Annual Checkup Thoughts? I spoke to my new Vet and Vet tech yesterday regarding my babies and what they do for an annual check up. I was wondering what everyone else gets done. I asked if they preform a fecal and urinalysis test during the exam and the Vet Tech said that not usually unless the Vet feels there is a need or I request it to be done. Should I be requesting it be done once a year? Additionally, I was told their are two types of fecal exams one that tests just parasites and one that includes GRD testing. Is there one better than the other? I thought only puppies get GRD. My babies aren't due for their annual exam until Sept. but since I am a person that likes to budget for everything I am starting to save money for all the costs since it is twice everything with them. Listed below is what I am planning on asking for their annual exam. I was wondering if I am missing anything. They have a 3 year rabies shot so that is not needed this time. The costs seem reasonable to me. I would love others thoughts 1. Wellness Check $40.00 2. Blood work (CBC/Chem Lab) $150.00 3. Da2PPV $35.00 4. Bordatella $25.00 5. Heartworm Test $40.00 6. Fecal Exam $60.00 7. Urinalysis $70.00 |
That is $420 for the exam. Seems kinda high to me. Toni handles all the expenses for the dogs. I'll ask her tonight what we pay and what we get done. My first thought is if you are going to have all that done they need to give you some type of package deal. |
For me, I'd probably forgo the fecal and urine unless I thought there was a specific issue surrounding either of those. More than anything during an annual, I want heart/lungs/teeth/knees/back/neck/organs checked over and/or palpated and then blood chem profile done. When pets are younger, some vets are fine doing blood work every other year too. Oh, and heartworm test of course. If you want cheaper vaccines, look for vax clinics and/or shelters that offer clinics. |
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Thanks for the advice. The vaccines are actually the cheapest I have found around the area and that includes the local shelter and low income clinics. Unfortunately, I live in a high COL area and my Vet along with some other ones in the area don't do package deals. Only Vaccine Packages but since I won't need the rabies shot it isn't cost effective. If the Urine and Fecal tests aren't necessary that would save me a lot in money. I just wasn't sure if that was something I could skip unless the doctor felt there was an issue. Reading blogs some suggested getting urine and fecal tests done yearly. I won't skip the blood work that is too important to me. |
We've been doing wellness check, fecal parasite check, and blood heartworm check each year. Bella's only had bloodwork prior to surgery (her spay, and then luxating patella surgery). Bloodwork sounds like a good idea, though. We dread trying to get a urinalysis since she's a female, and collecting a sample would be difficult. We wouldn't do that unless she had symptoms that the vet needed to check out. |
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I don't ever worry about fecal or urine. I'm trying to do blood work at least once a year for Jax now that he's over 7. |
Thanks everyone... being a first time pet owner I am still learning what I should ask the Vet to test for and what is optional. I think I will not have the fecal or urine tested unless the Vet feels otherwise. Sometimes reading up on blogs and articles you get a difference of opinions. Its nice I can come here and get other dog owners thoughts. |
For the first year, we did the heartworm test/tick panel and thorough physical exam. If your pup has never had bloodwork done, it would be good to do a chem panel and CBC to have a baseline for the future. My boys had bloodwork for neutering, so I wasn't worried about it. My boys are 6 and 7, so now we will be looking at annual bloodwork in addition to the heartworm test. We've only done fecal when there has been a concern. Never done a urinalysis. |
The only time I do fecal or urine is if I have an issue. I have never done bortadella, but I understand that's necessary in NYC. Core vaccines should only be done every three years (or longer). I had Katie's blood titered for two years ( validity of results may be questionable). Since she is six, at her last exam I asked her veterinarian if I should give her a booster shot. He told me it was safer not to give her the vaccine, and after checking her titer results from the year before, he told me it was unnecessary to titer her this year. He carefully looked at her vet records when I got Katie at the age of three, particularly looking to see she had been properly immunized as a puppy. He told me he has not had a dog in his practice have parvovirus if they were properly immunized as a puppy in the almost twenty years he has been there. With the exception of my two years without a dog, I have gone to his practice all those years, and he has more than earned my trust. I prefer to have blood work done every year. http://files.dvm360.com/alfresco_ima...nnual_exam.pdf |
Wow I didn't realize the Distemper/Parvo Vaccine can also be given every three years. I will make sure and ask my vet about it. I believe the shelter only gave them for the year unlike the rabies shot they got. I am leaning towards not getting the fecal or urine tests done unless the Vet recommends it. |
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Jackson is 7 1/2 and hasn't had a shot of DHP since he was 1. He has has rabies every 3 years as per the law. Titer testing is somewhat iffy and I don't like to depend on it but I did get him a titer test last year for the hell of it and his levels came up low for distemper -- all of his other vaccines showed adequate protection. So I'll likely get him a booster of distemper soon just because might as well -- peace of mind, I know it's not going to hurt anything. |
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