Last week, I shared about finding out Toodles, my chihuahua, is diabetic. Dealing with a pet’s chronic disease can be expensive. I worried about the cost and what I would decide to do.

My rapidly approaching retirement has changed the way I think about money. The difference between wants and needs is a lot clearer. Reducing my expenses is a top priority because the less money I need, the sooner I can retire.  How much am I willing to spend to keep my precious pup alive?

Money wasn’t my only worry. Insulin injections twice a day are the only treatment option for dogs. I could maybe handle giving her the injections, but advanced macular degeneration prevents me from seeing well enough to measure the dose.

I explained my concerns to the vet, and returned a few days later for details about my options. After an initial outlay of $200, he said keeping Toodles alive would cost about $30 a month. I don’t know what my upper limit is, and hope I never find out, but $30 a month is doable.

My ex is staying with me for a while. It’s complicated, but I enjoy having my best friend around. He went along to the vet to learn how to give the injections. Good thing. Compared to getting blood to test her sugar, the injections are a piece of cake.

The vet’s estimate of the cost was a little off. The strips to check her sugar twice daily run $55 a month. Still affordable, but ouch! When I called this error to his attention, he said we wouldn’t be checking her sugar so often once we figure out the right dosage for her.

In two weeks (after a special post in honor of Independence Day), I’ll tell you about the first few weeks and how things are going since then.