Cost of Veterinary Care - a Vent

[Muffin]

Ugh! Earlier today I spent $335 on my cat…he was acting like he had a UTI, so I immediately looked up a vet ( I just moved), and drove him there.

$335 was for a $95 office visit, $180 for ONE X-ray, $40 to read the X-ray, and some ‘extra film’ charge (they were digital X-rays!). No medicine, nothing. They wanted to do a urinalysis, which I agreed, but lo and behold he just peed and they couldn’t use that. Maybe they have to draw it, I don’t know?

Anyhow, I could either separate my two cats and see if my one boy peed, or I could leave him there and they’d watch him for 12 hours. I decided to leave him until I saw the bill…they wanted $120 to observe him overnight!!

So, I’m staying up watching him tonight, and if he’s acting uncomfortable I’ll take him out to one of the vets near where I board. Maybe I’m wrong, but ‘big city vets’ seem much higher.

[mswillie]

There is a huge difference in cost between two practices that are in my area. They are located about 4 or 5 miles from each other.

My neighbor’s dog needed some dental work, one practice wanted in the $600-700 range to clean and pull a couple of teeth. They couldn’t begin to afford this so I suggested they call the vet practice I use. They were able to afford the less than $200.00 fee that vet quoted and the dog had the work she needed done.

Both practices have plenty of clients. One is slick and modern, the other is a little older and more pragmatic. Apart from the cost I like the older practice. They understand that funds may be limited for people and although they will offer more expensive treatments if people want to try them, they also don’t make anyone try to feel guilty if they choose a more conservative route.

[kmwines01]

A lot of cost variance comes from overhead. What’s the building like, how experienced are the techs, who cleans, how many front desk people are there, how many meds do they stock, etc etc. Some may be low cost but they probably dont have all certified techs and instead have students. Or don’t stock an extensive pharmacy and don’t have that overhead which is generally a large chunk. I’m graduating from vet school in may and this is a huge discussion. NOTHING makes vets more uncomfortable than money. And many don’t take payments because they’ve been burned so bad in the past. The problem is that many vets aren’t good at showing the value in what they are doing and explaining that cost relationship.

And vets have to feed their families, pets, etc. Not too many I know are living it up. Not in this era when the average debt coming out is 200,000. An internship pays about 20-25, 000 your first year and if you specialize you MAY get paid. Or you’ll spend 4 years completely unpaid while learning to be a surgeon.

[MsM]

Having insurance has really skewed my understanding of the costs of human medicine! While I have been without at times, I never had major problems that cost big bucks. (Tho when my mom was on an oral chemo for lung cancer, it cost about $3,500/month. Not fully covered by insurance because it was oral and counted as “prescription”)

With the animals, being an educated customer is key. It helps to have lived in one place so I know the characteristics of many of the different clinics.

The horse has cost many thousands trying to fix various lamenesses. One vet was recommended as a great lameness vet but he turned out to be high-pressure, throw-every-new-treatment-I-have vet. Fired him. Interestingly, the Big Clinic was very upfront about choices, costs and likelihood of helping and did not pressure.

The dogs are also racking up the vet bills. My local vet is great about explaining options and how much a referral is likely to cost. The referral hospital has also been good about presenting options. I just spent over $2,000 for diagnosis including an MRI and medical treatment for my dog’s back issue. But I was given the info to make a choice and a reasonably close estimate of cost.

I do go to my vet for vaccines and they are quite reasonable with costs. I do appreciate having the once-over on them at that time. Not worth it for me to stand in line at a pet store or shelter with pets of uncertain health to save just a little. Now if I felt my vet was ridiculously expensive, I might think otherwise - or more likely change vets (we have a lot of options here)

I am fortunate that I have no other dependents and can choose to spend on pets without worrying about depriving children, etc. Up to a point of course… It has to be more difficult with, for example. a young family with children and debts, to decide where to draw the line in expenses.

[iberianfan]

Interesting post. I just spent $1000 for my dog to have two teeth pulled (he had broken them chewing on bones, etc., another story) and have his teeth cleaned. I now live in town, but when I had a farm, and lots of barn cats, and several dogs, I always ordered vaccines from online pharmacies. I never did “wellness” visits and my critters lived to grand old ages.
Now I use a local small animal clinic for my dog and cat and I love the vet, but the cost is unbelievable. In 2012, my mom’s cat got sick and I spent $2k just to end up putting him to sleep. That involved the emergency clinic because that is where the internist worked. Those costs were stunning, literally.
I do know a small animal clinic that does low-cost spay/neuter and sells medication at prices similar to the online pharmacies. They stay completely busy, but are not close enough for me to use. Can’t the vets at least price the meds competitively? Look at what KV Vet or Foster and Smith are charging and get close? I know the online stores rely on volume, but can’t the local vet get more reasonable?

