you never know what you’re gonna get. At least this is the way I feel when it comes time to pay the bills!
In the last few months, I’ve been to the vet more than I have my own doctor’s office! My two beautiful cats have had recurring issues including a UTI, depression/anxiety – I’m still unconvinced about this diagnosis, and an ear infection. 🙁 And it has really taken a hit on my wallet!
Prior to my most recent visit, I called the vet, explaining that the issue hasn’t really gone away, but I am hesitant in bringing them in due to the costs. My vet kindly offered to remove fees such as the examination/consultation since he’s already seen them a whole bunch of times previous.
Well, when I went in to pick up my beauties, which the vet requested that I leave at his office for a more in-depth observation and testing, my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I stared at the nearly $1000 vet bill!!!
The receptionist stated that the vet wanted to speak to me, in which I responded, “Well, I want to speak to him!”
Upon our chat, I told him right away that I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the bill, didn’t expect it to be that high, and reminded him about our conversation last week. He apologised, but said that there was certain things that he had to do, namely send some tissue off for testing for the cat with the funky ear. It was a bit of a fog, but he did mention the c-word…cancer. 🙁
As per his offer, he did strike some stuff off the bill which resulted in a reduction of nearly $175 when all was said and done, including the darn HST! When I left, the receptionist gave me some meds and since I already had it at home, she also removed that from the bill as well.
Lesson learned, if you’re lucky enough to have a healthy pet, count your blessings! And by “healthy”, I mean that you only have to take them to the vet for their annual check-up. However, if you’ve picked the runt of the litter, you may have to end up shelling out big bucks!
Since I’ve already invested $$$$ with this particular vet, I’m hesitant to travel outside the city for treatment. (Although I’ve heard that many people do drive the 45mins to a smaller town for more personalised and less expensive care.) A friend of mine, who lives downtown, is lucky enough to have found a retired vet who does housecalls – also less expensive than the traditional office visit.
Another friend purchased pet insurance for her dog for $50/month. However, this doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions.
With many household budgets feeling the financial pinch, how do you afford pet care? Do you have any ways to save when it comes to your vet visits?
P.S. Any vets out that who want to befriend me in the GTA area?
Get yourself another vet!!! We have a high priced vet in town who is good but very, very expensive and charges for EVERYTHING inc. calls that HE initiates. I found an experienced vet that was recommended and he is very reasonable. The first vet would not treat my cat for anything (like ear mites) without doing a series of examinations (which they would not give me an exact price for because they couldn’t say beforehand just how far the examination would have to go). I called the second vet who let me buy the treatment without paying for a visit since I knew very well what ear mites look like in my cat.
I feel your pain. We had to take our 18 year old cat in today. 700 bucks later she is home with 3 different pills 2 new kinds of cat food and orders to bring her back in 21 days for more testing. Vet said it is a UTI which is messing with her kidneys. We figure it all evens out. We don’t take her in for yearly exams and shots. So the money we don’t spend there is spent a lump sum when she needs to see the vet. We never take her for shots since she never leaves the house. It is always shocking to see the final bill. You never know if you are getting ripped off since you have no clue what these tests should cost. Does anyone regulate vet service costs? Most pet owners will find a way to help their pets, no matter what the cost.
I know what this feels like. I have one of those sickly “runts” of the litter as well. Our fur-baby goes to the vet at least once a month, worms, fleas, ear infections, rashes, strange bumps, and his famous lip blisters. You name it, he’s had it. We have been considering pet insurance for awhile now. Like mjtjmom said, we will always find a way no matter what to get him better. Good luck. 🙂
I don’t trust vets, I always hear about them taking advantage of people 🙁 It seems as though they are always trying to make an extra buck at the expense of worried pet owners by scaring them or over exaggerating the pets’ problem.
I deal with vets a lot because of my job and I’ve learned a few tips. One thing u can do is just pick up their vaccines and administer them at home yourself. This way you avoid the exam fee. Also a lot of prescription drugs are similar to human drugs so you can get the vets to write you the prescription and you can take it to your local pharmacy and save a lot there.
My 6 year old dog Dinglehopper’s vet bills have been over $10,000 so far. Actually probably way over that – cause that was the count in 2009, I think.
I was lucky that I did get pet insurance when he was a pup – before there were any pre-existing conditions that would be excluded.
