In fairness Dogs rarely go to the vets, I treat them as I would myself because they can be off colour like we can. Stitches, stomach upsets, fevers tend to get dealt with here because I feel confident to do that. I was going to take Misty to the vet about a year because I thought she'd dislocated her hip (she fell jumping over a wall), she had because she wriggled and I heard it pop back in! a week of being inside and she's been perfect ever since.
I also wouldn't necessarily treat all dogs the same, I had Fred for 17 years and he was deep in my heart, I have had Luca for 5 months. What I would be prepared to do would be different.