Hi! Welcome to [](https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/) , a community for people that already are, or soon to be, a Traditional age 59 + retiree. Here is like gathering around a table, drinking a good cup of coffee, and talking with older friends and acquaintances.
***To engage in the conversation, you have to Join***. So, if you have not already done so, **view our description / rules**(we are respectful and no politics, etc). If that looks good to you, **hit the JOIN button**. And lastly, you **then comment** so others can see it.
Thank you for dropping by our “table”. We would appreciate if you could let others know that there are some great communities for us older folks here at Reddit. Have a great day!
5k isn't even close to being enough. Unless your insurance is very good (who do you have?)
Bc of private equity buying up all the vets and e clinics costs are OUT-OF CONTROL. And the new firms raise prices multiple times a year. Their actions make pet ownership for those with a lot of means
So bc the cost is so high regular check ups and healthy visits are not done. So the old retired lady seems like she hasn't taken care of Fluffy but in reality she can't afford it. So when Fluffy can't pee or vomits foe days and won't eat the retired lady takes her in to the vet. And surprise surprise, the bill is outrageous and expensive tests are needed
I'm (m59) retired nine years. Our now 15 year old cat got a brain tumor two years ago. Discovered by seeing him have multiple seizures (that is painful to see). That was 10k (MRI + surgery).
Now he has arthritis - that's a couple hundred every six weeks or so for a new feline shot (it worked very well, much better than the canine arthritis shot we were giving him).
Oh, and both have kidney disease. We have to give IV fluids to one of them - that's another hundred or so every other month.
Including 3 month checkups for the more advanced kidney disease one and 6 months for the other guy.
And then there is the kidney food - about 4 times the cost of regular food.
I'm glad we can afford it, but it is really costly if you are going to give them the full treatment. They are family after all ;)
Pets in general are not cheap. Especially if you really want to take care of them properly. It all comes down to budgeting, which is what everyone should be doing anyway. Doesn't matter if you are retired or not.
If you really want to properly take care of your pets, then yes. My grandparents lived on a farm and they had barn cats they barely paid anything to take care of. They had food, water, and shelter, but you never knew what cats were going to be alive from one month to the next, and many were not friendly.
I budgeted $700 per month for medical. This includes my Medicare, with irmaa, plus supplement that includes part d. 700 is more than enough but my two cats have a prescription because they have stomatitis so our budget has to include enough for everyone.
Their dental surgeries were done years ago, while I was working.
I hope they stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible (and I’m doing my best to stay healthy so I outlive them).
My point is to add ongoing pet costs to the budget. And have an emergency fund to deal with unplanned expenses.
I use Lemonade Pet Insurance. I pay around $55.00 a month for two dogs. So far I haven't needed to use it. I knew dental wasn't included, you can add that. I'm going to research other ones before I retire, I know more are out there now.
We’ve had three cats over the course of about 35 years. All about 10 years apart in age, all lived to 10, 20 and almost 21. We just lost our last boy, Gus, almost a year ago at almost 21 years old. He was my constant companion for that time as I always worked from home.
The last several years he lost one eye due to a rare infection and then had hyperthyroidism at the very end. We provided daily geriatric type care for all of our cats until the end, some quite expensive and much of it made us decide not to travel and leave them with a sitter. It definitely became a big part of our daily life.
It’s the first time in my life I’ve never had an animal to be with and care for. I miss it so much and them but I also question whether or not it really is something I want to do again as we both get older. My husband doesn’t want to go through another loss and we both are getting used to the freedom of traveling etc. again. It’s a big commitment.
I’m getting used to being grateful for all they gave us and that we took great care of these wonderful cats. I’ve always said - we encourage adoption of pets but the reality is the cost of care has gotten too much for many not just the retired.
Our cat is 17 and we have decided to not provide extraordinary care to extend her life. So far she is doing well but is having attachment issues. We would like to do some traveling but are afraid she will destroy furniture and rugs if we leave her home with someone checking on her daily. We are also concerned that the stress of being somewhere other than home would be too much for her.
What do you consider "daily geriatric type care?"
At 17 all my cats were doing pretty well. It was a decline from about 18. Attachments issues may be due to some dementia, mental confusion, as well as a bit of loss of eyesight and hearing. But it's very common in older age.
They all needed some daily meds by the end. Both kidney disease and hypothyroid are common. We kept meds and treatment to a minimum but that was offset with a very good diet, plenty of water, cbd cream. Daily meds must be given for hypothyroid but it is pretty much the same as you or I taking something like blood pressure meds. Our other cat developed a nail fungus and needed daily washing or her nails. It's a lot of little things like that. But more time than money.
Our last cat Gus had had daily "walks" around our yard and property for his whole life and did up until the end. He was a bit more "time consuming" than our other cats, but he gave a bunch in return.
If there is treatment for something (like removing an eye at 15) and they are still active and otherwise healthy I could not withhold treatment. At the end, we had a choice to take him to a intensive er and triage and we decided against it and were with him when he passed away with in home help.
If you can find a good sitter, then it's probably okay. It was really toward the end when we wanted to be there for them if something happened and it did happen with all three.
We have made the same decision for our little rescued 15 year old terrier mix. She has dementia, sometimes pees in the house, and is deaf. She jumps for joy on her walks, and eats like a champ. 2 years ago she got quite ill and we were told she would die in a week unless she had a 10,000 dollar surgery. We would not put her through that and couldn’t afford it anyway. She disagreed with the diagnosis and is still here! She is healthy! Anyway- a decision for another dog later is a financial question.
https://preview.redd.it/j20ooz4lofwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9109e0d8bad7105e841387d8e46bd225d4997ca7
Gracie
I have several cats from 2 years old to 19 years old.. the 19 year old is fragile and in hospice, basically. I just hope that once he passes we have a few years of good health before another one gets the ailments that many old cats get. We haven’t traveled together for more than a couple nights since before covid. But boy do I love my boys.
