I'm quite humbled by your post. You DID give it thought and you knew what and do do what you are able to do. And sound like you know what you are doing.

In the UK I don't think it's as easy to buy 'stuff online'. Not sure these days as I no longer live there. But, when my dog was gravely ill and had been at the vets for about a week (no overnight staff) I just told them to give me EVERYTHING they were giving her (injections, meds and all that) and I would take her home and treat her myself as I could give her 24hr care which they couldn't. She's still with me now 3 and half years on.

I have to say I think a lot of the mystery, smoke and mirrors surrounding animal 'treatment' is probably there to make money for vets. Having once paid £15 for what turned out to be 5 simple aspirin tablets for a dog. Aspirin probably being the cheapest med you can buy in the UK. They do not cost three quid each. (And that was on top of the cost of the vet visit).

We see many posts on here where people are asking for advice AFTER paying out to see a vet because the vet either didn't explain anything very well or they weren't happy with what the vet said.

You did the right thing by bringing your dog home and treating her yourself. The stress alone on a dog by being away from you only makes the illness harder to treat and recovery time longer. Many vets do take advantage of the fact that a lot of people know very little about basic animal care and treatment. I had a wonderful vet before I moved here who was willing to explain things to me and give me instructions on how to treat at home rather than have me pay him for things I could do myself. That kind of vet is rare no matter what country you live in. I've done my best to pass on some of what I've learned to the neighborhood children who regularly bring their puppies to me for worming and shots because their parents won't pay for it. it's sad that the parents will allow a child to get a puppy and then not bother to teach them how to care for it. I have no doubt that some of the parents actually tell the kid to bring the pup to me but I really don't care. My concern is for the dog. The kids don't often have money to pay to cover the cost so I have them do small chores for me instead. Hopefully they learn something about the responsibility of owning a dog.

A long time ago, when I was maybe 18-19 when I had a more regular job and didn't have to help my parents so much, I could afford a lot more than I can now. They also were there to help me as well. Our household had a lot more money.

My mother can now only work part time because of her back arthritis and my father was forced to take an early retirement and is now disabled. We have a lot less now. She makes little, he makes little, and I make little.

Admittedly, I have only had insurance for one pet, which was a cat, and in the end... not all the money and insurance in the world could have saved her from her fate. Insurance for Nigredo was moderately affordable, but Jade is so old at nearly $60 per month, without coverage for illnesses anyway?? Not going to happen!

If one of my dogs had to have a leg amputated or something else that might be very expensive, I'd find the money... there isn't a doubt about that.

I am a lot poorer than people often think I am, but because I know where things are and how to get them, sometimes I don't need money (no, I don't steal).

My dogs have hardly gone without, even though they might not eat the most expensive food on the market or play with the most expensive toys. They are happy, and healthy dogs. I admit with the addition of Jade and my now ailing parents, sometimes it's a struggle to keep up, but I manage.

In the case of chronic illnesses that would require more than I have, I simply have my fingers crossed there. Have had dogs my entire life, never been without one. Never had a sickly one, either. Like I always say, in that regard.. I don't spend my time dwelling on bad luck.

I'd try as hard as I could, but in the end... the dogs would not suffer. I'd either have to dog re-homed to someone with more money, or put down. Only two options.

I love dogs. I love my dogs, and I'd do anything to make sure I always had one. I've had my fair share of horrible emotional and physical problems, and thanks to dogs... I have always been able to fight through them. Owning a dog?? Wouldn't have it any other way despite anything.

That's exactly why I went five years without a dog because I knew the answer was no.

Great post, something I always point out to those that ask me about dogs.

We put £50 a month into another account something I started when I first took Reah on (RIP) as they would never insure her fully due to her medical problems.

Recently Skye developed an allergy against wheat but before we found out the cost of 3 vet visits totaled £304, with bloods, meds etc
and of course now a tweek in diet which bear in mind we have 4 dogs.
People need to also look at insurances (reading the small print too) because they can sting IMO if they are not quite the right cover.
costs are on the increase all the time and sadly animals can end up suffering if people don't really think ''how much a year is this animal going to cost''

love your post

Ouch everytime I go to the vet, with two dogs the cost is astronomical! Please consider 'A dog's vet bills are for life and not just for Xmas'!!!!

For some that wouldn't be an option, I know my depression is only managed by having a dog, she is my coping mechanism. Without a dog I would just not be here, I came close to killing myself when my beloved Benny died, have been struggling not to get so close with each death since but to know I could not have any dog would be the end for me.

I don't think I am alone either I know others who would not cope with out their dogs too.

That's what I was saying, too. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

Well I too suffered from depression for 7 years, some of the time I had my dog, he saw me through sudden unexpected separation and divorce (which also resulted in me loosing my home as it was tied to my x husbands job so he got to stay there), numerous house moves (so many that I had to keep a list of all the bed sits and house shares I stayed in for use on formal documents), doctors, hospitals and psychiatrists appointments, moving a different town to start a degree, numerous changes and mess ups with medication, an abusive relationship and devastating accidental unplanned pregnancy, coming very close to following through my suicidal thoughts etc etc....BUT when he died I knew I could not afford to provide a another dog with all that it needed or deserved nor would I have the emotional strength to cope with settling in a new rescue with everything else going on in my life. I had already pushed to get cognitive behaviour therapy from the NHS and so many times I found myself going back through my accounts and seeing if just somehow I might be able too do it....but knew that I shouldn't. I know the PDSA will help if you are in receipt of benefits but, I feel, that they are there to help out when times turn bad not to pay for people's pets treatments when the people knew full well they would not be able to afford a pet in the first place...and then turn to them for all their treatment.

CBT taught ME so much, how to deal with depressive repetive thoughts and how to nip them in the bud and that MY mental health was my responsibility. It completely turned my life around and I have been depression free for ten years! Amazing in itself but even more when I think that during those ten years I have severe work stress and bullying from a manager who I successfully took through the complaints procedure at work and then managed to carry on a proper respectful relationship with afterwards, met my partner, had one miscarriage, two children, he's lost his job a number of times and we have been below the poverty line more times than I car to think about ..but I've stayed depression free.

It's something I feel really strongly about, if you can't afford to have a dog, then don't get one. ....but that doesn't mean to say that once you have a dog and times get though that you should get rid of it.

I don't think dogs really care how much money we spend on them as long as I can feed them and get vet attention when necessary is all they want. Feeding them I cook for them because I think it isn't just cheaper but better for them too. I always manage even if I have to borrow to get the vet bills paid. They don't want much more than that because an old sock made into a toy is much more popular with mine than any amount of expensive toys could be.