Cody & Duchess Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 You might get in touch with your local humane society. I think they are all independent - but the one here has programs to help. They want the pets to stay with owners, not come into the system. Maybe they have a reduced rate testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 But....isn't the point of year-round preventative PREVENTION!? If so....why would a vet need to test? I presume it is rare, but I know that our old family dog managed to get heartworms while she was on a monthly preventative. We didn't really notice any symptoms (she hadn't developed the cough yet), and only the yearly HW test is what told us she was positive. I still don't like having to test everyone every year though. Especially the cats, who are completely indoor cats and never miss a monthly preventative (much to their chagrin!). When we have to, we do share boxes among the two older cats who are in the same weight category. The dogs are hugely different weights though, so I can't away with that with them. Most humane societies that I have been involved with either have some low-cost programs or can point you towards some. Definitely worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I would guess that there is rarely a year when it stays above 57 degrees for 45 days straight in this part of the country. The mosquito just needs to find someplace that doesn't drop below 57 degrees, your attic for instance. I think that's why some vets advise yearround prevention even where it's too cold outdoors for mosquitos during part of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Back to the topic, I work in retail. I often field phone calls and in store "customers" who really just want me to spend the time that the company is paying me to work, in providing information to make it easier for them to purchase their merchandise elsewhere. I find that offensive and insulting. JMO. Laws or no laws regarding vets writing scripts for customers to use elsewhere, I think they have the right to charge for such a "service" (if it isn't part of an office visit, at least) and should have the right to choose to not provide scripts for out-of-house purchases (on items that can be bought in-house). I value my vets and work hard to have a good relationship with them. I expect I'd be offended (or at least disappointed) if they asked me how to buy pasture-raised beef elsewhere when I have good beef to sell, and I wouldn't insult them by asking for them to provide script to purchase meds elsewhere. If they were willing to match prices, well, I could find that out by asking. I don't cover up that I buy flea control in larger doses and divide it up myself. I don't hide that I buy Lepto 4-Way (that they wouldn't sell to me at a reasonable price) and give the shots myself (actually, when my vet found out that office staff had said that I couldn't get it from them reasonably, he said to talk directly to him next time and he'd help me get it at a good price). My vet, his partners, and the staff are always there when I need them. I give them my business but I can afford to do so. If I couldn't, they would work something out that I could manage. The relationship goes both ways. I do have sympathy for those who are stretched thin and are finding it hard to cover all the bases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 "Laws or no laws regarding vets writing scripts for customers to use elsewhere, I think they have the right to charge for such a "service" (if it isn't part of an office visit, at least) and should have the right to choose to not provide scripts for out-of-house purchases (on items that can be bought in-house). " Sue, I am curious about this... I had never really thought about this practice (vets charging a fee to write an Rx) until it came up for Sol at our current vet. He had gut issues on/off and kept winding up on metronidazole/Flagyl fairly often. The vet would want to charge $30 for the med. Part of what I do all day is help (human) patients find affordable options for needed healthcare and negotiate rates, etc....and a human prescription for the same drug is $4 at WalMart (and Kroger/Target/etc...) I pointed this out to them..and they responded that they would write the Rx for a $12 fee, so $16 total, still better than the $30...but I was still a little chafed. I am trying to figure out where that practice came from in vet medicine... Has it been around for a while (and just something I did not happen to experience before)? I mean, I know it would feel "wrong" to have one's human physician do that...what is being paid for is (or should be) the expertise of the vet, the clinical knowledge, the exam, surgical service, whatever. I guess I have no qualms about asking/telling my human doctor that I have to manage our healthcare costs, so would he please write the Rx for the, say, diabetic test strip that is the least expensive, or order an xray at a facility that gives me a discount? I guess I don't like it in human medicine when the clinician has some sort of financial interest in selling a product that he leverages... when it makes obtaining the appropriate treatment harder for the patient. I know it happens "off the record"---the internal medicine guy sends all his cardiology referral to the same group in an "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" kind of way, but to have it explicitly stated "I won't give you an Rx for the clinically appropriate treatment I recommend unless you buy it from me" feels kind of icky. