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Supervet

Yes I am following these programmes, noblehead, what a fantastic vet. This is why my two dogs have health insurance, in case they ever need to see someone like him.
 
Yep! I saw some examples of his work on ITV's This Morning with the 'Honeycomb' technology for tissue to artificial bone graft and it's pretty amazing stuff albeit very expensive I would imagine.
 
The man is a genius and his state of the art veterinary centre is second to none. Last week when the cat died on the operating table and he cut into its skin and pumped its heart back to life was exceptional, the bone craft as you say Paul was pretty amazing as his skills to make bionic limbs for pets that would otherwise be put down is mind blowing..

Beshlie, we have pet insurance too but only have a £4000 limit on what we can claim for, after watching this weeks programme where the dog with the dried-up discs needed an operation (cost was £6500) it does make you think twice, I wonder what the final bill was for the dog with 3 legs, how anyone can do that to a dog is beyond belief.
 
I loved watching the program, and I too was wondering how much the bill would tot up too for the dog with 3 legs. Bless those folks for rescuing him and being prepared to go to the expense they were to give him a better life.
 

Yes, the limit on my pet insurances is about the same. I guess if I was unfortunate enough to be in that position I would borrow the balance against the house. My friend's Cavalier had to have spinal surgery a few years ago and it cost around £6000 and she paid with her credit card until her insurance paid out. You can't put a price on life or its quality I don't think.
 
Had a dog in at where l locumed at one point. 3 practices said it needed putting to sleep...it did it was past help owners refused. When it died not nicely either with us they had paid out over £24k overall on it's treatment
Generally if a vet says time has ended listen ...if 3 major places say it all = to Noels say it dont make your pet suffer cause you do not have the guts to pts. The last ones who didnt where your pet died......are lets just say no comment
 
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There is also only one pet insurance most practices will trust and happy to deal with... yes they deal with whoever you are with but trust only one. l don't want to push it here but if you want to message me l am happy to pass on the info. Some things to check....
Make sure they will cover your pet for life
Do not get one that runs year to year whoever you get needs to run through to end of life
Do not get the ones that have an amount limit overall get a yearly limit.
Will your policy do a pre authorisation (vet confirms cost and payment before the operation)
 
As a pensioner pet insurance for us is really expensive. It is only the highest level of insurance...which I can't afford...that will pay for ongoing conditions and expensive operations and that can be £40/50 a month with some companies....most have 3 levels of insurance....if you only have the lower levels of insurance and your pet needs an operation costing much more than you are insured for that can be really difficult or impossible to find the extra money If your pet developes an ongoing condition like diabetes it will only pay for treatment for the current year of the insurance after that it is impossible to insure any more with that insurer or any other one for that condition so what are we supposed to do
 
lf it is a for life policy the one l reccommend will generally cove for life.

Certain pedigree dogs and those crossed with others and given fancy names means you will get high premiums....for good reason thanks to bad breeding over the years they are walking disasters. And mixing 2 bad does not make 1 good
Pay a fortune for a stupid name (que howls of anger) and you pay the premium ie cockerpoo (cocker spaniel x poodle) you pay a high premium as both have lot of problems put in cross breed and in dominant breed put poodle you pay a lot less (or whatever the main breed is)

Animals cost money lot folks have pets fall on hard times l get that.
The ones make me angry get animals and moan about the cost and blame the vet/staff etc for being greedy.
Not so vets generally bend over to help those that put effort in to trying to pay even expensive ops.

Usually it is a pedigree and as above their problems can be numerous to sort and expensive. Reseach the breeds do not go on cute or cost or by what any breeder says...speak to a vet or vet nurse try here run by a world famous genetacist ..Database of inherited diseases in dogs top 20 breeds
http://idid.vet.cam.ac.uk/search.php

Cats again head for pedigrees more risk of problems and persians kidney trouble. Lots of cats are hit by cars..personally l hate keeping cats indoors lots folks do but wont stop illness or injury. Thrombus or blocked bladders.... fat male cat classic

Rabbits should have a huge run not locked in a hutch 24/7

It is NOT every persons right to have an animal
it IS EVERY animals right to have a responsible owner.
 
