I cleaned out my to-file box this weekend (I know, I'm a terrible housekeeper, I do this like once a year) and sorted all the receipts I'd kept. I don't keep incidentals but I do keep medical receipts because they make for a good kind of medical record. But I didn't keep ALL of them either! so this is only a percentage of my medical expenses, and doesn't even include prescription medicine, food, fleece, a new cage, hay, etc.
Grand total, since last June, on guinea pig MEDICAL EXPENSES ALONE: $690.
That's one pig with heart disease, one pig with a hay poke, and one pig with a bizarre skin infection.
(By the time I'd added in the dog, the cat, and the hamster, my husband looked physically ill!)
In case anybody still thinks these are easy and cheap pets!
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Bookfan
- For the Love of Pigs
Yup. We spent about $700 on Celia's CL & ovarian tumors. No regrets - she lived another year in contentment. And we spent the same amount trying to treat Elle's soft poops over a period of months and she up and died anyway. No regrets there either, but I just wish we could had made her well.
Last Sat. at work, two coworkers said they wouldn't take a small rodent to the vet at all. They'd just let it die. I wish people wouldn't take on this kind of pet if they don't plan on taking care of it. It's cruel.
Last Sat. at work, two coworkers said they wouldn't take a small rodent to the vet at all. They'd just let it die. I wish people wouldn't take on this kind of pet if they don't plan on taking care of it. It's cruel.
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Webs
- Cavies 'n Cobwebs
Oh, I totally agree! Although the first years of piggy owning didn't seem too bad, once Chilli was discovered to have a heart problem and poor Tiggy's ailments and ops arrived at the same time, unfortunately I counted up that the two of them - over the last 3 years - have cost me around £2,500. About £1,500 of that was in medication alone for Chilli.
Heart pigs ain't cheap and if the meds work it just gets more expensive as they last longer!
Chilli got an extra 3 years of life and Tiggy is a happy piggy who wouldn't have been here at all so I certainly don't regret it. Other things did get sacrificed though. Birthday/Christmas money went to the vet, new clothes/music/DVDs/books stopped, few nights out and no holidays/visits anywhere.
Heart pigs ain't cheap and if the meds work it just gets more expensive as they last longer!
Chilli got an extra 3 years of life and Tiggy is a happy piggy who wouldn't have been here at all so I certainly don't regret it. Other things did get sacrificed though. Birthday/Christmas money went to the vet, new clothes/music/DVDs/books stopped, few nights out and no holidays/visits anywhere.
Last year it was over £1000 for Pip and Scruffles... I don't want to know the exact figure.
The little things sure are pricey but so worth it :) I am so lucky to have a vet with amazing prices (she does my rescue and personal pets) but I have to say compared to what I used to have to spend on my neurotic dog, I welcome guinea pig prices!
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Mapleowl18
- Supporter in '11
For the record Linus is the $700 pig. (Offically, within the last 2 years. We won't include some of those initial URI's otherwise he becomes the $1100 or more piggy and my husband begins looking at me with concern. )
Robin on the other-hand has been a perfectly good boy and has only racked up $300 in vet bills, most of those being in conjunction with him and Linus on getting mites at the same time.
And they're both about 3.
Robin on the other-hand has been a perfectly good boy and has only racked up $300 in vet bills, most of those being in conjunction with him and Linus on getting mites at the same time.
And they're both about 3.
Oh my! I don't even keep track of the amount spent! My husband would fall over! All I know is whatever it takes, they are worth it and he can deal with it!! Haha!
I cringe when I hear that guinea pigs are "excellent starter pets for children". REALLY??? What kind of kids are we talking about? I spend HOURS taking care of my furbabies and although my 10 year old daughter claims ownership of one of the fellas, there is no way she could properly "care" for one.
I loved the "neurotic dog" comment! My Mom used to have a neurotic cat, so I know the cost of THAT problem! Sheesh...
I cringe when I hear that guinea pigs are "excellent starter pets for children". REALLY??? What kind of kids are we talking about? I spend HOURS taking care of my furbabies and although my 10 year old daughter claims ownership of one of the fellas, there is no way she could properly "care" for one.
I loved the "neurotic dog" comment! My Mom used to have a neurotic cat, so I know the cost of THAT problem! Sheesh...
Wow, seeing this makes me very grateful of my piggies... they are all pretty darn healthy and need no more than a check up.
Though there are the few pigs that have reoccuring health problems throughout their lives, still going strong though.
Though there are the few pigs that have reoccuring health problems throughout their lives, still going strong though.
No kidding, they are not cheap. I spent over $4000, maybe closer to $5000 on one of my pigs, although granted this was at a fancy animal hospital that charges eg $140 for an emergency appointment. From now on, I plan to try and use a more reasonable vet, but I still expect similar treatment would have cost over $2000.
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Mr Demus 625
- Supporter in 2012
lou it's funny you mention that. The emergancy fee for our vet is $325, that's before anything else.
@Mom2boars - I'm glad someone understands!! Those vet prices were through the roof!!
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