So my sister's pet guinea pig has an eye infection and we brought him into a vet this past weekend. The visit set us back $200. We thought it was just a routine check-up which is $65 with prescribed medicine another $40 but the vet recommend us to check his teeth to see if the eye infection is caused by his cavities.
The darn piggie won't allow them to check so we had to sedate him which cost another $70. Once sedated, they were able to examine the teeth and concluded that it was not the cause. So they prescribed him additional medication for another $25.
All in all, this visit was $200 for just a guinea pig. Pets are expensive.
I'm thinking of buying pet insurance for him. Do you think this is a good idea?
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7 comments:
Wow! That is expensive!
I've never bought pet insurance before but don't think I need it right now anyway. Both of my cat and dog are fairly young and have no health issues ~ they only see the vet once a year for a routine checkup.
I don't know about pet insurance for a guinea pig, but I think it can make a lot of sense with larger pets such as cats and dogs.
I never really considered getting pet insurance for my dog. I just make sure that he gets his yearly shots, vaccinations and healthy dog food. But, yes, emergency services for pets are really expensive.
Not to be morbid, but what is the life expectancy of a Guinea pig?
With our hamsters, they only live a few years, so if one gets sick, I don't know if I could spend $200 on one.
That said, my wife did take my son's fish in, and that adventure cost $20! It ended up dying 6 months later... grrrr...
Pet insurance for a guinea pig? I don't know if it is worth it. OMG, Vets are making bank out here. $200 for a guinea pig visit? Do guinea pigs even cost that much?
Hey, it happens. I paid $200 for a turtle with an ear infection. I paid $1000 for the other turtle when my dog attacked her (10 years later, he's passed away, and she's alive and kicking). And I wish someone would tell me they're not worth it. Bite me. I don't have pet insurance either, so I can't comment on its worth, but I would see what the monthly cost is versus what they cover. It may be just as easy to set aside money for the guinea pig to handle regular visits, etc. rather than get insurance. I set aside $15/month for the girls, and while it doesn't cover major expenses, it does take care of most.
Thanks everyone for your answer.
It seems like many of us are pet lovers out there and we'd do anything for the health and benefit to maintain a good living standard for them.
I know it may sound absurd to some for spending so much on a little pet like a guinea pig, but it's hard not to once it becomes family.
It has its own personality and it's a life being just like any other pets.
Don't worry, my DH doens't understand our love for this little creature neither. He tells me to just buy another one for $30 which is way cheaper than trying to keep this one healthy and living for another 4-5 years.
They have a life expectancy of 5-7 years supposedly. Longer than a hamster for sure.
Sorry for my rant and thanks for listening.
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