The cost of vet care

[mekasmom]

Quote:
The last spay I had done was over three hundred dollars for a 90lb dog.

 

[rufus]

Medicine is expensive, wheather for people or animals. However, human doctors pay for malpractice insurance at a much greater rate. It runs my podiatrist $150,000 a month just in office rent, insurance and payroll.

If you cannot afford to feed and care for an animal, maybe you should not have the animal.

Some people who raise animals for a living have a great amount of knowledge about those animals, but if you just happen to have one or two animals as pets or as a hobby, you had better be ready to pay for the necessary skill and knowledge when needed.

People who carp about paying for vet service would not fix an automatic transmission or re roof a house for minimum wage. Why do they expect that from their vets?

When and if we have a national health insurance program, are the doctors going to work for minimum wage? I doubt it. Both of my doctors are getting out of the business. One is already into real estate and the other is going into the medical tourism business.

I don't see how we can provide health care to everyone without paying for the talent. You get what you pay for in this world.

Rufus

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Animals typically need anesthesia for a good dentistry. Older pets should have blood tests at a minimum prior to any anesthesia. This helps determine the safest anesthesia for your pet (there are several). IV fluids are often necessary as well to help the recovery from the anesthesia and keep the kidneys functioning well. Pain meds for some and perhaps antibiotics if they have an infection. Humans typically have insurance. My dog just had a broken tooth pulled and cleaning and it cost $485 soup to nuts.

I hate spending money but it is realistic considering all the costs involved. If you're concerned about costs ask what they all are for.

 

[Olive Hill]

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Just out of curiosity, what'd the baboon do to the dog that bit it? Any retaliation?

 

[Imp]

Sometimes vets have deals. You just need to ask, politely of course. I had a great vet that gave me 5% off cause all my cats were rescues. She would also let me bring in 2 cats at a time and only charge for 1 visit. She was very good to me when I had to make those one way trips- usually didn't charge me anything. Gosh I miss her. She got bored with the clinic setting and moved away to work at an animal ER.
My current vets don't give any discounts, but they send me home with lots of samples and they have a cabinet of donated stuff (leftover medicines, equipment etc) I've benefited from that greatly, a couple years ago when I had a very sick cat. So I cleaned out my pet cupboard and took it back to them for the next person.
I have neighbors that barter for their vet care. Usually working on the vets house.
There are also a few low cost vet clinics in the area that are 100% walk-in only. no appointments. They go for volume to keep costs down.

Imp-Just found out last week that I have a chicken vet on the next hill.

 

[thecochincoop]

there are clinics that can be found through your spca that do low cost spay neuters and vaccines. I would try contacting them first.

 

[onthespot]

Quote:
Just out of curiosity, what'd the baboon do to the dog that bit it? Any retaliation?

My boyfriend had bailed a new dog out of the pound and his way of "introducing" it to his two adult male macho bonded hunting dogs was to turn them all loose in the back yard. The baboon was inside her enclosure and the dogs broke out into a rolling dogfight that careened all over the yard and eventually got within grabbing distance of her and she reached out and grabbed whatever dog she could get a hold of, trying to be dominant and tell them to knock it off, and she got her finger bitten. She didn't do anything wrong. The boyfriend did. I made him pay for the entire vet bill. He was put out about it, and later on he was "put out" along with his things and told to have a nice life, somewhere else.

 

[momiphouph]

More and more I swear that animals are getting dumped due to the cost of vet care. My daughter brought home a pup (it's cute and there's a thread about it already). But my God I called the vet and the shots are somewhat reasonable. Then I had to ask about neutering. I got quotes from two local vets for a dog 30lbs or under. One was $75 and the second was $120. Good grief. I understand that veterinary medicine has gone high tech but at prices like these no wonder people don't spay or neuter when they should and there are so many unwanted litters that alot of the time end up being dumped.

With the cost of vet care and just plain caring for a pup that left it's momma too soon I might as well have had another child.

Thank you. Rant over.

Im coming in late and havnt read the whole thread but I just want to throw my 2 cents in too... Cause I contemplated ranting this afternoon after taking the 2 pups I found to the vet. I CAN NOT believe how much it cost!

Im sad and discusted by someone that would dump pups like this but it left me wondering... could they not afford vet care? Not making excuses for them but left me having more compasion (only a tiny bit more) not knowing the whole story. I cant belive how much it cost and all I did was have them checked, flea meds and get them dewormed... cost me 150 for both pups! Then I had to throw in my dog who has a UTI... another 150! I about fell over when they gave me the price!!!

All I could think is NO wonder they were dumped!!! GEEEE!!!

I am VERY glad we did the right thing and brought them home... I just didnt expect to spend so much and on top of this we still have to get shots...

I will say this... Money or not nothing is keeping someone from taking them to a shelter to at least have a fighting chance!!! Ok Im done... thanks for listoning to me rant!!​

 

[momiphouph]

I also want to add that I have a good friend who was going to school and working as a vet tech. She quit because she said it was getting to easy to put pets down. Sooo many people can not afford to treat them so they put them to sleep... it cost less. She said she just couldnt do it anymore! That is just sooo sad!

 

[BorderKelpie]

Ok, little OT, here, but I noticed something that scares me. You mentioned that the puppy is an Aussie or BC and the vet started her on Ivermectin?!?!?
Please watch that baby very closely. All the collie types are capable of carrying the MDR1 mutation that prevents them from metabilising certain drugs well, causing overdosing, sometimes leading to death. Ivermectin is the drug most often causing illness and death in collie type dogs (and sighthounds). I have dealt with ivermectin reactions in a Shetland Sheepdog and an Australian Shepherd. Be careful, with prompt treatment (IV fluids and supportive care) they can come around. But, it won't be cheap.(symptoms to watch for - he may start acting drunk, be lethargic and uncoordinated, seizures, coma)

Other than that little warning - best wishes to you and your new pup!