Dog eye surgery isn't cheap

The surge in specialized veterinary care has been driven, for the most part, by owners who have demanded as good a care for their precious pets as they have for themselves - and have been willing to pay for it.

The costs can be staggering.

The fee for canine cataract surgery in Western Washington ranges from $1,225 to $1,400 for one eye and $1,800 to $1,950 for both eyes, depending on the specific case and clinic. That includes the doctor's fee, artificial lenses, anesthesia and facility costs. Presurgical tests, lasering, medications and some office visits are extra and can add hundreds of dollars to the bill.

But compared to the price of human surgery, it's a bargain. Uninsured human surgery costs $5,500 to $7,000 per eye in the Seattle area, depending on the facility.

Health insurance is an option, although few owners insure pets and some companies will not cover older animals or pets with pre-existing conditions.

One option: Veterinary Pet Insurance, which is one of the country's largest insurers, has no age limit and will reimburse a client $704 to $1,203 for the surgery, depending on its plan, said Elizabeth Hodgkins, medical director.

Some of the extras also could be reimbursed, she said. However, if the company thinks the cataracts are inherited or if the cataracts are diagnosed before the dog is insured, the company will not cover the surgery.

In the case of my dog, Todiana, the cataract in her right eye was removed and an artificial lens was implanted. The cataract in her left eye was not removed because the eye was not healthy and her vision would have been severely limited regardless of surgery.

The total bill for Todiana's care over a six-month period, including the surgery, all pre- and post-surgical exams, lasering, ultrasound, blood work and medication, came to about $2,300.

Todiana was not insured. Had she been insured since the cataracts were diagnosed in 1997, Hodgkins estimated her company would have reimbursed $1,500-$1,600 of those costs.

If I'm crazy to have spent that much on a dog - as so many people have told me - I'm not alone.

Dog owners spent more than $7 billion in 1996 on veterinary care, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"People today are willing to treat pets as family members and provide better care," said Hodgkins, whose company now has 100,000 to 120,000 clients nationwide.

The quality and quantity of pet care have risen dramatically. There's more routine care now and less "fire-engine medicine," she said. As a result, pets are living longer, healthier lives.