Vet Prices...Venting

[LIL MIS' MAGIC]

My Fair Lacy - congrats on our acceptance into the vet program - and A&M is an excellent progam and the vets they graduate are some of the best!

We are currently using a vet that is more than fair. He does not always charge a office visit - that just depends on what you are there for. I have never left his office feeling like I was overcharged. And in addition, I have never felt rushed - he incourages questions/concerns. BUT his office is walk in visits only - no appointments available (except surgery) - so your wait time can be lengthy.

Where I have found my biggest gripes are vet offices that are 24 hour clinics that start with a office visit of $80 just to see the vet and charge double/triple or more for everything they do. I realize they have to pay there staff and vets extra to work those odd hours......but yikes. We have taken Magic for an upset stomach and spent $500.....as this place always wants to run extra tests and such "to rule out" other issues.

[Tillys_mom]

I really like our vet he is great with small animals, other vets I found to be a little rough, but everytime I go there his prices go up. Sometimes he even does things without telling me and then charges me for it. I know that prices eventually go up, that happens everywhere, but every time? I know he isn't hurting for money, my brother often goes to his house and spends time with his daughter. Just because their tuition is high doesn't mean they should take advantage of everyone else. My husband's tuition is $14,000 a year and we will have a bunch in student loans to pay (this is his fifth yr), but that doesn't mean I am going to up my prices everytime my customers come in. We aren't going to be making nearly what a vet does, not bad money, he is going to be a civil engineer. I know they do great things and I admire that a lot, but they are human. They are trying to make their money as well. It's sad when taking my dogs costs more than myself, and I have no insurance.

[Luckyone]

Our vet died last year in a snowmobile accident. He was really great and I miss him.

The other vets at our clinic are good too, but it hasn't felt the same yanno?

The last time I took Bella in, we got the new lady and I think I like her. She seemed a bit more knowledgable about the smaller breeds and even got out the 'baby' needles for Bella's shots so it wouldn't hurt as much

When I spay Bella, I might take her to the next town over because they're close to half the price and I trust them. My inlaws take their two Goldens there.

I think sometimes you feel like you don't have a choice when it comes to taking care of your babies. We only want the best for them but at the same time, you have to be economical too.

[TootiesMom]

can I tell you about horrible vet bills???
My vet is super! They truly care about my babies and he is very informed on small babies...
I have spent WELL over $2000 this last month on test after test after test on ALL 4 of mine... we never got a diagnosis but think that we are finally ove the hill... I tease the vet and tell him he just needs me to pay a tec's salary.. LOL... I wouldnt change for the world!
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[PennysMum]

Speaking as someone who works at a veterinary clinic, it always frustrates me when people become incensed over prices for medical care for their pets when those prices are reasonable. $500 for a dental is crazy, but $150 isn't all that much at all-- yet people will still complain about the lower price when you quote it to them.

If a clinic is trying to provide the best care possible for their patients, overhead is high. We have an x-ray machine, an ultrasound, a labratory on the premises with diagnostic machines-- all of which cost a lot of money. The medications and supplies we purchase from drug companies and medical supply distributers are also expensive, especially since we're a small business and can't buy things in bulk. Our veterinarians have to carry malpractice insurance, just as in human medicine. The technicians and assistants at the hospital are intelligent, trained professionals, and must be paid a reasonable wage...

There's a lot of money that goes into running a veterinary clinic-- and the profit margins are often more narrow than you might think. At the end of the day, our office manager often jokes that we run a very sound non-for-profit organization.

[WRScorpio]

I'm going to be starting my Senior year of nursing school in the fall. So, I do wish someone would have warned me that dogs are expensive in ways beyond good-quality food (and well, toys, clothes, collars, beds... haha). I am taking Duke to the vet. tomorrow and I'm sick to my stomach about how much it is going to cost. I took him in two months ago for an ear infection and it was $120. I took my Mom's dog in at the same time (she just needed a shot for her skin), thinking since they saw the dogs at the same time by the same vet., they wouldn't charge me double the office visit fee... but, they charged full price for both (my Mom's dog's total was $50). So, my jaw dropped when they told me it was $170 for 10 minutes of their time and a $16bottle of antibiotics. Duke also had to have a femoral osteotomy (just had a bit of his femur shaved off so it would fit into the hip joint; walks just dandy now) five years ago when he was a pup to the tune of $1200 (for surgery and follow-up and note I did say five years ago!) The femoral osteotomy was with his first owner's though. For Duke's shots and check up this past fall it was $110. Tomorrow is for a hurt nail that may have gotten infected; it's just not healing right. But, I'm grabbing up my credit cards. I'd pay any amount of money for Duke, but it still does stress me out financially. And for the high cost of school... don't take it out on your customers. You should be happy to be helping animals and not worrying about your students loans if your heart is truly in it. Nursing school (and I will start grad. school in the fall of '08), is costing a pretty penny... but, I'm wanting to take a job as a school nurse and in my rural area they get paid about as much as teachers. But, I think it will be worth the paycut to do what I want to do instead of a busy, stressful hospital (that I'm in now). And it is obvious which residents/doctors are in it for the money and which are there to really help people.

