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Post by malabui on Jul 19, 2005 11:27:09 GMT -8
-I have taken my gerbil to the vets before to have their teeth and claws trimmed (I think that my hands shake a bit too much for me to do it myself). It cost me £4 to get both done... -I do get stuff like infections treated by the vet and sometimes lumps removed (well it was my favorite gerbil and the lump was on his tummy so easy to remove. You have no idea how amusing a shaved gerbil looks!!!), but if it was searious surgery and stuff like that, I proberbly would draw the line. Cash isn't the main reason. The reason is, would it really be fair to put the gerbil through all that? -I did one take Springbok (still alive) and Kinks (unfortunatly not due to stroke) to the vet after a major fight they had (blood all over them) to get them checked out for wounds and treated for shock. I got them back the next day partially shaved. Thankfully none of the wounds got infected and the fur grew back fine, but oddly enough, they wouldn't squeak to each other again... -I know that If I couldn't afford to take my gerbil to my local vets, I proberbly would travel 2-3 miles (in London distance seems further than it really is. Its an odd pheominon.) to this RSPCA vet place, where the treatment is FAR cheaper (due to them only charging how much the stuff used actully costs and not charging for seeing someone or 'service'), but I may end up waiting there for a long time. -I do take my gerbils to the vets if there is an emerency or (like today) when I was really worried about my Jade who had another stroke and got alot worse. I had her put to sleep cos I realised when I got there that she was dieing. She was drifting into unconiouseness and growing cold. The vet said that they could try and treat her, but to be truthful, it just would have been very stressful for her and proberbly not have worked anyway.
-I do think that those who don't think that they can afford the vet should put a little aside each week from when they get the pet, incase of imergencies, but getting 'the best treatment' isn't always best for your pet. Also, its a good idea to 'get to know your vet' if at all possible because they them may give your pet discounts if you have to take them to the vets.
-The people I don't like are those who deliberitly don't take their gerbil to the vet because they don't care anbout them or those who know that their pet is suffering and can't be cured and wont let them be put to sleep to end the suffering.
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Post by queenofthenile on Jul 19, 2005 19:31:24 GMT -8
I don't blame owners for not taking their gerbils to the vet. For some people, it would be unheard of to spend that kind of money on a rodent. Some people feel the same way about any animal. I can't change peoples' beliefs. What you will spend on an animal is extremely personal, and I respect the choice to not take an animal to the vet, as long as it isn't suffering.
Personally, I have taken 3 of my gerbils to the vet. I had to go to the emergency clinic with Juniper when her 1st and only baby got stuck in the birth canal. She surely would have died if I had not taken her. I took her again to be euthanized when she broke her back. Jasper went to the vet to get a lump checked out on his chin. Aris went to the vet for medication after he prolapsed a very small portion of his rectum.
My opinion will likely seem extremely strange to most, but I don't think you should own a pet unless you can afford to put it to sleep. I know it is a really morbid way of thinking, but so many people get small pets not realizing how much it costs to put them out of their misery. Juniper cost $80 CAN including an exam when she was pts. I think pet owners should *at least* have enough money to afford euthanasia/cremation in case it is needed.
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Post by reallybes on Jul 19, 2005 20:52:02 GMT -8
Queen I couldn't agree with you more! You were very reasonable in your post while expressing your opinion firmly, I wanna give you a kiss! lol But seriously, before people start thinking I'm some kind of pet owner who doesn't believe in the Vet at all .. I just wanna say, that I do believe in bringing your animals to the Vet, ideally I would tell everyone to bring their animals to the Vet.. BUT if they're not able to or believe that "rodents" are not worth spending hundreds of dollars on I would never put them down for that - that's their own belief and their own problem. I live with my parents and they're the only ones supporting me right now. If they don't believe in paying so much money for such a small animal, I'm not gonna put them down for it. And nobody should tell me whether I should own one or not. I bought my gerbils as companions and they help alleviate my stress. One person on the forum even said gerbils "bring a lot of color into her life." If having a gerbil makes me happy, nobody should tell me I shouldn't own one if I dont have money to bring them to the Vet. I am a nursing student, soon (2-3 years) I will have enough money to support myself and get my own house. I won't have to depend on my parents anymore. So YES I will have enough money to bring them to the Vet whenever they need, and YES I will opt to bring them to the Vet as soon as I see something wrong. But for now money flow isn't that great. I love hearing that people bring their animals to the Vet, but I hate feeling like I don't get any respect for being known as "the person who doesn't" .. Queen has expressed a lot of good points without making me feel like "people like me" are looked down upon. Thank you for that.
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Post by Ritzie/Admin on Jul 20, 2005 2:29:53 GMT -8
Bes, I agree completely with you! And also with you Queenofthenile! And I can say to everyone, I had to put my mongolian gerbils to be put to sleep. Asmost of you probably knew one had a scent gland tumour! Not long after that I saw his father had also developed a scent glad tumour (probably genetic). They have lived with it for still a pretty long time, and they were very happy. But now, the tumours became too big, they became bloody! Probably because they rub their belly on everything. That is why I brought them to a vet for euthanasia. It was my decision not to use surgery to remove the tumours! First because of the money, second because a surgery is always risky anyway, and secondly I just wanted to let them stressless live there life as long as possible. And that is my personal decision, which I'm allowed to make in my opinion, as is everyone!
