upset about vet visit and huge bill necessary/unecessary testing and Dry eye - YorkieTalk.com Forums

momofreese · 12-01-2009, 03:45 PM

I took my seven year old baby, reese to the vet today because I was noticing her eyes were very crusted, sticky and red in the mornings. I haven't noticed her scratching them, but I usually have to clean them each morning or otherwise it looks as if she can barely open them. I thought it was an allergy since she is also chomping on her front paws constantly.

Well, look out. I thought I was going as a precaution to hear that she is allergic or just might be dust etc, to hear instead that she has dry eye, after a test was done for it. One eye tested 15 and one eye tested 10. She is now on an ointment twice daily for the rest of her life for dry eye. I was really shocked to hear that she has something that can be very dangerous, often leading to blindness if not treated.

My vet also decided to run a thyroid test (since she is very overweight, and always has been and now has this eye problem) as well as a cbc and gd knows what other tests. All I know is my bill was $408.00 which nearly made me fall over. The eye ointment is $44.00 for a microscopic tube used twice daily.. visit was $55.00 to walk in, and blood tests including a heart worm test were about three hundred dollars!

I guess I have been lucky because I have never been hit with such a bill in her seven years. The only other bill that was not even close to that was for her teeth cleaning.

Is this common for dogs her age.. I suppose she is starting to get old or what is considered old for yorkies. I was so shocked at the cost and so concerned about her diagnosis. I also wonder why my vet didn't wait to see if the ointment helps before testing her for Gd knows what else.

I just wanted to know if others experience this at their vet and if others could comment on the dry eye. I researched it online but they really do not discuss much of anything. I also didn't think from what I read that her numbers were so bad.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also, does anyone have a great vet on the south shore of Long Island, in New York. I think it is time for me to look for someone else that might not run to do so many tests.

Any and all advice on the dry eye and any weight reducing ideas would be so helpful. I now learned that she is up to a hefty 12 pounds and in the past was as low as eight pounds. I am so concerned about diabetes and the affect that the extra weight will have on her knees and hips which already arent the healthiest.

Sorry to throw so much at you, but I never realized she has so many health issues or at least not at once. She never complains and is so sweet ..even though she is a compulsive eater.. so what else is new, her mom is the same way.

Thanks to all and have a great night.

jeanietoo · 12-01-2009, 03:59 PM

7 years is not old for a yorkie. Many yorkie live to more than twice that age. Health problems can happen at any time though. I her thyroid turns out to be normal you should probably try to get her weight reduced as it can cause may problems as they age. The best thing is not to let them get so overweight to begin with. As far as the vet running all the tests, she's your dog and you have the final say in what tests are run. BTW my first yorkie lived to be 16 and I know several people who have had ones who lived seversl years longer than that

tjdmom · 12-01-2009, 04:02 PM

I'm sorry! I know how shocking it can be when you expect a small bill and it's huge. I hope your baby is ok and at least you will know if there are any other problems to be aware of.

katy-yorkie · 12-01-2009, 04:04 PM

That kind of bill is pretty much what I pay every time I take one of my babies to the vet. In the last week I have spent over $1000 on vet bills. In October I spent over $400...my vet runs a lot of tests each time we go. I don't know if they are all really necessary but I would hate to tell him to not do a test and then they don't get better. This year alone, I have probably spent close to $10,000 on vet bills. Most of the time when I take them to the vet it is for vomiting and diarrhea. Each time they go in, he does a battery of tests. They never have anything that he tests for but that is a relief. I sometimes think the tests are not necessary but again, I would hate for him to not do the test and they have something serious. It's killing my credit card!!

momofreese · 12-01-2009, 04:06 PM

Thank you. When I told a few people today what had happened they had all said that I should get used to it because seven is starting to get old for yorkies. I didn't think so, but after hearing it all day today, I figured I was wrong.

I agree that I could have stopped the tests but how many people really do that, once at the vet and especially when they tell you that they want to do the various tests. I didn't mean to sound cheap and I would do whatever I had to, to keep Reese the healthiest possible, but sometimes it does seem that this particular vet runs an excessive amount of tests.