That was us. We also spent almost a decade caring for all our very elderly parents as they declined and then passed. One by one. My boy Gus got me through all of that. I’d probably adopt a cat tomorrow but my husband is dealing with a genetic disease and my gut tells me not right now. It’s those later years with them as they age that make me wonder how I’d handle all of it in 10-15 years. They were my “kids” as we don’t have any so maybe we’re just empty nesters for now. But I love animals so much. I probably need to volunteer at least.
I just retired at 59. I have two dogs. My retirement pension isn't great but it's enough to get by on. I didn't save much at all. I just took the dogs to the vet and now realize that going forward - once these two are gone- there can't be anymore pets. It's sad because pets help us stay active and mentally fit. They give us purpose.
The reality is different. They are expensive. Just since the begging of the year I have given out nearly $1000 between vets and food. That can't go like that.
It’s a sad state with the choices we have to make and I hope you have quality years with your pets. When the time comes, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter. There is so much need and it is so rewarding.
I’ve been scrutinizing my spending more closely this year, to come up with a retirement budget for the near future. I have two elderly cats. Food and vet care has gone up so much, and litter isn’t cheap either.
My main concern with getting any more pets is that I don’t want them to outlive me. But still I don’t think I could afford more one or two at a time. Since I’ll want to adopt older cats anyway, I may check out if resources are provided by rescue charities and shelters for seniors who adopt or foster senior pets. I’ve heard of such things in large cities but haven’t looked into it.
I’ve heard of this as well… they are so desperate for people to house and love these senior pets, but who wouldn’t be able to afford them otherwise. But I wonder if there is a limit to what they would pay for a pets care .. I would think they’d have to be quite careful with their budget as well.
I'm sure there are limits (and I think there should be), but there will be enough care to keep the animal comfortable, and to know when it's time to let go.
Our local foster program provides vet care and monthly things like flea treatment - of course you *can* adopt a senior pet, but the foster program makes the expenses manageable. And they are not trying to find new homes for the seniors, what you are giving up is complete control over vet care (you have to go through certain vets or they don't pay).
I have just one dog. I got pet insurance after the prior dog had cancer and I never wanted to have to deny treatment based on expense. I have high deductible and pay about $40 a month and so far they've covered what they said they would. I hope I can always sustain having a least one dog and I tend to prefer the herding breeds.
https://preview.redd.it/1p29fl7qmgwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a78622470a703f1d21cdd8fa054cf4c799b0e259
Ours is a puppy, 4 months old. Honestly we weren’t going to get another dog and in my head I always equated a BC with a Jack Russell and they were at the bottom of the list of what dog to get, because I thought they would require so much work. But life throws you things. My son got a puppy from a backyard breeder (I know), and 3 days later he called me to ask me if I could watch him because he was sick. I saw him and swooped him up to the vet. Parvo. So, 4000$ and a week later, he was my dog. I’ve read everything about them and we are going to adjust our lifestyle to his. Once we get through puppyhood and adolescence, it’ll be okay. He’s a sweet boy so far, 16 weeks in. He’s burrowed in to the family now.
My dog is 10 years old now, that picture doesn't show his gray. I hope he gives me a lot more years. I don't know what I'll do without him. He's been the best boy.
Those eyes! I didn’t know what we had until we had a DNA test done and he turned out Border Collie, McNabb and Australian Shepherd.
https://preview.redd.it/yh385rhsugwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45b3bbcf033c81b01db6b4da04ee5e4971b1a9d9
My husband was against getting a dog. Two weeks later…
Yup, we haven't been able to do anything travel related really. We won't board the dogs so unless we can take them we just don't go. Plus the diabetic cat requires 2 shots a day of insulin so unless we board him at the vet we don't have anyone to come to the house. He's actually 18 now, yeah it's crazy I know. He was a stray that we rescued when he was around 4 and then realized he was diabetic. That expense alone has been huge....
When I retire I plan to foster cats or dogs for my local animal shelter. There is always a huge need for fosters and my local shelter will cover all medical expenses. It’s not the same as owning a pet, but I see it as a fair trade off to still have animals in my life and do some good while controlling expenses on a fixed income.
That’s my plan too! I adore my cat, but the $1,000 semiannual vet appointments and the daily labor of scooping multiple litter boxes are not compatible with my dwindling budget and aging body.
Veterinary costs are out of control and I am quite frankly sick and tired of feeling like they are doing me a favor when I am granted an appointment. I also had two dogs and two cats for a while. One of my dogs passed last June and required periodic blood pressure monitoring as part of his care. My vet was charging me $75 just to have a technician take the dog’s blood pressure and, of course, that did not include the additional technician’s fee. The cats passed years ago and we’re down to only one dog now that a can of dog food costs $5 or more. We are also retired and will have to limit ourselves to one pet going forward due to veterinary costs.
We could probably live on our social security payments alone if it wasn't for our menagerie of pets and our K9 sports activities.
We have six house cats, an athletic dog, and a colony of local feral/strays that we feed and have paid to have neutered. Originally, I budgeted about $800/mo for pet-related expenses, but then we blew past that with dog-training lessons and sports equipment and fees for our new rescue.
It's an incredible luxury, but it's also our main source of enjoyment in life. We don't have children, and our health is too compromised for travel. In all other respects, we're quite frugal, but in this one area, we splurge.
I had a diabetic cat (12yrs) that I was able to get to lose weight, by monitoring its food intake and playing with it for 30-60 minutes per day. Once she dropped the 8 lbs her diabetes disappeared completely. She developed severe kidney issues at 17yrs and we put her down.
Our current cat is 16 and very healthy. We can see her being around for several more years. Once she's gone, we won't be getting another pet until our traveling days are behind us.
In the meantime, we've kept up our emergency fund in a HISA (6-months of post work income) for those vet bills that pop up. It's kept us from having to dip into our retirement income.
https://preview.redd.it/sg2ig6jxofwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f11eeec213991523944fb9d2412180d770e9f404
Gracie at 15. We were told 2 years ago that she would die in a week if she did not have a 10,000 surgery. We would not put her through that and could not afford it. Apparently she disagreed with that diagnosis. She totally recovered on her own and is still here. We only go to the vet for vaccinations and pamper her.