I’m with Trupanion and I pay just over $50 and it covers 90% of any illness, accident, etc. I always get my reimbursement cheque within 2 weeks. I love Trupanion.
I’m in the GTA and we go to the Downtown Animal Hospital at Church/Wellesley.
That’s our main vet – Dingle also has an internal medicine specialist at the VEC, an opthamologist at the Forest Hill Animal Clinic, an ortho. surgeon at the VEC, etc.
The Downtown Animal Hospital is a bit pricier than many vets (so I’m told)… but I love them and even though I have insurance I don’t feel like they’ve encouraged me to do more tests, etc. than necessary. Any not 100% necessary visits or tests were my decision because I’m so paranoid given Dingle’s history.
To read why I love the Downtown Animal Hospital check this out: http://blog.trupanion.com/2011/10/tru-hero-finalist-dinglehopper
Feel free to leave a comment on that link. The entry with the most comments by Wednesday the 19th at 11:59pm will get $500 for the pet and $500 for the vet. 🙂
When my 14 year old cat got small intestinal cancer back in 2007, it cost me almost $5000 for all the tests, biopsy, ultrasounds, meds, etc. not even treatment because thats where i drew the line and chose to let her go to kitty heaven as she might’ve only lived another 6 months and her quality of life would’ve been compromised. The vet made me feel soooo guilty for choosing that in the end but all in within 6 months it cost close to $5000! I switched vets right away after that for my new cats. You think i would’ve learned my lesson with my new cats but one got sick two summers ago and it cost me $1200 for an x-ray, blood work, overnight stay, meds, etc. If i stayed with the first vet, i’m sure that one bill would’ve been well over $2000!
So i finally got pet insurance through HBC. Both cats are now 3 years old with no health conditions and i pay $42 a month for both of them. The coverage plan i got is very good and its peace of mind to me. Although i do pay it every month, i’m happy that i’ve never had to file a claim because luckily the cats have been healthy!
I know what you’re going through!! My chihuahua pup was very sick last summer, was given all sorts of tests, treatments, and kept overnight for days…the vet told me it was likely she would die, making me cry, and panic. $1200 later, I was able to bring my lil babie home, after asking friends and family for loans (which they couldn’t afford to give me) and my partner scrapping together every penny right to the last second when we had to pick her up, we were told if we took longer to pay that they would keep her there until we could fork it over, adding $100 for everyday. *Sighs* I was soooooo relieved that my puppy was healthy and well and back to her old self, but I as well am now phobic to go back in fear of the possible fees :S Vets can charge whatever they want I think, I wish there were ways to make it more affordable.
I’ve heard that vets out in the burbs are cheaper, namely because the rent there is cheaper, but I don’t drive so *humph* what to do??
I’ll be bringing my girl back soon, and will be holding my breath as the bill comes lol. Goodluck finding a good affordable vet, and p.s. if you’re in Toronto, let me know which clinics are best!
Thanks for bringing up this topic! It’s pure insanity eh!?
You just need to find a nice, friendly, small-town vet that cares more about the animals than money. Granted, money comes secondary, but it shouldn’t be the sole reason they’re in the business… They should be in it for the animals.
If you’re in the south and/or west end of Ottawa, check out Osgoode Veterinary Services ( http://www.osgoodevet.ca/ ). I take Diesel (my cat) there, and the vets (they have 5) and staff are really a pleasure to deal with. While they may not be the cheapest (ie for spay/neuter), the care and attention they give to the animals is totally worth it.
For example, when giving shots, they fill the syringe, then replace the needle so your pet doesn’t get a dull needle. Between that and treats, Diesel didn’t even notice his shots.
I am one of “those” people who travels out of the city for the vet. It has been worth it espcially with two furballs who seems to have the silliest issues! After a bill like that I would definitely look for a new vet….
The last time my one cat was sick we had to rush her to the 24-hour vet. After telling them that we refused to pay over $1000 to keep her there for two days and rehydrate her, etc, through IV; the vet tech mentioned the “less expensive option” to just needle in fluid under her skin… She was fine the next day… I know that if we had been able to go to our actual vet, they would have tried that first instead of stressing us our with the thought of a $1000 bill.
I agree with orly, sometimes it seems like they go for the most expensive option/tests because some people will pay it for their furry friends!
