What does it really cost: Pet Surgery (IVDD Cost)

Our “What does it really cost” series sheds light on how much different women across the country spend on the big life events: having a baby, taking a sabbatical year, moving, getting a master’s degree, buying a house, etc.  This week’s feature is highlighting one dog mom’s cost for emergency surgery for her dachshund.  This breed is more likely to need surgery for IVDD, a herniated disk injury in dogs.

Location: Davie, FL

Age: 25

Note: we love being dog moms!  However, before you adopt, it’s important to research the breed that you’re selecting.  Some breeds, like French bull dogs and German Shepherds, are much more likely to need surgery or have other expensive health issues.  In this instance, our pet owner is the proud momma of a dachshund.  This breed is more likely to require back surgery for a condition called IVDD.

How much did it cost for your pet to have surgery for IVDD? 

The total for everything was around $10,000.

We had to put down a $7,000 deposit for the vet clinic to do anything. This included an MRI, blood work, etc.

During this time, we were not allowed inside due to COVID.  We were sitting in the car, and they told us we needed to pay $7,000 right now which was shocking.  Thankfully, that morning we had requested an increase on our CareCredit card and it was approved (read more about CareCredit cards here).

Oscar, our dachshund, had surgery that evening and stayed in the hospital for 5 days racking up a $8,500 bill.  During those 5 days, he received rehab and around the clock care.  Just 4 days after surgery, they sent us a video of him walking again! But it didn’t end there. He had to be on crate rest for 12 weeks.

Post-Surgery Recovery

During this time, either my husband or I had to be home with him.  The first couple weeks we both stayed home to figure it all out together.  We then took turns going to the office until the vet released Oscar from crate rest.  At his 6 week check up, they recommended more rehab.  Each rehab appt was about $150 for an hour session. We went once a week for a month, and he gained more strength each time.

To prevent the chance of reinjury, we bought ramps and gates to prevent him from jumping.  We also bought a new, lower to the ground bed and added extra rugs so the floors were a safer surface for him. In September of 2021, we decided to do some more rehab since he would still occasionally slip if he was running or playing.  That was about $500.

We were thankful to have had such a great support system and received donations from a couple of dachshund groups as well. We are almost at our one-year mark.  Oscar is perfect, and we have worked hard to pay off his surgery.

Final Costs: The total for everything was around $10,000.

Was this more or less than you were expecting?

I knew it wasn’t going to be cheap but wasn’t expecting $10,000.

Were there other options that you considered? What are the pros and cons of this compared to other options?

The only other option would have been conservative crate rest.  With rest, there was no guarantee he would ever walk again.  Since our dog was so young, I wasn’t willing to take that risk.  To me, it wouldn’t have been fair to him.  I know people who have used crate rest successfully, but I also know people that have dogs who never regained function and need wheels to get around.

What do you wish you would have known?

One of the things I wish I would have known is that pet insurance would’ve paid for it! I never got pet insurance on Oscar and now that he has been diagnosed with IVDD (a herniated disk injury common with some breeds) nothing back related will be covered with pet insurance. IVDD is a genetic disk degeneration disorder and there is often no cause as to why it happens. I wish I would have fully educated myself on that before hand as well. You hear stories and never think it’ll be you until it’s too late.

*Note: 40-60% of all IVDD surgeries are performed on dachshunds.  Do research on a given breed and their health issues before you adopt!

In conclusion, this woman’s total cost for her dog’s IVDD surgery was $10,000.

We hope this gives you insights into how someone else navigated the expensive process of a pet needing medical care.  Do the costs of IVDD surgery surprise you?

This post was created as part of the “What does it really cost series?”  Her Personal Finance’s mission is to help high-earning women take charge of their finances.  As an MBA, our founder has a particular passion for supporting this community.  Here is a link to a Q&A with Harvard Business School students about finances in school.  You can also learn more about our founder and our classes on our website.

Did you enjoy this post and want to contribute your own story?  Send us an email to eryn@herpersonalfinance.com.