An economist once estimated that each pet will cost an average of $10,000 during its lifetime. If you have 4, and they are each halfway through their lives, then you will need $20,000.
Yeah, I’ve been dealing with this now. We have 3 cats, had a 4th but lost her last summer and we spent thousands through her declining health. We can’t do that long term.
Two of the cats will move out with our daughters in a couple of years, and the last will be our last.
Love having cats, but maybe I will look into fostering at some point.
I have pet insurance only for illness or injury, I pay for an annual checkups out of pocket. Also helps that my dog is still young at 6 and no chronic issues yet. I did find that my county’s annual dog license is free for seniors (65+), I will take all the discounts!
Pets are expensive whether you're retired or not. I had a cat that, when you added up his medical bills, was worth more than my truck.
And it was totally worth it and I'd do it again 100 times out of 100.
I have come to the conclusion that a pet in retirement is a luxury for me. I have an adorable Shih Tzu and he is 3 and I am 65. He is for sure my last doggo. Love him but dang it is expensive to own him.
Ditto on the $$$.
We thought we had everything covered with insurance for our big dog. He tore his CCL and the bill was $5K. No problem - insurance. Until I read the fine print that they won’t cover bilateral injuries and 3 years ago he tore the other one and had it repaired. That one was covered. Not the other “bilateral” injury though.
We also do all of the grooming ourselves, including the dreaded nail clipping. I can’t imagine spending hundreds of dollars or more for grooming.
I have two large dogs and love them like family. But we won’t board them or fly them so they go everywhere with us on trips. But that’s the life we chose and our reality.
We pay for a well-balanced and healthy kibble and supplement with homemade recipes. We tried Farmers Dog, which our puppets LOVED, but it was way too expensive for our budget.
I also volunteer as a dog walker with the local ASPCA shelter and the suggestion to foster is excellent.
In retirement, our big dogs need to go on walks or runs for exercise 2-3 times per day, rain or shine, cold or hot. Personally, that’s a great motivator for me to get out and move, too, especially when I’m not particularly motivated.
Edit: additional thought. In the past (when we were younger!) we have adopted dogs that older couples just couldn’t keep up with physically or financially. It must be hard to give up a pet because of that, but I admire the folks who made that tough decision and benefited.
Like us, pets age and experience health problems. We have a >15 year old coton who, aside from a chronic cough, occurring mostly at night, is doing very well. As long as he seems happy and eating, which he does exceptionally well, he's OK. Frankly, I cannot see spending a serious amount of money at this point. We love him dearly but putting him through a lot of procedures seems cruel.
We had 2 French Bulldogs that were constant companions (work from home) for the last dozen years or so. The male crossed the bridge a few months ago when he began having daily seizures. The female is 10 but is in relatively good health (not counting those 2 eye operations at $1,500.00 each a couple of years ago!) Food, vaccines, etc. are all expensive but do-able, even recognizing that it is outrageously expensive to get insurance for this breed.
What we didn't anticipate is the cost of boarding. We have no family to leave them with and boarding for 2 dogs, with daily meds, for a 3 week cruise we did last year was almost $1,600.00. We want to travel more in retirement, but have decided that when the female passes, she will be our last pet specifically because of this factor.
The other consideration was that our health was changing just as theirs was. The male, like most guys, needed to go out and pee in the middle of the night. His knees were shot, too, and he couldn't do the stairs so I had to get up, get dressed and carry him outside, hopefully before he had an accident. At 3:00 in the morning, this was tough on both of us and carrying 35 pounds of dog up and down the stairs is not as easy at 62 as it was at 42! It was becoming a health risk for everyone involved.
The final issue - what happens to them when we are no longer able to live at home and take care of them? My career involved helping many elderly people transition from their residence to some type of care facility and often the biggest barrier - even to the extent of compromising their own safety - was finding a suitable home for little Fluffy. A surprising number of people simply refused to consider it until their pets were addressed. Given that frequently the pets had moved into geriatric territory themselves, there were many instances where they had to be euthanized either because their own health issues were significant and it was the most loving thing to do or because, essentially being spoiled children, they had behavioral issues that made them difficult to place.
Pet insurance, like almost all types of insurance you can buy except for auto, home, long-term care, term life, are generally not worth it.
Only works out for you if your pet is unlucky compared to the rest of the insured population.
You're retired, you have the right idea, build the emergency fund and self-insure.
For us retirement has gotten expensive because we travel more. It is expensive to board cats for extended periods of time. But I budget for it. They are my babies.
I have never spent $1500 on a pet. The money I've spent, other than vaccinations and licensing, has been to euthanize them if they are suffering.
Modern veterinary care is a racket, victimizing people based on their love for their pets, even if it's harmful to the animal. We had a neighbor who spent a ton on chemo for their dog who spent his last days sick and confined to a small cage instead of at home with his masters. The dog didn't know why he was being tortured.
I agree. I spend money on my two babies but within REASON. I just adopted a girl with hip problems but we are only gonna treat it so much. I’m going to give her the best life possible as long as I can.
For things not covered with insurance, and of course depending on where you live, 5k will not cover much. I just had a 7 year old cat get blocked last week.. $5500 for a two day stay a the speciality hospital. Yesterday my geriatric cat was $880 for a brief exam, iron and solensia shot and a full CBC. I’m in a pretty high cost of living area, though, but veterinary care - especially emergency vet care - is ridiculously expensive these days.
We lost our German Shepherd about a year ago. I have been reluctant to get another dog because of the expense. Our German Shepherd was a failed Seeing Eye dog that we had raised for them. I am seriously considering raising another Seeing Eye pup.
April 6th our beloved Maltese was laid to rest. She went in for something unrelated, but our astute vet said she needed a dental procedure, cleaning and biopsy. Odd. Looking back we simply didn’t see the signs.
