Small pets may also need expensive veterinary care

The man pointed the hamster in the cage, on my consulting table. "His stomach is swollen and he is getting fat, how much would it cost to operate?"

I looked at the little creature with care: I could feel a solid mbad in his abdomen, about 2 cm in diameter, the equivalent of a human having a mbad of the size of his body. A cauliflower growing near his belly. Technically, it may be possible to remove it, but it would be a complex and delicate procedure, without guarantee of success. I gave the man an estimate of the total cost, around 300 €. He growled "I can get a new one for a kid" and he stared at the floor.

As a pet veterinarian (or "pet veterinarian", to use the internationally preferred term), most of my work involves dogs (65%) and cats (30%). There is general agreement on "terms of engagement" with these animals: they are considered members of the family and people usually want to do their best for themselves when they have an accident or get sick.

If someone brings me a sick dog or cat, they expect me to suggest an investigation, including blood samples, X-rays and perhaps an ultrasound. They will badume that I will be able to make a firm diagnosis and that I will be able to give appropriate treatment. They will understand that the diagnosis can take several hundred euros, that an operation can cost up to 1,000 euros and permanent treatment costs of up to a few hundred euros each month. This level of care is now standard for expensive pets, such as dogs and cats. Not everyone can afford to pay for it, which is why pet insurance is so popular, but it is still implied that this is the normal type of waiting for high care quality.

However, there is a minority group of my patients where the expectations are often different: the 5% who are neither dogs nor cats. This group includes rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, birds, reptiles and fish. In fact, any animal that is neither a dog nor a cat. I do not see many monkeys or insects, but sometimes they were brought to see me after an accident or illness. As a veterinarian, I have been trained to take care of each of these types of creatures and I am able to treat them successfully. But all too often, owners' expectations are different and this can present challenges, as was the case that day with the hamster.

There is no doubt that some of these creatures are treated as members of the family. From rabbits with complex dental diseases to parrots with feather abnormalities, some cases require intensive investigations and follow-up treatments. Their owners are also often sensitized to preventive approaches, such as vaccines against Myxomatotis and viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits. As a veterinarian in general, I like to treat these creatures well when the owners are as committed as this, and I will often refer even complex cases to specialists, if I feel that my own level of expertise is the same. expertise is not enough. And as for dogs and cats, the cost of the most detailed treatments and treatments can reach several thousand euros.

If you think about it, why would it cost less just because the animal is a different species? Blood tests, X-rays and treatments cost the same price, regardless of the type of animal involved. The dedicated owners of these exotic species understand this and are willing to pay for it because they truly consider their animals as part of their family.

However, some exotic species owners are not so involved with their pets and they do not want to pay for complex veterinary care when needed. They love their pets and want to take care of them, but they have not budgeted for any veterinary care they may need.

I remember the rabbit owner who did not vaccinate his animals: he found the three dead rabbits in their hutch one morning. Post mortem examinations showed that they were all dead from a viral haemorrhagic disease, which could have been prevented by a vaccine.

I remember the turtle owner who brought his sick pet to see me: the poor creature had severe shell disease and had to be euthanized. If its owner had come earlier to the vet, the water turtle could have been cured. It was a simple case of calcium imbalance caused by years of unbalanced diet.

Then there was the parrot who had chosen all his feathers, because of the stress due to the fact that he was kept in the wrong environment. If the bird had been brought to a specialist at an early stage, measures could have been put in place to smother him in the egg. In the state, the bird was completely bald, apart from his head. Again, the proper care of the parrot would have avoided the problem.

And what about this hamster? I ended up accepting a special offer, charging € 200 for an operation to examine the mbad in the abdomen. It turned out to be a hamster liver tumor and I managed to dissect it successfully. The little hamster has undergone the operation successfully. After all, the man did not need to buy this new hamster.

If you have a pet, remember that veterinary care may be needed someday.

Wexford People