20 Ways to Cut Vet Costs
 

VETERINARY SERVICES

1. Pay vet bills of $50 or more by credit card. That gives you federal Fair Credit Billing Act rights to dispute a bill for unsatisfactory service, which you don't otherwise have.

2. Choose a vet before you need one. Ask for price quotes for annual exams plus nonroutine big-ticket items, such as repair of a broken limb, surgery rate per hour, and gastrotomy.

3. Ask for discounts. More than 60 percent of vets cut the cost of annual checkups if you bring three or more pets; nearly half offer a 10 percent discount for senior citizens.

4. Talk to your vet about giving booster shots every three years instead of annually.

5. Check prices for shots and spay/neuter services at a humane society or SPCA, which can be less expensive than a vet. Some also provide free or low-cost services to low-income and senior-citizen pet owners.

6. Keep copies of all itemized bills and health records in one folder so you can easily change vets if necessary.

7. If you must use a higher-priced emergency veterinary hospital after hours, schedule follow-up visits with your regular vet during business hours.

8. Get a second opinion before approving pricey treatments.

9. Research pet disorders and consult a good pet-health-care reference. The detailed Merck Veterinary Manual is free online at www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp.


PHARMACEUTICALS

10. Ask for a written prescription from your vet so you can shop for the best price.

11. Shop for pet drugs at regular pharmacies, which often beat vet prices. But don't dispense drugs from your medicine cabinet without consulting your vet. Ibuprofen can kill a dog; acetaminophen, a cat.

12. Ask your vet to prescribe a generic drug when possible. And buy in bulk drugs that you will be refilling long term.


PREVENTION

13. Get a cat. They have fewer serious health problems and genetic diseases than dogs. (This is kind of lame!) :D

14. Exercise your pet, and don't overfeed it.

15. To fight tartar and plaque, buy dry cat or dog food or specially formulated treats. Check teeth for fractures and gums for bleeding. Treat dental disorders so bacteria don't spread and cause bigger problems.

16. Keep pets fenced or leashed when outdoors to prevent them from getting hit by a car.

17. Store drugs and chemicals out of your pet's reach.

18. Ask your vet about giving your pet heartworm drugs.

19. Use a flea and tick product.

20. Choose your breed and breeder carefully to reduce the risk of genetic disorders.

Taken from Consumers Reports: ConsumerReports.org - Pets & vets, 20 ways to cut vet costs 7/03

:thumbup:Great tips Nancy!

Thanks for the list. I go to a vet for all my yorkies vet needs but I have 6 cats and save alot of money by getting their vet care through FACE a low cost spay and neuter clinic. Not only do they do $20 spay and neuters but they do low cost vaccinations and yearly well care visits. I also get dog and cat advantage there because its cheaper than buying it anywhere elso. Also you dont have to qualify for this one its for everyone.Sometimes you really have to search for these clinics this one wasnt the one the Humaine society recommended I found out about it through a neighbor.

Six cats, lol, good thing you found a spay and neuter clinic! Maybe you should inform the local Humane Society about it, that's a great price!

Nancy two things I will add, regular ear cleaning, and regular nail trimming. For drop earred dogs especially ears can be a problem. For all dogs, too long nails not only can interfere with pad health if they get long enough, but also over time, cause the dogs paw to spread, this weakens tendons and ligaments, and will exacerbate any underlying mild LP condition.

Good points, regular grooming can help prevent many health risks, and end up saving you money. I'm not sure if most people realize the point you make about a dog's paw can spread, and cause problems. So many people talk about their dogs nails scratching the floor, a dog's nails should not touch the floor! They are too long if the touch the floor.

Boy that is all good advice. The only thing I would add is "What are their office hours???
I changed vets 3 times before I found a vet that will take emergency calls after hours.
Thanks

Good idea, I'm glad you found one. My vet won't take emergency calls, but we've found a hospital that's not too far from us that will take emergency calls. I agree it would be wonderful if we could have our regular vet on call 24/7, but that's not always possible, so I suggest everyone know the way to the closest after hour’s hospital.

Great advice, I will check with my vet about some of these. Thank you for sharing.

This is great!! Thanks for sharing!!

Thanks for the info. I have 2 fur babies and 2 skin babies and could use all the $ saving tips I can get!

These are some great ideas. I love the "Get a cat" tip... LOL. Cats aren't nearly as much fun as dogs... I have two, and while I love them to death, but they just aren't the same as dogs :p