Rant: Vet Bills

[chewbacca]

We just got back from a new vet in town. We heard that their prices were cheaper than most plus it is closer in location to us than our previous vet. Oh my goodness...my child does not cost this much! Of course he went in on how both dogs need dental cleaning, one might need knee surgery (this injury has not bothered him for the past 2 years), allergy tests, etc...

My DH said we are never going to have 2 dogs at the same time anymore!! I told him that I guess this is how the vets have to pay for their brand new gigantic house!!

Sorry...just had to get this off my chest!!

 

[grinningghost]

ITA. I've spent more on vet bills in the last couple years than I've ever spent on medical bills for my kid. I wish I could be a vet, but I could never be the one to put an animal down. I'd break down in tears every single time.

 

[Rachie0507]

I agree with you. I love my pets and they are part of our family but it is so expensive. Our local animal hospital built a fancy new facility a few years ago and literally doubled their prices.

 

[BrerLizzie]

My kitty was at the vet last night. $25 for five mins and a shot of steriods to make the swelling on his lip go down!

 

[Disney Doll]

I love my vet!!!! She's very laid back, very smart, but her office is very simple...she has all the equipment she needs, but it's not all glitzy and glamorous. I think her prices are great, she's generally conservative in her treatment of pets, not one to recommend invasive things unless they are absolutely necessary.

I love her to pieces!!!!!!!!!!!She is truly an individual who loves animals, and doesn't just see them as a meal ticket.

 

[sha_lyn]

Spent about $200 per vet for their annual visit, but over 1/2 of that was a yrs worth of flea med and heart worm med for each. Also included a prescription for tape worm med for Tinkerbell. Cultures for Martha's ear and eye infections, and antibiotics for both. Blood work for Panda to see why she has lost weight.

 

[Christine]

We just took my dog in for her annual. It included the visit, shots, heartworm test and it came to $110. I did not get any heartworm meds. I agree that it is pricey because you don't have co-payments and insurance reimbursement (at least I don't), but still, I don't think the vets are getting rick off of this. They have a whole facility and staff to pay for. Based on what vets pay for their education, I don't think they ever do as well as regular MDs or dentists.

You might check in to getting pet insurance. My cousin has this for her dog and she swears by it.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

We just got back from a new vet in town. We heard that their prices were cheaper than most plus it is closer in location to us than our previous vet. Oh my goodness...my child does not cost this much! Of course he went in on how both dogs need dental cleaning, one might need knee surgery (this injury has not bothered him for the past 2 years), allergy tests, etc...

My DH said we are never going to have 2 dogs at the same time anymore!! I told him that I guess this is how the vets have to pay for their brand new gigantic house!!

Sorry...just had to get this off my chest!!

Our vet charges $35 for an office visit, and most of his tests are pretty reasonable. We have had a few emergency situations with Monty that have cost some $$, but nothing horrible. What we do with our two is space their routine care out through the year so the bills don't all come at once. I know, it's expensive. But it's worth it for my dogs.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I love my vet!!!! She's very laid back, very smart, but her office is very simple...she has all the equipment she needs, but it's not all glitzy and glamorous. I think her prices are great, she's generally conservative in her treatment of pets, not one to recommend invasive things unless they are absolutely necessary.

I love her to pieces!!!!!!!!!!!She is truly an individual who loves animals, and doesn't just see them as a meal ticket.

You just described my vet! (except mine's a guy/girl team)

 

[Jennifer S]

Vet bills are the only reason we have one dog. The prices are really too much.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My DH said we are never going to have 2 dogs at the same time anymore!!

Not only two dogs but two big dogs. One of my Shepherds was 106 lbs. Those 6 extra pounds cost me a small fortune because whenever we got meds for her she always had to go up into the next category for weight, hence more $$, LOL. (Never could get those 6 lbs off...) When she got sick her treatment cost a bundle but we budgeted elsewhere to pay those bills - she was worth it. Overall I think my vet's prices are fair. When we had to put her to sleep he didn't charge us.

