vet bill?

[danygirl]

call around. prices vary greatly and your vet may just be high cost...

 

[havaneselover]

call around. prices vary greatly and your vet may just be high cost...

I agree. My dog has had four cystotomies. We had just moved to Tampa the first time she needed one and had a new vet who probably exaggerated the risk of waiting. We did call our old vet in VA to find out if the quote was reasonable ($2k) but they wouldn't really give us information. Three cystotomies later, we know we overpaid by a factor of three.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Is this your "regular" vet? You say your dog is 11 years old, have you've been seeing this same vet all this time? Do you trust this vet and think he/she is competent? IMO, all those things are very important. I had always trusted my vet but I did get a second opinion on two occasions. I imagine at this point, due to its size, it has become more of a surgical procedure requiring sedation/anesthesia than a more simple draining. If that's the case, I could see how the cost can rise. I don't understand why the vet said it "will keep refilling." An abscess is usually due to some type of bacteria and once it's drained and given the proper antibiotics and post-op care, why would it return? The size and length of time the dog has had this gives me concern whether or not an infection is present. When my dog had some procedures done, the vet always gave me an itemized list of what everything they were doing and what it was going to cost...no surprises. Since you posted this and asked for advice/opinions, I can say if it were my dog, I'd have it done. Whether the dog is 11 years, 15 or a younger dog, it's also about quality of life and I'm sure this is very uncomfortable for your dog.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, they appear to be quite active but they haven't quite cut out all the independant practices yet. They are advertising on their website to buy up vet practices.

They are not as large as Banfield.

700 clinics for VCA versus 900 for Banfield, but a lot of the Banfields are small operations in PetsMart. Both employ 14,000.

 

[wilkeliza]

Yikes! Im in Staten Island and my Yorkie had four teeth extracted when he got neutered and it was $40 a tooth.

I'll admit we do go to a more expensive vet but they do seem like pretty standard prices outside of the Pet Smart vet when you actually are in Manhattan. We use to take them to a vet in CT but it was too much of a hassle to take them out there.

40 a tooth seems super cheap though. That included blood work, anesthesia, pre and post care, follow up, and post op medicine?

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

My dog currently needs 3 teeth removed, also due for teeth cleaning. The vet wants about $1K and that will include the cleaning while he is under, but not the $90 blood work before hand.
He is in Boca Raton which i think contributes to his prices going up in the last 3/4 years. He is doing very well-a bunch of added doctors, more space, doggy day care...that said we have been going to him for almost 20 yrs, as did my sister with her dogs. However, I am having a hard time with the price. We had a large fatty lump near his bum remover surgically 2 yrs ago with teeh cleaning done while under sedation and it was only about $675. That is a BIG increase.

 

[havaneselover]

My dog currently needs 3 teeth removed, also due for teeth cleaning. The vet wants about $1K and that will include the cleaning while he is under, but not the $90 blood work before hand.
He is in Boca Raton which i think contributes to his prices going up in the last 3/4 years. He is doing very well-a bunch of added doctors, more space, doggy day care...that said we have been going to him for almost 20 yrs, as did my sister with her dogs. However, I am having a hard time with the price. We had a large fatty lump near his bum remover surgically 2 yrs ago with teeh cleaning done while under sedation and it was only about $675. That is a BIG increase.

That's a lot. I'm in an upper middle class suburb in Richmond, VA. Last winter my Havanese needed her teeth cleaned, several extractions, and a lump removed from her neck (and sent out to figure out what it was). All of that cost $700.

 

[damskipi13]

Wow! The prices I'm seeing here seem really high!

OP, my dog just had a benign tumor removed (didn't know it was benign until it was removed). He was also due for a dental cleaning, so we combined them. The tumor removal, including blood work and testing for cancer, was $250. The dental cleaning was $200 including general anesthesia. $450 total including initial consultation and a follow-up visit to remove his stitches (that did include a discount, the price without discount was a little under $500). As others have indicated there are regional differences in pricing, but I can't imagine draining or even removal of the abscess should cost as much as you were quoted. I'd call around for sure.

Good luck!

 

[pixxi]

Give the dog to a shelter? If the dog is in pain all the time with a condition that will continually occur...it's a tough choice, but if you won't have the money to handle the issue, you may want to give up the dog (or if you're okay with it, putting the dog down - I know many who would never do this, but if you give it to a shelter which is not no kill, they may do it anyway)...

 

[pixxi]

No, I will not give my dog to a shelter, I'm just looking for other opinions/options/experiences to see if there is a cheaper options. I tend to find myself paying an arm and a leg for some things in life because I'm not seeking out other peoples experiences. If I have to I will pay the $1500 but I would rather not if I can pay $500 for the same benefits.

 

[DVCcurious]

maybe call vets in the area for an estimate.

Although I'd say with an 11 year old dog....

I don't mean to be mean, and I had a golden retriever growing up and a black lab when we got married, so I understand the strong bond between owner and pet.

But it's not like a human. I don't think you need to do everything to treat it's ailments.

You could buy another dog for less than $1,500. And a young, healthy dog to boot. 11 years is not an abnormally young age to put a large dog to sleep. Assuming the $1500 fixes the dog, how many years do you really have left with an 11 year old large dog? 2?

I know it's unthinkable, but shouldn't there be a cost-benefit analysis here?

You admitted the dog has had hip problems for awhile...