Good Luck!!
If I had a dog, I would buy the pet insurance. But, I own cats. I give all of their shots myself ($12 at the UFA store) and they last 3 years AND they are the exact same shots that the vet gives for $65 each. Besides the one appointment I took for my cat to get dental surgery, I have hardly taken them. When I first got the older one 14 years ago, I was looking at getting pet insurance. It would’ve been $25/mo to get. That would’ve been $4200 in insurance that I can guarantee I wouldn’t have used in services.
Be glad that your pet came home healthy. I pay high vet bills too and it’s something you just have to do, they mean the world to me and I wouldn’t want them unhealthy, often times we don’t know what is wrong with our pets until it is too late, I have seen several owners go empty handed while waiting at the vet’s office.
I find it MUCH more cost effective to use rural vets. I live in Hamilton and we drive about 45 minutes to our vet out in Grassie, Ont. (Called Niagara Pet Vet) After time and gas, still absolutely worth the it. He’s really good, and when my dogs have had issues he tells us to come back in a few weeks for him to check up on them, no cost. BUT – You still need to be on our toes. We used to use a rural vet that was only about 25 minutes away. We had been going there for years, but I guess I hadn’t noticed their prices slowly going up and up and UP! (Though when their interior and exterior office got a huge face lift I should have realized that it was probably coming out of my pocket!)
I have 5 cats and 2 dogs, so it gets very expensive if a pair of them gets sick! My vet gives us a 10% muti-cat discount & usually doesn’t charge us a full examination fee 🙂
I can’t afford any kind of pet but give the Univerisity of Guelph a call. It’s a teaching school and they deal with every kind of animal.
the amount of money people spend on animals is insane.
Wow I feel your pain…..:(
I would search out FORUMS…like Kijiji has a COMMUNITY forum
Folks post stuff from all across Canada (advice etc)
Worth a try: http://forum.kijiji.ca/index.php
Just sign up and start searching
You may just find a few people who rave about their vet
PS……to find the link above
Go to the Kijiji Home page…..scroll all the way to the bottom of the page….and under Kijiji Support>>>is Kijiji Forums
GOOD LUCK:):)
WOOF~!
MEOWWWWWWW 🙂
Hi there!
I’m a vet and I work in Ottawa. I read the reviews and it is unfortunate that some people think we are out there to get your money! I can’t speak for everyone one in our profession but I really believe that most of vets truly care about pets first. I’m sure Toronto is very expensive and I think it is a good idea to check the suburbs for a more personal touch. The vet fees are regulated by the CVO (college of veterinarians of ontario). Their recommended fees are usually higher then what most vets charges. You have to realize that vet medicine unfortunately often uses the same instruments (x-rays, dental machine, syringes, medication) then human medicine. Human medicine is very expensive but we don’t know it because our tax money is paying for our healthcare.
I also just want to say it is not a good idea to skip yearly visits thinking you save money… Annual visits keep your pet healthy by early diagnosing problems so hopefully he doesn’t get really sick.
Good luck with your pets!
OH PS……there is a PETS and ANIMAL TALK FORUM there….
re: Kijiji
When I lived in Toronto, I used to use a vet a Kennedy and Eglinton in Scarborough. Their prices were very reasonable. But this was over 11 years ago, so I am not sure what they are like now.
I now live in a small rural town and have found that my vet’s prices keep going up and up and need to change to another vet about 5 misn away in a smaller village.
I’m glad Annie responded to this post! While I don’t enjoy paying Vet bills either, they operate a business. They have overhead costs such as mortgages/rent, business tax, property tax, insurance, telephone, heat, hydro, internet not to mention all of their expensive equipment and their staffing. They can’t just give away their services for free. Also, the vet went to school for the same length of time as your Doctor did, so he/she has a right to charge for their services!
I realize that it may seem like a lot of money when you take your pet in, but think about the cost the government pays every time YOU go to the Doctor. Then be thankful you don’t have to pay for THOSE services out of your pocket as well!
I used to live in Guelph so was lucky enough to have the vet school as my vet clinic. I have a retired racing greyhound. He started having very unusual symptoms, so I was very pleased to bring him to OVC expecting that this would be the BEST care possible in all of Ontario since it’s a teaching hospital. WRONG! After $2500+ diagnostics (7 ultrasounds, 3 rounds of xrays, multiple blood tests, tissue tests) OVC actually said to me “I’m sorry we don’t know what’s wrong with your dog and we don’t know what to test him further for”. I was LIVID!
