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THE owners of a pet dog were landed with a £20,000 bill after the pooch was rushed to the vet.
Sabrina, who has a French bulldog called Matisse, says the breed are a “ticking time bomb”.
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She told 9Now’s A Current Affair, referring to the huge cost to save the dog’s life: “I couldn’t believe it.”
Daniele, the other dog’s owner added: “It’s a massive, massive bill so we’re just asking them to reconsider.”
Sabrina said they had forked out more than £2,600 to a reputable breeder for their registered pet, with the dog, now five years old, running into some health issues.
She said: “Unfortunately, these French bulldogs, they’re ticking time bombs.”
Sabrina and Daniele noticed Matisse’s back legs had become wobbly on Easter Sunday, so they took her to a local vet twice that day and she was sent home.
Sabrina said she thought the dog was still in a lot of pain and her breathing became bad.
So they rushed her to Sydney Veterinary Emergency & Specialists.
While they were there they were told Matisse needed to be kept there overnight in order to stabilise her.
They were asked to leave £1,6000 as a deposit and to sign some documents.
Matisse was fighting for her life and needed to undergo surgery, scans, tests and monitoring – all of which come at a price.
Daniele said: “We just kept getting estimates… and they were getting higher and higher.”
The couple don’t have pet insurance and the vet said the first quote provided was up to £4,700 – but the cost kept rising.
It’s a massive, massive bill so we’re just asking them to reconsider
Daniele
In total, Matisse spent six days at the vet, racking up a huge bill of £19,668.
Along with other things, the bill included a public holiday surcharge of £2,177, spinal surgery which cost £1,700, CT scans costing £1,465 and 15 paracetamol pills which cost £23.
Daniele and Sabrina said the bill was way too much, but the vet wouldn’t budge so they were forced to make some sacrifices for their beloved pooch.
Sabrina said: “I had to sell a few designer handbags that I didn’t really want to part with.
“You do what you have to do.”
Daniele said they told the vet they would only be able to get together £15,400 that day.
She added: “I said, ‘If I can get you the money, can you give us the dog?’ And she goes, ‘Ok, well we’re happy with that’.”
Dr Robert Zammit, a vet in Western Sydney, who was not involved in the dog’s care, said vets need to be upfront about the costs from the start in order for people to make a “clear decision”.
However, he said that in some cases “people want human equivalent care for their animals, but (are) not prepared to pay for it”.
Dr Zammit said: “If you’re going to have a dog, especially if you paid £2,600 for a dog, you might want to think about paying a reasonable fee for some pet insurance, health insurance for your dog, because it can get very expensive.”
Sabrina and Daniele said they understood that the vet saved Matisse’s life but want them “to have a heart” and “to consider their fees again”.
A statement from Sydney Veterinary Emergency & Specialists (SVES) said: “Our hospital is a Specialty and Emergency Hospital and provides the highest level of care by a team of Specialist Veterinary Surgeons, often in emergency situations.
“As is our standard practice, the client was made aware of and consented to the cost for this unique and critical case prior to treatment after choosing between alternative treatment options.
“The client also obtained a second opinion with an independent 3rd party about the proposed treatment and costs prior to consenting to the cost of the surgery.
“Matisse presented in a critical condition requiring lifesaving intensive care and treatment for breed specific complications.
“This included intubation, diagnostic imaging, complex spinal surgery and 24/7 one on one nursing care during his treatment.
“The standard of care was equal to what would be provided to a human in a critical care unit.”
Earlier this month, a vet revealed his top tips to help save dog owners hundreds of pounds.
Dr Paul Manktelow, a strong advocate for pet health and welfare, has shared his helpful top tips to save money on TikTok account @vitabiotics.
Last month, another vet revealed the five things he would never do with his dog.
Dr. Marcus, an Emergency Room Veterinarian, also known on social media as ‘The Friendly Vet’ has revealed that walking a dog without a lead is a massive no no and there’s two types of treats that you should never give your pet.
Elsewhere, a dog expert revealed the breeds people needed to avoid if they live in a city.
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