To Pay or not to Pay - that is the question!

[Sansena]

Is everyone doing power floats now? I do not understand the need for sedation as a routine part of teeth floating.

If you horse didn’t have a power float, then sedation was likely not necessary unless vet was in a hurry and could not control hoss in the time line she allowed for the procedure (sounds like she was).

When did it become customary to sedate horses for floats and use power tools? I thought this was a ‘fad’ but am saddened to see it’s becoming the norm.

OP? I’d dispute the vaccines, and if the horse had a power float, I’d pay the sedation. Was your horse the only one treated while there? You should be able to negotiate a reduced farm call if there were others. If 4 horses seen, then only be charge 1/4 or farm call price.

Where are you located, roughly? These prices are giving me pause.

[16_Hands]

The prices are pretty typical for this area. Prefer to keep it vague. Most vets are using power floats but this vet did not but still administer the tranq. She had his head up in a cradle with a mouth speculum so that’s probably the reason for the sedation. When I’ve taken my horses to the dentist located at my vet’s office, it can run up to $300 tops depending on what needs to be done.

I called the office and they knocked about $100 off the bill. I paid it and the matter is now closed and I won’t be using them in the future. Thanks all for the responses.

[TMares]

My vet sedates and uses power tools. I’m sorry you feel that way, @Sansena , but I’m the one paying the bills, soooo…

16h you owe for the farm call and the fees associated with the floats including drugs. Don’t pay for the shots. The end. Go by the clinic and get it sorted out.

[Tyrus_Mom]

Sidenote: I have heard that if a horse gets a power float they should see a chiro to make sure nothing in the TMJ region got knocked out of alignment during the float.

[NoSuchPerson]

@Sansena

Is everyone doing power floats now? I do not understand the need for sedation as a routine part of teeth floating.

If you horse didn’t have a power float, then sedation was likely not necessary unless vet was in a hurry and could not control hoss in the time line she allowed for the procedure (sounds like she was).

When did it become customary to sedate horses for floats and use power tools? I thought this was a ‘fad’ but am saddened to see it’s becoming the norm.

Are you kidding? I love a vet that uses sedation for anything that is stressful or upsetting for my equines. A light sedation makes everything so much easier on everyone involved. The development and widespread adoption of good sedation drugs have, in my opinion, revolutionized the practice of equine medicine. I would hate to have to go back to the old days of vets not having access to modern pharmaceuticals for sedation.

Ditto power tools for floating. They make things so much faster and easier on the vet and the horse.

[fordtraktor]

I think power floats are so much easier on them if you have someone who sedates and is quick, but doesn’t overfloat. I had 4 done and 6 checked in an hour this spring, not rushing at all.

Rasping back and forth tweaks the neck more IMO. The neck stays pretty stationery during a power float.

i use a separate vet for teeth just to get the power float and YES we sedate. They are never the least sore after.

[streamline]

What do everyone’s farm call usually cost?

I had a horse that got smooth wire wrapped around his fetlock, tight. There was no way I was going to get it off without injuring him more (or myself) or course this happed right at 5:40 😂 after the vet office closed.

vet was out within 10 minutes, she sedated him, im looking at my bill right now. 1 sedation of ace/dorm/trob/Xyl and then there’s a 25$ charge for Rompun EQ (what that?!?)

I was super pissed off that I got a 50 dollar charge for an ‘exam’. Vet just sedated my horse, my husband is actually the one who cut the smooth wire off of horse and I’m the one who did the shot for whatever vaccine she gave me (eq vetera gold)

[streamline]

Also anytime I’ve ever had a horses teeth done they’ve been sedated? Last time I had it done, we had a big clinic at the barn and a guy who just specializes in teeth did it. Amazing job, big difference. He explained everything, pointed out flaws etc. 85$. This was two years ago. The traveling vet out here charges 50 and I believe she power floats. (50 and the farm call)

My favorite vet did a mix of power float and regular old hand float, he accidentally cut my horses mouth and felt so bad he didn’t charge me for sedation.

