The cost of a pet is not to be neglected

“Some must refuse,” says Michel Pépin, spokesperson for the Association of Veterinary Doctors of Quebec (AMVQ) in small animal practice.

Demand for dogs and cats peaks. We can guess that confined people are looking for company, but it’s more than that. To see homo sapiens behaving these days on social networks, the presence of a playful and without malice no doubt helps to come to terms with this time a little murky.

The adoption of an animal, however, represents a commitment that will far exceed the time of the pandemic (we wish it in any case).

For the good of the animal and its finances, it is better to know what you are getting into.

Big love

We get attached to these little animals. The bonds we develop with them can become intense, with some owners treating their four-legged friends like children, at least like a member of the family. I’m not judging, I myself am the somewhat gaga owner of a cat by the name of Ti-Père, the master of the house.

Our relationship with pets has changed a lot over the years. To reflect these changes in mentality, the legal status of animals has recently been changed. They are no longer considered as “movable property”, but as “sentient beings”, which places new responsibilities on us.

Big business

Veterinary medicine, for its part, has made giant leaps. Animals now have access to the same medical technologies as humans, or almost: radiology, oncology, dermatology, psychology …

The food, toy and accessories industry has also adapted, or rather it smelled the good deal; it is more creative and more successful than ever.

I will not go too far in the field of breeding, a subject in itself, but let’s say all the same that the lines of “lemons”, purebred animals that collect problems, have never been so abundant.

Big expenses

Unconditional love, sweets, lemons and medical equipment acquired at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars … Do you see the threat that hangs over your wallet?

The AMVQ has published sheets on its website showing the maintenance costs of cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets. The vets are pushing the plug a bit. According to them, it would take more than $ 2,000 per year for a cat, which includes annual scaling and medical insurance. We navigate in the same waters for dogs.

I don’t know of anyone who takes out insurance to cover their pet’s medical care or has their teeth cleaned every year. However, with vaccines, sterilization, quality food, routine exams, litter and everything in between, the slightest love at first sight for a kitten comes with a bill that borders on $ 1,000 … first year.

Big discomforts

It is when the animal begins to experience health problems that the bill can explode.

It is wonderful to see on television animals rescued at the last minute by a handsome and young veterinarian, but you rarely see the bill. In reality, the costs of advanced veterinary medicine are embarrassing.

How many thousands of dollars does it take to have his dog’s hip replaced or give him a chance to survive cancer?

When it comes time to consider intervention, unease pervades both sides.

The owner who wonders how far it is reasonable to spend to extend the life of his companion, and no matter what he decides, he will keep regrets.

The vet who wonders how far he can go in his treatment proposal. He may be reluctant to offer the protocol for $ 7,000 without being sure he can save the animal.

That said, he may be less embarrassed to offer it if his clinic has 75 employees and you have to pay for the magnetic resonance imaging machine.

Animal insurance

• According to the AMVQ, medical insurance represents the best way to dispel the discomfort by eliminating the financial question when establishing the appropriate treatment to care for a sick or injured animal.
• In Quebec, less than 2% of pet owners have purchased one. These insurances can be quite expensive, up to $ 80 per month, but it certainly makes it easier to make the decision at crucial times.
• However, the insurance contract may provide for exclusions for diseases frequent in certain breeds. Your pet may therefore not be covered against a problem that often manifests itself in its breed.