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Veterinarian Care and Costs Way Up?

#41

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We moved about 3 years ago and had to change vets because of this. Vet choices are limited here, and it has been impossible to find a vet with reasonable costs in our area. We just paid $700 to have our cat's teeth cleaned! The costs are high enough that it is contributing to our decision to go pet-less after our current elderly cat croaks (freedom to travel, and attempt at allergy relief the other reasons).

It got me thinking .... I don't ever remember this level of care being provided for pets in the past. Maybe we are being guilted and upsold into service that are not really needed, and this is part of why the costs seem to have risen so much? I don't recall pet dental x-rays, teeth cleaning, elaborate written health reports (with color photos even), etc, etc, as part of past services. You only took a pet in for it's shots or if it was injured or otherwise suffering from a significant ailment. We have loved our pets and want to take care of them, but it all seems out of control. We have spent about $2k on this one cat this year for just a check up, regular shots, and of course the dreaded teeth cleaning. That's more than was spent on the two of us human's combined. I don't even want to mention the cost of the cat's recommended geriatric food.

I'm just curious what other people are experiencing and thinking about this subject?
 
Here in Mexico, veterinarians are about as common as drug stores (one on every corner). Just took our poodle into an "upscale" vet office here in La Paz, the 30 minute consultation (dog limping for a week) was $17.50 USD and meds (12 day treatment) of Carprofen 25mg cost $10.80 USD.

Now my human doctor ENT specialist charges $35.00 USD for a 30 minute follow-up visit. It was a little more for the initial visit.

Appointments are usually available same day and the doctors/vets don't use nurses and other staff to do the exams (one usually spends all the appointment time with the actual doctor). The comparison with United States care is like comparing the planet Venus to the planet Earth.

Here in Mexico, there is no network of attorneys to sue for malpractice, which I believe keeps costs down. And by the way, the doctors/vets here have all the newest technology available. Pharmacies don't "re-package" prescription medications like in the United States. They just pull the box of meds off the back shelf in its original container and give it to you right then and there (no waiting). The doctor writes the dosage on the order that he/she hands you during the office visit. The "child-proof" container with your name on it is completely eliminated and no one here seems to have a problem with it. And the drugs are cheap, a 10 day dosage of penicillin type antibiotics costs about $10.00 USD.

For $700.00 USD I could have paid for two human MRI exams here.

Oh, and when it comes to unnecessary lab tests, x-rays, and so on, the doctors don't order those. They use their brain, experience, and exams to figure out the best course of action. I have a lot of experience with doctors and specialists on both sides of the border, and the care and attention I receive far exceeds my experience here in Mexico compared to US (most US doctors seem to work "scared" if you ask me, while Mexican doctors work with the same confidence in their skills as US doctors had back in the 50's and 60's).
 
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I just pickup my puppy Skyy from the vet. From being neutered. Cost $840. Previous week was blood test & inoculations $347.
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Submit & I had a dog for 12 years & we had to put down her cat (16 years old) a few months ago. I don't like cats, but I do love dogs. That said, I don't miss having a pet and all that comes with them at all.
 
Just took my granddaughters dog in for a UTI. Exam and antibiotic 10 day script (not amoxicillin) was $73.
 
I would love to have a dog, but until I can find one that doesn't send my allergies into overdrive I have to go without! Have you seen the stupid money people spend on their pets? Leashes, collars, beds, toys, etc. They spend more for a bed and a collar than they do on their own kids for cryin out loud, what kind of moron does that?
Fufu pet shampoo that costs $20 for a little bottle, just give me a bar of Ivory soap and a dirty pet and they'll be just as clean when done!
 
Back in 98 my Belgian Malinios broke his leg.. X-ray, set & splint was $115.... Last week that same injury cost my buddy $1760.... I love my dogs but I'm not sure I'll have another when my current pair pass...
 
I was at a emergency vet clinic sitting in the lobby for about 5 hours on 3 July. They were taking in 10 to 12 grand EVERY HOUR. I do not know of any business on the planet with that kind of revenue.
Tucson has a veterinary shortage. Many have retired and closed their business. Also Tucson has 4 emergency vet clinics and it seems they run 24/7 with a backlog. When I left that vet clinic they were telling callers that they had a 15 hour backlog.
My dog was fine after $900 worth of IV, X rays, and medications.
 
I was at a emergency vet clinic sitting in the lobby for about 5 hours on 3 July. They were taking in 10 to 12 grand EVERY HOUR. I do not know of any business on the planet with that kind of revenue.

Selfish greed has taken over for the love of taking care of animals!
 
Back in 98 my Belgian Malinios broke his leg.. X-ray, set & splint was $115.... Last week that same injury cost my buddy $1760.... I love my dogs but I'm not sure I'll have another when my current pair pass...

Thanks for some relevant feedback. THIS is exactly what I'm talking about. Maybe I'm not just an old, uncompassionate, grump.

We have always had pets and enjoyed them tremendously, but this is ridiculous. Maybe back to goldfish?
 