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theshine Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I have no problem buying the actual preventative from the vet...I looked around online and it turns out my vet has a pretty good price as it is, buying online would only save me about $5. It's the fee for the test that threw me...I don't remember it last year either, but then we had money last year, so I had no prob plunking down $250 per dog for "whatever they needed for the year"....I give them alot of business, I really do. I have four dogs and two cats. Last month alone we were in for x-rays and blood work on two different dogs. Considering how much I am in, that they know me and my dogs by name, that they know I always buy my HW prev there, I just expected more help than I was given. I did find a clinic through the humane society though that will do the test for $26 per dog, and I'm going there on May 2. After that I'll take the results to my vet and buy the HW prev from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoloRiver Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Trust me, I pay my fair share of vet bills, and I also know what it's like to be really, really short on funds, but I have a really, really hard time nickel and diming my vets. Considering the overhead that vets have to field just to remain in business, veterinary care is a ridiculous bargain, especially when you look at the costs of human healthcare. I consider $40 pretty reasonable for a test, and would rather that my dogs' vet is familiar with my dogs as individuals and that they have good histories on all of my dogs. I know, it is a difficult position to be in. I have used low-cost vaccination clinics and other services, and when I got Fly spayed I used a low-cost spay/neuter voucher from the humane society and took her to the low-cost clinic, because I just didn't have the money to do it reasonably any other way. On the other hand, I also knew that the care the dogs were getting was not as good when I shopped around like this, because the tradeoff was that their regular vets did not see them as often and were not as familiar with their health histories and needs. They also did not know me as well. As Solo and Fly get older, it has become more and more important to me that they have a consistent healthcare practitioner who sees them regularly and knows them, and me, well, especially since Solo has particular healthcare needs that normal dogs don't (like being sedated before examination). I'm not saying you made a bad decision, just that it's a complex situation and there really isn't an easy decision. I know the feeling of sticker shock, as all three of mine went to the vet a couple of months ago for regular exams. Solo and Fly got geriatric exams that cost more, and Fly ended up needing two teeth removed, so in the end the total cost was pretty frightening, but I am confident that they all got excellent care and have better peace of mind knowing my two oldsters have been recently "tuned up." The clinic did write me scripts for all the necessary meds, which I fill elsewhere, at no cost, so I did save some money but really it was a drop in the bucket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Is Ivermectin safe for Border Collies? Yes and no. (I was only discussing this with a vet friend a couple of days ago.) Some collies carry a gene which means that an overdose of a product containing Ivermectin could be fatal. The margin for dosage error is much narrower than with other products so administering it to your dog without knowing 100% what you are doing can be very risky. Personally I wouldn't touch it as there are safer alternatives that don't carry the same risk but I guess if you live somewhere where it's the most effective treatment for a dangerous parasite then you have to do a risk assessment. Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Well, I'll be the other side of the coin from Sue and Melanie. Maybe the difference is that I have nine dogs (and up until this year, five cats, now only two, as well as a flock of sheep, all of which require veterinary care) and my vet expenses amount to thousands of dollars every year (and I'm not kidding). Earlier this year, I was spending $200/week on vet visits for Boy alone (over a two-month period--you do the math), and I was dealing with a recurrence of Willow's mast cell tumor and a toe injury on Pip at the same time (and this all following on the heels of treating one very sick cat--who originally just went in for a tooth infection--after recently having a dentistry--and who eventually died). Do I think I'm insulting my vet when I ask him to write a prescription for a medication I can get way cheaper elsewhere? No, I don't. My vet knows full well the boatloads of money I spend with him, and I think he also understands that I need to save where I can so I can afford to do the "big ticket" items as they're needed. If I have to choose between risking insulting my vet by asking for a prescription or buying Advantix online vs. being able to pay for a chest X-ray for Jill because her recent cough sounds suspiciously like something related to a heart problem, I think the choice is pretty simple. If my geriatric dogs who are on long-term NSAIDs need regular kidney and liver checks, I don't