But, thanks to the AMAZING folks at GiNA, the rescue group I adopted my dog from, they informed me of a vet, from Ohio State University who’s the head of the vet program there, that he would consult on my case, free of charge (he gives back to those who rescue greyhounds). After couriering down all my dog’s papers, ultrasounds and xrays, and about 4 emails later, he diagnosed the condition, told me the meds he should take, the dosage and frequency and even the cost per pill!
A way I keep my vet costs down annually, is my boy is a blood donor (greyhounds, dobermans, great danes, and sometimes even retrievers can be blood donors. Large breeds, need to be less than 5 yrs old and at least 55lbs). By being apart of this program, my dog gets a physical every two months, free heart worm flea and tick meds annually, free yearly/3yr vaccines, a CBC EVERY donation, usually goes home with a small bag of food/biscuits as compensation and a toy for donating. If you have a large breed dog, find out if any vet hospitals in your area have a blood donor program set up and then apply to see if your dog is eligible. There shouldn’t be any cost to be part of the program, but your dog will have blood tests done to determine if it is an ideal candidate (no costs for these). Since my dog donates there every two months (the standard, much like humans), if something does pop up, the vet tells me immediately and I can address it right away.
OVC has a blood donor program, as does the Emergency Vet Hospital in London, ON. Good luck to everyone.
There is no doubt that some vets take advantage of your love for the animals. In Winnipeg, most of the good vets are no longer independent. They have been bought out by a mercenary outfit that cares only about fees. Even if the vet wants to cut you slack, they usually have someone in the office doing the collecting for head office.
I had a beautiful young border collie poisoned by a neighbor, (if I could have proved it he would be in a wheel chair), and the vet tried to save him. $3,500 later, they had to put the dog down. I was so broken up that the vet told me I could come back later and pay. The very next morning, the office weasel, who answered only to the head office, started calling me and threatening me with collection agencies etc. What she didn’t know was that I had business problems and her threat to ruin my credit rating was a joke – I was going bankrupt anyway. I never did pay them, not because I couldn’t but because I knew the only way to hurt them was in the pocket book.
I have been lucky, all my three cats died a peaceful death at home and at an old age. My dog, now in his twilight years, is doing OK. He has arthritis but so do I. (We’re like two old men limping around the house.) I expect he will die peacefully as well, but if I have to take him to a vet I really don’t know where to go. Virtually every vet in the City has now been taken over by the weasels.
It’s a good idea to go over the bill with a fine tooth comb, and see if you can get a breakdown of the price before any surgery as well. We got a free kitten from a neighbor, who had gotten her from a store so she did have her shots, and it cost us $600 and two months, to get her fixed. It would have been more but we made sure to nix all the extras they wanted to add to it (like microchipping which i don’t think is necessary for a cat that will never go outside) We also had to say no to the free “welcome new kitty” box because it actually cost $125.
If you have the opportunity or live close enough to the US border you might consider taking your pet there. We bought the EXACT same flea and tick medication for our dog at less than half the price. A friend of ours took her puppy over for spaying recently and had laser surgery vs traditional and saved over $300 for the surgery.
Having pets can get pretty expensive at times. Yet, changing vet might not be the best solution. Another vet who might seem less expensive might also not push the testing quite as much, simply giving you some ear drops that probably wont actually cure your cat’s problem. Or he might insist on running the same tests once more if he can’t get his hands on the results. What you could do is ask your vet to always ask for your permission before running a test on your cat or giving him a treatment. That way, you can ask questions and see if it is a necessity or not, and you’ll always know where you are at with your bills.
This make me realize that we can consider ourselves lucky to have free “human healthcare”. Otherwise, many wouldn’t be able to get proper care.
Definately look around. Prices vary. I have had to shell out over $1500 since March on my one Boxer. I found my vet a few years back when another vet quoted me a very high nimber. Been happy ever since.
I am west of Barrie though so no doubt vets are quite a bit cheaper than the GTA.
Ive spent a lot of money in the past year at the vets. Including having to put down our baby kitty. I’m a rural vet and it’s added up big time.