I honestly thought I was going in to try to catch an eye infection or allergy and didn't realize it would turn into a $400 plus visit. I agree about the weight, but it has been an uphill battle with Reese. She is not the least bit interested in any type of exercise, including just walks. She loves to be held and at this point it is probably a combination of being very spoiled, lazy and I am sure she is uncomfortable with the excess weight and the bad knees and hips. I will continue to try to get her to do any amount of exercise and instead of any type of treats, continue with the baby carrots and add string beans.

Thank you again.

Yorkiedaze · 12-01-2009, 04:20 PM

Those Vet. bills are totally uncalled for and ridiculous in my opinion. I've never paid such a high Vet. bill unless there was surgery involved. I've had blood pannel, eye tests, eye medications and the whole nine yards and still didn't end up what your paying. And people think that living in CA. is expensive.

lindula · 12-01-2009, 04:23 PM

Every time I visit a vet I end up paying hundreds of $$$. Doesn't matter if its vaccinations, wellness or illness. they do a lot of tests, which I don't mind as long as it keeps my furbabies healthy. I am in Chicago and the vet clinic I have been using has great reviews...I think they charge more because of the great reviews too

Ellie May · 12-01-2009, 06:27 PM

It sounds like the bloodwork through your vet may be a bit pricey, but overall that really isn't that much.

Starting at age 6 or 7, they need bloodwork (blood panel, CBC, and thyroid is good too) at least yearly. Then heartworm testing yearly, fecals twice yearly, urinalysis at least yearly... Maybe the eye testing was quite a bit? Dry eye (KCS) is genetic (and common) in Yorkies, I think.

Lolli_lah · 12-01-2009, 06:38 PM

As far as getting your dog to lose weight there are low calorie diets available. I know for example Natural Balance has a low calorie diet specifically for overweight dogs. In FL it's about 12 dollars for a 5 lb bag.

Also if you let her have a full bowl of food available to her all day, try only giving to her twice a day or something. They only eat what is available, if she over eats then make it only available in healthy portions.

For age, my girl is 7 years old and although this is not yet senior age it is creeping close (i believe it's like 8 or 9 that begins into senior age group??). For some things, spay surgery is a good example, there ARE more risks because of the older (not old but oldER) age. I'm sure it could be the same for other things, so maybe that is what your vet meant and was taking precautionary measures by doing all tests (especially if you never done it before). Now you have it on record all the tests and their results.

LuvMySissy · 12-01-2009, 07:08 PM

This may not be what you want to hear, but I'd rather have the vet proactively do bloodwork than not do it and just treat, treat, and continue treating for weeks if not months while an underlying, life threatening illness may be doing irreperable damage.

My girls both had the doggie flu last year and our bill was over $400 for them (and that with the multi-pet discount), with only one set of blood work as we had run blood work on the other one a month earlier. At our vet, a bull blood panel is around $120.

And, if dry eyes can be serious and can be caused by something else, I would want the blood panel to rule out other causes.

Lilyshuman · 12-01-2009, 07:21 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your babies eyes, I don't think seven is old... you have plenty of years to play, snuggle, and put eye drops in

Whenever I'm at the vet it seems like there are a lot of tests to be done too, even with healthy dogs, it's not like treating a person where they can talk to you and tell you symptoms. Actually dogs tend to hide their pain. So I think a vet needs to do testing to make sure they aren't missing anything. I'm not a vet it's just my line of thinking, however I too have been surprised at a bill hmm never in a good way

I hope you get some more info on the dry eye. I know my grandma (a human) has it and she has drops and flare ups when the weather changes, but I don't know anything about a dog having it.

Hugs to baby and you

Belindtch · 12-01-2009, 07:37 PM

My Emmy was diagnosed with dry eye when we got her at l2 weeks. The breeder brought her to me and she had one eye shut. This was a red flag and I should have walked away. Instead I took her to my vet who said it looked like dry eye. I wanted a second opinion and aggressive treatment so I sought out another well known vet. Yes, they confirmed it and started to treat it aggressively. Since it is genetically caused, the vet wrote a letter to the breeder urging her not to bread the two parents again. That was water under the bridge as the two are still being bred. Emmy gets two expensive tests each time we go to the vet. One gives us a number of tear production. She has 0 in one eye and 2/3 in the other. Emmy gets a test also where they use the black light. A vet visit with Emmy is usually around $200 or more. She gets a tiny medicine that is $44 and has to be compounded. She also gets Genteal Drops which are artificial tears. I do have to clean her eyes each morning. She sees shadows and outlines. If she were a person she does not see well enough to drive. She may eventually go blind around l0 or so years of age. Emmy is the sweetest little dog and just so deserves to lead a normal life. It is so hard to see her with her eyes shut or matted so that she cannot see well. Yes, dry eye is suppose to be quite common in yorkies. This past summer she walked into the pool and did not realize she was near it. She is the only one of my three yorkies that does not swim well. She fights the water...probably because of her eyes.