think it's wrong for me to ask if the in-house pre-anesthetic panel (much cheaper than the tests sent out) will suffice to keep tabs on kidney and liver function. And I don't think my vet would disagree. What amounts to an insult or a drop in the bucket to some could mean the difference between getting timely and appropriate care to others. As I've said a gazillion times before, here and elsewhere, if you have a good relationship with your vet, then all this stuff is on the table all along and there are no surprises later. If you don't have a good relationship with your vet, then yeah, maybe s/he'll be insulted that you buy your meds online or wherever, but I think most vets do have their patients' (and the patients' owers') best interests at heart and want to help where they can. I don't feel guilty asking my vet for that help when I need it. In turn, I try to be a good client, pay bills on time, not be too demanding, etc. It's a relationship that you cultivate like any other. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokjbc Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Trust me, I pay my fair share of vet bills, and I also know what it's like to be really, really short on funds, but I have a really, really hard time nickel and diming my vets. Considering the overhead that vets have to field just to remain in business, veterinary care is a ridiculous bargain, especially when you look at the costs of human healthcare. I consider $40 pretty reasonable for a test, and would rather that my dogs' vet is familiar with my dogs as individuals and that they have good histories on all of my dogs. Thank you Melanie for saying this! As the person who pays the bills (not literally , but I write the checks) and does the payroll, I think it would amaze people what our costs are every month as a relatively small, 3 doctor practice. We try to keep our funds in the mid-range- but we are also firm believers in keeping a quality, educated staff. For humans, the costs of xrays, hospitals, lab work, etc are all kept, for the most part, seperate from the general practitioner. For an owner veterinarian- they have on top of building/lease and high staff costs, leases for lab machines, payments on x-ray machines & ultrasounds, purchasing of all monthly supplies (for our practice that is $10-15,000 a month to one distributor alone and not counting food. ). We don't charge for scripts given to another vet or human pharmacy (we do encourage scripts to the $4 Target/Walmart medications, if the client wishes to save $) but we do not give scripts to internet pharmacies- too dubious as to where they are getting their product. The internet pharmacies have not helped matters by presenting the vets office as a horrible, inconvienent place to go (and inaccurate, as they would still have to go to the vet just as often, in order to keep up a yearly exam/test if required). My dad recently had pre-operative diagnostics for a minor knee surgery that cost over $1200, for a geriatric pet having the same workup at our clinic, it would have been less than $400. Vets are constantly being lectured by experts that they give too much away, but I've found that the best vets often do. I think it's unfortunate though when people expect or demand that the veterinarian give them a break because they choose to have multiple animals or because they adopted a dog, or fed this cat (it's not my cat...I just feed it!). The treatment to the multiple animal, the stray cat, the adopted dog is the same on our end as to the pampered single pet- yet it is very common that people expect a discount in these situations. In many cases, we might only charge one exam for two or three pets, or otherwise give a break to people who are struggling, but the quickest way to get a straight, by the service bill is to act entitled to a discount. Even more frustrating is to have someone beg to bill for services, they refuse to apply for Care Credit, but when we mention that we charge interest as well, they pull out the credit card, which they had all along and pay that way. They want us to give a payment plan with no interest, but they've had means to pay all along. Just a vent, from the other side of the desk .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Billadeau Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Yes and no. (I was only discussing this with a vet friend a couple of days ago.)Some collies carry a gene which means that an overdose of a product containing Ivermectin could be fatal. The margin for dosage error is much narrower than with other products so administering it to your dog without knowing 100% what you are doing can be very risky. Personally I wouldn't touch it as there are safer alternatives that don't carry the same risk but I guess if you live somewhere where it's the most effective treatment for a dangerous parasite then you have to do a risk assessment. Pam Pam, Standard collies have a high incidence of the mutation that makes them sensitive to ivermectin (and many other drugs); this mutation is NOT present in pure bred border collies according to those who developed and are running the genetic test (I have personally contacted these people). Many vets were saying (and some may still be saying) that border collies are sensitive to ivermectin because they have heard it from others (and read it on the internet); however, the testing data does not support this. If a dog is sensitive to ivermectin it is also sensitive to ALL heartworm preventatives since they are all in the same class of drugs (this too has been proven by the researchers who developed the genetic test); therefore, if you are worried about reactions to ivermectin you should be equally worried about reactions to ALL heartworm preventatives. The bottom line is no pure bred border collie has been shown to have the mutation that makes dogs "sensitive" to ivermectin. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Please, those of you giving advice on Ivermectin and MDR-1 - actualy *look up* the fact that the Border Collie has *never been found to have the gene*. Ivermectin is a cheap and effective form of HW control for someone with few financial options. I work in human med. Nobody charges for scripts, you can fill them wherever you want. To pedal medications for personal profit in the same office is considered professionally unethical in most clinics. For script requests established relationship is required, but very subjective based on the drug requested. If its a refill of a chronic medication, then seeing someone within a year is about all that's needed in most causes. You might, and probably should, ask for updated labwork but an office visit charge is not needed for that. If they call with a uti or the flu and you've seen them in a year most docs will call you in what you need without questions. You have to consider people's budgets, reality, etc. Human med has problems, but it's tops compared to the stuff we put up with vets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Devils Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 $70 for titres is about what my vet charges. I will usually buy a 1 year supply of HW meds and split between 2 dogs of the same weight (so do this for my 4 dogs). I have also spent a ton of money at my vets. They are willing to give me a break at times because I have a good relationship with them. I can call and get an appt same day (so can most everyone though), I can call and ask for a prescription like I did when Tempe needed xanax for her thunderphobia (they took my word about her symptoms), they don't charge me the office fee except once even though I took in 2 dogs, etc... Now I have also done flyball demos for them. They do an Open House yearly and I get a couple folks to participate from the team. The vets actually gave me a credit on my account for doing it. I did not ask for it or expect it. I love my vets and anyone I recommended to them never leave either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Thank you Melanie for saying this! As the person who pays the bills (not literally , but I write the checks) and does the payroll, I think it would amaze people what our costs are every month as a relatively small, 3 doctor practice. We try to keep our funds in the mid-range- but we are also firm believers in keeping a quality, educated staff. For humans, the costs of xrays, hospitals, lab work, etc are all kept, for the most part, seperate from the general practitioner. For an owner veterinarian- they have on top of building/lease and high staff costs, leases for lab machines, payments on x-ray machines & ultrasounds, purchasing of all monthly supplies (for our practice that is $10-15,000 a month to one distributor alone and not counting food. ). We don't charge for scripts given to another vet or human pharmacy (we do encourage scripts to the $4 Target/Walmart medications, if the client wishes to save $) but we do not give scripts to internet pharmacies- too dubious as to where they are getting their product. The internet pharmacies have not helped matters by presenting the vets office as a horrible, inconvienent place to go (and inaccurate, as they would still have to go to the vet just as often, in order to keep up a yearly exam/test if required). My dad recently had pre-operative diagnostics for a minor knee surgery that cost over $1200, for a geriatric pet having the same workup at our clinic, it would have been less than $400. Vets are constantly being lectured by experts that they give too much away, but I've found that the best vets often do. I think it's unfortunate though when people expect or demand that the veterinarian give them a break because they choose to have multiple animals or because they adopted a dog, or fed this cat (it's not my cat...I just feed it!). The treatment to the multiple animal, the stray cat, the adopted dog is the same on our end as to the pampered single pet- yet it is very common that people expect a discount in these situations. In many cases, we might only charge one exam for two or three pets, or otherwise give a break to people who are struggling, but the quickest way to get a straight, by the service bill is to act entitled to a discount. Even more frustrating is to have someone beg to bill for services, they refuse to apply for Care Credit, but when we mention that we charge interest as well, they pull out the credit card, which they had all along and pay that way. They want us to give a payment plan with no interest, but they've had means to pay all along. Just a vent, from the other side of the desk .... Serious/curious question, Jaime----do vets not consider "going the way of" human medicine and as nowadays, do the labs/xrays "out of house"? I know it would cost quite a bit more (and does, I guess) for a solo or small grp practice to have their OWN xray equipment/someone trained to shoot