If your vet is prescribing medication for your animal, ask if it can be purchased from your local pharmacy instead. A lot of the meds that are prescribed for animals are used for humans too, and it is much more affordable to purchase it from the pharmacy than through the vet. Our dog takes medication that costs nearly $4/pill through the vet, but only $2 from the pharmacy. Our vet has never had a problem calling in the prescription to the pharmacy for us.
I also feel your $ pain. I’m in Port Coquitlam so can’t recommend a vet but what I will recommend is having a look at what you’re feeding your pets. Both my mutts are highly allergic to beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, corn and soy. Most foods have those ingreidients, including the expensive vet food. My woggers have been on salmon and oatmeal (and buffalo bones) and the big guy’s ear infections are down to once a year and my little girl hasn’t barfed up bile in I don’t know how long. So good luck to all the fur-parents out there!
Strange, I was thinking about getting a pet…now I don’t know!
I planned out that costs be less than $1500 a year – including food (using coupons), treats, toys, accessories – and supposively including vet bills.
But…how much does it REALLY cost? 😮
I don’t claim this is a cure-all solution, but I encourage everyone to make their own cat/dog food (I have some on the go right now)
Before I started making my own, Vet visits were a neccesity. I lost 2 cats to UTI.
I have a rescue underweight feral cat I took in and she was sick from the get-go but after I started her on my own food. . Ta Da! no more problems.
I have had friends with animals close to deaths door who as a last ditch effort, made their own food. . . with their pet having a complete recovery. Even some or a lot of the “quality” food out there is toxic to a lot of animals.
I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and they have never. . . yes never. . .required a vet visit unless it was an injury, since I started doing my own food the last 5 years.
Choosing what to feed your animals is important, not just for nutrition, but also to make sure you’re not poisoning them. Although my three cats died quite old, they all could have lived a few more years. Unfortunately, I fed them that terrible melamine contaminated food made in China. In 2006, over 140,000 pets had renal failure as a result of this food, (a national brand), including mine. So many things are made in China now, including everything from pet food to apple juice, that reading the label and not taking chances is mandatory. As for the comparison with our own health needs, I really don’t care too much about myself as long as my pets are looked after. But then I guess I have to stay around to feed and take care of them!
Thanks for bringing this topic up! So many people are truly unaware of how much a pet can cost. It may be $50 to adopt them but thousands later for vet bills. As they get older, more problems occur. And if you feed them cheap food (thinking you’ll save money) it’ll cost you in the end with what the cheap food does to them. Buying a pet without thinking of the time. effort and costs is a big decision! One of my pets right now is going to the vet once a week but luckily she always gives me something at no cost. Our other pet is “fostered” so all her vet bills are covered (which saved me $140 yesterday). In the end, for me, they are worth it as long as they are still happy 🙂
I often use a vet in Pickering and find their fees ridiculous. When we had our dog neutered we took him to the Brimley Lawrence Animal clinic and their fees were far lower. I’m not sure what their prices are like for anything other than that surgery but it might be worth checking out! They were really good with our dog and we had no problems afterward.
Our dog is now 13 years old, and our Brampton vet gave us an estimate of $250 to get a skin tag removed for him- it was a “cosmetic” surgery and was a minor annoyance for him. We didn’t do it then, and in the mean time moved to a very rural area and to a rural vet. They charged $20, and said that rural owners tend to think differently about their animals (workers not necessarily family members) and so they charge accordingly so the amimals get the treatments or procedures. They also recommended some “human” alternatives for his arthritis that were much cheaper and as effective as his “canine” meds.
Also I would talk to rescue shelters, since they are not for profit and need vets quite often for their rescues, they usually have some fantastic vets that can work with loving owners…
I know how the feeling of the vet taking every penny from you.
Last year we have our cat to the vet, he caught something, still not sure what it was, but the vet examined him, said this and that, said he as well needed to be kept over night and all sorts of other wonderful expnsive things and left the room. 5 minutes later, his assistant came into the room with the estimated total cost of the teatment, $1164.00, and inorder to treat, we had to pay up front that amount and sign that if there were other costs involved we would further pay when he was discharged…That was a Friday morning, he stayed overnight one night (we had to take him home Saturday morning, as it was the weekend and there was none who stayed with animals over night at that time). The was a futher charge of $274.00….our cat is well and healthy, and believe me I would think twice before taking him or my dogs to that Vet again….he saw us coming for sure $274.00 was for the drug he sent home with us to give the cat for 5 days
Any vet that I have used (city and country) I have written agreement that no treatment, test or prescription in any combination over $100 can be administered without my previous consent therefore I am contacted and the details discussed BEFORE and so no surprises. If your vet is not willing to this type of agreement…find another vet its worth the commute.
