Consumer Reports article- Saving on Vet Bills!

[peg2001]

There is a wonderful article in July's issue of Consumer Reports on saving on vet bills. Some of the advice is a bit obvious (get a second opinion before expensive treatment/surgery) to impractical (even in an emergency) but I've learned some things that may really help us, since we have 1 dog and 4 cats. One of the most shocking for me was that except for rabies (legally mandated), they don't need all of their shot annually! There apparently is no evidence that these shots are needed every year and you should ask your vet about having them every 2 or 3 years instead. Wow, this would save us a lot.

They also recommended one of my FAVORITE cost savings, using online pet catalogs and pharmacies. Your vet tacks on quite a percentage to the flea meds and prescription heart worm medications. My favorite source is Drs. Foster and Smith (www.drsfostersmith.com).

Peggy

 

[DonnaS]

The one thing I don't thing they emphasized, which IMO they should have, was the importance of keeping cats indoors. My vet had told us years ago that the shots weren't needed every year as long as they were indoors only.

The discussion in the article regarding pet insurance also confirmed what we had already figured out for ourselves.

 

[Rajah]

Anyone got a link? Or is this not online?

 

[DonnaS]

To read it online you have to be an online subscriber to Consumer Reports... which I'm not. I read it in my old fashioned in the mail CR. LOL

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by DonnaS
The one thing I don't thing they emphasized, which IMO they should have, was the importance of keeping cats indoors. My vet had told us years ago that the shots weren't needed every year as long as they were indoors only.

The discussion in the article regarding pet insurance also confirmed what we had already figured out for ourselves.

Yes, you are right. We had a vet that scolded us every year about keeping cats indoors. Our problem is taking in adult strays. They are NOT happy to suddenly stay inside 100%.


Part of it is available online publicly:
www.consumerreports.org

Then click on "Ways to cut vet costs." this isn't the entire article but it gives the highlights!

 

[katerkat]

Yep, my vet told me that you need to get the rabies shot for year one, year two, THEN you can start doing it every other year.
And we didn't vaccinate the boys against several diseases, since they're entirely indoors. The only time it bothered us was when my sister brought her kitten home, who hadn't been tested for FIP/Feline Luekemia yet. My boys didn't get to see Grandma that weekend because I wouldn't bring them to meet Bribs until he had been tested.
Also, we don't bother with flea treatments -- they both got doused when they came home and we haven't had a problem in two years.

 

[DonnaS]

Also, we don't bother with flea treatments -- they both got doused when they came home and we haven't had a problem in two years.

We did the same with Happy & Bashful. We battled the fleas and kept them confined to one room (to prevent the fleas from spreading) until we got the fleas irradicated. Ariel and Belle came home flea free.