[identity profile] kadaria.livejournal.com 2009-10-24 07:13 am (UTC)(link)
For comparison fun let's say that your dog needs a c-section. Major surgery with over an hour of anesthesia, several days of hospitalization as well as all the diagnostics and medications may cost you about $5000 USD or less without pet insurance. You get 6 puppies.

This woman had 1 baby by c-section and it cost $22,000 with insurance.
http://www.doublex.com/section/news-politics/health-insurance-woes-my-22000-bill-having-baby?page=3,0

It should also be noted that in tough economic times people are more likely to forgo, abandon, surrender or euthanize animals rather than shell out for procedures.