TAKE TO VET or TAKE OUT PET INSURANCE! - Page 4  

I think most people would take their pet to a vet-be it a $5 chicken or not-IF they were available.  If it were a free puppy, people would be taking it to a vet for needles, preventative medicine, etc.  I don't think the cost would be a huge factor if it were a pet.  Not in Canada, nor in the US.  I really think it's a matter of finding a vet, within a decent distance, that will treat a chicken. 

 

Kelly I know you understand this now.  I have many friends across the European countries and we constantly talk about vetting, but, Canada and US just don't have the access.  Personally, if I had a PET chicken, it would be far safer to have it vetted than me give it a needle, set a leg, diagnos a disease, etc.  Even a lot of the time we have the same problem no matter the animal.  Sadly, it is the access we don't have.  Many, many birds die (not just birds, but many farm animals as well) because of something that could be treatable if we had been able to access a proper farm vet. 

 

It's a very, very sad case over here.

Our human health insurance is enough to make me seriously consider moving countries. Pet insurance is limited at best, both in what animals you can cover, and if it'll actually save you anything.
http://www.consumerreports.org/pets/0307vet2.html
I've lived in some states that I consistently had deplorable vet experiences with. The last state I lived in, several different practices ripped me off more money than I want to think about, including demanding payment for surgeries that they did not perform! Poor consumer protection when it comes to vets.

When available, I have found low income farm vets to generally be more honest and also will generally look at any animal I bring them. They often do not have experience with some species I bring in, but say so up front and are generally willing to learn. I'm currently living in a city, and there is only one vet who will look at my rabbits and rats. Quite a drive too, and useless for emergency situations as they have limited hours and days. I just had to use them for my Elop, and spent an agonizing night waiting for them to open. Plenty of vets don't just refuse to look at my rats, but they also make the comment of, "a rat!? Ew!" It's highly professional. I imagine much the same would apply to chickens.

A comment I constantly hear in the US is, "if you don't have the money, don't have pets.". How much money ar we talking exactly? Enough for three heart surgeries and a stomach pump? Enough to predict that in five years, the person's living situation and income will be the same, because life never throws the unexpected? For me, I always ensure that I either have enough in the bank to pay for euthanasia for each pet I own, or have the means to perform humane euthanasia at home. If I can't afford treatment, I at least know that my animals had a great life, and that they will not be made to suffer. I may try home treatments, and have done so very successfully in the past. That's all I expect from anyone.

I think the OP is being a bit damning where most people here in the states who keep chickens are concerned. My birds are livestock first, and pets second. If anything bad were to happen to any of them, I'd rather put them down humanely myself than to stress them even more by taking them to a vet and then also spending tons of money to *fix* (or maybe not) a bird that cost me a few dollars. Maybe the OP does not truly understand birds. For one thing, they will mask very very horrific injury or illness almost to the point of death as a survival instinct. Also, chickens are pretty tough. They are not yappy dogs or kitty cats that need to be run to the doctor when they have a sniffle. Most of us know enough to treat basic things. And the big things are usually catastrophic enough to warrant culling the bird rather than spending hundreds of dollars on it. 

 

Remember folks, chickens are livestock first. 

 

 

In the united states PEOPLE are left to die with or without medical insurance. I watched SICKO and have seen the healthcare services in many countries including your own. It must extend to ALL animals not just humans.I am sad that we live in such a bad way here in the US.It is all about the money.When we can't afford to take our family to a doctor(and our family has health insurance) then there is little option for the animals.

 

We care about our animals.We really do,but we live in a very bad system that doesn't even care about people let alone animals.It is really horrid.

Prolapse? We fix those ourselves. Most are fixable if found in time. If not, you euthanize the poor hen. A vet isn't anymore equipped to deal with a minor prolapse than the chicken owner is. Fused bones? Never even heard of such, never saw it, would say it's 1 in 1,000,000,000 odds of having such a thing. Sounds like a culling ailment to me.

 

If I had a dog who needed super expensive surgery right now, do you know what I'd do? Opt to have her euthanized, which is why when my almost-fifteen-year-old dog is gone, we will not get another one. I do not have $$$ to care for my DH and myself, being retired military, in the U.S. system the way it operates, much less pay thousands of dollars for health care for any animal, not a dog, cat or chicken, even if a vet was available who was a whiz-bang with chickens, would lower himself to treat a chicken, and wouldn't charge me what he'd charge to treat a thoroughbred horse. If I had a $500 bill for a pet, that is 1/3 of my monthly cash to live on. Cannot do it in today's economy. Will not go into serious debt I can't pay for, either. And I'm not sure I'd take a chicken to a vet to play around with even if I could afford it, when I may know more about that bird's ailment and anatomy than he does.

 

To the OP: We aren't trying to be harsh here. We just want you to understand something. Nothing is the same in the U.S. as it is in the U.K., certainly not healthcare for humans or animals. We need for you to understand this. We care about our birds.

 

I have pets, not livestock. Each hen has a name and by golly, she knows her name, too! My roosters are the same. I would still euthanize one with a contagious respiratory illness or catastrophic injury, even if I had to do it through tears. What we cannot fix on our own, we will euthanize. Simple as that. There is no other choice here.
 

Edited by speckledhen - 4/22/12 at 6:03am

I agree with the poster that said its all about the money in the states. Sad but so true.

Here's another perspective on this subject: We can go into any feed store here in this country and purchase just about any kind of medication, vaccine, antibiotic or whatever without a prescription for our chickens...this includes online purchases, rather cheaply as well. No needless government regulations, documentation etc...not like in the UK.

http://www.noah.co.uk/issues/briefingdoc/05-poultry.htm

I have been reading a few posts here if anyone would be interested in taking a chicken or other bird to a vet I know the perfect one. It is called Stahl Exotic Vetranary care. He is located in Arlington, Virginia. I talked to the vets their and they have treated peacocks before and many other odds and ends animals. I took my bearded dragon their and they literaly pulled him back from the edge of death. They are also very kind and understand your animals are like family and treat them with respect. The only catch is it is very expensive... but they do work with you. When I took my bearded dragon in they told me different options I could do rather than go all out and spend $270. I spent $85 with the visit and medicine which was much better for my wallet. It was very hard to find this vet and I have to drive an hour to get there. I went through 4 other vets before I found this one. He also did an amazing amputation of one of my lizards legs as well (injury due to pet store). If you are able to fork out the money then I would recommend taking your bird there. Though I completely understand when it comes to having chickens and taking them to the vet. I'm in college at the moment and I don't have hundreds of dollar to through around if  a chicken gets ill/ injured. I always try to do my best to take care of them but sometimes you just need to let nature take it's course. Hope this helps someone looking for a good vet.