Dame · 12-01-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momofreese

I took my seven year old baby, reese to the vet today because I was noticing her eyes were very crusted, sticky and red in the mornings. I haven't noticed her scratching them, but I usually have to clean them each morning or otherwise it looks as if she can barely open them. I thought it was an allergy since she is also chomping on her front paws constantly.

Well, look out. I thought I was going as a precaution to hear that she is allergic or just might be dust etc, to hear instead that she has dry eye, after a test was done for it. One eye tested 15 and one eye tested 10. She is now on an ointment twice daily for the rest of her life for dry eye. I was really shocked to hear that she has something that can be very dangerous, often leading to blindness if not treated.

My vet also decided to run a thyroid test (since she is very overweight, and always has been and now has this eye problem) as well as a cbc and gd knows what other tests. All I know is my bill was $408.00 which nearly made me fall over. The eye ointment is $44.00 for a microscopic tube used twice daily.. visit was $55.00 to walk in, and blood tests including a heart worm test were about three hundred dollars!Also, does anyone have a great vet on the south shore of Long Island, in New York. I think it is time for me to look for someone else that might not run to do so many tests.

Thanks to all and have a great night.

As much as amount of your vet bill hurts, to be honest I applaud your vet for being pro-active! Her weight problem could be lifestyle related, but it could be because of a thyroid problem - and that's really not something you want to go un-noticed. (From a human standpoint - I was literally at death's door before mine was diagnosed.) It seems to me that your vet saw potential red flags for some things and felt that it was better to test then to wait and see if those potential issues became real ones. Unless you have other reasons for wanting to seek a real vet or the desire to test for unwanted things I wouldn't worry about it. Might want to discuss why they want to run the tests first though - this way you and your vet can be on the same page and you can decide if you do or do not want to run the tests. Having a CBC done, as well as a thyroid panel and a heartworm test (which should always be done yearly!) isn't a big deal as long as there were concerns behind it. Actually, the CBC and some of the other tests may have been preformed because your dog does have dry eye - and its often caused by an immune problem.

You might want to talk to your vet about other options for treating the dry eye, as I there are various ways of handling it. I know a product called liquitears is often used on dogs with dry eye, and 1800petmeds shows it at $5 a bottle (its like human eye drops, a lubricant.) Did you get Optimmune? That's a bit more expensive (which makes me think its what you have.) Optimmune is... the dog equivalent of Restasis, they both contain Cyclosporine. Its meant to help the eye create more tears vs just lubricating.

Ladymom · 12-01-2009, 10:50 PM

Lady has had dry eye/KCS for several years. What did your vet prescribe to stimulate tear production? Cyclosporin didnt work for Lady so she gets Tacrolimus. It is compounded. A $30 bottle lasts three months. You also need to use artificial tears. Genteal Severe dry eye gel (not drops) is the best. I spend about $30 a month on artificial tears. Normally eye exams with tests run about $150. Lady sees the ophthalmologist twice a year now.

KCS (Dry Eye)

Just to warn you, dogs with dry eye are prone to eye ulcers and tear stimulants suppress the immune system so eye infections are common. Lady had an eye infection this summer that cost me $1000 to treat. Half of that was on eye drops. She had one little bottle that cost $90 and had to be refilled every week.

You have to be diligent about Reese's drops and artificial tears and make sure you get her eyes checked regularly to preserve her vision.

All dogs should get yearly bloodwork and physicals, but at seven, Reese is now officially a senior so it is even more important. A thyroid panel is routine for seniors. To be honest, you bill sounds about right. A complete blood chemistry with a thyroid panel, heartworm, plus an eye exam and medication would be about $400 here in North Carolina.

Please, please get the weight off her. If she is four pounds overweight, that is obese on a toy breed dog. My Lady became diabetic at age seven due to her weight. If you think dry eye is expensive, you don't even want to know what it costs to care for a diabetic dog. I'm not talking about treating the diabetes which is expensive enough, but diabetics have weak immune systems and get chronic infections, especially uti's.