Anyways I don’t think I’d use the vet I just used for my emergency vet call, especially after my 50$ ‘exam’ fee when she just stool there after horse was sedated 😂😑 sadly she’s the only vet in the immediate area (everyone else is 40+ minutes away) DH was telling me she’s the 4th equine vet at this practice in the past three ish years. Most of them are brand brand new vets, some here and realize probably how crazy all the horse people are around here (plus everyone uses the vet that’s 40 minutes from us anyways)

[Arelle]

@streamline

What do everyone’s farm call usually cost?

I had a horse that got smooth wire wrapped around his fetlock, tight. There was no way I was going to get it off without injuring him more (or myself) or course this happed right at 5:40 😂 after the vet office closed.

vet was out within 10 minutes, she sedated him, im looking at my bill right now. 1 sedation of ace/dorm/trob/Xyl and then there’s a 25$ charge for Rompun EQ (what that?!?)

I was super pissed off that I got a 50 dollar charge for an ‘exam’. Vet just sedated my horse, my husband is actually the one who cut the smooth wire off of horse and I’m the one who did the shot for whatever vaccine she gave me (eq vetera gold)

I recently had to haul one of mine in to the clinic around 7 pm. He was acting slightly off and we suspected a slight colic. The after hours fee to even walk in was $120. Colic “exam” was an additional $55.

I’d be so happy to have a vet that could be there within 10 minutes, I’d pay almost anything. I’m 45 minutes from a clinic and only have one or two mobile vets that are almost as far. The vets have to pay for gas and their truck, $50 for an exam is a small price to pay to have a vet that can be around that quickly.

[Rackonteur]

@streamline

What do everyone’s farm call usually cost?

I had a horse that got smooth wire wrapped around his fetlock, tight. There was no way I was going to get it off without injuring him more (or myself) or course this happed right at 5:40 😂 after the vet office closed.

vet was out within 10 minutes, she sedated him, im looking at my bill right now. 1 sedation of ace/dorm/trob/Xyl and then there’s a 25$ charge for Rompun EQ (what that?!?)

I was super pissed off that I got a 50 dollar charge for an ‘exam’. Vet just sedated my horse, my husband is actually the one who cut the smooth wire off of horse and I’m the one who did the shot for whatever vaccine she gave me (eq vetera gold)

$50 is a lot of money but I think I’d be happy and relieved that, after hours, the vet showed up within 10 minutes and sedated the horse, and didn’t charge me an after-hours emergency call fee.

[streamline]

@Rackonteur

$50 is a lot of money but I think I’d be happy and relieved that, after hours, the vet showed up within 10 minutes and sedated the horse, and didn’t charge me an after-hours emergency call fee.

Ooh I got a 80 dollar after hour emergency vet fee on top of my 50 ‘exam’ fee. She was still in her office when we called. Two different shots of sedation too… horse is usually a cheap drunk. I did knock out his vaccinations when she was out which I was meaning to do… I wish I had asked for a tube of bute because his leg did swell up. I kept him in a paddock for a week with a standing wrap and iced/sore no mored everyday.

I did tell her he was a thoroughbred, when I got my paperwork she had him down as a QH cross 😂😑

I’m not sure what the regular vet call/farm call is for this vet practice. Vet office is also 10 minutes from our place, this is a very low income state. I can’t remember what I paid for a regular vet/farm call in CA. Last bill I had from a vet in CA was for every shot I could give my horse, health certificate, coggins, and for a nasty abscess my horse had, like 2 weeks before he shipped out of state. I think it was about 400$ for everything. My emergency sedation, and 7 way shot (plus farm and exam) was about 240$.

I also haven’t had a vet out in what feels like a zillion years because all my horses have sat at home and I’ve done my own shots or BO did them (when I boarded)

im probably just out of touch with reality is all

[Training_Cupid]

@Sansena

When did it become customary to sedate horses for floats and use power tools? I thought this was a ‘fad’ but am saddened to see it’s becoming the norm.

I’ve been a horse owner in California for 25 years and my horses, and all others away the barn, have always been sedated for teeth. I’ve heard there are regional differences though. My observation is that power floats became the norm around here 10 (+?) Years ago, though my recollection may be off.

[RedHorses]

I feel it is the horse owner’s responsibility to tell the vet what their horse needs for any given procedure. My horses get hand floats without sedation, but if they needed a trans I’d be telling the vet before they had their kit open. I am responsible for keeping the humans working on my horse safe.

