A dog owner from Minnesota made the “worst financial decision” of her life when she got her pup, Popsicle, but she wouldn’t change her for anything in the world.
In a viral Threads post shared in September under the username @explorewithpopsicle, the poster shares pictures of her pups’ unique birthday cake, with an unconventionally hilarious message. “Happy five years, my worst financial decision!” says the icing on top of the custom-made dog-friendly cake.
“Celebrated five years and $50,000 in vet bills with my tiny lemon dog, getting her was, truly, the worst financial decision I ever made during the pandemic,” the caption adds.
The poster, Janessa Dominguez, told Newsweek that Popsicle has a congenital liver shunt that was found in 2023, and prior to this being diagnosed, the dog had suffered from continued health issues and chronic infections.
“She’s had three surgeries related to the shunt and will need to have a shunt ligation surgery to fix it, but she’s medically managed and lives a totally normal and happy life,” Dominguez said.
“The first year I got her, we had about 10,000 in vet bills, and it’s remained about that much annually due to surgeries, medication, and routine care needed.”
But, despite the costly vet bills, Dominguez said she adores her pup and would spend even more for her if it came to it.
“It’s become a running a joke in my friends group about my ‘little lemon dog,’ and we lovingly call her a genetic dumpster fire. I’d happily spend $10,000 a year for her vet care for a lifetime. She’s truly the most incredible dog and she’s my best friend,” she added.
“She’s a fantastic dog! She’s traveled all over the world with me, hiked mountains in Alaska and Canada, and loves to visit the Bay Area to see family there.”
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 7,700 views and 366 comments on the platform.
One user, Crayonsandcrepes, commented: “That cake is amazing! Here’s my $30,000++ ‘free’ cat! She was also the worst financial decision I’ve ever made, and worth every penny and moment.”
Andibakken posted: “The reason I suggest pet insurance to anyone with a pet.”
Patriciaarndt added: “I tell people all the time, they are so worth it. When they look at you like you’re my everything it makes you so happy.”