Cha Cha · 12-03-2009, 07:23 AM

I too have been hit with a high vet bill (a routine teeth cleaning). I am on the fence over the issue too because I know I want the best vets looking after my pets, and I do feel they need to be paid for their knowledge/experience however, I think of all the pets that could have homes, or care if those prices were not so outrageous. People say that is just part of responsible pet ownership, and I do agree to some degree, but there are a lot of people who would adopt a pet that otherwise do not, or take them in for more routine care, if those prices were not so crazy. Anyways, off my soap box on that issue, I hope your baby gets better and the dry eye is manageable from this point on.

12-01-2009, 03:45 PM	#1
momofreese Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Hewlett, New York Posts: 129	upset about vet visit and huge bill necessary/unecessary testing and Dry eye I took my seven year old baby, reese to the vet today because I was noticing her eyes were very crusted, sticky and red in the mornings. I haven't noticed her scratching them, but I usually have to clean them each morning or otherwise it looks as if she can barely open them. I thought it was an allergy since she is also chomping on her front paws constantly. Well, look out. I thought I was going as a precaution to hear that she is allergic or just might be dust etc, to hear instead that she has dry eye, after a test was done for it. One eye tested 15 and one eye tested 10. She is now on an ointment twice daily for the rest of her life for dry eye. I was really shocked to hear that she has something that can be very dangerous, often leading to blindness if not treated. My vet also decided to run a thyroid test (since she is very overweight, and always has been and now has this eye problem) as well as a cbc and gd knows what other tests. All I know is my bill was $408.00 which nearly made me fall over. The eye ointment is $44.00 for a microscopic tube used twice daily.. visit was $55.00 to walk in, and blood tests including a heart worm test were about three hundred dollars! I guess I have been lucky because I have never been hit with such a bill in her seven years. The only other bill that was not even close to that was for her teeth cleaning. Is this common for dogs her age.. I suppose she is starting to get old or what is considered old for yorkies. I was so shocked at the cost and so concerned about her diagnosis. I also wonder why my vet didn't wait to see if the ointment helps before testing her for Gd knows what else. I just wanted to know if others experience this at their vet and if others could comment on the dry eye. I researched it online but they really do not discuss much of anything. I also didn't think from what I read that her numbers were so bad. Any help would be appreciated. Also, does anyone have a great vet on the south shore of Long Island, in New York. I think it is time for me to look for someone else that might not run to do so many tests. Any and all advice on the dry eye and any weight reducing ideas would be so helpful. I now learned that she is up to a hefty 12 pounds and in the past was as low as eight pounds. I am so concerned about diabetes and the affect that the extra weight will have on her knees and hips which already arent the healthiest. Sorry to throw so much at you, but I never realized she has so many health issues or at least not at once. She never complains and is so sweet ..even though she is a compulsive eater.. so what else is new, her mom is the same way. Thanks to all and have a great night.

12-01-2009, 04:04 PM	#4
katy-yorkie Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Katy, Texas USA Posts: 1,458	That kind of bill is pretty much what I pay every time I take one of my babies to the vet. In the last week I have spent over $1000 on vet bills. In October I spent over $400...my vet runs a lot of tests each time we go. I don't know if they are all really necessary but I would hate to tell him to not do a test and then they don't get better. This year alone, I have probably spent close to $10,000 on vet bills. Most of the time when I take them to the vet it is for vomiting and diarrhea. Each time they go in, he does a battery of tests. They never have anything that he tests for but that is a relief. I sometimes think the tests are not necessary but again, I would hate for him to not do the test and they have something serious. It's killing my credit card!! __________________ Jeanie, mom to Buster and Maggie

12-01-2009, 04:20 PM	#6
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	Those Vet. bills are totally uncalled for and ridiculous in my opinion. I've never paid such a high Vet. bill unless there was surgery involved. I've had blood pannel, eye tests, eye medications and the whole nine yards and still didn't end up what your paying. And people think that living in CA. is expensive. __________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN

