PetKnows

This past weekend, The Washington Post ran a story the amount of money that pet owners will spend on their pets’ health. The numbers are pretty stunning. As the article explains, Americans spend “more than $24.5 billion in 2006 alone [on pet health care], according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. (If you’re into comparing vast amounts of money, that’s greater than the gross domestic product of more than half of the world’s countries.) Though care for all pets is included in the figure, the nation’s 81.7 million cats and 72 million dogs account for the majority of vet fees.”

The article examined the expanding veterinary industry that now offers pet owners a very wide variety of procedures to cure any ailment you can name. Some argue that vets push the expensive procedures to make money, while many also admit that they would spend every penny again if they had to.

As any pet lover knows, our pets are so much more than “pets.” They are really part of our family. When they look up at you with their sweet eyes, wag their tail, or nuzzle up against you, you know what they are thinking and feeling. You love them and would do just about anything for them. But vet bills can be pretty rough on the wallet. So where do we draw the line? That is a tough question to answer, and one that I have never been able to resolve for myself. I have been very lucky with Mosby but also realize that he is almost 14 and I could be faced with some tough choices as his age catches up to him.

So do you know where you would be willing to draw the line? Or are you like me and can’t bear to think about it until you are faced with the choice?