The owners of a French bulldog were left stunned when they had to pay a hefty $37,000 to a veterinarian hospital in order to rescue their beloved pet's life.
Daniele and Sabrina noticed her back legs had become 'wobbly' on Easter Saturday and took her to the vet twice on the same day, but she was sent home.
Alarmed by Matisse's distress and labored breathing, the couple hurriedly rushed their beloved French bulldog to Sydney Veterinary Emergency & Specialists for immediate medical attention.
The pair were told Matisse needed to stay the night to be stabilised and were asked to sign some documents and leave a $3,000 deposit.
To save Matisse's life, she necessitated scans, tests, round-the-clock monitoring, and surgery, all of which incurred significant expenses for the couple.
'Unfortunately, these French bulldogs are ticking time bombs,' Sabrina told A Current Affair on Monday.
The couple did not have pet insurance and was first quoted $8,900 for Matisse's treatment.
However, as days passed during Matisse's stay at the vet, the bill continued to escalate, reaching a staggering $36,896.19 over the course of six days, as lamented by Daniele.
The comprehensive three-page itemized bill listed various charges, including $3,250 for spinal surgery, $2,750 for CT scans, and an additional public holiday surcharge of $4,084.07.
'I couldn't believe it. It's a massive, massive bill so we're just asking them to reconsider.'
Daniele mentioned that the vet was unwilling to negotiate the price, but eventually, they allowed Matisse to go home when Daniele offered $29,000.
'I said, 'If I can get you the money, can you give us the dog?' And she goes, 'Ok, well we're happy with that',' Daniele said.
Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci," Sabrina uttered with a hint of reluctance. "I had to part with a few cherished designer handbags, ones I didn't really want to let go of.