I have to start with a BIG thank-you to Bob C for his post on vet costs.  I
cannot keep track of the number of times people have questioned the logic
of my spending hundreds (sometimes thousands over the course of years) of
dollars on vet care for an animal I paid less than $100 for.  My response
in the past was along the lines of "when I chose to take this animal into
my home as a companion, I accepted responsibility for it for the duration
of its lifespan, and part of that responsibility includes providing the
best medical care available." These days, I just say "well, if you don't
understand why I would do such a thing, I can't explain it to you" because
I've come to the sad realization that there are people who do not see their
pets so much as companions who happen to depend on them for food, shelter,
and proper health care but as property.  The proof of this is in the
overflowing animal shelters and large stray pet populations everywhere, as
well as in the number of animals euthanized because the cost of treatment
was, in the owner's opinion, excessive relative to the monetary value of
the animal.  We live in a throw-away society where people casually dispose
of things they find inconvenient or which no longer suit their lifestyle
(or room decor, in some cases).
 
I have known some truly wonderful vets who really care about animals and
who, contrary to popular opinion, do not make hundreds of thousands of
dollars a year.  Not only do they charge minimal overhead for services
(partly for the reasons you stated in your post), they frequently give
medications to patients at cost.  Add to this the fact that many
accumulated significant debts during their education and you will find
some vets may spend a good part of their professional careers barely
getting by - because they are dedicated professionals who care about the
health and well-being of their patients.
 
I realize medical care for companion animals can be quite expensive,
particularly when the animal has a chronic illness, and that this cost can
become a financial hardship for some.  If good medical insurance existed
for animals it might alleviate some of the problem.  But it's hard enough
to find good, affordable health care for humans so I suspect widely
available, affordable, comprehensive companion animal health care is not in
the near future.  So, for now, the burden falls on the owner.  Perhaps if I
had known before I fell in love with them how prone to illness ferrets can
be I would not have brought any into my home and heart.  But I did.  And
they depend on me.  So my credit cards are at their limits.  I'm glad I've
been able to provide the care they needed.  I'm also very grateful for vets
who care about animals and who put the animal's health and well-being above
profits (and often at their own expense).  And I'm especially grateful for
how much richer my life has been because of my ferrets (as well as the many
dogs and cats who passed through my life).
 
When people ask me about ferrets as pets I tell them they make great
companions.  But that they are "high maintenance" because they can get into
so much trouble and can have so many health problems that require medical
attention.  I'm not trying to discourage people from getting ferrets, I
just want to make sure they realize what sort of a commitment it requires.
 
Tammy
Selena [purchase price $75; value - priceless]
Holly, Shadow and Myst (a.k.a. The Cat Girls)
[purchase price - free; value - priceless]
[Posted in FML issue 3053]