Are vets a ripoff?
By breepeace
@breepeace (3014)
Canada
May 18, 2007 11:54am CST
For years I've been administering my own vaccinations to my animals as well as deworming them myself.
When my dog had a bad accident that tore her foot open I went into nurse mode, flushing and wrapping and giving her antibiotics from the veterinary supply store. Her foot has absolutely no damage anymore, everything healed perfectly. If I had taken her to the vet, they assessed a cost of between $200-400 to fix it. The vets here in the city charge a base minimum of $55 for an exam, which gets you NOTHING, since they want to do comprehensive tests for everything anyway before they go ahead with treatment, so basically you pay $55 for them to tell you your pet is still alive.
They're ALL like that, too, around here. In my hometown, the vet charged $120 for a spay, $90 for a neuter, $30 for vaccinations, $85 for titre tests and $65 for euthanasia (including cremation).
Here: $285 for a spay, $140 for a neuter, $45 for vaccination, $180 for titre tests and $200 for euthanasia ($225 for cremation included).
What a scam!
Especially considering I can pick up the basic booster for my dog, the FVRCP vaccine for my roommate's kitten for $5, and a vial of 20 deworming pills for another $5. And to boot, if you take your pet in for a vaccination, they send you a reminder EVERY year to revaccinate. Pets don't NEED to be vaccinated every year!
The biggest kick in the rear for me though, was last night when I took my cat in for suspected antifreeze poisoning. I might have to say goodbye to my cat this weekend because he wanted to charge $97 for an exam, $85 for the ethylene glycol tests and then if she tested positive, he'd want between $1500 and $2000 UP FRONT (last night at 9:30 pm) to administer the treatment.
Vets aren't in it for the love of animals, they're in it for the love of money.
2 people like this
5 responses
@shambuca (2524)
• United States
18 May 07
this past christmas my dog had some sort of rash on his belly- they were round cicles and we thought it might be ring worm or soemthing my husband took the dog to the vet - i had to work- and I told him don't get any shots for him other than rabies and distemper- cause i don't believe in them- I've had dogs all my life and they never had these other shots before and my dogs lived good long lives without them....so my husband calls me at work and says the vet bill was 350.00....I screamed WHAT--WHY??? he read it off to me and they had given him all the shots i asked them not to and he only had a yeast infection not ring worm...... they do what they want to sometimes and my husband didn't realize what they were giving him shots for and then what do you do after they have already administered them- say take it back --- no you have to pay for it....i agree with you they take advantage of people all the time!
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
24 May 07
Some vets are very expensive- some are worth it, some are not. The vet I use gives me major discounts since I have many dogs and they all need so much care lol. I have 2 dogs with heart problems, and the vet I use is the heart specialist here- I get echocardiograms on them and he does give me major discounts (some have been free).
I do my own distemper vaccines now- when one of my dogs became diabetic I had to get over my fear of syringes, and figured if I can do 2 shots a day, I can give the rest of them 1 shot right? lol
I get the 3yr rabies vaccine for them, and they charge me for the vaccine, but not the office call- so that's not so bad. Their usual office call fee is $35, however they check the dog from nose to tail. One of the vets there (there are 3) even gets down on the floor and romps around with them- the dogs adore her. For vets like that, I'll pay whatever it takes. I know I can call them at any time for any reason and they'll fit me in, they've even let me come in before they open and after they close at no extra charge.
To me, they're worth every cent.
1 person likes this
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
24 May 07
See.. our vets here in the city are nothing like that. They're brusque, businesslike and they don't seem to care much for the animals. It's all about the money, and if you're not willing to pay the money up front (like I said.. $2000 at 9:30 at night), you get attitude and they insinuate that you are a bad pet owner.
A few years ago I was interviewing for a part time kennel help position at the vet I usually use, the administrator introduced me to all the staff members. The kennel help were very friendly and most were either playing with, bathing or holding an animal, while the 3 vets I was introduced to were all business, the one didn't even get off her cell phone. When I left, my boyfriend couldn't help but point out the new Beamer and the newer Mercedes in the staff parking lot. It was pretty easy to see who was in it for the money and who was in it for the love of animals, especially since (had I taken the job) my starting wage was $7.50 an hour.
I know my vet back home was quite good, but I despise the ones I've met here.
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
24 May 07
Last year I had an interview at another kennel- it was run by 3 vets who were in Ohio, and they decided to open a boarding/grooming place here in Indiana. I thought it would be great since it was run by vets, so I figured the pay would be better, and the photos of their facility were incredible.
I went for the interview, and they offered me $6 an hour... I've had almost 12 years of experience working in a kennel (12 yrs at one facility), I've forgotten more about dogs than most people will ever know, and run several dog websites. Plus, for the $6 an hour, they wanted me to drive to Ohio for the training (unpaid). I declined and left. I make over twice that where I'm at. A month later, they called me back, and offered me what I am making where I'm at.. I was seriously considering it, before they told me that they went to where I work, and were peeking through the windows after hours to see why I would prefer to stay there than go work for them! That totally creeped me out- and the woman who did the window peeping was one of the vets, and 8 months pregnant... a little freaky to be doing that lol Needless to say, I declined lol.
1 person likes this
@Signal20 (2281)
• United States
24 May 07
I agree with you 100%!! I do all necessary treatments with antibiotics, wrappings, etc fortunately not too much lol. I also don't believe in vaccinating adult dogs every year either. My dogs are all over 8 now, and I most likely won't get them anything other then rabies from now on. The only thing I do is the yearly rabies shot, because we're rural with lots of wild critters around. And for that, I wait for the yearly rabies shot day, only 10. I did do the vaccines myself for awhile, same thing I ordered them online for about 3.00 each. They are in it for the money now. There's so few that actually care about the animals anymore, and it's hard to find them. I stopped in at our local vet(we just moved here), and asked about the price just for rabies. 40.00=office visit and the shot. He said, but we offer a special for vaccinations, 30.00 for all the vaccines plus rabies, and we include the office visit in that fee...I said but I dont' want all the vaccines, just rabies.....ridiculous!!! Paid 90. to get my rabbit neutered last year....they used a laser to cut his nuts off....90. for 15 minutes of work tops???? Come on...lol
1 person likes this
@copperkitten (3473)
• United States
18 May 07
Ok some vets are expencive. My vet is not. I only paid 165$ for a spay and microchip. I only paid 50-70 pre visit for vaccines. I pay 10$ a mnth for Revolution which takes care of the fleas, ticks, and heartworms.
I am very willing to pay what the vet wants to treat my animal. I know she is taken care of and healthy. My vet is also a good person and is willing to work with you on everything!!! I wish you had a good vet like me!
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
18 May 07
Me too.. I miss my vet back home, but 6 hours is too far to travel to get good care for my pets again.
1 person likes this
@copperkitten (3473)
• United States
21 May 07
Glad to see a few of us have good vets. I like mine. I recently took my lizard in and it only cost 40$ to get him checked and for antibiotics. He cut himself.
1 person likes this
