The cost of treating a dog’s injuries–the kind from exercise — is not the least bit cheap.
It’s advised that you have a “dog injury fund” in a second bank account!
When it comes to how much it costs to treat dog injuries, it depends on several factors, says Dr. Jules Benson, BVSc, chief veterinary officer with NationwideDVM, a pet insurer company.
- what diagnostics and treatment your veterinarian considers appropriate for the circumstance
- whether there is any follow-up care, pre- or post-operative rehabilitation or complications
- how large your dog is (larger dogs can cost considerably more for medications and surgical procedures)
- and where you live – veterinary prices vary depending on state/area, and some procedures may only be available if you have a specialty veterinarian in your local area.”
Pet Insurance
Dr. Benson points out that a pet insurance plan will reimburse a percentage of the veterinay bill, “minus a deductible – both of which are selected by the policyholder.”
The costs below reflect an average reimbursement for these conditions as of 2012.
Injuries in Dogs–How Much They Cost
Lameness: $478.80
Cruciate ligament tears: $2,107.31
Luxating patella: $1,262.61
Broken nail: $220.52
Lacerations/cuts: $314.99
Heat stroke: $1,168.43
When your dog is getting exercise, it can be difficult to prevent injuries.
Your dog can be bounding out in a field and step on something that sprains its leg or deeply cuts into a paw. It’s something that just might happen no matter how careful you are.
However, one of the injuries on that list can be prevented: heat stroke.
Unless you and your dog are unexpectedly stranded in a desert, there is no reason for a dog to develop heat stroke.
For any physical activity on a hot day, bring plenty of water, and give it to your dog frequently throughout the activity, especially if it’s strenuous like a hike.
In the event that your dog sustains any of these injuries or some other injury via exercise (or some other origin), you should put aside some money every month for a treatment fund.
Even if it’s just $20, this will cover a broken nail in two years.
