Veterinarian

[Major Tom]

I have my fingers crossed for your kitty DFW-M5 and have instructed my 3 to cross their paws for you too. In fact, the eldest is sleeping with her paws crossed right now.

Best of luck. It's always worrying when our pets go through these difficulties.

 

[eytonxav]

Thanks Major Tom

 

[braumeister]

There is a company called VCA Antech that has been aggressively buying small veterinary offices for years. They currently own

over 600 free-standing animal hospitals in 41 U.S. states and Canada

.

I believe this is a big part of the recent huge increase in vet costs.
Their stock symbol is WOOF (nice touch) and Morningstar has their one-year total return at over 49%.

Personally, I can't stand them. Bad experience when our favorite vet sold her practice to them and they turned it into a money printing machine (with dental procedures in the forefront).

 

[Live And Learn]

The industry plays on our emotions. As a kid we had a mixed breed mutt that we had gotten as a puppy. She lived to 14. Ate Alpo, went to the vet ONCE her entire life (as a puppy - she was totally constipated). My current dog is 7 and has cost me an average of $2700 a year - because I drink the Kool-Aid of the pet industry. However, I can't stop myself .... we are currently trying to figure out why she has soft poops. $2k so far with no diagnosis.

 

[ABQ2015]

Yesterday, I took our two cats in to this vet. It was close to $300 for each cat to get to vaccinations and to have a basic examination. She said our 7 year old female cat would need her teeth cleaned next year as there was a little bit of plaque building up. Then she said Tyler, our handsome male cat, needed a tooth pulled and his teeth cleaned. She explained that some cats, and they don't know why, are prone to cavities and have chronic teeth problems. She said it would be between $800 and $900 dollars!!!!

/QUOTE]

I don't know why the annual exam/shots would cost so much unless the vet also did blood work in preparation for the dental work. My cats' annual costs about $130 each including nail trim and city license. A full blood work panel cost me $180 a couple of years ago. The costs for the dental work sound about right (assuming it is necessary). My oldest cat's last dental cleaning to include the extraction of one tooth was $620. The anesthesia alone is $150 and the extraction was $200. It was a complicated tooth to remove as it had broken into pieces. But she was 12 years old at the time and it has been two years now and she has not required another cleaning. I spoil her by feeding her wet food which is not good for her teeth. I lucked out with the younger cat as she refuses wet food and eats only dry (or prey as she is also quite the little hunter).

Once my older cat hit about 10 years old, my vet bills escalated. It was $1400 last year and has already cost $600 this year to remove an external tumor. The vet thinks she has chronic pancreatitis and want to perform some expensive $500+ scan to verify - the $225 pancreatic blood panel is not conclusive.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

The industry plays on our emotions. As a kid we had a mixed breed mutt that we had gotten as a puppy. She lived to 14. Ate Alpo, went to the vet ONCE her entire life (as a puppy - she was totally constipated). My current dog is 7 and has cost me an average of $2700 a year - because I drink the Kool-Aid of the pet industry. However, I can't stop myself .... we are currently trying to figure out why she has soft poops. $2k so far with no diagnosis.

Inflammatory bowel disease

 

[Sarah in SC]

One thing I will also add, that if your animals, cats especially, have had 4-5 years of regular vaccinations, they likely have enough immunity motto require annual vaccinations after that. We don't have our adult cats on any vaccination schedule except 3 year rabies shots.

The dogs are on heartworm preventatives (a must in our state) and rabies, but are likewise not annually vaccinated after 5 years. This is a pretty common practice.

 

[sheehs1]

I've had a couple of situations thru the years where I have now adopted a belief that when it's their time to go, it's their time to go. The difficult thing is determining "when" that is and when it is "more for us" than it is for "them".

The first was our first schnauzer who at 3 years old, developed hemolytic anemia. We didn't know what it was before we were already $1,500 into it (17 years ago prices). Went the whole gambit with Internal Vet Specialist, chemo, doggie ICU, oxygenated tent and multiple blood transfusions. $4,000 later he still died. I swore I'd never put a dog or myself thru that again.

Last year we lost one of our then two schnauzers to complications from diabetes. Again for about 9 months I was on a roller coaster trying to get him stabilized. Within 6 months of taking insulin he was blind, then deaf. The morning he started having seizures, I woke my husband up, said let's go, called the vet and we put him down.

I agree with what Sarah from SC says regarding vaccinations. I keep them to a minimal and what is legally required as well.

The thing I hate is when we have to periodically board them. Our cat recently came back sick from boarding for 3 nights. Had to pay the vet bill for something she caught there. She still has a cough...and I need to take her in as she has already been on one round of antibiotics.

 

[dontworry]

We live in a very rural farming community and our vets do lots of large animal care. They are pretty conservative with advice regarding treatments so that helps. We have quite the little zoo going on here and our largest most expensive animals are our horses (3 horses and a pony). Not very frugal I know but can't imagine life without them. Our vet comes out once per year in the spring for all animal vaccinations and we try to do the minimal necessary.