 

[js]

I'll admit we do go to a more expensive vet but they do seem like pretty standard prices outside of the Pet Smart vet when you actually are in Manhattan. We use to take them to a vet in CT but it was too much of a hassle to take them out there.

40 a tooth seems super cheap though. That included blood work, anesthesia, pre and post care, follow up, and post op medicine?

Hi. We do not go to Pet Smart. I bring my Yorkie to a vet practice where there are three vets in the practice.

No this does not include blood work, a microchip, anesthesia, neutering and two sets of meds and a visit back to get the stiches out. The itemized bill showed $40 a tooth so that is what I was responding to in the post but all the above, including the teeth extraction was close to $500. He is inder 5 lbs.

 

[wilkeliza]

Hi. We do not go to Pet Smart. I bring my Yorkie to a vet practice where there are three vets in the practice.

No this does not include blood work, a microchip, anesthesia, neutering and two sets of meds and a visit back to get the stiches out. The itemized bill showed $40 a tooth so that is what I was responding to in the post but all the above, including the teeth extraction was close to $500. He is inder 5 lbs.

Didn't say you went to Petsmart. I was just saying that unless I went to the Petsmart it would be cheaper but we haven't found a vet in Manhattan that is any cheaper. I was just pointing out that even city to city can have drastic prices differences due to the rent the vet pays for the building they operate in.

 

[js]

Didn't say you went to Petsmart. I was just saying that unless I went to the Petsmart it would be cheaper but we haven't found a vet in Manhattan that is any cheaper. I was just pointing out that even city to city can have drastic prices differences due to the rent the vet pays for the building they operate in.

I know lol. I was just pointing out too All good!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Have you thought about doing it yourself? I am no vet but I do give my dogs all their shots (except rabies state won't allow it). Seems to me this would be just the opposite of giving a shot. Get a syringe and draw it out.

Give the dog to a shelter? If the dog is in pain all the time with a condition that will continually occur...it's a tough choice, but if you won't have the money to handle the issue, you may want to give up the dog (or if you're okay with it, putting the dog down - I know many who would never do this, but if you give it to a shelter which is not no kill, they may do it anyway)...

maybe call vets in the area for an estimate.

Although I'd say with an 11 year old dog....

I don't mean to be mean, and I had a golden retriever growing up and a black lab when we got married, so I understand the strong bond between owner and pet.

But it's not like a human. I don't think you need to do everything to treat it's ailments.

You could buy another dog for less than $1,500. And a young, healthy dog to boot. 11 years is not an abnormally young age to put a large dog to sleep. Assuming the $1500 fixes the dog, how many years do you really have left with an 11 year old large dog? 2?

I know it's unthinkable, but shouldn't there be a cost-benefit analysis here?

You admitted the dog has had hip problems for awhile...

A DisBoards first for me. The three ABSOLUTE WORST RESPONSES I've ever seen here, all on one thread! WooHoo!

Flame me all you want, I couldn't care less. I didn't realize that saving money involved throwing a much-beloved life away or putting an animal at risk for infection by performing surgical procedures on pets when you have no clue how, nor no business doing so.

OP, thank you for being reasonable. I think the veterinary school option was a good suggestion, as was looking around, perhaps, at a different veterinary practice - just make sure your pet is still getting quality care. People have to understand that the cost of veterinary medical care has increased just as human medical care has, as well. We live in a very expensive society today, unfortunately, and having pets can be costly. It doesn't make them throw-aways when they outlive their usefulness or require medical care. Good grief. (And with a DVC name, to boot!)

 

[Birdie dog]

I agree 100%. If you'd send your dog to the shelter because it has a fatty tumor , you really shouldn't have a dog!

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you have an elderly dog in constant pain (since it was stated that the dog had had constant hip pain for years and was 11+ years old) with a problem that will perpetually recur (which was also stated) and don't have the funds to take care of the dog, giving the dog to a shelter is not the worst plan for you or the dog. Grown ups have to make tough decisions all the time, and these include decisions about family pets. If that insults people on the thread, I'm not sure why - it's why many of these animal shelters exist...

I've adopted both of my current animals from shelters (and these animals had previous owners who voluntarily gave them up) since I do have the funds to take care of those who can't...and they are 2 of the best animals I've had. I'd much prefer people give their animals to shelters than have them suffer...and yet I understand some shelters would not readopt an animal in that condition with all of the issues the op mentioned (which is why I mentioned it's possible the animal would be put down)...

 

[amalone1013]

Just to add, Care Credit is basically a credit card. When I worked at a vet clinic 2 years ago, any charges over $200 were given 6 months with no interest. Not sure if that is still the case.

Is it a plugged fat/oil gland? Our family dog had one of those on her side. We were lucky that it never got bigger than a grape, but occasionally she would squish it or we would to drain some (yuck...) and it would slowly refill. We would clean it off/hydrogen peroxide it - this was all recommended/ok'd by our vet. If it's large enough to effect his walking, that's different. I remember removing it would be expensive, perhaps the vet was confused about what you asked for?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

MOST older, larger dogs have arthritis pain as they age. Medium and smaller dogs get it, too. Just like people. There are medications for this, as well as other things you can do to help minimize their pain, such as keeping their weight down, swimming, staying active, etc. And fatty, non-cancerous lesions are hardly a terminal condition.

 

[Disneytam]

This year we had an abscess drained and cleaned on our cats head. She is an 11 year old cat and we had here teeth done why she was under as well as her nails done since she can be a bit crabby about having them clipped. The total bill was about $375. She recovered very well.