Over the course of your pet's life, he is going to get sick. You can feed him perfectly, exercise him appropriately, train him gently, and...he will still end up in the vet's office. Jeff and Faith and I were on the road yesterday, and we met Casey, a gorgeous Great Dane. Casey's owner said that his last Great Dane suffered from heart disease, and the medication cost a whopping 300 bucks a month...but it kept the dog going for almost 18 months. That's 18 months of pleasure with your dog...and over $5,000 out of your pocket.
So...where do you draw the line?
Gina Spadafori comments today on an article in the New York Times that deals with the high cost of pet health care. Lots of good information (including a study that reveals that dog owners spend more on treats than regular old dog food), but the writer makes the fatal (both to Gina and to me) mistake of concluding "It's only a cat. Or a dog." Yes. That argument worked very well in talking people out of their flooded houses in Louisiana and Mississippi last year, when it became clear that their "only a pet" was going to be left behind.
Gina argues for pet insurance that has a high deductible, and says, sensibly,
There has to be a middle ground between "sorry kitty, I can replace you for $20" and taking out a second on your home to pay for chemo.
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