I save my vet bills over the years and even within the same vet practice, I have seen my bills more than triple for the exact same amount of work.
What I found most interesting is that the medication was only slightly more expensive, but it was the examination fee that tripled. The worst part is that every vet in the clinic is scared of my dog, so the exam never actually happens because they stay as far away from him as possible. So I am paying for the pleasure of sitting on the opposite side of the room as a vet. (My dog has never bitten anyone, but did growl at someone on his first visit – hence the bad reputation).
I think when it comes to vets you still need to shop around as they are not all created equal!
I had a dog who ate my asthma inhaler. It was after hours so I called a emerg vet and told her what happen. She said to get my dog there in a flash. She was required to stay overnight for observation. I told them they were to do nothing without my consent. By morning they didn’t want me to see her and claimed they needed to run tests. I demanded to see her. By now it was Monday morning and my usual vet was open. I called him from there and asked if he would see us, telling him the situation. My dog appeared fine (no, I’m not a vet but I believe in gut feelings). I took my dog from there while the vet told me by doing so my dog might die in the vehicle!!! I mean scare tactics!!! We went straight to my vet who said my dog was fine and in great health! No tests were needed and that she didn’t need to have been there at all! Plus, he never charged me for our quick in and out visit as we were regular customers. He really cared for the animals.
Some vets are great and others not so much. Just like doctors! I think you really need to take the time to find a good one. Plus, most vets I’ve ever been too will happilly work out a payment plan with you. Also, ask that they confirm what needs to be done and price with you first. Then you could call around if you feel uneasy about the situation or diagnosis. Just my 2 cents.
I love my vet. If it’s not necessary, he won’t recommend it.
I also don’t recommend pet insurance. My then 6-month old kitten had a misaligned jaw that needed to be corrected due to recurrent infections. The insurance I had at the time didn’t cover it because it was considered dental.
So, instead of $35/month in premiums I’ve been putting it into a bank account.
Same cat, took her to the vet last week and turns out she has crystals. Special diet, $175 in treatment – paid for using the “Vet Account”.
If your vet can’t answer your questions CLEARLY and easily and give you a worst case scenario, then they’re bad news – just looking to increase costs.
Now that our pets can get the same treatments as we do, it can be very, very expensive if your dog or cat gets sick, and you don’t have insurance (which I don’t). Now that we have OHIP, we tend to forget that things like annual exams, x-rays, and operations used to be extremely costly for us humans as well. That said, I’ve had dogs for the last 30 years, have bred a championship CKC litter (tied those little umbilical cords myself), and I’ve learned to “shop around”, since all vets aren’t the same, nor do they charge the same rates, even in the same area. Fees may be recommended by the CVO, but there is no enforcement; a vet can charge what the market will bear.
I also live in Ottawa, and am very happy with the vet I’ve been going to for the last decade – she understands that I know a lot about my dogs, and I know to bring them in if there’s a problem that needs vet care. I do not, however, take them in for “annual shots” since there’s no such requirement. Some things are necessary, however, the Rabies shot every 3 years, heartworm testing and treatment come to mind immediately. (though the heartworm medication can be easily ordered online for less than at the vet’s). I suppose the bottom line is that you have to be prepared for some expense if you want to have a pet – the initial cost is probably the cheapest expense you’ll have. So, shop around, and if you can’t afford the “just in case” expense of a pet getting sick, or the monthly fee for insurance, goldfish are always nice 🙂
This probably won’t get read by many as this seems to be a popular thread however I’m going to stick up for the vet side as I am a registered veterinary technician and this is something I feel VERY VERY STRONGLY about. When you go to pay your vet bill keep in mind it is a BUISNESS that is providing you a service. If you choose to complain about the price you do not deserve to own a pet as far as I’m concerned. I went to school for two years and I am paying off $20000 worth of student debt to be a RVT which is basically a nurse for pets. I am required to be specialized in all aspects of healthcare as vets cannot afford to hire out specialists. I am a nurse, a dental hygienist, a radiologist, an anesetisest, an emergency nurse, a teacher, a behaviorist, a receptionist, and the list goes on. I do EVERYTHING a human nurse can specialize in and I am paid $12 an hour. That’s 1.75 over minimum wage. I will be LUCKY to hit $15 an hour in my career. People in the veterinary field do not do their job to make money but because they love what they do.