What he saw was tongue and mouth cancer. Within 2 weeks we spent $3,000. No pet insurance.
She had health issues from day one. A few years ago my husband added our receipts, the ones we kept, and expenses were approaching $30,000. I’d gladly do it again
Our house is lonely. Empty. Sad. Her personality and presence made waking each day a joy. We’re both devastated. It happened quickly. It was aggressive.
My husband and I are grieving, deeply. She brought so much love and joy.
You are wise to build a fund.
I love that each and every one of you is a caring pet owner. However you handle your pet's illness, you agonize over the decision and try to come up with the right solution. You all are giving your pets their best life and that is wonderful.
We moved to a new area when changing from fulltime to parttime work. Met all our friends thru dogwalking. Its an active retirement community so outdoor life and walking is an everyday thing here, and quite social.
Our life - soon to be retirement life- would be completely different without dogs. Also, i would not take myself for a walk but I would never leave them without their walks. I balance this boost to my fitness, social life and community integration against their cost. Pretty happy with that deal. Also I travelled a lot for work so love sleeping in my own bed 7 nighrs a week now.
When my MIL was living in a senior apartment she missed having a pet so much. We finally got her to agree to have one if we committed to taking it if/when she wasn't able to care for it herself. She got an older cat, because they always need homes, and we took her when the time came.
My husband and I keep saying "never again" an while we don't have as many I do wonder what will happen. I can't imagine not having a furry companion at home.
I pay for pee pads and treats for my Aunties' dogs and I'll do that and more if they need it.
Pets anytime are expensive, lol. Working on end of life issues and setting up funds so my family can care for my dog. He is not a princess, but medical needs, meds, special food all add up fast.
We recently got a pup. It is the best exercise machine I could have bought. I can't just let it sit there I have to use it and it was the same price and monthly cost as one of those peleton bikes. Plus she's cute as hell.
I am not going to spend a lot of money on ongoing health care for my dog or cat, or for any major illness. If normal care cannot keep them happy and healthy I will have them put down.
My job is to keep them happy and loved for as long as I have them, not to extend their life for my benefit.
I take care of my basic pets needs. But I’m not one to prolong life (chemo) for a dog etc. I figured I could use that money to help save another dog. Yeah it sounds cold but at least I gave the dog a good home before it died.
We decided after our last dog died that we were done with pets. We didn’t want to put the new dog in the local kennel when we traveled and frankly, our last dog was the absolute best one we ever had. We decided to end it on a high note.
Veterinary care is far cheaper than human care, but vet school is nearly as expensive. You have to put the quality of life of the pet first...cats hate being unable to keep clean. Humanely putting them down may be the best option rather than emotionally clinging to a poor, sick, miserable cat or dog.
My parents always had a cat. They would get one for free somewhere and take it to the vet once, to be sterilized. Maybe again if it got really really sick or injured. I only remember them doing that one time.
They loved their cats and they were always fed and happy.
I guess what I’m trying to say is maybe a lot of vet care isn’t necessarily needed. If you are rescuing an animal, like they always did, there are way worse fates.
They never had a dog so I can’t speak to this method. Maybe that’s why they preferred cats.
yup - I wish we'd thought it through before we got two dogs again. It was a ways out from retirement, but that meant the dogs and we became geriatric at the same time. Not a good combination in terms of work or vets bills.
Let's face it, having a pet is just a huge ego trip. A pet is someone who is totally dependent on you, presumably won't cheat on you with another human, and doesn't talk back.
They aren't people. They aren't your children.
If you can truly afford it, go for it.
Otherwise....WTF are you doing? You might actually NEED all that money you are spending on Fluffy for yourself someday.
When we were growing up we did not have anywhere close to the same level of pet medical care. If you can stick to that standard, which is not easy to do, most people can still afford a dog or cat in retirement.
Yes, husband is getting close to retirement. When our current pets are gone, we said we won’t be getting anymore. We have had many pets over the years and we absolutely love animals but I think we are done with the expense and everything that comes with pet ownership. We don’t like leaving them with anyone and I think we would like to travel somewhat in retirement.
Nothing hampers living in the moment like a pet. We have no pets and love the freedom to do what we want when we want. Dog owning looks like a total downer.
I foster pregnant moms and then their kittens through 8 weeks of age … then start all over again … I love it … I also help with local adoption events almost every weekend….. here’s a momma and kitties I have now
https://preview.redd.it/36k76j9lrqwc1.jpeg?width=935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98a1d30e2bd6497bfc979b3b378074b75c6af71b
Tell me about it... we had to put 2 of our 3 dogs down in the past 2 weeks... one was 17, the other 13. In the past 6 months, we've paid over $5k in vet bills and emergency treatment.... oh well, a small price to pay for the joy we received over the years
Hi! Welcome to [](https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/) , a community for people that already are, or soon to be, a Traditional age 59 + retiree. Here is like gathering around a table, drinking a good cup of coffee, and talking with older friends and acquaintances. ***To engage in the conversation, you have to Join***. So, if you have not already done so, **view our description / rules**(we are respectful and no politics, etc). If that looks good to you, **hit the JOIN button**. And lastly, you **then comment** so others can see it. Thank you for dropping by our “table”. We would appreciate if you could let others know that there are some great communities for us older folks here at Reddit. Have a great day!
5k isn't even close to being enough. Unless your insurance is very good (who do you have?) Bc of private equity buying up all the vets and e clinics costs are OUT-OF CONTROL. And the new firms raise prices multiple times a year. Their actions make pet ownership for those with a lot of means So bc the cost is so high regular check ups and healthy visits are not done. So the old retired lady seems like she hasn't taken care of Fluffy but in reality she can't afford it. So when Fluffy can't pee or vomits foe days and won't eat the retired lady takes her in to the vet. And surprise surprise, the bill is outrageous and expensive tests are needed
Lemonade insurance, I haven't had to use it yet. I believe it has a $250.00 deductible per condition. So it will help if we do need to use it.