12-01-2009, 04:23 PM	#7
lindula Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: chicago Posts: 265	Every time I visit a vet I end up paying hundreds of $$$. Doesn't matter if its vaccinations, wellness or illness. they do a lot of tests, which I don't mind as long as it keeps my furbabies healthy. I am in Chicago and the vet clinic I have been using has great reviews...I think they charge more because of the great reviews too __________________ Linda Chloe & Dylan R.I.P. Ken 8/3/95 - 2/1/06 & Chiara 1/20/06 - 9/6/09

12-01-2009, 06:27 PM	#8
Ellie May And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 17,928	It sounds like the bloodwork through your vet may be a bit pricey, but overall that really isn't that much. Starting at age 6 or 7, they need bloodwork (blood panel, CBC, and thyroid is good too) at least yearly. Then heartworm testing yearly, fecals twice yearly, urinalysis at least yearly... Maybe the eye testing was quite a bit? Dry eye (KCS) is genetic (and common) in Yorkies, I think. __________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶

12-01-2009, 03:59 PM	#2
jeanietoo YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 783	7 years is not old for a yorkie. Many yorkie live to more than twice that age. Health problems can happen at any time though. I her thyroid turns out to be normal you should probably try to get her weight reduced as it can cause may problems as they age. The best thing is not to let them get so overweight to begin with. As far as the vet running all the tests, she's your dog and you have the final say in what tests are run. BTW my first yorkie lived to be 16 and I know several people who have had ones who lived seversl years longer than that

12-01-2009, 04:02 PM	#3
tjdmom Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 5,847	I'm sorry! I know how shocking it can be when you expect a small bill and it's huge. I hope your baby is ok and at least you will know if there are any other problems to be aware of.

12-01-2009, 04:06 PM	#5
momofreese Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Hewlett, New York Posts: 129	Thank you. When I told a few people today what had happened they had all said that I should get used to it because seven is starting to get old for yorkies. I didn't think so, but after hearing it all day today, I figured I was wrong. I agree that I could have stopped the tests but how many people really do that, once at the vet and especially when they tell you that they want to do the various tests. I didn't mean to sound cheap and I would do whatever I had to, to keep Reese the healthiest possible, but sometimes it does seem that this particular vet runs an excessive amount of tests. I honestly thought I was going in to try to catch an eye infection or allergy and didn't realize it would turn into a $400 plus visit. I agree about the weight, but it has been an uphill battle with Reese. She is not the least bit interested in any type of exercise, including just walks. She loves to be held and at this point it is probably a combination of being very spoiled, lazy and I am sure she is uncomfortable with the excess weight and the bad knees and hips. I will continue to try to get her to do any amount of exercise and instead of any type of treats, continue with the baby carrots and add string beans. Thank you again.

12-01-2009, 06:38 PM	#9
Lolli_lah YT Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Gainesville, GA, USA Posts: 406 Blog Entries: 2	As far as getting your dog to lose weight there are low calorie diets available. I know for example Natural Balance has a low calorie diet specifically for overweight dogs. In FL it's about 12 dollars for a 5 lb bag. Also if you let her have a full bowl of food available to her all day, try only giving to her twice a day or something. They only eat what is available, if she over eats then make it only available in healthy portions. For age, my girl is 7 years old and although this is not yet senior age it is creeping close (i believe it's like 8 or 9 that begins into senior age group??). For some things, spay surgery is a good example, there ARE more risks because of the older (not old but oldER) age. I'm sure it could be the same for other things, so maybe that is what your vet meant and was taking precautionary measures by doing all tests (especially if you never done it before). Now you have it on record all the tests and their results. __________________ Lollipop my Pretty Little Princess

12-01-2009, 07:08 PM	#10
LuvMySissy Luv my Angel, too! Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: USA Posts: 9,333	This may not be what you want to hear, but I'd rather have the vet proactively do bloodwork than not do it and just treat, treat, and continue treating for weeks if not months while an underlying, life threatening illness may be doing irreperable damage. My girls both had the doggie flu last year and our bill was over $400 for them (and that with the multi-pet discount), with only one set of blood work as we had run blood work on the other one a month earlier. At our vet, a bull blood panel is around $120. And, if dry eyes can be serious and can be caused by something else, I would want the blood panel to rule out other causes. __________________ Sissy & Angel

