“It’s going to be how much?” I asked, hoping I was hearing zeros where there weren’t.

“About $1500 for the surgery, and a little more for medication and follow-up visits.”  My vet said apologetically.  

We had visited after my bulldog took one of her usual running leaps onto a deck and didn’t quite make it, continuing to limp around the house for days.  X-rays revealed she had snapped her medial collateral ligament, or MCL.  The vet had recommended repairing it with surgery, and I, a poor student who adored her dog, agreed.  I applied for a CareCredit pet care loan, and she had her surgery that week.  I made payments on my loan for over a year due to a high interest rate.  The surgery happened when my dog was five-years-old, and she is now a very happy and healthy twelve-year-old. [Read more…]