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It is rather expensive Annie and the cost of the insurance goes up as the pet gets older, appreciate what you say about finding the money to pay for insurance, I believe organisations like the PDSA and the RSPCA clinics will help for people on low incomes.
 
PDSA, RSPCA Blue Cross help if on certain benefits if in set areas
PDSA have a voucher scheme for some outside their area at some vets
Cats Protection and Dogs Trust have neutering vouchers based on certain benefits.
 

Well I think anyone thinking of getting a dog and looking on that site would be put off of getting one altogether as practically every breed has a long list of potential inherited diseases it is frightening
 
I agree it is scary and it is about time people who say they "love" such and such breed think about what that means. Not just potential vets fees but a life of what having even one problem can mean. And many dogs have several problems. How can you say you love something and want it when there is such a good chance of a life of pain or discomfort? Those lists are not saying the breed will get .... but there is a darn good chance it will.

I am very outspoken and feel that most breeds should be allowed to die out. That doesn't mean killing them it means not breeding, it won't happen people will still get their breeds if they are better educated maybe by some miracle things will improve. Reality is it won't happen but can dream.

So sure ignore the site but it won't change the pain that animals go through thanks to bad breeding and bad standards at the kc yes yes they are meant to be changing it... but once in genetics it isnt easy to get rid of that problem and that isnt one it is many many problems.
 
This weeks was a real tear jerker, you could see the emotion in Noels voice when the Golden Labrador got back on its feet, powerful tv.
 
I agree with Muddy.

The amount of research we (I) did before choosing our dog. Phew! It took months. I read and read. Exercise requirements. Size. Barking. Intelligence. Weight (for lifting in and out of the car when both the dog and I are older). Food cost. Insurance costs. Grooming. Potential health problems of breed... And then the trouble to find a carefully bred, well socialised puppy. No puppy farm. No congenital faults. No behavioural problems and neurosis from under socialisation or early trauma.

We ended up with the perfect dog for our lifestyle, and even more importantly, he isn't frustrated, under exercised or bored by that same lifestyle.

I look around at other dog owners and rarely see such a good match.

We are incredibly lucky - but it took a LOT of work.

I deeply admire people who help rescue dogs. And I abhor the people who create rescue dogs, but with our lifestyle, an already resident cat, and my inexperience with dogs, we could not have taken on a rescue.
 
noblehead said:
This weeks was a real tear jerker, you could see the emotion in Noels voice when the Golden Labrador got back on its feet, powerful tv.
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I'm afraid Noel caused me to cry along with him last night. He pioneered that particular operation and I'm so glad he was successful. He is so good with the owners too - a genuine man and so dedicated. I would definitely trust him with my dogs, though I hope I never need to of course.
 

No me too Beshlie, I would have re-mortgage my house to pay the vet fees They must see some joy & heartbreak in these veterinary practice.
 
noblehead said:
No me too Beshlie, I would have re-mortgage my house to pay the vet fees They must see some joy & heartbreak in these veterinary practice.
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Yes, we couldn't so we will never have another dog.
We had a mongrel for 17 years, the only vets bills were for vaccinations and castration.

We had 'Fauve de Bretagne' for just over two years. He was a lovely dog , a bit lively and a bit of an escapologist.( it's a hunting breed and he managed to 'hunt' some of our neighbours chickens.(French neighbour was typical farmer, it was what dogs did, we paid him for the chickens)

Other than that he had a lovely character, good with the grandchildren and we have pictures of him 'mothering' some kittens.

Hugo developed epilepsy ( I've since found that it is known in this breed in France) . We were spending a lot of money that we couldn't afford. The dog was suffering with one fit after another It was also distressing for us to see him thrashing around and then staggering and falling into things in the aftermath.(He had 12 fits one afternoon before we could actually manage to get him to the vet. We very sadly we agreed with the vet that it was best to have him 'put down' . French rural vets are not the same as UK small animal vets, they treat mostly large farm animals and hunting dogs so have a more pragmatic attitude.
I'll never have a dog again because of the 'guilt' feelings. I feel guilty because I don't really know how much the cost and the fact it happened at the same time I was diagnosed influenced us to accept the vet's suggestion .
 
How awful for you all Phoenix, understandably it makes you think twice about owning another dog.
 
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