not sure what the purpose of your post is??
But that sounds about right, because HW test and vaccination are over $100 easy. So you paid about the same as me and yes I did get the same things for my 10year old JRT. And luckily he has now beautiful teeth again 
nothing had to be pulled and he does not have rotten teeth And sorry I am not going to pay 550 if I can get the same for under 300ā¦
But I do get the feeling that people think something is better because its is more expensiveā¦And I believe that every vet tries his best. So far I have not met a vet who will do something he doesnt believe inā¦
Vets in US pay, and pay a hefty sum, to get their DVM.
In Germany they get government assistance with the costs of their education.
So what US Vets charge for care when they finally have a practice to what German Vets charge is apples and oranges.
They are not comparable.
I agree, thatās exactly what I tried to explain in my recent posts!! Thank you for clarifying it
The OP literally spelled out the answer to your question multiple times.
Just to add something in here. Education in Canada is much cheaper then it is in the US, yet Canadian vets charge very similar prices to American vets. So when a Canadian comes on here and feels they were overcharged by their small animal vet they probably were.
In my previous post I mentioned being charged $100 for a physical exam and then was refused vaccinations because it was only 11 months and 7 days since the previous ones. He wanted me to come back in 3 wks for another physical exam plus vaccinations for no reason. Itās a 90lb dog, 3 weeks on annual vaccines wonāt make a difference. I know this vet (small town), his parents were not well off, he didnāt win the lottery, yet his wife doesnāt work, they live in a $2500 sq ft house with views of the water, and they both drive luxury vehicles.
I switched to a vet who doesnāt charge me up the ying yang, he also had much better suggestions then the previous vet when my dog had a flare up of her allergies.
Donāt get me started on human dentists in areas where prices arenāt capped. Regular cleaning and x-rays in Ontario $300. Same thing in Alberta: $800
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K-9 Gentle Dental is a company that provides anaesthetic free dental cleaning. They have an office in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and maybe others - like a franchise I think.
Iāve not used them but seen their ads and not heard anything bad about them. Saw a feature on t.v. and the dog looked comfortable.
Unfortunately with veterinary species you are not able to do a complete job cleaning the teeth (and assessing for problems) unless you use anesthesia. The Veterinary Dental Specialists have a statement about it:
http://www.avdc.org/dentalscaling.html
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Can anybody explain how these seemingly successful businesses operate - There are a lot of pet owners who will not take their dog to the vet because of the cost, or fear, and the dog goes without care.
There was a big fight here a few years a go when the vet establishment fought the local dental practicioners who were not vets. One guy was chased out of town and set up in another province, much to the dismay of all his loyal clients. They did not use sedatives, either. Not sure of the current status, because I use my vet as we do the annual visit every year for shots, etc. and all those questions I saved up all year.
But isnāt it kind of interesting?? The system in Germany which has rules and also a (little higher income tax) is overall cheaper and more affordable Maybe vets earn a little bit less but still enough and everybody can afford good vet care And it works the same way with health careā¦
It really can vary on the details of the dental as well, as are they running fluids, is pre-op bloodwork included? Antibiotics? And so forth.
My MIL had a quote for 2k for a dental for her Chihuahua that needs 12 extractions. Unfortunately thatās out of her reach as sheās a widow on a very fixed income. I did look around and knew of a clinic thatās older, the owner bought it from her dad, etc, so I think that the overhead is lower, and sheāll be able to get the dental and extractions done for ~$600 along with post-operative pain relief and antibiotics. Sheās quite relieved that this will be more affordable for her.
I was very pleased the other month when I had to take my cat in and bloodwork was $100 for a CBC, Thyroid Panel, and full Chemistry. I work in a human medicine lab and for a CBC itās a good deal moreā¦So while I donāt enjoy dropping large sums of money routinely on my pets and their emergencies, I do appreciate that usually these clinics are doing the best they can.
Years ago, while I was still a vet assistant, I was helping review costs in the books and we were breaking down the cost per vaccine, puppy wellness visits, etc and then the cost to have the staff administer said vaccine and the time and so forth. It may be surprising, but that was a loss. The clinic decided as a group that for vaccines, it was OK to take the time and loss because we wanted to protect the pets in the area. Rabies is a very real issue.
It did change the way of thinking that I had held previously on that wellā¦the vaccine is just X cost per box so it should just cost X amount, but we had to incorporate the pay of the tech initially visiting the animal, the veterinarian salary, and that point we were already at a loss, without incorporating overhead bills, utilities, etc.
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I know what you mean by fixed income, but thatās a term that drives most vets crazy. Iām on a fixed income, too. My income does not go up no matter how long I stay at work, no matter how many new clients I bring, no matter how many surgeries I do each day. No matter if Iām in a serious accident and my insurance doesnāt cover all my medical bills, no matter if my car breaks down and I need a new one. I get a fixed income. Everyone that works here gets fixed income. Most people are on a fixed income. Itās a ridiculous term that I wish people would stop using.
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I realize that itās not the best terminology, but not sure what else is entirely appropriate in some circumstances. Would minimum wage work instead? Trying to swim above poverty line? Not sure what is appropriate.
In MILās case, her husband suddenly died and so as a homemaker with zero skills found herself in a world of hurt. Her long-term vet who provided affordable care retired, so at least instead of saying that she was going to ignore the dental travesty going on, she is trying to reach out and find a reasonable level of care.
I donāt utilize subsidized clinics because I donāt think thatās fair. Even though some months are tighter than others and I have massive student loan bills too, I can afford to pay whatās fair and thatās OK. But for some, they have to reach out to take care of the animals they do have and to shop around. I donāt think shaming though that are trying is fair either.
Iām not trying to shame anyone. Iām just saying that āfixed incomeā is not the terminology we should use.
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