That amount would be a big bill for us right now. We would just have to wait it out, no questions asked really. When our cat was 2, she swallowed a button and the ensuing testing and surgery cost almost $3,000. We gladly paid it and then spent the next 18 months paying it all. My parents thought we were crazy.

She's now 15. She's been on an expensive prescription food for the past 10 years because of UTI issues and she's taking medicine for allergies. She's also diabetic, and that involves brand-name insulin and syringes. Every time we go out of town, we pay $40 a day for a pet sitter to come give her shots. Our vacation next month - not even quite a week long - comes with a $250 pet sitting fee. So we are at a line simply maintaining. Pet ownership comes with costs, but this is costing more than we though.

That said, I agree with a couple of PP who suggested a second opinion. I know for certain that our vet practice is one of the more expensive in town, but we really like the doctors. But if there was a major, major issue, I would probably look around for someone who didn't charge as much.