In Canada we complain about the costs of veterinary care because we don’t see our own medical bills. For example to give birth in the states for a regular no problems birth it’s about $30000 dollars for about two days in the hospital. To have an emergency c section for a dog your looking at about $1500-$3000 for extended 1 week in hospital. FRACTIONS!!!!
Frankly I’m sick of hearing vets charge to much. Do you think medications just grow on trees and the hydro is free?? We have expenses just like a regular hospital but clients who don’t want to pay.
Not to mention half the people who complain about costs are holding a $2000 chihuahua in their arms.
Animals are an expense, you should have about $3000 sitting ready if the time ever arose you needed it for your pet. If you are not ready to foot the bill then maybe owning a pet is not for you.
Animals are a privilege, and a commitment just like a child NOT A RIGHT!!!
Furthermore… Vets do not just “recommend” procedures and tests… Like really?? We cannot just snap our fingers and diagnose your pet. There is no magical mind reading animal whispering course we take. You need to do the foot work before you can find out why your pet is sick and what the action plan is.
Have you ever gone to your doctor and said I’ve been having diarrhea and they just snap their fingers and say well you have lactose intolerance?? Didn’t think so.
Not to mention our fur pets can’t actually speak to tell us what’s wrong with them! 😀
Wow Samm07, I sure as hell hope you are not my vet….
ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION BEFORE, THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR ANIMAL’S DRUGS AT YOUR OWN *PEOPLE* PHARMACY. JUST ASK YOU VET TO WRITE THE PERSCXRIPTION AND TAKE IT THERE. THE COST BETWEEN YOU VET AND PHARMACY IS 10 FOLD = MY PHARMACIST FILLS MANY RX’S FOR HIS 4 LEGGED PATIENTS
SOMEONE SHOULD DO AN EXPOSEE AGAIN ON VETS AND THEIR CHARGES….I LOVE MY CAT AND DOGS AND BIRDS AND FISH, AND WOULD PAY ANYTHING I NEED TO TO KEEP THEM WELL, BUT GIVE US A BREAK….WHAT THEY DO IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY
@SAMM07 & others who share the same view – YES, I am complaining about the cost, so what? Don’t I have a right to do so as a CONSUMER and pet owner? I think that it is very foolish, unless you have money coming out of your ears, NOT to question each item on the vet bill as most of them are things that I cannot even pronounce!
YES, I do think that all vets go into veterinary medicine because they INITIALLY love animals. However, reality sets in, they hire lotsa staff, have a fancy office that requires rent/electricity, buy large houses/cars for themselves, and they soon figure out that they can charge on the upward scale of whatever body regulates them because they know that MOST pet owners will pay up.
What some of the vets fail to realise is that their clients have other stuff going on too, be they children, other animals, rent, bills, etc. Sometimes, we need to challenge them by reminding, “Doc, sorry, but I did NOT expect it to be this much!” or “Remember, this problem is ongoing and I simply cannot afford to keep on taking Fido back to treat this problem!” What’s soo WRONG with being upfront??
Aside from the cost, I do not have any real complaints about my current vet. He takes/returns my call whenever I have any questions and he has accommodated me by giving me some break on my bills.
My old vet would straight out have his receptionist screen my calls and I had to personally go in to speak to him. And when he did see me, he acted as if he was doing me some kinda favour by taking time out of his busy schedule!!! This attitude is wrong since I’m the one paying his a$$.
After one to many incidents like that one, I promptly switched vets!
hey tryout brimley animal clinic they are really good and really cheap i take my dog there all the time its the cheapest ive seen around. its located at brimley and lawerence i think there numer is 416 266 9380 not 100% sure.
Again I figured I would have quite a few people against me. My point was not seen.
This is a buisness and not a charity unfortunatley all these things cost money. As I said I do just as much as any “human” nurse, however I am paid fractions of the cost because owner’s simple will not pay “human” medical prices.