 

[travelover]

......... We have quite the little zoo going on here and our largest most expensive animals are our horses (3 horses and a pony)...........

If you are ever forced to cut way back on spending, sell the horses and buy a boat and a plane.

 

[MRG]

The only service we use that I feel is too expensive is prescription dog food. Our Malteese can't handle anything except it. His digestive system is sensitive, he gets very ill on all regular dog foods, even the premium ones.

When he got up to almost 20 lbs. I took him in as I feared the complications that come with obesity. Explained to the vet the dogs health insurance(me) didn't cover joint replacements.

Oh there's a diet version, same price. He went from 20 lbs. to 12.5 in 6 months. So much more playful, happy. The other Shitzu/Japanese Chin mix eats with him so we get to buy it for 2 dogs. She went from 17.5 to 12 lbs. at the same time. So the dogs are more playful, happy, and active, at $80 a month they better be. Glad we don't have a Great Dane!

Stuff is amazing, just think I should be able to buy it without a prescription, and lower cost.
MRG

 

[aja8888]

Oh there's a diet version, same price. He went from 20 lbs. to 12.5 in 6 months. So much more playful, happy. The other Shitzu/Japanese Chin mix eats with him so we get to buy it for 2 dogs. She went from 17.5 to 12 lbs. at the same time. So the dogs are more playful, happy, and active, at $80 a month they better be. Glad we don't have a Great Dane!

Stuff is amazing, just think I should be able to buy it without a prescription, and lower cost.
MRG

Is this diet dog food fit for humans?

 

[dontworry]

If you are ever forced to cut way back on spending, sell the horses and buy a boat and a plane.

Haha! We are lucky because we are able to make our own hay and our horses are at home with us. If we had to board there is no way we would keep that many horses. We may sell one of our horses this spring, should really just have 2. Pony stays for grandkids and sentimental reasons.

Ps we have two boats, an older pontoon and a small fishing boat. My DH just put all new seats and carpet in the pontoon so should last us another ten years (hopefully). No plane .

 

[SumDay]

We have a breed of dog that is prone to horrific allergies. My research led me to decline the multitude of annual vaccinations, as many feel this compromises their immune systems, leading to itching, chewing, oozing, and various other charming habits.

I get the 3 year rabies shot, and don't take them back in between unless it's an emergency. We argue about the shots I refuse, but this dog has lived to be 9, which is old and longest we've ever had one of these dogs. I refuse the teeth cleaning, etc., and manage to get the heartworm meds renewed each year (after threatening to take all my business elsewhere).

I now kind of feel about vets like I do car and timeshare salespeople. Kind of sad. I know they need to pay their bills too, but there has to be a better way.

 

[Major Tom]

I now kind of feel about vets like I do car and timeshare salespeople. Kind of sad. I know they need to pay their bills too, but there has to be a better way.

Is there another vet in your area? They can't all be bad........

 

[aja8888]

Is there another vet in your area? They can't all be bad........

All the ones around here seen to have joined the same club....and we have been to most of them.

 

[Nodak]

I had a dog when I was a child, he lived to be about 15 and we took him to a vet once when he was hit by a car. In that vet visit he had his first and only rabies shot, the nearest vet was 75 miles away.

 

[Free To Canoe]

All the ones around here seen to have joined the same club....and we have been to most of them.

You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you get a prince.
I have stories out the wazoo about trying to find a reasonable vet in each new place we have moved to.

I think it is a little easier out here in the boonies. The word of mouth is pretty accurate but the selection is low.
It is hard to find a competent, caring problem solver. Extra points for if they know when they are in over their head and know where to recommend you to. Extra points if they are reasonably priced.

In my current situation, the one vet is competent but they charge what they want to. Also, I have a problem dog in that he gets aggressive at his vet visits. They are not good at handling this. I need to try the next recommended vet for this. Current vet is half hour away. The next potential is an hour away.

 

[sheehs1]

The only service we use that I feel is too expensive is prescription dog food. Our Malteese can't handle anything except it. His digestive system is sensitive, he gets very ill on all regular dog foods, even the premium ones.

When he got up to almost 20 lbs. I took him in as I feared the complications that come with obesity. Explained to the vet the dogs health insurance(me) didn't cover joint replacements.

Oh there's a diet version, same price. He went from 20 lbs. to 12.5 in 6 months. So much more playful, happy. The other Shitzu/Japanese Chin mix eats with him so we get to buy it for 2 dogs. She went from 17.5 to 12 lbs. at the same time. So the dogs are more playful, happy, and active, at $80 a month they better be. Glad we don't have a Great Dane!

Stuff is amazing, just think I should be able to buy it without a prescription, and lower cost.
MRG

We have to do the same MRG. Prescription low fat W/D from the vet. Anything else and our dog drops into pancreatitis. Bouts of that can lead to the diabetes so I suppose the way I have to view it is, it seems to be keeping the vet bills down on the other side of the fence....so to speak.