[Beethoven]

I love this article. http://parkhillvet.com/2012/09/comparing-costs-of-human-vs-pet-health-care/

[Casey09]

[QUOTE=betsyk;7380691]
Justmyluck, I think it works the other way. If the low cost clinics are taking a substantial amount of business away from the regular vet clinics (and I’m not necessarily convinced that they are, but maybe) then I think the regular practices need to look at that and learn something from it. If pet owners make the choice to keep costs down but get the vaccines their pet needs without the relationship piece, or the continuity of record keeping - then maybe those things aren’t as important to the average pet owner, or maybe their value is greater to the vet clinic than the pet owner. How many people are perfectly happy to get shopping mall health care - walk in clinics for a strep throat or broken finger, or a big HMO instead of a small private practice - it’s a choice a lot of reasonably healthy people make. I don’t particularly care who I see for routine stuff for myself, and if I just need a rabies shot for the cat, I don’t particularly care who does it. When I need the expertise of a really good vet, I’ll make the appointment with the really good vet and pay what it costs.

And, fwiw, I haven’t paid a vet to do vaccines on my horse in at least 10 years. Our horse vet - same practice as the small animal vets we use - either dispenses the vaccine from the truck or the clinic, or we order from a catalog and usually go in with other boarders to save money. I haven’t seen any effect on her willingness to go the extra mile for our animals when needed, and we’re among that practice’s most loyal customers. If I save money on vaccines and routine stuff, I’ll have more in the account when I need it for a major expense or an emergency.[/QUOTE]

Often those are simply subsidized by monetary or material donations.
The problem as I see it is just that modern medical treatment is very expensive. The equipment is very expensive and support staff is very expensive as well. Most vet salaries are not that high considering their education. As a client, I don’t want to be sold things that I don’t need, but I do want my animals to have complete medical records and I have benefitted so many times by having a good relationship with a veterinary office. I believe that in the long run I have saved money. I knew someone pet sitting for a lady whose dog was in the process of being diagnosed with cancer while she was out of town. She used a Petsmart vet. It sounded like a huge pain and because of corporate policy they couldn’t do a lot of things to work with the owner and sitter. I know my vet would have been a lot more helpful.

Does anyone know what the dental additive for water is? I did spend a lot on my old dog’s arthritis, so I know how that is and I can understand for sure.

[Casey09]

Vaccines also . . . You have to be careful. A lot of what you buy at the farm store might not have been stored properly. I was at the vet once when a recently vaccinated dog had a serious reaction. The vet had the medication to quickly stop that reaction. I would never want to administer a vaccine myself after seeing that (with the exception of a barn cat that would not otherwise be vaccinated).

[spook1]

I kinda in a mess now……I take my two IGs to the vet for annual wellness checks and yearly shots (very year and I do the same for my horse)……485.00 I almost stroked. The low cost spay/neuter vacs clinic……for yearly shots per dog…55.00.

Huge difference…why?

Now my IG broke her leg and the vet trip was 760.00 so far we are trying to find a Ortho surgeon now (of course this stuff always happens on a Fri afternoon) But I have been told the cost could be between 3 and 4k. Homestly I don’t know if I can swing that. And I may have to amputate which is sad. She is young and I worry about her breaking the other leg (she has twigs for legs).

But Following with what others have said if I take her to another state the surgery will be half the price. There is such a big difference in what one vet charges and one in the next county or state. AS far as vets working with you on payments……not! I have been with my vet for 14 yrs faithfully taking my dogs for anything and everything they needed and I have always paid right then. On this broke leg issue I ask about payments since I am a long time client in and always have been in good standing and the answer was NO payment in full up front before anything gets done for my dog.