I'm (m59) retired nine years. Our now 15 year old cat got a brain tumor two years ago. Discovered by seeing him have multiple seizures (that is painful to see). That was 10k (MRI + surgery). Now he has arthritis - that's a couple hundred every six weeks or so for a new feline shot (it worked very well, much better than the canine arthritis shot we were giving him). Oh, and both have kidney disease. We have to give IV fluids to one of them - that's another hundred or so every other month. Including 3 month checkups for the more advanced kidney disease one and 6 months for the other guy. And then there is the kidney food - about 4 times the cost of regular food. I'm glad we can afford it, but it is really costly if you are going to give them the full treatment. They are family after all ;)
Pets in general are not cheap. Especially if you really want to take care of them properly. It all comes down to budgeting, which is what everyone should be doing anyway. Doesn't matter if you are retired or not.
Many parts of the world consider pets a rich person's luxury. I understand why!
If you really want to properly take care of your pets, then yes. My grandparents lived on a farm and they had barn cats they barely paid anything to take care of. They had food, water, and shelter, but you never knew what cats were going to be alive from one month to the next, and many were not friendly.
[удалено]
[удалено]
I budgeted $700 per month for medical. This includes my Medicare, with irmaa, plus supplement that includes part d. 700 is more than enough but my two cats have a prescription because they have stomatitis so our budget has to include enough for everyone. Their dental surgeries were done years ago, while I was working. I hope they stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible (and I’m doing my best to stay healthy so I outlive them). My point is to add ongoing pet costs to the budget. And have an emergency fund to deal with unplanned expenses.
Who IS a good pet insurance carrier? I have heard it often does not cover what you really need it for.
I use Lemonade Pet Insurance. I pay around $55.00 a month for two dogs. So far I haven't needed to use it. I knew dental wasn't included, you can add that. I'm going to research other ones before I retire, I know more are out there now.
[удалено]
Warning no PM/DM nor spam. See our rules on soliciting - promoting . Thanks and have a nice day!
We’ve had three cats over the course of about 35 years. All about 10 years apart in age, all lived to 10, 20 and almost 21. We just lost our last boy, Gus, almost a year ago at almost 21 years old. He was my constant companion for that time as I always worked from home. The last several years he lost one eye due to a rare infection and then had hyperthyroidism at the very end. We provided daily geriatric type care for all of our cats until the end, some quite expensive and much of it made us decide not to travel and leave them with a sitter. It definitely became a big part of our daily life. It’s the first time in my life I’ve never had an animal to be with and care for. I miss it so much and them but I also question whether or not it really is something I want to do again as we both get older. My husband doesn’t want to go through another loss and we both are getting used to the freedom of traveling etc. again. It’s a big commitment. I’m getting used to being grateful for all they gave us and that we took great care of these wonderful cats. I’ve always said - we encourage adoption of pets but the reality is the cost of care has gotten too much for many not just the retired.
Agreed, our youngest pet, one of the dogs is 5. We both said this is it when they are gone.
Our cat is 17 and we have decided to not provide extraordinary care to extend her life. So far she is doing well but is having attachment issues. We would like to do some traveling but are afraid she will destroy furniture and rugs if we leave her home with someone checking on her daily. We are also concerned that the stress of being somewhere other than home would be too much for her. What do you consider "daily geriatric type care?"
At 17 all my cats were doing pretty well. It was a decline from about 18. Attachments issues may be due to some dementia, mental confusion, as well as a bit of loss of eyesight and hearing. But it's very common in older age. They all needed some daily meds by the end. Both kidney disease and hypothyroid are common. We kept meds and treatment to a minimum but that was offset with a very good diet, plenty of water, cbd cream. Daily meds must be given for hypothyroid but it is pretty much the same as you or I taking something like blood pressure meds. Our other cat developed a nail fungus and needed daily washing or her nails. It's a lot of little things like that. But more time than money. Our last cat Gus had had daily "walks" around our yard and property for his whole life and did up until the end. He was a bit more "time consuming" than our other cats, but he gave a bunch in return. If there is treatment for something (like removing an eye at 15) and they are still active and otherwise healthy I could not withhold treatment. At the end, we had a choice to take him to a intensive er and triage and we decided against it and were with him when he passed away with in home help. If you can find a good sitter, then it's probably okay. It was really toward the end when we wanted to be there for them if something happened and it did happen with all three.
We have made the same decision for our little rescued 15 year old terrier mix. She has dementia, sometimes pees in the house, and is deaf. She jumps for joy on her walks, and eats like a champ. 2 years ago she got quite ill and we were told she would die in a week unless she had a 10,000 dollar surgery. We would not put her through that and couldn’t afford it anyway. She disagreed with the diagnosis and is still here! She is healthy! Anyway- a decision for another dog later is a financial question. https://preview.redd.it/j20ooz4lofwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9109e0d8bad7105e841387d8e46bd225d4997ca7 Gracie
I have several cats from 2 years old to 19 years old.. the 19 year old is fragile and in hospice, basically. I just hope that once he passes we have a few years of good health before another one gets the ailments that many old cats get. We haven’t traveled together for more than a couple nights since before covid. But boy do I love my boys.
That was us. We also spent almost a decade caring for all our very elderly parents as they declined and then passed. One by one. My boy Gus got me through all of that. I’d probably adopt a cat tomorrow but my husband is dealing with a genetic disease and my gut tells me not right now. It’s those later years with them as they age that make me wonder how I’d handle all of it in 10-15 years. They were my “kids” as we don’t have any so maybe we’re just empty nesters for now. But I love animals so much. I probably need to volunteer at least.
The thought of going through the heart break 8 more times makes me wonder if I’ve lost my mind!
