Many of us spend money on our pets. My own cat needs special food at $1.00/can and we can only buy it at the vet. We've spent other money on her for testing when she had problems last year.

I know many spend a ton of money getting treatment for their ill, aging, injured pets, but this takes the cake:


If there's still any doubt whether the pampering of pets is getting out of hand, the debate should be settled once and for all by Neuticles, a patented testicular implant that sells for up to $919 a pair. The idea, says inventor Gregg A. Miller, is to "let people restore their pets to anatomical preciseness" after neutering, thereby allowing them to retain their natural look and self-esteem. "People thought I was crazy when I started 13 years ago," says the Oak Grove, Mo. entrepreneur. But he has since sold more than 240,000 pairs (a few of which went on prairie dogs, water buffalo, and monkeys). "Neutering is creepy. But with Neuticles, it's like nothing has changed." Nothing, except there's a fake body part where a real one used to be.

Here's the rest: Spending 41 Billion on our pets

What do you think? Is this over the top?

 

You know, I was at the Northshore Animal Shelter in Long Island last Saturday where my niece volunteers. As soon as I walked in, I took a whiff of that strong odor and I almost threw up right there right then. I tried to be a courteous visitor and spent a few minutes looking at the larger dogs to smaller dogs and seeing my niece in action. Obviously, everyone was crowding in the area where they had small dogs for adoption and larger dogs were basically passed over. I walked out grasping for fresh air reminding myself why I don't have a dog and won't in near forseable future.

 

Self esteem? Give me a break! Dogs don't know when they've been fixed.
Neutering is "Creepy?" Better to have a neutered (or spayed) dog that isn't going to be part of the overpopulation problem.
I'd heard of these but was under the impression they were used for showing dogs you didn't want to breed so they'd retain proper confirmations.
Some people just have too much money.
They must be doing something wrong. +1 volunteers at the local SPCA and I've been there many times and there is no odor.

 

I've always neutered or spayed my pets and my sweet little BB has been spayed. I hated it that she had to go through the surgery and healing process, but felt in the long run it was better than her producing litters of puppies. I paid around $1000 when she injured her left rear hip and elected for hip replacement surgery rather than take the chance it may or may not heal on its own. She was a year old at the time and I couldn't stand the thought of her going through the rest of her life limping or lame. BB gets fed top grade food, has a nifty little car seat to keep her safe and belted in the car in the event of an accident and I probably spend a fair amount of money to keep her groomed, clipped and she has an annual physical and shots that cost about $250 a year. HOWEVER, the companionship and joy she brings to me is priceless. BB is my dear little traveling companion and my precious little friend. I love BB. I will not, however, get breast implants for her.

 

Well put Val, people spend more on less. I figure our minimum vet/ maintenace for Ozzy has to be over $500/ year. Last year he had surgery for an infection, that was another $400. Still alot cheaper than tuition!

I'm looking for a grooming kit and DVD so I can tune up Ozzy (a Shih Tzu) between visits to the groomer ($55 a visit).

Elizabeth Eliot once said, we don't need to love our pets less, we need to love people more.

 

The business states nuetering animals is creepy? it doesn't save millions of animals from not having homes or anything else huh?

I think putting plastic nuts on a dog is creepy... riddle me this. "check out my dog's plastic nuts, they really make him feel like a man again!" nope, makes no sense too me.

 

Hey, with a dog, you'd need several pairs, right? That could run into real money! HPH

(Oh, yeah, I'm sure that one reason for those "neuticle" things, for dogs at least, is to give those poor, squeaky-voiced doggies something to lick again. )

 

Bad, Dr. C, bad, bad, bad.

 

BB is sooooo cute. And with your decision for no implants. You're just a practical southern girl. Glad to see you here.

 

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