the film/radiologist to read, etc. vs. pooling these svcs in a central location...yes? no? And, as to giving care away---we humans expect it ALL. THE. TIME. That's why your Tylenol costs $1.00/pill if you get it in a hospital setting...you are subsidizing the 3 people ahead and behind you in line who have no/inadequate insurance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Serious/curious question, Jaime----do vets not consider "going the way of" human medicine and as nowadays, do the labs/xrays "out of house"? I know it would cost quite a bit more (and does, I guess) for a solo or small grp practice to have their OWN xray equipment/someone trained to shoot the film/radiologist to read, etc. vs. pooling these svcs in a central location...yes? no? Not Jaime, but in some instances, and especially for the really big stuff, vets (especially in rural areas) will send you to a specialist who has the needed equipment to do the procedure. My vet now and the vet I had before this did not have ultrasound capability. There is one (or more) traveling vets who specialize in US and will come to various practices on set days and do nothing but ultrasound patients. If I want to have an ultrasound done on Willow's heart, this is what I'll have to arrange (or else get a referral to a practice that can do the procedure). In the past, my vet sent me to an internal medicine specialist for ultrasound of Boy's kidneys. Similarly, when my first old Siamese was in kidney failure, I was sent to a specialist who could measure his blood pressure, which required equipment most vet practices (back then at least) didn't have. I've never been to (or worked for) a vet who didn't at least have basic equipment like an X-ray machine. I think often, and especially in emergency cases, it makes sense to have certain equipment on site to expedite the care of a patient (e.g., being able to take an X-ray in house is probably a critical function). Most vets also have the equipment needed to do basic bloodwork. But you're right that it would be cost prohibitive for most vets to have all the state-of-the-art equipment that might be available. I think they rely on specialty practices and even vet schools, if there's one close by, for specialized care and diagnostics, so in that respect are already operating much like is done in human medicine.. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Wow, I couldn't imagine spending the monies on vet visits that some do, no disrespect, it's great that some can do it. But, I wonder, how many others feel guilty about not being able to do it when they read that it is expected by others? Yesterday we had a little Boston Terrier show up, someone dumped him and I just couldn't let him continue farm jumping, the neighbor said that he's been hanging around looking for a handout for about 2 weeks. He's house broke, get's along with other dogs, loves to ride shotgun in the car and followed me around the farm this morning while I did chores, not interested in running off. When I went into the barns he would lay and wait for me outside of the gate or door. This thread makes me wonder if people are just turning them loose instead of having to deal with the judgement related to not being able to care for them. There is alot of pressure right now on people that try to rehome a pet due to not being able to afford them, and each time they look at that little dog it's a reminder. This little guy is too nice of a dog and well adjusted to have been owned by a bad person, he wants to be with someone. BTW, anyone want to adopt a dog, he answers to the name of Fezz??? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I agree there is a lot of judgement involved with "not being able to pay for your furbaby's care". It's too bad. I spend a lot of money on vet bills compared to the income of others, but I also have 300+sheep, 20+ dogs, plus assorted other creatures of varying degrees of senility and illness. My bills are *low* when balanced against what I get for it, but it's still not cheap. I am willing to pay, promptly and fully without arguement, for services of a vet that I can't do. But if I *can* do it - from buying online to doing the grunt work myself (taking the sick puppy home and monitoring the iv for example) i *expect* my vet to help me out. If the vet wants to charge for something, he has to show me how paying for it will change the outcome or treatment. For example once we established Jo was in renal failure and that the diet I made for her was appropriate then we stopped doing bloodwork and repeat rechecks. Why? Because there was nothing else we could do that was appropriate for her age or her diagnosis. If the bloodwork said "worse" we didn't change it, if it said "better" we didn't change it. The same with the OP question. She's financially strapped. If the dog was HW+ then the treatment thats the cheapest and safest would be to continue the preventative. If the dog is HW- then he still needs to continue the preventative. Either way, the dog needs preventative!!!! The cheapest outcome then is to give that script! The vet can do a brief courtesy visit, get a waiver if they feel it's necessary. Both could be done well under $40 and would create a lot more good relations with an owner than bills they can't afford. The owner can also use that money for other things that would help the dog - like paying her rent, for groceries, etc. Those minor things that people