I guess the cost of everything so just going wild.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=Justmyluck;7380541]
Those low cost clinics are putting veterinarians out of business and making it impossible for new veterinarians to find jobs. The problem with the the economy is that everyone wants cheap. I call it the Walmart phenomenon. Cheap over quality. Your vaccine clinic isn’t going to now how to know the meaning of your dog’s heart murmur. Won’t be able to prescribe medications and there will be no complete medical record when you need it. Client patient relationship is as necessary in vet med as it is in human medicine. When your dog needs some major medical treatment your regular vet is more likely to work with you on cost. Where as if your vet has never seen you before they aren’t going to help you with something such as payments.[/QUOTE]

My vet is very reasonably priced…$119 for yearly exam, all vaccinations, HW test, fecal and nail clip. I make sure I buy all my meds from him, he gets all my business. He’s a great, reasonably priced vet, it’s in my best interests to make sure he can afford to stay in business.

***This is the same vet I can call up to 10 pm any day of the week in an emergency and he will meet me at his clinic.

[Fessy_s_Mom]

Wow! This discussion really took off! I love hearing everyone’s experiences - thanks for sharing!

Muffin - how awful! My office visit for Penny was $30.00, hospitalization for the 8 days was $120 ($15/night!) and three digital x-rays were $120. The most expensive thing was the anesthesia at $130. They only charged $120 for the surgery! :eek:

iberianfan - I got a quote from the vet to do a dental for my other Pom and it was $800. The animal shelter gave me a quote of $400. I wasn’t able to get it done before we moved, so I’m looking forward to getting a quote from my new vet.

spook1 - wouldn’t the amputation be just as (if not more) expensive than the orthopedic procedure? I’m so sorry you have to make this decision. I love Italian Greyhounds but decided not to get one because they are just so fragile. :sadsmile:

The article showing the cost being 10% of human treatment - I get that, but most people don’t pay those costs out of pocket like they do for animals, so not really a fair comparison. And you can’t really compare the care of an animal kept in a cage to recover and a very needy, whiny patient constantly calling the nurse for attention. LOL!

[spook1]

Hi Fessy

No I have no hard quotes but the amputaion would be around 700.00. I would really like to fix the leg and I will if I can swing it.
I realize I need a special type of vet service with this leg brake but just the general price of basic vet care is so high. Its sucks because a lot of people can give a good home to a pet but just the routine vet costs are crazy and they just get rid of the pet or don’t get the care it needs. I understand vets have school and equipment to pay for but still 495.00 for just yearly shots and exam was a lot. I hope the low cost clinics stay around I think they do more good than harm as far as just yearly shots are concerned.

[Justmyluck]

[QUOTE=Tha Ridge;7380734]
The difference is that if I need MAJOR medical treatment and have no insurance or money, I can walk into an emergency room and get the treatment I need, no questions asked. Whether you think that’s right or wrong, it happens. That is not an option for my dog, and my vet requires all payment in full. I’d much rather spend $40 per year on shots and have that extra $200-300 in my account in case my dog needs it down the road.[/QUOTE]

Mm yeah because other people pay for that care through their taxes. The ER and doctors still get payed. The veterinarians do not. But hey if that’s what you want I’m all for taxing people so that veterinarians can give animals the treatment they deserve.

[Justmyluck]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;7381080]
My vet is very reasonably priced…$119 for yearly exam, all vaccinations, HW test, fecal and nail clip. I make sure I buy all my meds from him, he gets all my business. He’s a great, reasonably priced vet, it’s in my best interests to make sure he can afford to stay in business.

***This is the same vet I can call up to 10 pm any day of the week in an emergency and he will meet me at his clinic.[/QUOTE]

More people would see this happen if they were loyal to their veterinarians. Your vet loves you FYI.

[LauraKY]

After some really expensive illness with my last two dogs, I bought medical insurance for all of my dogs when they were still young…now everything is covered with a $250 deductible.

I purchased it just so I wouldn’t have to make a decision based on the cost of care.

[Justmyluck]

[QUOTE=spook1;7381051]
I kinda in a mess now……I take my two IGs to the vet for annual wellness checks and yearly shots (very year and I do the same for my horse)……485.00 I almost stroked. The low cost spay/neuter vacs clinic……for yearly shots per dog…55.00.

Huge difference…why?

Now my IG broke her leg and the vet trip was 760.00 so far we are trying to find a Ortho surgeon now (of course this stuff always happens on a Fri afternoon) But I have been told the cost could be between 3 and 4k. Homestly I don’t know if I can swing that. And I may have to amputate which is sad. She is young and I worry about her breaking the other leg (she has twigs for legs).

