June 1, 2008 - More and more people consider their pets a part of their family.  As a result, the cost of health and medical costs associated with pets are rising.  According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), pet owners spent $10.1 billion in veterinary care and $9.8 billion in pet supplies and OTC drugs within the last year.  The American Veterinary Medical Association found that $24.5 billion was spent on veterinary medicine  in 2006, which is more than double the spending 10 year ago.

Years ago, there weren't these advances in technology available for pets and when a pet was suffering from a severe sickness, the only option was for them to be euthanized.  However, in today's day and age, there is technology that is available to help keep pets living longer - MRIs, Ultrasounds and CAT scans.  There is also surgery that's available such as heart surgery, liver transplants, laser surgery, and chemotherapy.  There's even acupuncture that's also available to pets.  Consequently, pet owners are confronted with a much greater expenditure to keep their pet healthy and living longer.  Because of the advances in medical expertise and technology that's available, pets are now living longer and pet owners are not only spending more on medical and health expenses, but also vitamins and food. 

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It's great that there is all of this help that is available to keep pets living longer but all of this eventually becomes more of a moral dilemma for pet owners.  If the pet needs surgery, for some pet owners who don't have the money, it's a tough choice for them to decide, should I spend the thousands of dollars to save my dog who I love?  Or should I use it to pay for credit cards or other expenses so that I don't fall behind?

For pet owners who don't have the finances needed, there are nonprofit organizations such as animal rescues that may have low-cost options available.

Source: "Nine Lives, With the Bills to Match", Nancy Trejos -
                 WashingtonPost.com