As a pet owner, a visit to the vet is expected from time to time, whether it’s for a simple check-up or an emergency.
It can be worrying when an animal you care for isn’t acting like their usual self, which is what Jamella, a dog mum from the Philippines, experienced. She noticed that her pet, Shayla, hadn’t been eating anything, including her favourite foods, so she decided to take her to the vet to find out what was wrong.
The vet clinic did various tests on the Shih Tzu and the results were “perfect” and indicated that Shayla didn’t have any abnormalities. After spending 14,695 Philippine peso at the vet, Jamella found out that the cause of her pup’s unusual behaviour was separation anxiety.
She turned to TikTok to share the story and many users were shocked by the price, mistakenly thinking it was in USD. The bill came to £189.55 which is equivalent to $257.
Jamella posted a slideshow of pictures on the social media platform, such as Shayla looking sad with her head held down low and a copy of the bill. The last picture is of Shayla, presumably on the way home from the clinic, sitting in the passenger seat next to her dog mum with a “smirk” on her face.
The TikTok user gave some context by sharing that she had gone away on a four day trip without her dog. The post has racked up a staggering 14.5 million views, 2.2 million likes and more than 8,600 comments.
One viewer asked: “So what’s more expensive, your four-day trip or your dog’s bill?” Another said: “She knows you can’t afford to leave her again.”
A third added: “They were right, the more you care about your dog the higher your vet fees will be.”
Others left comments, such as “commenting to help with that bill”, “that bill is giving me separation anxiety from it” and “that bill is like airfare.”
Some viewers observed the look on the dog’s face after the vet visit with comments like “funniest bit is she looks so proud of herself”, “the smirk” and “you can clearly see your baby’s smirking face in the last pic.”
Shih Tzus are small dogs that are bred to be loyal and loving companions, according to PDSA. Research by All Shih Tzu identified that separation anxiety was the second most challenging behaviour reported by pet parents of this dog breed.
The RSPCA has outlined common signs of separation-related behaviours in dogs, including destructive behaviour, howling, toileting and excessive excitement when owners return home.
Other less common signs are not eating while owners are out, vomiting and trembling. The animal charity has suggested ways to treat or prevent these behaviours, such as leaving your dog a ‘special’ toy so they have something exciting to do while you’re out and encouraging your pet to relax during their alone time.