Are some dogs just walking vet bills and health problems?

Question

I feel like every time we get one of Lacie's issues paid off; something else crops up. She turned 3 in July and has already had a surgery to remove a histiocytoma that was on her front leg that kept breaking open (she was 1.5 when that was done), then last year she severed her ACL and had TPLO surgery to fix the damaged knee so she could walk with all four legs again...now I've just found a lump/bump on the back of her hind leg (opposite of the one she had surgery on), and have no idea what it could be. It's under the skin...so off to the vet we go on Monday.

Does my beautiful girl have bad genes or bad luck?

Or are some of these things common?

Answer 1

Yea, some dogs are honestly just walking problems. Some breeds just didn't get good genes. What kid of dog is she?

Our 7mth old Boxer has had a new problem every month since the day we got her.

Answer 2

Where did you get your dog? If you got her at a Pet Store she probably came from a puppy mill and if she came from a puppy mill, then yes, you will have a life time of vet bills to pay. I have had only one dog that required more than spay or neuter and regular immunizations, other than an occasional ear infection. And that one dog had cancer. The tumor popped up on her muzzle at age 13. We had surg to remove it but it had already spread to her brain and we had to put her down less than 6 months latr.

Answer 3

wow, you have spent a lot on vet bills.  you are a very commited person, and i respect that.  i think it's probably bad luck though.

Did you get to meet your dogs parents?  that'd be the first thing i'd do before purchasing a dog.  I got lucky with mine and after 12 years, my dog got cancer once on his leg and another on his liver, but we THANKFULLY caught it extremely early and it didn't spread, and he lived a full life.

Answer 4

Oh man..............I'm so sorry and bummed to hear this, poor baby.  

Possibly a cyst or gangleon.  Sounds like she's had enough for her young age.  And the cost.........they charge an arm and a leg for these things.  

Possible genetics?  Yeah, possibly.  So sorry.  She is very lucky to have you.  Someone that cares to take care of these matters.  I know it's such an expense.  Imagine if she were with someone else though, who wouldn't care to take the time of day to have things checked.

You deserve tons of "slurpy kisses" from her.  

Hugs from Pilot and I

ADDITIONAL............WOULD ANY TYPE OF PET INSURANCE HELP YOU WITH THESE COSTS????? THERE ARE SO MANY OUT THERE.

Answer 5

Yes, I think so.

I had a Belgian Shepherd Groenendael which

1.  I bought with a paralysis tick

2.  Chewed on a fishing lure (it was in its box in the shed) and had 1 hook through his nose and 2 embedded in his foot.

(1 and 2 were both out of hours emergencies so they cost more)

3.  Slight fracture on his leg.

3.  Tetanus - very rare, particularly in a dog which is nowhere near horses.  At the same time there were 3 other cases of dogs with tetanus that our Vet knew of or was involved with - most unusual.  2 of these died.  Went on to win Puppy of Breed at the Brisbane Royal about a month later - I had to "colour in" the patches on his leg where he had been shaved for the drips!

4.  Bone fragments lodged in his gut.  Was touch and go for awhile.

I don't regret one cent I paid out for his Vet bills.  I was lucky cos when he had tetanus the Vet wasn't charging us for his time, only the cost of the medications he used.  It was still a hefty bill.  Oh well, you do take them on "for better or worse".

I am a bit concerned that my latest dog is going to turn out to be one of those dogs.  He is a Belgian Shepherd Malinois and at 5 months of age has a broken toe which, of course, nothing can be done for it.  We just have to try to keep him quiet while it heals itself.  Yeah, good luck!

PS.  Nothing to do with the genetics - all to do with high energy / activity levels and plain bad luck.

Answer 6

Who knows just cross your fingers and hope its something stupid like a fatty tumor. 8/

Answer 7

yes, dogs from pet stores

Answer 8

I've got a cat like that.  $4,000 in ten years.....

Answer 9

I think a lot of it is just down to the particular dog, nothing to do with bad genes.

Just like people, me and my sister have the same genes, but I'm fit and healthy, she's most definitely not, and it's nothing that runs in the family, so bad genes can't be blamed.

Milly is like a walking sick note, at the vets at least once a month for her allergy injections, anal glands expressing, recurrent ear infections, always seems to be something wrong with her.

Her parents haven't had any problems so it's just Milly , she's an oddball!

I think both of our dogs have just got bad luck.

I'm just glad I got her insured.

Answer 10

Yes, we had a dog like that.  We nicknamed him Dud.  His medication cost $300 a week, and just when we thought he was cured he needed surgery, and on the operating table they found out he had a heart defect, and then he got a toothache, and then he got an ear infection, and on and on and on.  I still cry sometimes because I miss him so much, but now that he's gone at least I know I can afford to retire one day.

Answer 11

Yes, what do I keep on saying about Designer dogs!

I think its a combination of the two ( bad luck and Bad Genes ).

Its not your fault.

But, I do think its more Bad Luck then Bad Genes.

ADD: Oh, Jen, I know that Lacie is a Pure Bred.

I just ment that whenever some one is asking a Q like "do designer dogs have health problems???" and whatever else. Thats what I always say.

Man, aparently people dont agree with me.

Thank you TD fairies.

Answer 12

both are problems that is why you should never buy a puppy from a puppy mill / farm. Breeding is not a just a few dogs getting together...  

Answer 13

I know this sounds stupid but they have insurance for dogs too.We have a Rottweiler and he had started to limp from running after my Husband.Off to the vet x-rays and said we had to have him caged for 4 months (NO) and that he would have to do surgery 1500.00 to repair it then once it healed he would have to do the other leg as he had to rely on it so much,same price for other leg. Well he gets Glucosamine and no surgery and he's fine,plus dog vitiamins!!