I recently wrote this blog which generated a lot of comments on the blog site and on the NY Times site:
There has been a lot of press and debate lately about the high costs of veterinary medicine. Being in New York, I’m thinking of several NY Times articles.
On the front page on April 5, there was the article “New Treatments to Save a Pet, but Questions About the Costs.”
This article highlighted the advances in veterinary medicine and the associated high costs, including bone marrow transplants for dogs with lymphoma at NC State, urinary stents for blocked kidneys or bladders, and radiation therapy for brain tumors. These procedures can cost $10,000 to $15,000, and total bills may exceed $25,000 for all medical care. There are also advances in diagnostic tests such as CT scanners and MRI imaging. These tests (including anesthesia) can cost $1,000-2,000.