I am writing this as a wake up call to anyone who is thinking of getting a dog or any pet. April became a shit storm of emergency vet visits. I adopted Bootz 13 years ago. She is a mix of Pit, Lab, & Boxer. I adopted Blanca 9 years ago. She is a mix of American Bulldog & Golden Retriever. The first week of April, I was walking Bootz and she started limping. I called the vet as this, to me, was an emergency.

Bootz was checked out and x-rayed. She has spinal arthritis and it’s in her hips too. We got some meds and things got worse. The next day, she couldn’t stand up. I spent two nights on the floor with her as we were on Easter weekend. I brought her in again and there is a once a month shot that actually works and got her up and moving. That shot is $106 a month. 

Then it got worse. Blanca is prone to cysts. She has one on her tail and two on the back of her neck. She was coming in and wagging her tail. It hit the door and exploded. Another emergency visit. The vet explained to me that if the cysts didn’t change, leave them alone. Three years ago, she had 5 removed and it was a nightmare. I had to take her back 7 times because she kept breaking sutures open. 

I had her home and was treating her like glass, then the tail started bleeding again. Last Tuesday I had to bring her in for a tail amputation and getting those two cysts off her neck. I had to leave her there a week. After lifting her and Bootz, both over 70lbs, I got hurt. Also mentally dealing with this had burned me out, so I felt and explained to the vet that she would get better care there. So I bring her home Monday night. 

Now here’s the thing, this has pretty much broken the bank. I am on a fixed income and I had just cashed in my life insurance policy a couple of months ago. This will cost me at least 4K. If I had to add up what I have spent over 13 years for surgeries, medication and treatments, figure 50K. So I want everyone reading this to consider this fact before you think of getting a dog is to be prepared to spend a lot of money for their care.

50K could have gotten me a lot of creature comforts, but it can’t buy what Bootz & Blanca have given me over the years: companionship and unconditional love. When my so called friends pretty much abandoned me during the pandemic, they were there for me. I have volunteered at shelters and have seen how horrible people treat their pets. “ I didn’t know a dog would be so much trouble” was the usual response. Hey, if you can’t take care of one, don’t get one, don’t even get a goldfish if your not going to invest the time. These animal have feelings, they lie in front of my chair to sort of protect me. I don’t keep them going for me, I’m not selfish . As long as their quality of life is good, I put my needs on the back burner. I will not extend their lives to make me feel good. No, it’s all about them, and when I feel or my vet feels it’s time, I will say goodbye. It will suck, they didn’t ask to be here, I took them out of shitty situations and gave them a home. I don’t regret any of it. So please, realize that getting a dog is a huge commitment, if your not into spending what could be a lot of money over the next ten years, don’t do it.