If you have a dog or cat who was recently diagnosed or being treated for cancer then you are likely getting ready to face mounting veterinarian bills. The good news is that there are available options for financial assistance for pets with cancer.
Here’s the information you may need in the future if you find yourself dealing with pet cancer. You may also make donations to the organizations listed on organization home pages.
A Cancer Diagnosis – Now What?
There’s nothing more frightening to a pet lover than finding out a dog or cat has cancer. The first question that may spring to mind is whether there’s anything that can be done to fight it and put your pet in remission.
That is a discussion for you and your family with your veterinarian. Important decisions need to be made depending on where the cancer is found and at what stage it is.
It Takes a Team
Pet cancer, like that found in humans, takes a team to fight whether it’s battling the disease or making your dog or cat comfy for the last phase of their lives. Please know that there is nothing wrong if you decide to make your pet’s last days, weeks or months warm and loving rather than choosing the conventional treatment route.
Treatment in this instance also involves some palliative care like massage, supplements and taking time to be with him or her.
This next statement is easy to say but very hard to do: Try to stay as positive as you possibly can because pets are so intuitive that they may think you’re angry with them if you’re constantly upset.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be emotional. Of course you should. Just keep loving them.
Fighting It
If you decide to fight the cancer with traditional therapies like chemo or radiation, you’ll need to consult with specialists and try to get a ballpark figure of what treatment will cost. It will be expensive, no doubt about it.
Pet insurance may offset some of the cost but not everyone has it. Here’s a short list of resources to look at but for more please use the keywords “pet cancer” & “financial assistance” to find more help. Also speak to your vet and specialists about financial help in your cancer battle.
And please don’t forget that you need emotional support as well. There are support groups you can join to talk with people going through the same thing.
Resources – Financial Assistance for Pets
Here is the list of options for financial assistance for pets with cancer.
- The Magic Bullet Fund – This group helps you fight canine cancer only. There is a 3-tier system for approval but there is also a host of resources available like a vet oncologist finder and a coach who can help you personally raise funds in addition to other assistance.
- The Dog and Cat Cancer Fund – This organization recently received a $40,000 grant from Petco for dog and cat cancer care. They offer financial assistance and through their website you can learn more about cancer terminology so you can better understand the diagnoses and treatments.
- Fetch a Cure – Their Companions in Crisis fund is only for Virginia residents but provides some monetary assistance for families who can’t afford life-saving treatment for their pets. Before being accepted into this program, you must have a confirmed diagnosis of cancer from a vet.
A cancer diagnosis is one that frequently comes out of left field and can leave you breathless and frightened. Yes, we know our pets – these angels on Earth – will die eventually. But we all want to help them live longer, happier lives even with cancer.
If you’re struggling to pay treatment bills, please look into the above organizations for help.
Image: iStock