12-01-2009, 07:21 PM	#11
Lilyshuman Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 520	I'm sorry to hear about your babies eyes, I don't think seven is old... you have plenty of years to play, snuggle, and put eye drops in Whenever I'm at the vet it seems like there are a lot of tests to be done too, even with healthy dogs, it's not like treating a person where they can talk to you and tell you symptoms. Actually dogs tend to hide their pain. So I think a vet needs to do testing to make sure they aren't missing anything. I'm not a vet it's just my line of thinking, however I too have been surprised at a bill hmm never in a good way I hope you get some more info on the dry eye. I know my grandma (a human) has it and she has drops and flare ups when the weather changes, but I don't know anything about a dog having it. Hugs to baby and you __________________ Nicole:

12-01-2009, 07:37 PM	#12
Belindtch Donating Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rossville, Georgia Posts: 972	My Emmy was diagnosed with dry eye when we got her at l2 weeks. The breeder brought her to me and she had one eye shut. This was a red flag and I should have walked away. Instead I took her to my vet who said it looked like dry eye. I wanted a second opinion and aggressive treatment so I sought out another well known vet. Yes, they confirmed it and started to treat it aggressively. Since it is genetically caused, the vet wrote a letter to the breeder urging her not to bread the two parents again. That was water under the bridge as the two are still being bred. Emmy gets two expensive tests each time we go to the vet. One gives us a number of tear production. She has 0 in one eye and 2/3 in the other. Emmy gets a test also where they use the black light. A vet visit with Emmy is usually around $200 or more. She gets a tiny medicine that is $44 and has to be compounded. She also gets Genteal Drops which are artificial tears. I do have to clean her eyes each morning. She sees shadows and outlines. If she were a person she does not see well enough to drive. She may eventually go blind around l0 or so years of age. Emmy is the sweetest little dog and just so deserves to lead a normal life. It is so hard to see her with her eyes shut or matted so that she cannot see well. Yes, dry eye is suppose to be quite common in yorkies. This past summer she walked into the pool and did not realize she was near it. She is the only one of my three yorkies that does not swim well. She fights the water...probably because of her eyes. __________________ Belinda and my furbabies, Alyssa , Emily Kate , and Lucy Lucy Dexter

12-01-2009, 10:50 PM	#14
Ladymom Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 8,317	Lady has had dry eye/KCS for several years. What did your vet prescribe to stimulate tear production? Cyclosporin didnt work for Lady so she gets Tacrolimus. It is compounded. A $30 bottle lasts three months. You also need to use artificial tears. Genteal Severe dry eye gel (not drops) is the best. I spend about $30 a month on artificial tears. Normally eye exams with tests run about $150. Lady sees the ophthalmologist twice a year now. KCS (Dry Eye) Just to warn you, dogs with dry eye are prone to eye ulcers and tear stimulants suppress the immune system so eye infections are common. Lady had an eye infection this summer that cost me $1000 to treat. Half of that was on eye drops. She had one little bottle that cost $90 and had to be refilled every week. You have to be diligent about Reese's drops and artificial tears and make sure you get her eyes checked regularly to preserve her vision. All dogs should get yearly bloodwork and physicals, but at seven, Reese is now officially a senior so it is even more important. A thyroid panel is routine for seniors. To be honest, you bill sounds about right. A complete blood chemistry with a thyroid panel, heartworm, plus an eye exam and medication would be about $400 here in North Carolina. Please, please get the weight off her. If she is four pounds overweight, that is obese on a toy breed dog. My Lady became diabetic at age seven due to her weight. If you think dry eye is expensive, you don't even want to know what it costs to care for a diabetic dog. I'm not talking about treating the diabetes which is expensive enough, but diabetics have weak immune systems and get chronic infections, especially uti's. __________________ http://www.myladysdogbows.com/ http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...6213341?ref=nf

12-03-2009, 07:23 AM	#15
Cha Cha Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Where the deer and the antelope play Posts: 7,069	I too have been hit with a high vet bill (a routine teeth cleaning). I am on the fence over the issue too because I know I want the best vets looking after my pets, and I do feel they need to be paid for their knowledge/experience however, I think of all the pets that could have homes, or care if those prices were not so outrageous. People say that is just part of responsible pet ownership, and I do agree to some degree, but there are a lot of people who would adopt a pet that otherwise do not, or take them in for more routine care, if those prices were not so crazy. Anyways, off my soap box on that issue, I hope your baby gets better and the dry eye is manageable from this point on.