 

[Dreamer]

We have 5 cats. Our second cat had an eye problem when we adopted him. He had an eye surgery and then I was taking him to them constantly. I was still working full-time in my career job then. I can remember when she told me that they could not do anything else for him. I asked her what I was supposed to do with my Friday nights now and she just laughed. This is the same vet's office that we took our previous dog to for 17 years. We had Susie's (our dog) teeth cleaned and ended up having almost all of her teeth pulled. The 2 vets that owned the place were married and ended up getting a divorce and lots of new vets were in and out. Our vet bills were high. They started saying that our cats were going to need their teeth cleaned and one of them needed it soon. I had been thinking about switching to my son's vet. One of our cats, the same one that needed her teeth cleaned, developed an allergic reaction to our changing her cat food. Took her to our son's vet and they questioned me about any differences and I told them about the food. Gave her some meds and told me to put her back on her old food which fixed the problem. I asked the vet how much it would be for a teeth cleaning there. She looked at her teeth and said that her teeth did not need cleaned. I told her that she had been at the other vet and had her shots and they said her teeth needed cleaned. She looked again and told me that her own cat's teeth were about the same as my cat's teeth and that they did not need cleaned yet. I have since switched all 5 of the cats to the new vet's office. I am only getting what is absolutely necessary and only taking the cats in between time if a new problem occurs.

 

[Live And Learn]

Inflammatory bowel disease

That's what I thought also but the symptoms come and go (she has a flare up about once a month) and the ultrasound showed no evidence of inflammation so the vet does not believe it is IBD. The only way to diagnose IBD is biopsy of the colon, which means two days in the hospital for the "cleansing" - done by a series of suppositories (you can't get a dog to drink a gallon if icky tasting stuff !). We may have to go that route but the dog has a whole other set of psychological issues which makes the whole thing more complex. I think I'm going to ask to start IBD treatment in lieu of diagnosis since all the other likely suspects have been ruled out. Thanks for your concern - truly appreciated

 

[sheehs1]

Along the lines of this thread, we boarded our Siberian cat Jan2nd thru Jan 5th. After pick up and getting her home, her eyes looked glassy, were running continuously and she had a cough. She had neither on drop off. They gave her a bordetella shot without telling me or going over whether she needed it or not. (we boarded her s summer and I did not and do not know if she got one then...etc.)
I called the vet and they did give me liquid amoxycillin for her without my having to bring her in.
Her eyes were better and normal but she still has a cough she didn't have. I've been waiting to see if it will clear up.

Was at the vet today to pick up prescription food for our dog (10 minute errand). Told the secretary about it and asked to speak to the vet, mainly to see what possibilities there are for her still having her cough.

All they were say, is "bring her in". When prompted again to have a little conversation with the vet....the secretary returned with ...."bring her in".

I suppose I was a little irritated that the vet would not even "talk" with me about it prior to bringing her in. Meaning I wanted to know if it could be a side affect of the shot.

This vet does not make appointments. It's first come, first serve. When I go, I am ALWAYS there for at least 2 hours..or longer etc. So I have to allow either a morning or afternoon for a vet visit.

They shut their offices down between 12:00 and 2:00 and while she may have been busy doing others things, and I'm sure she was...there were "furry patients" present to be seen. She also was not in surgery.

Also I am sure "bring her in" would mean at least a $200 plus vet bill or more because what can she tell me without running all sorts of test

I suppose I just wanted some information. This is not my favorite doctor at this vet's office

 

[splitwdw]

sheehs1, Sounds like your cat has kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica bacterium). Discharge in eyes, coughing, sneezing. The kennel I go to requires your animal to be immunized before boarding (not at time of boarding) because it's highly contagious. Likely your animal caught it at the kennel. Treatment is usually antibiotics. If you have other animals they can catch it from your infected cat. The vet and vet assistant should know right away it's kennel cough without you bring the cat in. Do a search online for kennel cough. Had a dog get kennel cough at a different kennel than I go to now. They supplied the antibiotics for free.

 

[Sarah in SC]

The only vets in our area that don't make appointments are the "college student" vets downtown, that are super super cheap. If your vet is charging full freight AND you have to wait to see them, I'd find a new vet posthaste.

It isn't surprising they didn't want to put the vet on the phone, though. Docs hate when they are asked to make a diagnosis over the phone and just avoid the conversations altogether when possible.

 

[sheehs1]

sheehs1, Sounds like your cat has kennel cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica bacterium). Discharge in eyes, coughing, sneezing. The kennel I go to requires your animal to be immunized before boarding (not at time of boarding) because it's highly contagious. Likely your animal caught it at the kennel. Treatment is usually antibiotics. If you have other animals they can catch it from your infected cat. The vet and vet assistant should know right away it's kennel cough without you bring the cat in. Do a search online for kennel cough. Had a dog get kennel cough at a different kennel than I go to now. They supplied the antibiotics for free.

Thank you splitwdw. I'll research. She was on a round of antibiotics...but perhaps it was not for long enough. Perhaps I should call the vet back....and say if she has kennel cough, I don't think you want me exposing the other animals in the waiting room!