Is it just me or do you??

[Zahboo]

I do the pup shots myself, 5 dollars at the feedstore. I know when a dog is wormy, sick, or has an issue. We don't breed our dogs so we spay. All we really go to the vet for is to spay, and heartworm preventatives.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

We are very lucky to have an old timey country vet for the basics and a nice, modern vet - both within a 15 min drive. The country vet is walk-in, cash-only service, get what is needed, and out the door. Most of the time, the cost is $20 or less. Maggie's (lab) spaying cost $75. The modern vet will charge $50 just for the visit, plus charges for every little thing, even stuff you don't ask for. For example, I took in my Lab and the vet tech trimmed her nails (which really didn't need to be done since I do that myself) and it cost $18 extra on top of the cost of the vaccs and visit charge.

 

[cluckcluck42]

I don't believe in vaccines, for humans or people (with certain exceptions for each) so no I do not bring my cats to the vets. I recently had to get my two year old kitty fixed and I had a time trying to find a vet who wouldnt insist they get vaccinated. There is a lot of info online of the very serious side effects of vaccines on pets (and humans) so if anyone is interested, or thinks I am crazy, they should check it out.

My cats do not go outside and are not exposed to any diseases. When we get a dog we will get him vaccinated for rabies and treat him for worms and fleas.

If one of my cats got sick or injured of course I would bring them straight to the vet, and I would spend a good chunk of money to save their lives because my cats mean the world to me, which is why I have decided not to vaccinate. In my own conscience I could not live with vaccinating them, knowing what I know and believing what I believe. It's honestly hard to tell people that because they think you are giving your cat a death sentence, but really?? Cats have been living long, healthy lives with humans for thousands of years before vets came around. Not that I am against vets, I'm glad we live in a time where if something goes wrong with our pets we have somewhere to turn but I do think a lot of the things they press on us nowadays are unnecessary and potentially harmful. Even the foods that vets are selling to people are not truly good feed for cats, but its what they are told to do so they do it. I am working my cats toward a raw food diet with dry kitty food as a supplement.

Oh Edited to add- you can easily find heartworm preventative, worming meds and flea meds online for much cheaper then you would get them at the vet so that is where we get ours from.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Heartworm is everywhere that has mosquitoes(spelling). Here is a thread on heartworm prevention.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=310054

Heres one on Heartguard plus.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=324285


I do everything my self. I do give the the shots every 2 weeks to pups because of how a pups immune system builds but after that there is no reason to give the again. They are good for there lifetime. Same with rabies, once they have it it is good for there lifetime. But stupid laws are made to fill pockets.

 

[dieselgrl48]

I will be doing the rabies clinic from now on.It is insane to take one pet in and mosy charge office fee's now.We get vaccines some ourselves from Feed store.It's so much cheaper and it's not hard to do.

 

[cluckcluck42]

Quote:
Oh gosh I wish it was that cheap here! We have a spay neuter clinic that is near impossible to get a hold of, they are so busy. Vets typically charge between 250-500 around here. My friend got her cats done and she got all the extras the vet sold to her and it came to near 1000 for two cats!!

I got my cat done at a small local vet and it was 200 bucks including pain meds. That was by far the cheapest I could find and the rest insisted I get my cats a check up and vaccination prior to the spay, which I did not want. They were great though, she had peed herself on the way there and they cleaned the crate for us and cleaned her right up and were very nice about it, my fiance said.

 

[gritsar]

I have a very reasonable vet. Last year Jax got his puppy shots, rabies, heartworm preventive, and comfortis (for fleas), plus the cats (2) got treated and got their yearly shots and it was right at $100.
I have never spent more than $100 at her office. That includes spayings, various treatments and euthanasia for Charlie.
Both of our dogs will be on heartworm preventive for life, without fail. I've already lived through the heartbreak of heartworms once, with Charlie Girl. It will never happen to another dog of mine, if I can prevent it.
You get more than shots and other treatments at the vet. You get someone with many years of experience (in the case of my vet) actually putting their hands on the animal and sometimes finding things that we, the owners, might miss.

 

[yotetrapper]

I only take my dog to the vet if he is seriously ill. He got hit by a car and it severed his tail. His tail was hanging by a thread. I called the vet, who wanted $300 dock it. I sharpened a knife, cut the thread of skin that was there, and blue koted the heck out of it. I went to the farm store and bought a jar of injectable amoxicillian and injected him once a day for 10 days. He was fine, his fur and skin grew back out around the stub, and now you can't even tell it wasn't professionally done. Antibitotic - $12. Blue-kote - $5 Syringe - $3. $20 total. Saved $280.

 

[Boyd]

with the exception of rabies shots, my animals never see the vet unless its something I can't handle. My ma used to own a pet shop, and my grandma was a vet tech for 45 years. She forgot more animal medicine than any veterinarian I know personally. The basic skills she passed on

Something serious like surgery, snake bites, or cancers are what I'd use the vet for

 

[gritsar]

I have to correct myself. I have spent more than $100 at our vet. I just pulled out Kane (our younger GSD) medical records.
At the beginning of March, I took Kane to the vet. He was microchipped, had a stool check, got his puppy shots, I got six month supplies of iverhart (heartworm preventive) for both Kane and Jax, plus two doses of Comfortis. Total bill: $123.50
Worth every penny.