Putting the vet's kid's through college

Well, thankfully only one child, who's now practicing in his dad's office. With a master's in animal something-or-other. From some highly rated vet school. And, yes, he's very nice - and very smart. I'm delighted to see that my money was well-spent.

In looking around at what people say about their vets in the A-town, ours is really quite reasonable. But, let me tell you, "reasonable" is a very relative word. With 5 dogs, 3 of them with more-or-less chronic illnesses, spending $300 to $400 a visit isn't unusual. Emily had to have dental work last month, and we had her hips x-rayed to see how the damage to them has progressed (it’s worse, quite a bit worse but still manageable). That trip was $450. Then Ruby and Rosalita needed shots – Ruby all of them, Rosa just the 6-month ones. Daisy, Ruby, and Emily needed their “regular” meds, and we needed dog food (have to buy the special (read: expensive) kind now because of Loretta’s kidneys). That trip was $380. And there's at least one visit every two months. Oh well, wouldn't trade any of them for the world.