Too bad we don't have more like "Dr.Jeff Rocky Mountain Vet"
Denver area, (only thing good about Denver area)
on 'Discovery Channel or Animal Channel'
he's all about the animals
not the $$$

except;
he Dr. Jeff requires they be spayed or neutered, with or for care
he's all about spay & neuter stuff
(all about animal birth/population control, not sure I agree with all that)

Way too many people letting their animals wander or roam unleashed
or not fenced-in areas etc. (unless you're rural & on ranch land etc.)
& not paying attention when, the animal is in heat etc.,
just careless nonsense, a huge problem in inner-shitty's

(or some/many 2nd/3rd world socialist shithole countries either)

but;
he Dr. Jeff does many operations & fixes animals
many vets would recommend being put down
or limb amputate etc., instead of operating, or internal surgeries
amazing what he does & the animals he saves
or adopts out too
'usually all because of costs'
he charges like 1/10th the price, or less sometimes
for operations or special procedures, difficult stuff
many of people (usually poor folk) say other vets
want or will charge 'extortion prices for'

----------------------------------------------------------------------

My oldest sister Lori is a DVM,
she was a MD 1st got sick of it
bailed on that crap & went into veterinarian medicine
she's retired at 62 & went back to work, now retiring again she's 67

they used to be reasonable when she was still in Calif, Antioch area
but they went crazy in prices too, then sold out & moved
now in
Milwaukee/Portland Or. area & prices are extortion
(shithole city)

I do most all my dogs healthcare myself, teeth cleaning etc.
most stuff is a lil' 1st aid cream or hyrygon peroxide etc.
mostly logical stuff
I'm sure it's not as good as a trained cert. specialist
but I'll bet it's better than, some I've seen too...

I bought a lil cordless battery operated tooth polisher for humans
works fine, had it for 15 years probably
a lil toot polish form CVS, away you go
star them young it becomes easier, if they are trained well

we can't all (& shouldn't) live in a socialist "cheap" medical country :poke:
why so many of them come to the USA, to get real treatments/operations

do a lil research, unless it's something serious
saves a ton of money

animals medical insurance if you have several animals
maybe a viable option too

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

unless he needs antibiotics (prescriptions) or something serious
or surgery, I try not to go now
try to diagnose it 1st

you'd be surprised how much you can find online

we used to have reasonably priced vets here
but, no longer

hate to say it but Elvis (he's 7 now) may be my last
I said that when I had to put down Lord Budnicks in 2014 too
& I got Elvis about a year & a month later,
so we will cross that bridge when the time comes
I've always had a dog since the day I was born...

for now I will enjoy his (Elvis's);
loyal unconditional love & companionship

Good luck

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Our experiance is very similar . Ruby was limping not long after we adopted her. The local vet X rayed her and determined her ligaments were tearing off her knee.
Titanium hinges were going to be $8,000.per leg ! All in we would be looking at $18,000 ! We chose instead to go with the University Veterinary school route. Slightly differant procedure . We still paid close to $9000.00 ...
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My wife worked for a vet about 35 years ago, and that vet is still our vet. He gives a great discount to her. Last July, our late dog Ro (Black-Mouthed Cur) developed a tumor that enveloped her liver and she couldn't be saved. What would've been a $2K bill was just $800, including cremation. Her death ripped my heart out. I really wasn't concerned about the bill at that particular moment. I'm not one to worry about picking between saving my dog or paying a med bill. My dog comes first, so long as her suffering is alleviated and she can either get healthy, or pass with dignity. And yeah, vet bills have gone up in this country, as well as everything else.

This was the last pic I took of her. It's like she knew. That look in her eyes. And that beam of light beckoning her to cross the Rainbow Bridge...she knew.

Ro2.jpg
 
Our experiance is very similar . Ruby was limping not long after we adopted her. The local vet X rayed her and determined her ligaments were tearing off her knee.
Titanium hinges were going to be $8,000.per leg ! All in we would be looking at $18,000 ! We chose instead to go with the University Veterinary school route. Slightly differant procedure . We still paid close to $9000.00 ...
Yep :thumbsup:
I've talked about that on others threads like this one
My sister was at UC Davis & they did procedures
the reg vet would charge at a min. 5+ times more

the students learn under strict supervision too
not just willy nilly

win win win, future vet learns real-world stuff
& it's far cheaper & the dog/animal gets what he/she needs too
 
We have a dog that was bleeding from his nose. No apparent reason for it. We wanted to get a ct scan to see what was wrong. There's one place in Tampa that does it.
It cost 7 grand just for the tests.
I love my dogs, but the vets have become ridiculous in their pricing. The sad part is that they will cause people to not have pets, due to cost. So there will be more homeless pets, and more suffering for them.
 
KC's recent surgery and subsequent vet care was just a nudge over 5k. We have had dogs for almost 40 years. When our first dog got hit by a car and received a spiral break to his hind leg, the surgery and pins and all vet care was under 300. That was in 1988. It is like they are forcing you to buy pet insurance so they can charge unreasonable amounts. The current Vet care prices make for a difficult scenario for some people. They have to choose between giving their beloved pet up for adoption or putting their pet down because they cannot afford the care anymore. To my way of thinking the veterinary prices are not in an animals best interest, which they claim " is priority".
It is about money, not the pet anymore.
 
They have to choose between giving their beloved pet up for adoption or putting their pet down because they cannot afford the care anymore. To my way of thinking the veterinary prices are not in an animals best interest, which they claim " is priority".
It is about money, not the pet anymore.
Just like I said back in post #10!
Selfish greed has taken over for the love of taking care of animals!
 
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