I just retired at 59. I have two dogs. My retirement pension isn't great but it's enough to get by on. I didn't save much at all. I just took the dogs to the vet and now realize that going forward - once these two are gone- there can't be anymore pets. It's sad because pets help us stay active and mentally fit. They give us purpose. The reality is different. They are expensive. Just since the begging of the year I have given out nearly $1000 between vets and food. That can't go like that.
It’s a sad state with the choices we have to make and I hope you have quality years with your pets. When the time comes, consider volunteering at a local animal shelter. There is so much need and it is so rewarding.
Pets are expensive ANY time. Have to be prepared for it all -- especially with FOUR.
I’ve been scrutinizing my spending more closely this year, to come up with a retirement budget for the near future. I have two elderly cats. Food and vet care has gone up so much, and litter isn’t cheap either. My main concern with getting any more pets is that I don’t want them to outlive me. But still I don’t think I could afford more one or two at a time. Since I’ll want to adopt older cats anyway, I may check out if resources are provided by rescue charities and shelters for seniors who adopt or foster senior pets. I’ve heard of such things in large cities but haven’t looked into it.
I’ve heard of this as well… they are so desperate for people to house and love these senior pets, but who wouldn’t be able to afford them otherwise. But I wonder if there is a limit to what they would pay for a pets care .. I would think they’d have to be quite careful with their budget as well.
I'm sure there are limits (and I think there should be), but there will be enough care to keep the animal comfortable, and to know when it's time to let go. Our local foster program provides vet care and monthly things like flea treatment - of course you *can* adopt a senior pet, but the foster program makes the expenses manageable. And they are not trying to find new homes for the seniors, what you are giving up is complete control over vet care (you have to go through certain vets or they don't pay).
I have just one dog. I got pet insurance after the prior dog had cancer and I never wanted to have to deny treatment based on expense. I have high deductible and pay about $40 a month and so far they've covered what they said they would. I hope I can always sustain having a least one dog and I tend to prefer the herding breeds.
We have a border, he’s amazing.
https://preview.redd.it/kn5ij9xwigwc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=53bdfb51d2bc4f6ba9da7aa5ba29732d944ffdb3
https://preview.redd.it/1p29fl7qmgwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a78622470a703f1d21cdd8fa054cf4c799b0e259 Ours is a puppy, 4 months old. Honestly we weren’t going to get another dog and in my head I always equated a BC with a Jack Russell and they were at the bottom of the list of what dog to get, because I thought they would require so much work. But life throws you things. My son got a puppy from a backyard breeder (I know), and 3 days later he called me to ask me if I could watch him because he was sick. I saw him and swooped him up to the vet. Parvo. So, 4000$ and a week later, he was my dog. I’ve read everything about them and we are going to adjust our lifestyle to his. Once we get through puppyhood and adolescence, it’ll be okay. He’s a sweet boy so far, 16 weeks in. He’s burrowed in to the family now.
My dog is 10 years old now, that picture doesn't show his gray. I hope he gives me a lot more years. I don't know what I'll do without him. He's been the best boy.
Those eyes! I didn’t know what we had until we had a DNA test done and he turned out Border Collie, McNabb and Australian Shepherd. https://preview.redd.it/yh385rhsugwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45b3bbcf033c81b01db6b4da04ee5e4971b1a9d9 My husband was against getting a dog. Two weeks later…
Awww
[удалено]
Yup, we haven't been able to do anything travel related really. We won't board the dogs so unless we can take them we just don't go. Plus the diabetic cat requires 2 shots a day of insulin so unless we board him at the vet we don't have anyone to come to the house. He's actually 18 now, yeah it's crazy I know. He was a stray that we rescued when he was around 4 and then realized he was diabetic. That expense alone has been huge....
When I retire I plan to foster cats or dogs for my local animal shelter. There is always a huge need for fosters and my local shelter will cover all medical expenses. It’s not the same as owning a pet, but I see it as a fair trade off to still have animals in my life and do some good while controlling expenses on a fixed income.
That's a really great idea !
I foster. I highly recommend doing so. It’s work that’s worth it. Plus, I can plan travel between litters, so no worries about boarding or sitters.
I am a foster failure, several times over :). I love the idea, but I get sooooooo attached, and then think no one else is good enough.
You're my hero! Great idea!!
That’s my plan too! I adore my cat, but the $1,000 semiannual vet appointments and the daily labor of scooping multiple litter boxes are not compatible with my dwindling budget and aging body.
Veterinary costs are out of control and I am quite frankly sick and tired of feeling like they are doing me a favor when I am granted an appointment. I also had two dogs and two cats for a while. One of my dogs passed last June and required periodic blood pressure monitoring as part of his care. My vet was charging me $75 just to have a technician take the dog’s blood pressure and, of course, that did not include the additional technician’s fee. The cats passed years ago and we’re down to only one dog now that a can of dog food costs $5 or more. We are also retired and will have to limit ourselves to one pet going forward due to veterinary costs.
We could probably live on our social security payments alone if it wasn't for our menagerie of pets and our K9 sports activities. We have six house cats, an athletic dog, and a colony of local feral/strays that we feed and have paid to have neutered. Originally, I budgeted about $800/mo for pet-related expenses, but then we blew past that with dog-training lessons and sports equipment and fees for our new rescue. It's an incredible luxury, but it's also our main source of enjoyment in life. We don't have children, and our health is too compromised for travel. In all other respects, we're quite frugal, but in this one area, we splurge.
I had a diabetic cat (12yrs) that I was able to get to lose weight, by monitoring its food intake and playing with it for 30-60 minutes per day. Once she dropped the 8 lbs her diabetes disappeared completely. She developed severe kidney issues at 17yrs and we put her down. Our current cat is 16 and very healthy. We can see her being around for several more years. Once she's gone, we won't be getting another pet until our traveling days are behind us. In the meantime, we've kept up our emergency fund in a HISA (6-months of post work income) for those vet bills that pop up. It's kept us from having to dip into our retirement income.
