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There is no negotiating wtih the hospital to pay some upfront and the rest later?
Sorry I don't have any insight on how to best borrow the money, but to potentially add some perspective, I'm sure there are plenty of uninsured people in this country who would not be able to finance 50k for surgery for themselves, much less a pet.
@Anonymous wrote:
We all choose what matters most to us. No judgement as I would be doing the same thing. It's only money, and trading money for a life makes sense to me.
As for your question about creative ways to fundraise, I think your daughter is on the right track and CareCredit is also a wise move. Raise as much as you can and take out a personal loan for the remainder.
My little beast is about 6 years old. Chihuahuas live up to their late teens and give you as much as they can in their life time.
Good, productive thoughts for you in this stressful time.
^^^^This^^^^
@Hex wrote:
@FlaDude
Sadly you are correct. I’ve actually already thought about this and many even worse injustices. There are many more worthy ways to spend that much money. I could help thousands of dogs or thousands of humans with that much money. But he’s my dog and I love him. He is my friend and my responsibility. He would do it for me. He gets really sick and has a hard time breathing. It’s very hard to watch. Then they increase his medication and he looks so much better and seems happy. The medication can only be increased so much and then it stops helping. I don’t think the fact that worse problems are being ignored should be a reason not to try to solve this problem. The world is basically wrong and I can’t fix that but I can try to help my dog.
Completely understand your situation as I have had pets as well. But as others have said, sometimes, you have to let the heart go and think with the mind. Is it worth putting yourself in debt for, for something that isn't really proven? A surgery that's experimental? What if it doesn't work? That's 50k down the drain. For a billionaire, that's chump change. For us average people, that's a pretty significant amount. I know it's not what you wanna hear, but think about it. I've had pets come and go and it sucks when they do go, but it's the circle of life. It's sad and definitely sucks but what can you do?
Hex,
If you have a primary vet, please have a sit-down with him/her and ask for their professional opinion. They can even do a consult (via phone/teleconference) with the surgeon who would be doing the surgery (or the coordinator of the procedure/scheduling/whom to consult, etc). They can even consult with a specialist not necessarily involved with UofFL. Don't go into this blinded. Any surgery such as this might be considered "experimental", and since it is among the first at UofFL, you might try (or have your primary vet) try to get the costs reduced solely for that reason. Think of it like clinical trials, most people (subjects) are paid, or, NEVER should have to pay costs to be included in a clinical trial or study - but a surgery considered 'new and innovative' should at least be provided at a reasonable cost. Also ask your primary vet to consult with the surgeon or coordinator to send verified clinial studies of the surgeon's published material, so that your vet and you are completely aware of the risks vs benefits (a published trial with good results of course is to your favor - whereas a published trial with "inconclusive" results or, "more research is needed to conclude efficacy" may not be to your favor). Someone needs to be your advocate, whether that be your primary vet AND another vet or specialist your primary vet can consult, BEFORE you sign up for this surgery (you need to see/verify prior results this surgeon has had with other dogs).
I can't blame you in the least for wanting to go above and beyond for your pupper. That said, before you commit to applying to CareCredit, you might want to talk to a rep first to see how high a CL could be awarded. Keep in mind that most people, whether for dental or veterinary, usually top out at a 25K credit limit with Carecredit, and some only have a low starting CL to begin with. Also as important, the vet or clinic MUST allow up to a 24-month term period for a high cost surgery such as this, otherwise, many vets only allow their customers 6 months to pay in full on the CareCredit 6-month term. You should find out about these things before you apply, as well as what term the clinic will allow to pay it off before you incur interest (which is retroactive with Carecredit, if you're late or miss a payment, you'll be charged the full interest rate on the full initial purchase price).
Find out if you can give a deposit, and make suitable payment arrangements each month thereafter with the surgeon/clinic - this is generally the only way you will get this paid for unless you have a bank or credit union who would consider giving you a personal/signature loan to cover such a large amount. That, or try to come up with a large cash deposit from your own resources, then discuss payment arrangements with the surgeon/clinic.
I really ticks me off that innovative surgeries/treatments for pets cost far more than for humans (because most people don't buy pet insurance and so many policies don't cover pre-existing conditions). For this reason, I would discuss with your primary vet who can both be your advocate in some ways, as well as can consult with the surgeon or another specialist on your behalf.
Here's wishing you and your pupper much luck and success. You're not alone with wanting to do what you feel is right for your best buddy! It's that one look, it's that one nanosecond that you have that unconditional love from them, those moments they feel healthy and happy, and the lifetime of love and companionship they provide you