”‹”‹”‹”‹

[equiniphile]

One thing no one has mentioned is that an estimate is different than a quote. We give estimates all the time at my practice, with the understanding that the actual cost could be different. Whoever mentioned small animal dentals provided a great example: our routine dental estimates include a range of $0-500 for just the extractions, because we understand that once we open them up under anesthesia there could be a lot of gnarly teeth that need to come out.

However…that is really pricey in most areas for an equine float. Ours are $65 plus ~40 for sedation. We power float unless the horse has an issue that requires hand floating. I would be skeptical of a bill that was that much higher than the estimate, especially considering there were no extractions or serious issues and they claim to have given vaccines that you did not request.

And yes, a combination of sedatives is often used and drawn up in one syringe to avoid poking them more than necessary. To whoever mentioned controlled drug logging in the U.K…the regulations in the states are a bit different. Controlled drugs (Tramadol, Beuthanasia, Ketamine, Hydrocodone, etc.) need to be thoroughly tracked, but things like Dorm/Torb/Ace don’t need to be recorded. Vets usually just make a note of which combo is used for sedation but don’t necessarily note the dosages.

[Tyrus_Mom]

@Training Cupid

I’ve been a horse owner in California for 25 years and my horses, and all others away the barn, have always been sedated for teeth. I’ve heard there are regional differences though. My observation is that power floats became the norm around here 10 (+?) Years ago, though my recollection may be off.

I’m in Cali too and I owned a horse for over 20 years and I had never heard of a power float in those days. Fast forward 15 years and when I got my new boy a year ago that’s how the vet did his float. Looks like more efficient technology to me. I have a friend who goes to someone who doesn’t and she likes the fact that it’s cheaper and doesn’t involve sedation. To each his/her own, I guess.

[clanter]

@Arelle

I recently had to haul one of mine in to the clinic around 7 pm. He was acting slightly off and we suspected a slight colic. The after hours fee to even walk in was $120. Colic “exam” was an additional $55.

I’d be so happy to have a vet that could be there within 10 minutes, I’d pay almost anything. I’m 45 minutes from a clinic and only have one or two mobile vets that are almost as far. The vets have to pay for gas and their truck, $50 for an exam is a small price to pay to have a vet that can be around that quickly.

might be happy it wasn’t your garage door … in the 1980s I had a service company with a division for residential garage door repairs… an after hours call was $120 in 1986 with a labor charge and I did not have to had spend a few hundred thousand dollars attending vet school.

We just had our vet out this month… Farm call $58.50 … and in his truck was about $100,000 of support equipment plus the $70,000 truck and the tolls on the roads … for fifty eight dollars.

[Garythesquirrel]

Dang, I’m living in an expensive area compared to what a lot of you are paying for vet fees!

My vet charges a $95 exam fee, a mobile service fee of $90 (I usually haul in, this was for an emergency last year) and an emergency/after-hours fee of $150.

So, just to get the vet out to look at my horse was $335, that was before any treatment was started. Horse had to be hospitalized for a couple of days so that was small change when it was all said and done.

[16_Hands]

I try to haul in whenever possible because the vet I uses charges farm calls by “zones” so if you live further out, you’d pay more than if you lived close. Unfortunately, the vet still charges a “clinic fee” which means they charge you to drive onto their property. I think it’s up to $45 now; still cheaper than a farm call.

I think this area is one of the most expensive as far as vet procedures. Granted, I use one of the most expensive around because I’ve been going to them since they were a small two vet operation. Now, they are huge and have multiple vets with different specialties.

[WildLittleWren]

These float prices seem so high to me! I pay $150 for sedation and float, plus a 50 farm call. No farm call if I haul in, but since they get sedated I usually prefer to not haul in. I will haul in for shots. Emergency vet call is $100

[candyappy]

@Sansena

Is everyone doing power floats now? I do not understand the need for sedation as a routine part of teeth floating.

When did it become customary to sedate horses for floats and use power tools? I thought this was a ‘fad’ but am saddened to see it’s becoming the norm.
.

I’ve only had a handful of floats( they just never needed them) done on my many horses over the last 42 years, but I prefer sedation no matter what type of float the vet deems necessary.

Just makes it easier on the horse and the vet as far as I am concerned if the horse is not happy about the procedure.