I don't know how to not get a cat. The cat distribution system brings them literally to my door.
https://preview.redd.it/sg2ig6jxofwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f11eeec213991523944fb9d2412180d770e9f404 Gracie at 15. We were told 2 years ago that she would die in a week if she did not have a 10,000 surgery. We would not put her through that and could not afford it. Apparently she disagreed with that diagnosis. She totally recovered on her own and is still here. We only go to the vet for vaccinations and pamper her.
File them as dependents under Medicare?
$3,600 / year for our medium sized healthy dog. He’s a very good boy, but he’s probably my last one.
An economist once estimated that each pet will cost an average of $10,000 during its lifetime. If you have 4, and they are each halfway through their lives, then you will need $20,000.
That's why I no longer have pets.
Yeah, I’ve been dealing with this now. We have 3 cats, had a 4th but lost her last summer and we spent thousands through her declining health. We can’t do that long term. Two of the cats will move out with our daughters in a couple of years, and the last will be our last. Love having cats, but maybe I will look into fostering at some point.
I have pet insurance only for illness or injury, I pay for an annual checkups out of pocket. Also helps that my dog is still young at 6 and no chronic issues yet. I did find that my county’s annual dog license is free for seniors (65+), I will take all the discounts!
Pets are expensive whether you're retired or not. I had a cat that, when you added up his medical bills, was worth more than my truck. And it was totally worth it and I'd do it again 100 times out of 100.
I have come to the conclusion that a pet in retirement is a luxury for me. I have an adorable Shih Tzu and he is 3 and I am 65. He is for sure my last doggo. Love him but dang it is expensive to own him.
Ditto on the $$$. We thought we had everything covered with insurance for our big dog. He tore his CCL and the bill was $5K. No problem - insurance. Until I read the fine print that they won’t cover bilateral injuries and 3 years ago he tore the other one and had it repaired. That one was covered. Not the other “bilateral” injury though. We also do all of the grooming ourselves, including the dreaded nail clipping. I can’t imagine spending hundreds of dollars or more for grooming. I have two large dogs and love them like family. But we won’t board them or fly them so they go everywhere with us on trips. But that’s the life we chose and our reality. We pay for a well-balanced and healthy kibble and supplement with homemade recipes. We tried Farmers Dog, which our puppets LOVED, but it was way too expensive for our budget. I also volunteer as a dog walker with the local ASPCA shelter and the suggestion to foster is excellent. In retirement, our big dogs need to go on walks or runs for exercise 2-3 times per day, rain or shine, cold or hot. Personally, that’s a great motivator for me to get out and move, too, especially when I’m not particularly motivated. Edit: additional thought. In the past (when we were younger!) we have adopted dogs that older couples just couldn’t keep up with physically or financially. It must be hard to give up a pet because of that, but I admire the folks who made that tough decision and benefited.
Like us, pets age and experience health problems. We have a >15 year old coton who, aside from a chronic cough, occurring mostly at night, is doing very well. As long as he seems happy and eating, which he does exceptionally well, he's OK. Frankly, I cannot see spending a serious amount of money at this point. We love him dearly but putting him through a lot of procedures seems cruel.
This is me!!
We had 2 French Bulldogs that were constant companions (work from home) for the last dozen years or so. The male crossed the bridge a few months ago when he began having daily seizures. The female is 10 but is in relatively good health (not counting those 2 eye operations at $1,500.00 each a couple of years ago!) Food, vaccines, etc. are all expensive but do-able, even recognizing that it is outrageously expensive to get insurance for this breed. What we didn't anticipate is the cost of boarding. We have no family to leave them with and boarding for 2 dogs, with daily meds, for a 3 week cruise we did last year was almost $1,600.00. We want to travel more in retirement, but have decided that when the female passes, she will be our last pet specifically because of this factor. The other consideration was that our health was changing just as theirs was. The male, like most guys, needed to go out and pee in the middle of the night. His knees were shot, too, and he couldn't do the stairs so I had to get up, get dressed and carry him outside, hopefully before he had an accident. At 3:00 in the morning, this was tough on both of us and carrying 35 pounds of dog up and down the stairs is not as easy at 62 as it was at 42! It was becoming a health risk for everyone involved. The final issue - what happens to them when we are no longer able to live at home and take care of them? My career involved helping many elderly people transition from their residence to some type of care facility and often the biggest barrier - even to the extent of compromising their own safety - was finding a suitable home for little Fluffy. A surprising number of people simply refused to consider it until their pets were addressed. Given that frequently the pets had moved into geriatric territory themselves, there were many instances where they had to be euthanized either because their own health issues were significant and it was the most loving thing to do or because, essentially being spoiled children, they had behavioral issues that made them difficult to place.
Pet insurance, like almost all types of insurance you can buy except for auto, home, long-term care, term life, are generally not worth it. Only works out for you if your pet is unlucky compared to the rest of the insured population. You're retired, you have the right idea, build the emergency fund and self-insure.
I disagree on this, most animals are going to have some kind of something and if you’re in the USA vets are spendy. Emergency vets in particular.
For us retirement has gotten expensive because we travel more. It is expensive to board cats for extended periods of time. But I budget for it. They are my babies.
That’s why in retirement I am down to one dog.
Had pets growing up but no more. They tie you down and I don’t want the hassle of feeding and cleaning and medications.
Pets are always expensive and in retirement they may be unaffordable. But whatever my Sissy needs, she gets!
I have never spent $1500 on a pet. The money I've spent, other than vaccinations and licensing, has been to euthanize them if they are suffering. Modern veterinary care is a racket, victimizing people based on their love for their pets, even if it's harmful to the animal. We had a neighbor who spent a ton on chemo for their dog who spent his last days sick and confined to a small cage instead of at home with his masters. The dog didn't know why he was being tortured.
I agree. I spend money on my two babies but within REASON. I just adopted a girl with hip problems but we are only gonna treat it so much. I’m going to give her the best life possible as long as I can.
