our gelding Mr last fall/winter after nationals. It ended up somewhere around $6k after everything plus separate vets also. Here's the list of problems he had..
-Originally respiratory virus after nationals. Did not seem serious
-Main vet couldn't come right out so we called other vet. That vet was not as good of a vet as our regular one, but he comes right out. He didn't think it was bad and he came out 2 times and the next time he said he looked better :new_shocked: He was not eating and he had labored breathing.
-Main vet came out and said he looked toxic. Mouth in the water all day and pale gums.
-Called at 11 pm that night and said his kidneys were shutting down and he wanted to put him down...only 10% chance of living
-Brought him to the vet that night and he then stayed there for about 3 weeks
IV fluids everyday, then developed liver failure and laminitis in all 4 feet. Wore boots on his feet for a month and had frequent x-raysto check for rotation.
He finally came home when he started eating a little on his own. Vet still came out to draw blood to check everything out.
He then lost all of his hair and went most of the winter with no hair...so he got a lot of blankets, heating lamps, and supplements.
On a life long low protein diet and most likely would have chronic kidney failure (but nothing has happened yet!)
We also had another mare a few years ago having foaling complications and stayed at the vet for a couple days. It ended up around $1000.
My navicular retired western pleasure horse is constantly very expensive to take care of with the vet bills and special farrier for her. So over the years, her care has added up.
-Originally respiratory virus after nationals. Did not seem serious
-Main vet couldn't come right out so we called other vet. That vet was not as good of a vet as our regular one, but he comes right out. He didn't think it was bad and he came out 2 times and the next time he said he looked better :new_shocked: He was not eating and he had labored breathing.
-Main vet came out and said he looked toxic. Mouth in the water all day and pale gums.
-Called at 11 pm that night and said his kidneys were shutting down and he wanted to put him down...only 10% chance of living
-Brought him to the vet that night and he then stayed there for about 3 weeks
IV fluids everyday, then developed liver failure and laminitis in all 4 feet. Wore boots on his feet for a month and had frequent x-raysto check for rotation.
He finally came home when he started eating a little on his own. Vet still came out to draw blood to check everything out.
He then lost all of his hair and went most of the winter with no hair...so he got a lot of blankets, heating lamps, and supplements.
On a life long low protein diet and most likely would have chronic kidney failure (but nothing has happened yet!)
We also had another mare a few years ago having foaling complications and stayed at the vet for a couple days. It ended up around $1000.
My navicular retired western pleasure horse is constantly very expensive to take care of with the vet bills and special farrier for her. So over the years, her care has added up.
Equuisize
Well-Known Member
This time last year I wasn't feeling lucky but reading all your stories
I sure do now..
I've had horses since May of 1977 and have never had a vet bill
for anything but annual shots (I don't do needles)
Last year our little stallion hurt his shoulder and we had the vet come
to the tune of $238
We showed the girls in June and 10 days later Zena was down with
105 degree temperature... Assorted vet calls and meds around $200
Then her sister came down with the same thing....saved the vet call
as he just dispensed the meds and we treated everyone then....
Then for her next trick Zena sliced and diced her leg......Had to knock
her out, lift her up on the tail gate of the vets truck on a board and he
put 14 stitches in her leg she got to spend 21 days at stall rest.....$234.
I'm thinking the more horses you have the greater the chances you have
of vet bills......averaged out over 30 years I think I've been pretty lucky.
I sure do now..
I've had horses since May of 1977 and have never had a vet bill
for anything but annual shots (I don't do needles)
Last year our little stallion hurt his shoulder and we had the vet come
to the tune of $238
We showed the girls in June and 10 days later Zena was down with
105 degree temperature... Assorted vet calls and meds around $200
Then her sister came down with the same thing....saved the vet call
as he just dispensed the meds and we treated everyone then....
Then for her next trick Zena sliced and diced her leg......Had to knock
her out, lift her up on the tail gate of the vets truck on a board and he
put 14 stitches in her leg she got to spend 21 days at stall rest.....$234.
I'm thinking the more horses you have the greater the chances you have
of vet bills......averaged out over 30 years I think I've been pretty lucky.
joyenes
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I knew I should have followed my dream and became a vet! :bgrin Gosh I'm feeling lucky compared to the majority of you.