 

[aprilgail2]

I learned after my last dog to be sure I had pet insurance on my dogs! Last dog needed 2- $1,500.00 surgeries in a matter of 18 months! I won't be having to lay that out again!

 

[sha_lyn]

There is a jump at 25 lb for meds. Recently panda lost weightdown to 23 from 27 and her flea and tick med and her heartworm med are about 2/3 of what they were for the higher dose.

 

[ducklite]

Vet bills are the only reason we have one dog. The prices are really too much.

Considering that veterinary school costs as much as medical school, you should consider your vet bills a bargain!

I can't believe the people who complain about vet costs. Most vets operate on a bare bones budget, work longer hours than a "people doctor", have just as many student loans and office staff to pay, and more, and charge a lot less than a trip to the pediatrician.

If a cat has surgery and has a hard time coming out of it, a vet will often take the cat home with him and watch over it all night--would your pediatrician do that with your child with strep and a double ear infection?

Many vets provide free routine care to service dogs, free or low cost spays and nueters to shelters, and try to work with patients when unexpected bills came up. Would your orthopaedic surgeon be willing to take half the payment up front and the rest on a payment plan, $15 a week until the bill was paid? I doubt it.

I sit in my vets office and am amazed at the people who want him to perform surgery without running bloodwork first--and they've be the first to want to sue him if the animal died on the table if he didn't. My vet recently set a dogs leg, had to put pins in it it was broken so bad. Total charge $750. His vet tech took the dog home with her to care for it round the clock the first two nights. She ended up sleeping on the sofa with the dog right next to her just in case. If you had to have a broken leg surgically set, and then round the clock nursing care, it would cost a LOT more.

Just think about this the next time you decide to complain about your vets prices. If you really think they are too much, then maybe you should rethink owning a pet.

Anne

 

[BrerLizzie]

There's pet insurence? Do they do horses?

 

[luvmydogs]

I love our vet, and he's been taking care of all our pets for nearly 12 years. He's comped us antibiotics, parasite meds and hospital stay for a rescue dog that we took from him. He also gave us a free exam and flea & worming meds when we adopted our cat from our local animal control. He gives us a 'group discount' on our pets' annual shots, and always gives me a few packs of greenie bones to take home. We're lucky to have such a good relationship with him, as our dogs are all getting up in age, and seem to have the corresponding medical issues. He's a great vet, and a very nice man.

A trip to the emergency vet was a different story! Our one chihuahua suffered a collapsed trachea in the middle of the night, and I had to rush her in. She had to stay overnight with intubation/oxygen/sedation/blood tests, you name it. When I picked her up the next morning for her to be treated by our regular vet, the Dr. said he'd tally the bill. Well, I stood there forever and the guy just would not stop pressing those calculator buttons! I actually remember sucking in air when he said that the bill came to $1300! (I did tell them to do every thing they could to treat her). Luckily I had dh's credit card with me, but I literally thought he'd KILL me when he saw the bill! She only weighs four pounds--that's $325 per pound!

 

[luvwinnie]

We rarely leave w/out spending $100

 

[alliecats]

I sit in my vets office and am amazed at the people who want him to perform surgery without running bloodwork first--and they've be the first to want to sue him if the animal died on the table if he didn't.
Anne

This kills me too! I think that bloodwork is only like $35. I'd rather keep my pet than the $35. And I know some people are broke--believe me, after 2K in unbudgeted vet bills in the last three months, I KNOW. But, I come up with it somehow. I took my kitty in for so many visits in December, just out of panicking when she was so sick--my vet wouldn't charge me for some things she should have. I know she could tell I was overwhelmed and worried and not too terribly rational and felt sorry for me. I would gladly have paid every dime, but I will remember her kindness. Anne's right about the cost to become a vet. And I know a lot of times it is such a thankless job.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

My vet and my brother who is about to graduate vet school both recommend pet insurance. There are so many options from all inclusive to basic. Try.. http://my.petinsurance.com

 

[ducklite]

There's pet insurence? Do they do horses?

Yes! Get in touch with the Kirk agency in Lexington.

Anne