[MyFairLacy]

[QUOTE=WRScorpio;1271531]And for the high cost of school... don't take it out on your customers. You should be happy to be helping animals and not worrying about your students loans if your heart is truly in it. \QUOTE]

First of all, I don't have any student loans. Second, If my heart wasn't truly in it, I would be some type of human doctor - same time and cost of school and easier to get into medical school - and I would make more money. But I love animals and want to be there to help those whose pets are truly a part of their family. Lacy is not just a dog to me - she is my child and a part of my family and I want to be there for others that feel the same way about their furbabies. I want to be a vet that can relate to how much someone cares about their pet and will do all they can for them. So yes, my heart is in this - I've wanted to be a vet since I was 8 years old - but I have to make money too. I want to be able to live a comfortable lifestyle and therefor I do have to make money. I don't know anyone who doesn't want to make money from their job - that is why people have jobs - to make money to live on. Charging for a service isn't "taking it out on your customers" - it's business and it's how people make money to live on. I do not agree with some of the crazy prices I have heard - such as several hundred dollars for a spay (average around here is about $100-$150) or $1000 for a teeth clean (very crazy) - but most vets really are reasonable in their prices. There are a lot of great vets out there and you just have to search around for the right one in your price range as there is a wide variety in what vets charge. One thing I do plan to do is to assist with low cost (or free) spay/neuter clinics and vaccination clinics - so while I am saying I do have to make money, I do want to help out those that are less fortunate - those that do love their animals but just aren't able to afford the surgery or vaccinations. I think more animals would be spayed and neutered if there were more low-cost programs around

[WRScorpio]

The smiley face meant it to be a friendly tease. But, anyway... I do know there are vets. out there who do it for the money and I know there are vets. out there who do it for the good of the animal and because they have such a desire and will and unabounding love in their hearts and want to help them in any way they can. I wasn't talking about anyone in particular and I certainly don't know anyone here in person to judge them in such a way. I've just heard too many stories about how people can't pay for this and this service and have to have their animal put to sleep. The animal could be saved (if the vet. would do it for cost only or even refer them to somewhere it could be done more economically), but the owner just doesn't have a few thousand laying around or even that much on their credit card. And to me, is absolutely heartbreaking. Yes, I know people can't do everything for cost only and it would be taken advantage of. But, I've also read many articles about how vets. and animal suppliers charge what Americans will pay and not necessarily what the service/good is worth. And the cost of animal supplies and procedures is rising quickly because Americans are willing to put more into their pets. I don't know what I would do if something very serious happened to Duke. I would spend a million on him if they demanded of it and I had him, but I can't. You know, there's only so many vet. bills a person can take on a certain income before it brings them to tears. That is all.

[WRScorpio]

Double post, sorry.

[aka_yorkie_mama]

to find a vet woth there weight in gold ... when you find a vet who loves the critters and put's the babys first its worth there weight in gold My vet is great when i went to him the first time i was broke and turned away from two other vets who said put it on your credit card i was near tears and he HUGED ME and said aww payments are fine and if not get to work in the back and laughed ....People drive from the Bay area up to see my vet in ORland Ca I wouldnt care if he raised his prices 100 times i wont change... i have seen vets hurt critters treat them like ...dogs...but my vet gets gifts at hollidays Mochas when i come see him and my admiration i love dr Dana

[Francis]

look into getting some health insurance for your dog. a few of the companies i have look at so far will reimburse close to 80% of the costs one you reach your deductible.

[La Princesa]

What i think is crazy is the difference in the prices people say they get here. Like i spay/neuter for 100$ to a spay or neuter for 500$ in other states. No one gets anything less than the other:the blood work and anesthesia and what not. You would thin we would find some kind of uniformity in the prices. Most vets are good vets and we trust them, so why the difference in price.

[143munchkin]

I agree, IMO, a lot of vets are just out to make money. When i was new to Yorkies, i would take them to the vet quite often. they run a lot tests and more tests and administer all sorts of medicines until your vet bill is off the chart. i've learned to do a lot of stuff myself, and learned a lot from breeders. they all say the same thing....Vets are a RIP OFF! but some people don't have the knowledge so they have no choice. There are good vets out there, but IMO, most are out to suck up your $$$

[yorkiegirl83]

I agree about vet prices in some cases. The vet I go to charges a 35.00 fee just to walk in the door, and with my group I'm in there a LOT.

Just the past two weeks I have been in twice.. Lula had a stye, McKenzie has an ear infection, and Lula also has a bacterial infection of her colon.

Total Cost in two weeks? 300.00... seems to be a lot for minor things.

I might have to switch to a lower cost vet in town that does not charge for office visits. I hate to do it, but with multiple dogs things really add up.

[WRScorpio]

I made it out under $100 for Duke's loose nail. My vet. doesn't take payments. It has to be paid in full at the time of treatment. So, I do think it would be a lot easier if I could pay monthly rather than in a lump some (which is almost always put on a credit card!). I tried getting Duke pet health insurance, but where he had the leg surgery when he was a pup they raised it to where I was going to be paying close to $500 a year, plus a $50 deductible for each visit, plus I had to pay for all routine labs and shots out of pocket and then they had the right to refuse to pay for costs. It it became a major paperwork thing because of where I am his second owner and they weren't ever going to pay for anything with his legs because of his pervious history so... I think I was going to be wasting money. I tried two different companies. But, my vet. did charge me $7 to trim one nail. I had nail clippers at home that I bought for cheaper, I could have done that... all of his nails even! They also charged me $20 for Q-tips once and $12 to 'trim hair on ears.' They just do whatever and hand you the bill. It's one of the best vets. in my area though so... I guess they charge what they can get away with. His antiobiotic was only $14 and a prednisone shot $20 and that was just fine to me. I did see an elderly woman come in with a list of things she heard she should get her dog... she wanted Heartgard, Frontline Plus... stuff along that line. They told her the total was $140 something and she said she was sorry, she couldn't afford that... and had to walk out.