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Post by gerbilsrgreat on Jul 20, 2005 19:43:53 GMT -8
I couldn't agree more. If my gerbils are suffering protractedly, I'll take them to the vet to be put down no matter the cost. Good points Queenofthenile and Bes!
-Jeremiah
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Post by madamegato on Jul 25, 2005 10:09:49 GMT -8
Tons of interesting points! I guess I'll jump on in.
The first issue I'll tackle is about taking your gerbils to the vet. One of my gerbils, Wendy, was giving birth. She had three live pups and a stillborn. Several hours after having her pups, I noticed she had another sticking out of her. 45 minutes later, the pup hadn't moved and she was obviously in active labor. I picked her up and gently tried to pull the pup but it wouldn't budge. She had started squeaking, so I knew she was in pain. We packed up her litter and her and toted her to the vet. In USD: $60.00 for the emergency visit. $30.00 for the vet exam
The vet gave her an injection of oxytocin to see if she could possibly push it out. After 30 minutes she had no baby and we found out she had a prolapsed vaginal canal. My options were C-section with corrective surgery (250.00 USD) or euthanasia (98.00 USD).
I told the vet, I want to help her, but I wasnt willing to pay that much. 90.00 was one thing. But to possibly have a 400.00 USD vet bill for a gerbil was another. I enjoyed my time with Wendy. I felt horrible for her - hearing her in pain, my responsibility was to take her to the vet. I was willing to pay to have her put down. In my case, however, the vet suggested I surrender her to them and they would try to help her as best they could without making her suffer more and if they couldn't do anything, they'd put her and her litter down. In my opinion, giving her up would assure that she would get the best care and would ensure I didn't have a massive bill for the emergency.
There are many people who wouldn't have even gone that far. But, the statement I made to the vet was - she is a gerbil. I can see up to a certain point, but 400 bucks (if she needed surgery and still had to be put down afterward - which I was informed was a possibility), was not acceptable to me. Not for the lifespan of the gerbil. I also had to weigh my costs. What if I spent 400 bucks on the gerbil to find that the very next day my daughter fell and broke her arm and I had no money to care for my child? What if my cat ate something the next day and it had to be surgically removed?
Having a pet definately means caring for them and giving them the best life you can. I give my gerbils activities, I give them attention and affection, I teach my children to care for them by watching me (they are 3 and 4 and still too young to really help with care). I definately love my gerbils, but they are gerbils.
The truth, as I see it, is that the majority of people will not be taking their gerbil to a vet unless it's an emergency and emergency vet visits are not cheap. I agree about the emergency fund. Since my loss with Wendy, I have started one to better care for my gerbil if they are in need of such a staggering bill. To say, however, that people who are willing to take in a pet store gerbil (something so many sites actively speak out against), need to have the cash to pay for a vet bill, no matter the cost, or not own one... I think it's extreme. When you can take in a gerbil and give it a great life, it's worth it. Think of who else might have bought it. That woman that lets her 6-year-old exclusively take care of the gerbil? The one that lets the kid pick it up by the tail and let it stay in dirty cedar bedding. (Not saying those kinds of people won't find a way to get a pet regardless... but I hope my point came across.)
To me, a gerbil is not a human being. They don't have the capacity to reason as we do, or think as we do. HOWEVER, since we DO have that capacity, we do have a certain responsibility to be compassionate and kind. Sometimes that means a vet visit, sometimes it means letting go.
There are times when I feel that there are people being cruel to animals by taking them to the vet. They're so desperate to keep their animals around (namely because they're attatched), they will subject their animals to test/surgeries/etc and endless medication (and I do mean extreme cases, not a simple infection), rather than let go and keep the good memories.
Someone mentioned the animal cruelty laws we have. Honestly, it's because of our projection of human emotion onto our animals. In China, they eat dogs and cats. We feel it's cruel. I'm sure Indian people feel the same when we breed and raise their most sacred animal for our consumption - yet we don't think twice about having a burger at the local burger joint. I definately think that being blatantly cruel to an animal (i.e. Not feeding it, neglecting to give it attention, witholding basic vet care, beating it/abusing it) is absolutely wrong. But you have to ask yourself, where do you draw the line? Do you give these animals human status with human protections? When does killing cattle for food become murder? When does killing a dog for food warrant international action? When does not taking a gerbil to the vet warrant a 10 year jail term?
We have to be reasonable. We need to care for our animals and be compassionate and kind. (Heck, we need to do that to our fellow man!) We need to remember that they are not human, but they still rely on us for certain things. I don't look down on anyone that can say that they gave their best for their gerbils - attention, love, affection, food, a home - but didn't take them to the vet because it was going to cost too much. People I look down on are the ones that say, "Oh well," and don't hurt at all when their pet is in pain.
Bah, this post is extra long so I'll stop. LOL, I know I've rambled. I hope it's come out making some sort of sense. Just my 2 cents!
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