I pulled this news article from Statesmanjournal.com. With today’s economy I am noticing that people are having to get rid of their beloved animals and are facing hard really times. The impact HAS to be showing with the healthcare of animals at the vet’s office as well. I have three horses and two dogs…and I treat all injuries/sicknesses that I can myself, but I do still take my animals to the vet when it is needed…however, there have been many times I cringe when I get the bill! Are fewer checkups the answer to spending less? Or does it create more problems in the long run?

Financial hardships can extend to animal care
Veterinarians schedule fewer annual checkups as clients spend less.

As U.S. Census data released Monday confirm, the economic downturn is altering Americans’ lives and behaviors in many ways, from homeownership trends to commuting habits.The pinch even extends to the realm of veterinary care, and some Mid-Valley vets are reporting a change in demand.

Dr. Kim Erbes of Salem Veterinary Emergency Clinic said traffic is down about 10 percent to 15 percent in the past year. More clients also are capping their expenditures; when they do come in with a sick or injured pet, they also come with a clear idea of how much they’re willing to spend, Erbes said.

The clinic treats 200 to 300 animals per month and has the equivalent of three full-time doctors and about a half-dozen other staffers.

Erbes said she has noted a trend of pet owners waiting longer to seek treatment for their animals. “They’re thinking and hoping their animal is going to get better,” Erbes said. When they finally come to the clinic, the animal’s illness or injury often is worse than if the owner had sought treatment earlier, Erbes said. “People think they’re saving money by nursing the animal at home, but they’re not,” Erbes said.

Still, she emphasized that pet care remains a priority for many people. “It’s something people have (some) budget for,” Erbes said. “People will always care for their pets.”

Dr. Julie DeMarco of Whole Pet Veterinary Care in central Salem said what people are willing to spend on their pets in a tough economy depends on whether they see animal spending as discretionary or not. “For some people, their pets are like children,” DeMarco said. But overall, her clients are spending less, she said.

VCA Salem Animal Hospital reports that during a period of about four months earlier this year, fewer clients were coming in for annual wellness care for their pets.
The clinic reports more stable traffic now, however.

Dr. Richard Hillmer of Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic said this is the first year in his career — which spans more than 20 years — that he has noticed a downturn. “People used to say veterinary medicine was recession-proof,” he said. “It’s a little different this year.” Oak Hills cares for about 120 dogs, cats and birds each month. He said his clinic hasn’t seen growth this year, and clients are looking for cheaper options and holding off on treatment such as diagnostics.

Alternative savings

New office Whole Pet Veterinary Care puts the focus on alternative treatments, but DeMarco cautions against the thought that naturopathic treatments are always less expensive. She said in the long run, alternative treatments can reduce medical bills because animals are healthier.

Whole Pet integrates modern technology with acupuncture, herbal therapies and other Eastern remedies. “People want options; they don’t always want a pill,” she said.

Dr. Don Howard of Twin Oaks Veterinary Hospital in southeast Salem said some clients looking to save money seek animal acupuncture as an alternative to surgery. The cost for a series of three to five treatments is $500 to $700, Howard said, which he said can be a savings of thousands of dollars over surgery options.

Box turtle whose legs were chewed off by raccoon now glides through life.
Story pulled from msnbc.com and written by By Michael Inbar.

The joke is as old as the hills: “Lost Dog: Three legs, blind in one eye, ear torn. Answers to the name ‘Lucky.’ ”

But for a Petaluma, Calif., box turtle, that name held true and then some after he got his front legs chewed off by a raccoon.

Injured in July, Lucky came within a whisker of being euthanized after his unfortunate run-in with a masked turtle mauler. But thanks to the quick thinking and ingenuity of veterinary surgeon Robert Jereb, the turtle now happily skids his way through life on plastic sliders, stacked two high where his front legs used to be.

“[Dr. Jereb] was just wonderful,” Lucky’s owner, Sally Pyne, told Norah O’Donnell live on TODAY Thursday as she cradled her plucky pet next to veterinarian Alan Wolf, who helped rescue the injured reptile.

Masked marauder
Pyne said that Lucky and his gal pal, Lovey, live a life of ease in an enclosed pen in the backyard of her home. The turtles were in fine fettle when she and her roommate ran out for a spell, but when they came home, they found a horror story: Food left outside for their pet cat had drawn the attention of a marauding raccoon, and Lucky suffered collateral damage.

“My housemate Robert Ford saw that the turtles were outside the pen, which was kind of weird,” Pyne said. “When we found the girl, she was OK, but [when] we find [Lucky], his legs were missing.

“We said, ‘Oh, my God, the poor thing.’ ”

The pair rushed Lucky to an emergency animal hospital, where he was patched up and given pain medication and antibiotics. While Pyne didn’t know how her beloved pet could go through life without front legs, she saw a fighting spirit that made her hesitant to have him put down.

“I was ready to let little Lucky go home,” Pyne told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. “But he was not ready to give up. His eyes were open, and he was shoving himself around on his two back legs. He was not going to quit.”

So Pyne took Lucky to Jereb, who has made a name for himself by finding novel ways to patch up animals: He had previously repaired turtles’ shattered shells with everything from Bondo to fiberglass. Missing legs was another matter altogether, but Jereb thought he had a good candidate for yet-to-be invented turtle prosthetics.

Pyne told O’Donnell: “I thought, ‘Oh, my God, this is going to be awful for the turtle,’ but Dr. Jereb said, ‘You know, they live through many kinds of attacks.’ ”

Turtle power
Jereb headed to the hardware store in search of suitable leg-replacement material. He ended up opting for the sliders that normally rest under tables and chairs — if affixed and stacked two high, they would balance Lucky’s body and enable him to glide in the front while his back legs supplied the power.

It worked like a charm, and Pyne said Lucky is clearly reveling in his second shot at life. “He’s just gone crazy,” she told O’Donnell.

Lucky’s coaster front legs may not be permanent. The turtle’s activity makes the sliders wear down, making it problematic to keep them attached. He may require more surgery. Jereb is looking for new ideas.

But for the nonce, Lucky just keeps gliding along, looking as if he’s ready for a game of air hockey in the front. Al Roker asked Pyne whether, with his new look, he’s still a lady-killer to mate Lovey.

“She’s not interested much in all the attention,” Pyne replied with a smile. “So she just burrows, as turtles do.”