Affordable surgery for my dog or even financial help?

My dog tore both of her ACL's in her back legs. she is 3 yrs old and in good health. The surgery will total $5000 per my vet, however, in today's economy, I cannot afford that. Does anyone know of any financial assistance in the Boise, Idaho Valley to help with this situation?? Or any other ideas for that matter?? I am at a loss and dont want to put my dog my down and dont want her to continue being in pain.Thanks!!!

How did she tear both?

Sorry about your dog. Ask the vet if he/she would be willing to accept a payment plan. If so, it is your diligent responsibility to pay for the services. You may want to call the SPCA and see what they could recommend in terms of affordable services and by whom. Or you can ask to be placed on a payment plan. Again, you would need to be responsible for paying the bill. The vet deserves to be paid for professional services rendered. Good luck.

I would suggest talking to your vet. Repairing both legs at the same time would be difficult on the dog. Maybe doing one side and then the other would be an option. It would lessen the immediate cost. But it will also lead to multiple anesthetic procedures. Also, you can try to go to CareCredit.com, to see if you can qualify for their credit card. And then make sure that your vet takes it. You can also discuss the whole concern with your vet, and see what other options you have. Sometimes, I have treated dogs with ACL tears with strict cage rest for several weeks. It is not ideal, and there is a greater risk in the long run for arthritis, but it far better than euthanasia. Your vet may know of a vet in a nearby area that does the procedure at a lower cost. But this cost is about right for this problem. Good luck.

There are several things that you can possibly do. First one is to get a second opinion (or two) as well as a few estimates. If this is a large, giant, or active dog, a TPLO or TTA would be the best option. It is also the most expensive. However, going with the older through the joint capsule methods can be much cheaper if your dog is medium or small sized. Any procedure needs to be performed by a vet who has done many of these procedures with good to excellent results. Ask for references. Having a non-specialist surgeon perform the surgery is an option and it is usually a cheaper option. However in Boise, where there are a couple of surgeon specialists it may be hard to find someone who can do the surgery. You can also ask if these are partial tears. Sometimes with rest, rehabilitation, and anti-inflammatories these will heal without surgery. But it has been proven that eventually partial tears will have to be repaired. If these are partial tears, you can maybe gain some time by treating conservatively as you save the money for the potential surgery. No matter what you choose to do, it is very important to do the physical rehabilitation and to keep your dog on the thin side of normal in order for these things to be successful. If you are unwilling to do this than the surgery and treatment will be a waste on money and time.