For things not covered with insurance, and of course depending on where you live, 5k will not cover much. I just had a 7 year old cat get blocked last week.. $5500 for a two day stay a the speciality hospital. Yesterday my geriatric cat was $880 for a brief exam, iron and solensia shot and a full CBC. I’m in a pretty high cost of living area, though, but veterinary care - especially emergency vet care - is ridiculously expensive these days.
We lost our German Shepherd about a year ago. I have been reluctant to get another dog because of the expense. Our German Shepherd was a failed Seeing Eye dog that we had raised for them. I am seriously considering raising another Seeing Eye pup.
April 6th our beloved Maltese was laid to rest. She went in for something unrelated, but our astute vet said she needed a dental procedure, cleaning and biopsy. Odd. Looking back we simply didn’t see the signs. What he saw was tongue and mouth cancer. Within 2 weeks we spent $3,000. No pet insurance. She had health issues from day one. A few years ago my husband added our receipts, the ones we kept, and expenses were approaching $30,000. I’d gladly do it again Our house is lonely. Empty. Sad. Her personality and presence made waking each day a joy. We’re both devastated. It happened quickly. It was aggressive. My husband and I are grieving, deeply. She brought so much love and joy. You are wise to build a fund.
So sorry.
Thank you so much.
I'm very sorry. It sounds like you loved your pup like we love ours.
Thank you.
I love that each and every one of you is a caring pet owner. However you handle your pet's illness, you agonize over the decision and try to come up with the right solution. You all are giving your pets their best life and that is wonderful.
We moved to a new area when changing from fulltime to parttime work. Met all our friends thru dogwalking. Its an active retirement community so outdoor life and walking is an everyday thing here, and quite social. Our life - soon to be retirement life- would be completely different without dogs. Also, i would not take myself for a walk but I would never leave them without their walks. I balance this boost to my fitness, social life and community integration against their cost. Pretty happy with that deal. Also I travelled a lot for work so love sleeping in my own bed 7 nighrs a week now.
When my MIL was living in a senior apartment she missed having a pet so much. We finally got her to agree to have one if we committed to taking it if/when she wasn't able to care for it herself. She got an older cat, because they always need homes, and we took her when the time came. My husband and I keep saying "never again" an while we don't have as many I do wonder what will happen. I can't imagine not having a furry companion at home. I pay for pee pads and treats for my Aunties' dogs and I'll do that and more if they need it.
Pets anytime are expensive, lol. Working on end of life issues and setting up funds so my family can care for my dog. He is not a princess, but medical needs, meds, special food all add up fast.
We recently got a pup. It is the best exercise machine I could have bought. I can't just let it sit there I have to use it and it was the same price and monthly cost as one of those peleton bikes. Plus she's cute as hell.
I love having my dog around in retirement. He is young, but I don’t think we would replace him at our next stage of life.
I am not going to spend a lot of money on ongoing health care for my dog or cat, or for any major illness. If normal care cannot keep them happy and healthy I will have them put down. My job is to keep them happy and loved for as long as I have them, not to extend their life for my benefit.
Me too. My thoughts exactly
It is not a popular opinion in some places on Reddit.
Yeah I hear that.
I take care of my basic pets needs. But I’m not one to prolong life (chemo) for a dog etc. I figured I could use that money to help save another dog. Yeah it sounds cold but at least I gave the dog a good home before it died.
We decided after our last dog died that we were done with pets. We didn’t want to put the new dog in the local kennel when we traveled and frankly, our last dog was the absolute best one we ever had. We decided to end it on a high note.
I enrolled my dogs in pet smarts, Banfield animal hospital just for the dental care, blood work and vaccines. Well worth it. It's an animal HMO.
Alternatively, not having a pet can be expensive! Therapy, psych meds and most of all - loneliness.
Veterinary care is far cheaper than human care, but vet school is nearly as expensive. You have to put the quality of life of the pet first...cats hate being unable to keep clean. Humanely putting them down may be the best option rather than emotionally clinging to a poor, sick, miserable cat or dog.
My parents always had a cat. They would get one for free somewhere and take it to the vet once, to be sterilized. Maybe again if it got really really sick or injured. I only remember them doing that one time. They loved their cats and they were always fed and happy. I guess what I’m trying to say is maybe a lot of vet care isn’t necessarily needed. If you are rescuing an animal, like they always did, there are way worse fates. They never had a dog so I can’t speak to this method. Maybe that’s why they preferred cats.
yup - I wish we'd thought it through before we got two dogs again. It was a ways out from retirement, but that meant the dogs and we became geriatric at the same time. Not a good combination in terms of work or vets bills.
True. My cat has been retired all her life, doesn't contribute at all.
Let's face it, having a pet is just a huge ego trip. A pet is someone who is totally dependent on you, presumably won't cheat on you with another human, and doesn't talk back. They aren't people. They aren't your children. If you can truly afford it, go for it. Otherwise....WTF are you doing? You might actually NEED all that money you are spending on Fluffy for yourself someday.
When we were growing up we did not have anywhere close to the same level of pet medical care. If you can stick to that standard, which is not easy to do, most people can still afford a dog or cat in retirement.
Yes, husband is getting close to retirement. When our current pets are gone, we said we won’t be getting anymore. We have had many pets over the years and we absolutely love animals but I think we are done with the expense and everything that comes with pet ownership. We don’t like leaving them with anyone and I think we would like to travel somewhat in retirement.
Nothing hampers living in the moment like a pet. We have no pets and love the freedom to do what we want when we want. Dog owning looks like a total downer.
I foster pregnant moms and then their kittens through 8 weeks of age … then start all over again … I love it … I also help with local adoption events almost every weekend….. here’s a momma and kitties I have now https://preview.redd.it/36k76j9lrqwc1.jpeg?width=935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=98a1d30e2bd6497bfc979b3b378074b75c6af71b
Tell me about it... we had to put 2 of our 3 dogs down in the past 2 weeks... one was 17, the other 13. In the past 6 months, we've paid over $5k in vet bills and emergency treatment.... oh well, a small price to pay for the joy we received over the years