No Legoland, kids, I have to pay this exorbitant vet fee

How much is too much to spend taking care of a beloved family pet?

- VICTORIA RICHARDS

Recently, I had to fork out another small fortune on blood tests for the man of the house: China. He's 15 and a distinguished black rescue moggie, but has been showing signs of his old age and signs of distress. I booked an emergency appointment at our local veterinary hospital, which is part of a chain with dozens of branches across London. The vet took blood, leaving him with a sad, shaved patch of fur below his neck, telling me she would call with the results in a couple of days. “You can pay at reception,” she said.

And I did. Oh, I did. “That'll be £311,” the receptionist told me, completely unfazed. “Just pop your card in for me.”

My card, I’m afraid to admit, didn’t have £311 on it to spend - so I had to put it on my credit card and mentally calculated what I would now not be doing with my children for the rest of the month. We wouldn’t be going to the cinema, we wouldn’t be getting a Friday night takeaway - and we wouldn’t be taking a day trip to Legoland over half-term. How could we? I’d just spent all our “spare” money on vet bills.