But Following with what others have said if I take her to another state the surgery will be half the price. There is such a big difference in what one vet charges and one in the next county or state. AS far as vets working with you on payments……not! I have been with my vet for 14 yrs faithfully taking my dogs for anything and everything they needed and I have always paid right then. On this broke leg issue I ask about payments since I am a long time client in and always have been in good standing and the answer was NO payment in full up front before anything gets done for my dog.

I guess the cost of everything so just going wild.[/QUOTE]

Okay first off, the fact that you have to ask why the low cost clinic is low just blows my mind. The answer is over head. They dont have to have hte clinic, the x-ray machines, the receptionists, the technicians, the surgery suite, the exam rooms, the medications, the computer system ect. Its common sense.

Next the orthopedic vets are going to cut you a break and do payment plans because they dont know you. They dont care if you have a relationship with another vet. Especially if you are coming in from out of town, the odds are they will see you for one recheck if you dont skip out on that. Then they’ll never see you again. You arent going to call and make payments. You’ll forget about it, something will happen and you cant pay this month, or you’ll think that the clinic will never follow up to get the rest of thier money. Then your dog is walking around with hundreds of dollars of implants and skill in its leg you’ll never pay for.

[Justmyluck]

[QUOTE=iberianfan;7381034]
Interesting post. I just spent $1000 for my dog to have two teeth pulled (he had broken them chewing on bones, etc., another story) and have his teeth cleaned. I now live in town, but when I had a farm, and lots of barn cats, and several dogs, I always ordered vaccines from online pharmacies. I never did “wellness” visits and my critters lived to grand old ages.
Now I use a local small animal clinic for my dog and cat and I love the vet, but the cost is unbelievable. In 2012, my mom’s cat got sick and I spent $2k just to end up putting him to sleep. That involved the emergency clinic because that is where the internist worked. Those costs were stunning, literally.
I do know a small animal clinic that does low-cost spay/neuter and sells medication at prices similar to the online pharmacies. They stay completely busy, but are not close enough for me to use. Can’t the vets at least price the meds competitively? Look at what KV Vet or Foster and Smith are charging and get close? I know the online stores rely on volume, but can’t the local vet get more reasonable?[/QUOTE]

The answer once again is overhead and staff. I cant believe so many people are shocked at the cost over overhead. Then there is the cost of that 8+ years of education. You have to pay for something.

[draftdriver]

I do think there is a degree of ‘ripoff’ in vet practices. For example, one rabies shot at the yearly municipal rabies clinic = $25. One rabies shot added to the bill of a spaying = $65. Grumble.

[Emilia]

I think, with the improvement of the veterinary care, it has become essential to create a budget in good times and make peace with it, so that, when, emergency/illness occurs, we are not caught up scrambling and making decisions that would potentially ruin the entire family.

We have a budget for each animal.

The emergency budget for older animals is lower than the one for younger ones. On the other hand, the maintenance budget is normally higher for older critters than young ones.

When creating it, we took into account our long-term financial outlook, including the fact that my mostly disabled husband cannot get long-term care insurance. So, we need to have savings for that. People first.

As for the veterinary doctors, I would appreciate if they refrained from sending their clients to guilt trips, when clients did not have resources to provide advanced treatment for the animals.

I understand, vets situation might get tricky.

They have a responsibility to explain all options and I am glad they do it.

They can explain the options without inserting emotions/quiet judgment regarding the possible decision of the client.

I know, many clients do not indicate/disclose, they do not have money. It seems to be somewhat a taboo here in the US to admit our resources are limited. We drive each other to the ground by “keeping up.”

Then, I would argue, there is a point, when vets need to make it clear that the expensive option should really be only considered, if a family can stay financially sound despite the costly treatment.

We all have to operate on trust. I need to trust that the vet will support the best option for our animal & family situation without passing judgment. The vet needs to trust I truly provide the best care I can for my animal.

Without it, we will just get all wrapped up in a continuous blame-game. I would much rather work with my vet as a team than considering him/her as adversary.

[yankeeclipper]

My dog in 2009 had serious back issues that left him paralyzed in his hind legs. Took him to the VCA hospital and the cost estimate for back surgery was $7k to $9k. I did not have the money to do the surgery and the neurologist offered no alternatives and made me feel like crap for not saying yes. I decided to do crate rest, pain meds, acupuncture and anti inflammatories. He recovered but not fully. It still makes me sad to this day. I am not a fan of corporate owned vet clinics!