Pet Lovers

[K9buddy]

My friend's dog was just diagnosed.  What food and supplements do you recommend that won't break the bank and where do you purchase them from?  Thanks!

[Kachina624]

@K9buddy.  Thats something that should be discussed with the vet.  We here, are not canine nutritional experts.  This is too important to ask of amateurs.

[K9buddy]

The vet did recommend a dog food, but I don't know whether he was ripping her off by telling her she had to purchase it from their clinic.  

[NickNack]

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@K9buddy wrote:

The vet did recommend a dog food, but I don't know whether he was ripping her off by telling her she had to purchase it from their clinic.  

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@K9buddy   It was probably a prescription food specifically for renal failure.  Her dog does need that.  She can purchase the first bag and/or cans from her Vet.  In the future she can get it from Chewy or PetSmart.  They will contact her Vet for the prescription.  My dog is on a prescription diet.

[jannabelle1]

My suggestion would be for your friend to follow the advice of her vet and buy the special food from his clinic as recommended. If she wants to, she can then check some of the major pet outlets, like Pets Mart, to compare prices (provided the store carries the same brand -  they generally do). Most vet clinics aren't trying to "rip off" their clients. This is really a decision between your friend and her veterinarian.

[FancyPhillyshopper]

I am so sorry to hear this news.  It is always sad when our animal companions develop an illness.

You may want to be a helpful friend, but trying to budget by counting pennies for full-service veterinary care is not necessarily the correct mindset.  

Food is the least of the expenses.  Ongoing monitoring and medical care will be costly but vital to ensure the pet's survival and progress.

Either the owner decides to pay the expensive bills--or not. Not working with a vet as a partner will probably be fatal much sooner.

By the way, my elderly cat has been receiving chemotherapy for metastatic cancer for the past five months. He also has to take diverse pills three times a day. My specialist vet bills are sky-high but he is still with me and hanging on.  He can eat whatever he wants whenever he wants--I buy him a smorgasboard of healthy offerings.

I have had both cats and dogs with kidney problems and eventually they need frequent hydration protocols.

Best wishes to your friend and her dog.  

[K9buddy]

Thank you everyone for your input. The story is that my friend is fostering this elderly dog for a rescue. The rescue has refused to pay for any bills, including a very necessary dental. In fact, the rescue didn't even pay for the vet visit or tests. I have offered to help my friend with the finances because the dog is so sweet and clearly has had a tough life. It's not as though we're being cheap.  The dog doesn't belong to either of us and we don't want to leave it up to the rescue again because they failed this dog the first time. The vet recommended hills or purina.  Just looking for the 'less expensive' food so that we can afford to help the dog. 

[NickNack]

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@K9buddy wrote:

That you everyone for your input. The story is that my friend is fostering this elderly dog for a rescue. The rescue has refused to pay for any bills, including a very necessary dental. In fact, the rescue didn't even pay for the vet visit or tests. I have offered to help my friend with the finances because the dog is so sweet and clearly has had a tough life. It's not as though we're being cheap.  The dog doesn't belong to either of us and we don't want to leave it up to the rescue again because they failed this dog the first time. The vet recommended hills or purina.  Just looking for the 'less expensive' food so that we can afford to help the dog. 

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@K9buddy   It doesn't sound like a very reputable Rescue group.  That's really awful.  The Hill's or Purina would be a prescription renal type though, not just any Hill's or Purina.  The Vet would have to prescribe it.  Would your friend want to adopt this dog?  I certainly would never foster for them again.

When I used to foster dogs the Rescue paid every single expense.

[K9buddy]

Believe it or not, they do have a good reputation because most people don't know what goes on behind the scenes. If they're adopting out cute little puppies or healthy dogs, naturally, everyone is happy.  All of the rescues I've fostered for also pay for the medical expense. My friend already has 2 dogs and the foster dog is afraid of one of her dogs.  Besides, she has her hands full with the 2 she has. She's also not in a position to pay for ongoing treatment as one of her dogs is also a senior. The vet is going to write a prescription, but I guess I'm trying to find out where to buy the food for the best value. It's just a bad situation.  

[NickNack]

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@K9buddy wrote:

Believe it or not, they do have a good reputation because most people don't know what goes on behind the scenes. If they're adopting out cute little puppies or healthy dogs, naturally, everyone is happy.  All of the rescues I've fostered for also pay for the medical expense. My friend already has 2 dogs and the foster dog is afraid of one of her dogs.  Besides, she has her hands full with the 2 she has. She's also not in a position to pay for ongoing treatment as one of her dogs is also a senior. The vet is going to write a prescription, but I guess I'm trying to find out where to buy the food for the best value. It's just a bad situation.  

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@K9buddy   I'm sorry your friend is in this position.  Chewy has the best prices, but PetSmart is just a couple of dollars more.  I just checked when I bought my dog's prescription food.