without jobs have to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I agree there is a lot of judgement involved with "not being able to pay for your furbaby's care". It's too bad. I spend a lot of money on vet bills compared to the income of others, but I also have 300+sheep, 20+ dogs, plus assorted other creatures of varying degrees of senility and illness. My bills are *low* when balanced against what I get for it, but it's still not cheap. I am willing to pay, promptly and fully without arguement, for services of a vet that I can't do. But if I *can* do it - from buying online to doing the grunt work myself (taking the sick puppy home and monitoring the iv for example) i *expect* my vet to help me out. If the vet wants to charge for something, he has to show me how paying for it will change the outcome or treatment. For example once we established Jo was in renal failure and that the diet I made for her was appropriate then we stopped doing bloodwork and repeat rechecks. Why? Because there was nothing else we could do that was appropriate for her age or her diagnosis. If the bloodwork said "worse" we didn't change it, if it said "better" we didn't change it. The same with the OP question. She's financially strapped. If the dog was HW+ then the treatment thats the cheapest and safest would be to continue the preventative. If the dog is HW- then he still needs to continue the preventative. Either way, the dog needs preventative!!!! The cheapest outcome then is to give that script! The vet can do a brief courtesy visit, get a waiver if they feel it's necessary. Both could be done well under $40 and would create a lot more good relations with an owner than bills they can't afford. The owner can also use that money for other things that would help the dog - like paying her rent, for groceries, etc. Those minor things that people without jobs have to do Good points, Lenajo---this kind of healthcare financial triage is becoming more and more critical (for humans), esp as the costs skyrocket. I know it "bumps up against" a lot of things that can be touchy subjects---is healthcare a right? a privilege? a necessity? a luxury? Is everyone entitled to something, but not necessarily everything? Where is the cutoff?....all those pointed questions...and what about the clinicians and their wish to pursue a profession and be fairly compensated? And, yeah, I am happy when my own doc takes the time to talk with me about "well, I'd like to do X medication or tx for $60, but it's fair to consider the whole picture and give Y, the $4 treatment a try".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokjbc Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I've never been to (or worked for) a vet who didn't at least have basic equipment like an X-ray machine. I think often, and especially in emergency cases, it makes sense to have certain equipment on site to expedite the care of a patient (e.g., being able to take an X-ray in house is probably a critical function). Most vets also have the equipment needed to do basic bloodwork. But you're right that it would be cost prohibitive for most vets to have all the state-of-the-art equipment that might be available. I think they rely on specialty practices and even vet schools, if there's one close by, for specialized care and diagnostics, so in that respect are already operating much like is done in human medicine.. J. Exactly- for emergency services, there is a certain amount of diagnostic equipment needed. I'd say we have a little over the bare minimum, with in house lab, x-ray and ultrasound. We make great use of specialty services (which are astronomical to walk in the door, btw) and we just upgraded last year to digital x-ray so we have the capability to send x-rays to a boarded radiologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I have two dogs and we bring one dog in every 6 months just to spread out the cost of the tests. Each 6 months I pay for 1 test and 12 months of HW meds. I split the 12 months between the two for the next 6 months until the other goes in. Both dogs get checked yearly as they should, the vet still gets paid the same, spreading it out just makes budgeting easier. I am actually thinking about opening a savings account specifically for their routine vet care and just dividing my annual average cost by 12 and putting it in there monthly for when it is needed. I budget everything else monthly (whether it is paid monthly or not) so why not vet care? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokjbc Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Wow, I couldn't imagine spending the monies on vet visits that some do, no disrespect, it's great that some can do it. But, I wonder, how many others feel guilty about not being able to do it when they read that it is expected by others?Deb I don't read anything here, nor was anything I posted meant as a judgement on those who can't afford to take care of their pets. Heck, I have way too many dogs for what I could afford- a big reason I work for a vet . My judgement was reserved for those who insist that they are entitled to discounted services, that the vet is responsible for their choices. My vets and my staff work hard to provide quality care, and we bend over backwards to help those in true need- including giving away free cat food to an elderly lady who just had her one little cat she couldn't even afford to feed. If someone dumps their