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Originally Posted by babiegurl  Well I survived my first vet visit with Zoey! They checked for parasites, fleas, ear mites and so far she is all good! Yay! Though I cried when they pulled the hair from her ears. Poor thing yepped and I had to leave the room! She was given frontline for flea prevention and next month I am to bring her back for heartworm testing/prevention and her rabies shot! Woohoo!!! However, I may go to the nearest humane shelter for vaccinations. They are definitely cheaper! |
So glad that Zoey passed her first exam with flying colors! Regarding going to the humane society or shelter for vaccinations, it will save you money, but it is probably no substitute for an annual examination by a vet. I don't know how it is in your area, but at the shelters around where I live, the rabies clinics are not run by vets. They have a vet tech that only gives a rabies shot, and someone else collects the $5 fee. They don't give the animals a physical, they don't give boosters for distemper, bortadella, or do fecal or blood work. They are just there to help people comply with the regulation that all pets must be immunized for rabies. They also cannot prescribe heartworm meds, which are essential for the health of your pets.
Over the years, my vets have caught things that I missed on my day-to-day caring for my pet (yeast infection in one of my cat's ears, onset of kidney disease that is only detectable by bloodwork, etc.)
So even if you have Zoey immunized at a rabies clinic, it is very important that she be checked annually by a veterinarian. You will still save on the rabies immunization.