The most recent vet bill was for my mix aussie year old dog, Trixie. She ate her .88 cent toy from Walmart and got an impaction which cost me around $800.00 in vet care, not to mention I need to replace a lot of carpeting in my home from all the vomit stains
: No more rope toys for my dog, ever 
Joyce
The most recent vet bill was for my mix aussie year old dog, Trixie. She ate her .88 cent toy from Walmart and got an impaction which cost me around $800.00 in vet care, not to mention I need to replace a lot of carpeting in my home from all the vomit stains
Joyce
Frankie
Well-Known Member
After reading many of yours, I do feel lucky.
Over the years I have had 3 pretty big ones and all ended up being the same. A little over $3000 a piece. The thing is two are on going and haven't kept track of their totals since the first few major important weeks.
One is diabetic,,,,,,,blood work and feet work is always ongoing,,,,,one had a major carb overload she couldn't break down,,,,,,too continued blood work and feet care. Then the third was a baby born with no sucking reflux and a whole host of other problems.
Beleive it or not,,,,,,the one in ICU at Purdue for 9 days was the cheapest. I think hers was $180 a day, plus meds and tests,,,,,,the others,,,,,,,,there were days the vet was here 3 times as things changed, at $160 a time due to emergency call.
Happy to say they are ALL doing great and that is the most important, thus the reason I haven't kept the greatest track of what the actual cost ended up being.
Over the years I have had 3 pretty big ones and all ended up being the same. A little over $3000 a piece. The thing is two are on going and haven't kept track of their totals since the first few major important weeks.
One is diabetic,,,,,,,blood work and feet work is always ongoing,,,,,one had a major carb overload she couldn't break down,,,,,,too continued blood work and feet care. Then the third was a baby born with no sucking reflux and a whole host of other problems.
Beleive it or not,,,,,,the one in ICU at Purdue for 9 days was the cheapest. I think hers was $180 a day, plus meds and tests,,,,,,the others,,,,,,,,there were days the vet was here 3 times as things changed, at $160 a time due to emergency call.
Happy to say they are ALL doing great and that is the most important, thus the reason I haven't kept the greatest track of what the actual cost ended up being.
coopermini
Well-Known Member
For the first 3 years we had minis the only vet bills we had were routine stuff and not all that expensive. We started out with 7 minis the first month.
This spring has been much different. With Contessa (who is doing super now) she spent 12 days in ICU for peritonitis from a breeding injury. $5500 plus our vet charged $1000. Rain had a malpresentation on her first foal while Contessa was at hospital. Her trip was 5 days and $1500. With all our regular stuff we are near $10,000 for the year to date. Ouch! We are now up to 20 minis with Sunday nights addition.
Mark
This spring has been much different. With Contessa (who is doing super now) she spent 12 days in ICU for peritonitis from a breeding injury. $5500 plus our vet charged $1000. Rain had a malpresentation on her first foal while Contessa was at hospital. Her trip was 5 days and $1500. With all our regular stuff we are near $10,000 for the year to date. Ouch! We are now up to 20 minis with Sunday nights addition.
Mark
This was back 15 years ago and we had purchased what was to be our primary herd sire and we spent a lot of money for pedigree, conformation, size (at that time)....etc...etc.... He was on the East Coast and we lived on the West, but we managed to get out there and see him in person and with relatives' help he was flown home!
Without going into all the dirty details.......Our little guy (all 28 inches of him) colicked. Things went beyond the local vet and we drove him over the mountain(s) in our station wagon to the Oregon State University Vet Hospital. He ended up having surgery successfully.........and THEN got SALMONELLA AT THE VET HOSPITAL!
The Colic Surgery and care was about $3000. But because of the Salmonella our resulting bill was $15,000!! :new_shocked: before he came home...........
Hal, the stallion, was a love and IS a love...........He is still with us but is now a GELDED love......after siring dozens of youngsters.
MA
Without going into all the dirty details.......Our little guy (all 28 inches of him) colicked. Things went beyond the local vet and we drove him over the mountain(s) in our station wagon to the Oregon State University Vet Hospital. He ended up having surgery successfully.........and THEN got SALMONELLA AT THE VET HOSPITAL!
The Colic Surgery and care was about $3000. But because of the Salmonella our resulting bill was $15,000!! :new_shocked: before he came home...........
Hal, the stallion, was a love and IS a love...........He is still with us but is now a GELDED love......after siring dozens of youngsters.
MA
