Pet therapy costing owners thousands
Sunday November 11 2007
Pet owners are now willing to spend thousands of euro so their pets can undergo advanced medical procedures -- such as cancer treatment, hip replacement and cataract removal -- which are often not available on demand for ordinary people.
Increasing numbers of pet owners are also splashing out on fully qualified human physiotherapists, so their pets can undergo physiotherapy sessions to get their limbs back in working order.
Celebrity vet Pete Wedderburn, from the BrayVET animal hospital in Bray, Co Wicklow, says greater emotional attachment to pets, advances in science and an increase in disposable income is helping to fuel the trend.
"It's very obvious to me why more pet owners are opting to have these procedures carried out. Apart from the fact that people have more money -- and science is making these procedures possible nowadays -- pets are filling the emotional niche for people having fewer children.''
In recent years, chemotherapy has become widely available for both cats and dogs who have cancer, while MRI scans can also be obtained.
Cataract removal is another common procedure that pet owners are willing to splurge on, with each eye costing over €1,000 to treat.
Meanwhile, pet Prozac is also proving popular among Irish pet owners who find their pooch or moggy is feeling a little down in the dumps, or even suffering from separation anxiety.
"The owner comes home and the dog has chewed everything in the house," says Mr Wedderburn. "The dog has destroyed the wallpaper and the carpets, or maybe it's just howling the house down when the owner is out. So, in other words, the dog has a behavioural problem. In situations like these, drugs like Prozac are often used ()and) this would be quite common."
For those whose animal doesn't make it through with the help of medical procedures, owners can also avail of a pet funeral service.
The Irish Pet Crematoria, which is based in Co Wicklow, is dedicated to providing a cremation service for pets before returning their ashes to their grieving owner.
- NIAMH HORAN
