[QUOTE=1sock;5626151]
I get that running a vet clinic is expensive. But why the does it seem that the same procedure, depending on the clinic, varies SO much?? And why does neutering a cat/dog cost so darn much now? I finally saw an ad on CL about a kinda-local H.S. that was advertising lower-cost spay/neuter (So happy to see that- since no one in our area does).
Of course, whenever we have an animal emergency, it WILL be after hours, on a weekend and our vet either will not be on call, or will be out of town. 
So sometimes, there is “only one clinic” that can help you. (Says the owner of Rowdy, the now $1000 barn cat).
Our regular small animal clinic saved my puppies, for which I will forever be grateful. Kind of a long story:
Had a litter of Collie puppies a few years back. Took them down to the cities to see the opthamologist for their eye checks, at 8 weeks old. These pups had their first shots, but not as early as some give them, (years before I had a puppy who we believe contracted enceph/brain swelling from vaccinations given at 6 weeks Totally random and rare, but that was the vet’s best guess).
Home from the eye checks and a week later, in the evening, noticed one puppy not eating/lethargic/drooling. First thought was PARVO! Only place they could have picked it up was the opthamologists’. No contact with new people/other dogs/etc. Told Mom I thought we had a Parvo puppy! She wanted me to bring him into the on-call clinic. I wanted to wait until morning and contact our regular clinic but was outvoted, and ended up bringing pup into on-call clinic to find out what I’d already guessed, (to the tune of I think around $300), that puppy had Parvo. Had to pay that directly, they don’t allow payments. They told me the pups would need to be hospitalized, it would cost a MINIMUM of $1000 per puppy, and I’ll repeat this: NO payments. Must pay in full at time of services. Did I mentioned I had 8 puppies in the litter? Eight thousand dollars (At a minimum!). Shed some tears at the vets office, I’m going to have to let all my puppies just die? Well, thanks for your time, we’ll contact our regular vet in the morning and see what they say.
I can’t remember exactly what our regular vet quoted me for prices in the beginning, if he even tried to do that. What I DO remember is that he stayed home from his vacation to take care of my pups. And he saved 6 of them. And for taking care of 8 puppies, in and out of the clinic for a week, on IV fluids, medications, taking care of the 2 that died, etc…he charged me $1200. And he took payments. We had 6 beautiful puppies that lived, and I was able to afford his services. I think of our Dr. often when vet service prices come up, and typing this now makes me realize that as much as I verbally thanked him, (and joked about naming my firstborn after him), I should send them a card and re-thank them for what they did. I don’t know how I’ll afford small-animal vet services once he retires, guess I’ll just have to have less pets! Or no pets?
And if anyone is wondering, Rowdy became an even more expensive cat when the kitties were 2+ weeks old and she developed mastitis… (Really, dear Rowdy! You hadn’t cost enough???). Hence the “$1000 barn cat”. So she had to be treated for that, and we had to hand-raise the kitties the rest of the way. They’re about 10 weeks old now, found great homes for 2 of them and are down to just “the twins”. I think I have a home lined up for one of them, but it’s a hard decision on whether to keep the last one or not. I have a lot of time and love and money invested in this litter of generic DSH kittens!! ;)[/QUOTE]
Fees vary from vet to vet based on lots of things. To make it a short list:
What the anesthetic protocol is: premedicatons such as sedatives and pain meds? IV cath and fluids? IV cath at all? What drug is used for anesthetic induction? Are they on gas? What sort of monitoring is done? (this varies from only the vet doing surgery hopefully noting that the patient is still breathing to having an actually multiparameter monitor measuring ECG/blood pressure/SpO2/ETCO2/Temp with a certified technician recording the vitals every 5 minutes). What is monitored post op (is the pet just put on the floor or in a cage and not looked at until it moves or is it actually monitored/supported/etc)?
How is the surgery done: cap/mask/gown for surgeon? type of suture used? how much draping? how is the prep done?
Is there pre-op blood work done? (I have a personal opinion on that I don’t want to go there)
How long is the pet in the hospital after surgery?
Are pain medicines dispensed?
How much is their overhead?
In short: a spay is not a spay is not a spay.
My cost on just drugs and suture to do a spay is darned near $100. That doesn’t include my time, the cost of the monitor, the cost of the pack and its prep and maintance, the cost of the gas and oxygen, etc.
Parvo: Highly unlikely it was at an ophthomology practice. Incubation period can be longer than a week.
Parvo cost can vary alot depending, again, on how it is treated and how bad it is. Ours are treated with IV fluids, blood checks for glucose and protein to see if they need supplemented, IV antibiotics, anti-vomiting medicaitons, cages cleaned every couple of hours, 3-4 time a day physical exams, are cared for 24 hrs a day, etc. The average cost of an average parvo at my place is $1,000-1,200. They are alot of work!!
Yes, I know vets who treat with SQ fluids as out patients, or who do put them in the hospital on IV fluids but only from 8-6. Is the survival rate different? I don’t know. I do know that the ones we see are very very sick. Don’t know about the others.
And yes, I require a $1,000 deposit before I will admit the puppy. Why? Because the other vets that don’t account for a large part of our accounts recievable. Most people who can’t afford to vaccinate a puppy properly can’t afford to treat them either. yes, there are exceptions but those are prob less than 50% of them.
I am sorry if this sounds cold hearted but to give up a much needed and deserved vacation to generate $1,200 is not smart business. But if he was ok with it, so be it. I know our doors wouldn’t be able to say open that way.
We dont’ take payments because we dont’ have a regular, dpendable client base that we will see over and over. That is not our intent!! As such, it is highly unlikely we will ever see you again as you have no attachment to us.
As for a $1000 barn cat…I had a really hot strain of calicivirus come thru my barn. It about killed my older and most favorite barn cat and got another one really sick. Older kitty spent 2 weeks in the hospital, other spent a week. MY COST: over $1,000 in “stuff” and lab work.
Hate to say it but we pay the same amount for drugs, supplies, electricity, water other regular and usual costs as human hospitals. We just undervalue our services alot more. TBH, I really think I am worth a bit more than $43/hr after 30 years in practice, a masters, board certification in one specialty and a residency in a second. We have a part time tech that is also a nurse. She makes quite a bit more than I do. And has benefits way better than mine. My trainer charges more per hour for lessons than I make. Even trainers less qualified than him charge more!!
From my skewed perspective, there is something wrong with this picture. And the bitching.
And she remembered my cat from her flute lessons from years back.[/QUOTE]