dog because they can't afford to take care of it- I do reserve judgement for that. Who couldn't find a home for a nice purebred Boston Terrier? One of our clients, an elderly couple also who took excellent care of their two eight year old Bostons recently adopted them out through rescue because they were moving to assisted living and could not take them. They found homes within the week. I know times are hard, clients we had who were throwing money at us a few years ago are asking for payment plans today- there is no shame in asking and if it's an established client, we'll do what we can to help while keeping our bills paid too. It's the attitude of "my vet better give me a good deal or else!" that I hate to hear and I do find it insulting and in some cases, manipulative. A good example of that is the lady who had an "oops" litter tell us that it was OUR fault because our surgery prices were too high. I guess a litter of pups (which now has Parvo, oh joy!) is cheaper than a dog spay . It's even more annoying when our spay/neuter prices are the lowest in the area because we believe strongly in keeping them affordable, keeping them as low as we can without compromising our standard of care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I am actually thinking about opening a savings account specifically for their routine vet care and just dividing my annual average cost by 12 and putting it in there monthly for when it is needed. I budget everything else monthly (whether it is paid monthly or not) so why not vet care? We have a seperate checking account for the animals that everything but the horse grain and dog food comes out of. We just found it was an easier way to make sure that we didn't touch hay money or vet moeny for anything else, plus it gives us emergency cash should anyone have to be rushed to the vet. I can certainly understand the points that vets have been known in the past to give away too much and I agree, but our horse vet has gone completely off the deep end with knit-picking charges. Two years ago I had them out for a bad abcess on my mare (I have been a client there for over 15 years, my parents for over 25 years) and was charged $3 for half a roll of vet wrap as well as $2 for gauze and $2 for duct tape...are you kidding . So I now make sure that I have all the wrap supplies on hand and have them use mine instead of theirs. Deb, Congrats on your new dogs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokjbc Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I can certainly understand the points that vets have been known in the past to give away too much and I agree, but our horse vet has gone completely off the deep end with knit-picking charges. Two years ago I had them out for a bad abcess on my mare (I have been a client there for over 15 years, my parents for over 25 years) and was charged $3 for half a roll of vet wrap as well as $2 for gauze and $2 for duct tape...are you kidding . So I now make sure that I have all the wrap supplies on hand and have them use mine instead of theirs. Deb, Congrats on your new dogs... Just out of curiosity, was that in addition to a bandaging charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 It's the attitude of "my vet better give me a good deal or else!" that I hate to hear and I do find it insulting and in some cases, manipulative. I'm sure it can be. It is a free market though, and the best deal for the dollar has to be considered by both parties. I believe in paying fair price for services. I don't feel I owe my vet a living. He chose this profession, and just like the rest of us in private industry he can adjust to offer what people need and want. Overpricing for office visits, gouging for unneccessay testing, charging for items like scripts because we refused to by overpriced medication in house are wrong. In most cases he would make even more money if he willingly from me if he would get better lab equipment, better staff, and better monitoring during surgery for example. Those things I will pay for because they improve outcome. The fact that most of them won't do that says a lot. For example Why is it they still sell yearly shots, but I have to beg and rant to get reliable bloodwork? And how about charging for an overnight stay when there is no one in the clinic checking on the dog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 As Julie said, it's all about the relationship and making sure that you and your vet put all the cards on the table. We all are in similar and yet differing situations, and ability to pay for certain services and supplies absolutely varies with our personal circumstances and choices. I know folks who would put money they don't have (go into debt) into caring for a terminally ill animal or an animal that would need a lot of financial input for a quality life, and others who would make a different choice. It's not up to me to judge them, but just to make decisions for myself. I certainly hope that folks are able to afford the care they feel needed for their animals of all sorts, and can figure out ways to deal with making health care affordable in their situations. And, yes, sadly enough there are animals being turned loose, dumped in shelters, and dropped off at other people's farms/houses because their owners can not afford adequate maintenance of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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