From Warren Eckstein - Many pet owners are struggling to pay for vet care
June 18, 2014
A non-profit that provides financial assistance to people unable to pay for veterinary care for their pets has seen requests for help double over the past year, the latest sign of the increasing financial burden owners have to shoulder to care for their furry companions.

According to Karen Leslie, the executive director of the Pet Fund, advances in veterinary care over the past few years have come at high price. For example, costs to treat a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), a common dog injury, have soared to $2,000, more than double the $800 people had paid in past. That doesn't include the costs of diagnostic testing, which can add an additional $500 to a pet owner's bill.

"Currently many diseases and injuries are diagnosed with an MRI, which used to be inaccessible to all but the most well-funded university hospitals," Leslie writes in an email. "Now that MRI machines are available in many hospitals nationwide, vets use this test as standard care for diagnosing and treating cancer, epilepsy, injury, etc. but the test itself also costs $2,000. While this is an incredibly useful and important diagnostic tool, the cost is out of reach for many pet owners who would struggle to be able to afford the surgery and/or treatment following the MRI, let alone the cost of the test itself."

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Posted by Ken at 6:49 PM