$140 vet bill --- ouchie

took our newly adopted greyhound (Mint) to the vet yesterday to get her established, general physical and a couple of shots...

she's up to date on the rabies, but needed the kennel cough stuff and her distemper shot and blood work before we start her on heartworm meds. She also has had some diarrhea, which we thought was attributed to being in a new environment, but wanted it checked out anyways.

I couldn't get a fecal sample before leaving for the vet, but Mint graciously gave a fresh sample on the vet's waiting room floor...

Generally she's in good health. But the fecal sample revealed hook worms and a slight intestinal infection. We'll know today if the bloodwork for heartworm is ok or not.

between the office visit, pills for diarrhea, anti-biotics for the infection, a powder de-wormer for the hookworms, distemper shot, kennel cough spray and blood work --- big ouchie of $140....

for all that same stuff. And I know it is going to cost me more than $140. In fact, I'd consider $140 a bargain.

if it were for an uninsured human!

My SO always complains that he hasn't been to a doctor in eons (no insurance), but somehow we always manage to get the Little to the Cat Clinic every year.

I tell him if he needs rabies shots, we'll see that he gets them.

This will be the first year we have ever taken our dogs to a vaccination clinic for their yearly shots. They are two years old and healthy. I am having a lot of guilt over this, but we have visited four vet offices in the last four years and don't like any of them. Also, out here in CA the vet prices are at least 40% higher than our vet charged back East.

I was going to start a thread on this (Vaccination clinics vs Office visits), but this seemed a good place to comment :-).

have an expensive vet. Our vet does all that for 3 dogs at that price.

And we just dropped over $400 for a lump removal from one dog. (It was malignant but they got it all and the margins were clear.)

My vet here in Florida is about the same price range. Our two dogs have better health care than my wife and I. It is the price we must pay for the well being of our furry friends. I put off shots on my cat a number of years ago. He caught feline lukemia, died and I have never forgiven myself.

Over vaccination can be the source of a lot of problems. Be an informed pet owner and do research on overvaccination.
There is a lot of information on the internet about it.
In many cases yearly shots are merely a ploy for the vet to get you into his office to get $$ out of you.
Most vaccines are effective for much longer than 1 year.


Here is my previous post about over-vaccination with more info some links

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=243&topic_id=6392&mesg_id=6459

She's outside a few hours a day, and there's a feral cat colony behind us (she seems to steer clear of these bad girls after getting into a fight last year). Being the only open space around, we have a lot of squirrels, skunks, groundhogs, raccoons, possum, deer and other animals running around.

When we're "late" getting her shots, we get a lot of mailings from our Cat Clinic making us feel like bad cat people (after years of dogs and before getting the Little, I'd have said "owners", but now I know better)

excerpt:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Recreation/Pets/Cats/Issues/Health/Vaccinations/

It depends on the animal. You can now have them tested (yearly) to see if their immunity is sufficient to carry them through the next year without having another innoculation. I am very impressed by this. My cat began having reactions to the shots when she was around 10-years-old and I took her in three or four times each June - so she could get each shot a week apart and would not be so miserable. I wish titer tests have been available back then.

<http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm>

over the past few years he raised his prices by almost DOUBLE. I love him as my cats vet but I just cant afford his rates anymore. Each cat had $150 of shots this year. Shots, the exam, the fecal test (only took one poo for both of them), then they charged me $30 to clean my Sphynx's ears and OSHA fees.

I'd love to get paid $30 to clean cats ears... shees.. I'd be a millionaire after how many times I do it.

Good to know Mint has a good bill of health :) Hope shes liking her new home!

Part of the problem was that the ultrasound they did on his bladder was so damn expensive.

Of course, I'd spend a million to cure my cat. But it still stings.

bird back to the vet recently. :) When my Senegal started plucking her feathers, I had comprehensive tests done on both my birds by Brian Speer, who is arguably the best avian veterinarian in the United States. But damn! He charges a mint! No pun intended. :D

on Wednesday...we went to the one that is in Petsmart (Banfields). Got the full round of stuff like you did as the only shot the city shelter had given it was rabies. They had this program where you pay a start up fee of $69 and then you could either pay for a full year of the program or in monthly installments (starts at $15/month). I picked the basic program since Molly is only 2 yrs old but there were more plans that included more tests (all the way up to chest xrays and EKG's).

ANYway, the total bill for all the shots and fecal test/heartworm test, etc... was $84. I did get a couple other things that added to the bill like flea protection and preventative deworming medicine that I had to put her mouth tonight so the overall bill was a little more but the shots/tests were the $69 + $15 for first month.

This is my first experience with a vet so there are probably a LOT more posters who can give better suggestions...but as a newbie I was impressed with the service and the bill.

Here is their website that lists their "Optimum Wellness Plan" options and what is included in each level.

http://www.petsmart.com/banfield/index.shtml


http://www.banfield.net/health/owp_adults.asp (adult dogs)

http://www.banfield.net/health/owp_puppies.asp (puppies)

http://www.banfield.net/health/owp_kittens.asp (kittens)

find, and you will save a lot of money at the vets.

Spend your money on the food, not at the veterinarian.

Stick to holistic food...not supermarket food. The result wil be a healthier dog/cat, who will be with you for a longer time.

In most places the only legally required vaccination is rabies, and those are good for at least 3 years.

If there is an outbreak of something else in your area, you can make sure your pet is protected.

Check links at earlier posts in this thread and this link.

http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/animals.htm

Optimum Animal Nutrition & Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Veterinary Medicine

Try having a cat spend a week in intensive care. How does a $5,000 bill sound?

Fortunately, back then, I could afford to pay it...

I work with some young people who are just starting out and make very little money. But to them, it seems like a lot, first steady paycheck and all. The first thing they do is run out and get a dog. I think it costs around $1000 per year just for basic medical and food. So much more if you have a serious or chronic medical problem. I always tell them they can't afford a dog. But they do it anyway. I guess I understand. Dogs are so much fun!

that here in atlanta.