All I am trying too say is Veterinary offices do not ploy to steal money. They are simply trying to keep aflot.
Vets live VERY modest lives, as well as vet staff. I know myself with my income could not support a family on my own with out my fiance. My paycheck pays VERY little towards our bills. Again because we basically cover the costs of merchandise.
As I said before and I will say it again. Pets are are a privilage. they are not a right and you should know the upfront costs before hand. You are taking on a responsibility. You would not have a child without first considering the costs. If you know you cannot afford 100-300 dollars for vaccines and check ups for a kitten or puppy then all I am saying is maybe getting a pet is not in the cards for you at this time.
All I ask is for people to start considering pets, weighing pros and cons and costs and not just getting puppies and kittens for sh*ts and giggles. They are expensive and I am frankly sick of hearing people complain to me how expensive their pet is. I love my pets dearly and they have no price tag. I just think society thinks animal’s are disposable, and it is sad.
I also ask people to STOP thinking every vet clinic is trying to rob them blind. We most likely take home a smaller pay check than you.
@ Stephania. I hear you vet bills can certainly add up. We have 2 dogs, a cat and a bunny. We have had to take 3 unexpected trips to the vet this year (by unexpected I mean besides their vaccines, which I think are import to get your pets, not only for their health but for my children’s health). Some advice I have that I started after our shih tzu had an unexpected visit to the vet ( that cost us $300 to find out he had excess gas from a food intolerance) was to make a pets money jar. Every week we put away $15 to $30 a week(depending on that weeks other budgetary concerns) into a jar just for pets needs whether we need it or not. In doing so when our other dog had yeast in her ear and our cat pulled a shoulder muscle we had enough money ion the jars to cover it without having to worry about it. Now it wouldn’t have paid $1000 vet bill which does seem high but what is more concerning is that they just did those things to your pet without asking you first…I am fortunate enough to live in small town of only 8000 and have a vet I am very pleased with…when we lived in Burlington our vet bills cost way more than do now…any way we use the jars and so far it has worked for us…we use the pet jar to pay for vet bills, their food, meds if they need them and so on…it has worked well for us.
Samm…I have heard that vets graduate with upwards of 150k in student loan debt. I cannot fathom that. I would not think anyone but owners are getting rich in most clinics.
I read a blog by an american vet and she tells how many vets in the U.S are struggling because with the economy in freefall, people just are not bringing their pets in.
It is like my BIL who is a chiropractor. People are always impressed thinking he rakes in the bucks. In reality after paying his rent for his office and throwing some money at his 150k in student loan debt, he makes enough to just get by. People look at the title and not the money that is spent earning that title.
Dandelion thank you! You are a responsible pet owner and more people should be like you! So good job and keep it up 🙂 Theresa thank you as well exactly my point! One of our vets is actually re thinking her career because she makes more money as a painter…. Yes a painter a job you don’t even need a highschool diploma for.
Thank you both. 🙂 I don’t feel so attacked now for sticking up for my profession 🙂
I am in Peterborough and am lucky to have a fantastic vet who truly cares!! We had to put down our 16 year old border collie in December and he was amazing at getting us through it. She had some health issues for the last 2 years (cancer, colitis and arthritis) so I was there every 2 weeks getting food and meds. Yea, it was pricey but they have us a 10% discount without us asking! He also did the minimum treatment first…and she always got better!! And call the next day to see how your pet is doing!! I highly recommend to him to everyone! And he doesn’t rush you!!when he diagnosed Casey with cancer I was there by myself and he spent 20 minutes with me talking (while handing me Kleenex and her treats!). And told to pay another time!
We now have a 6 mth old border collie pup and we go back to the same vet! The first time he had to go in I was shocked that the vet fees had almost doubled! I asked around and other people have had the same experience at their vets! Not sure what happened but I suck it up because I cant imagine not paying to keep my dog healthy!
I have had a vet that charged a ton of money and we left! She charged us almost $1000 for allergy tests…we then switched to the vet now and they said seasonal allergies are common!!! So the lesson is…if you are not happy shop around …they are some amazing vets out there!
As someone who has spent well over $10,000 on vet bills I’m personally not complaining about the fees vets charge.
Yes, rural vets are cheaper, but some of them also lack the knowledge and experience in certain areas.
For example this summer I was up at my mom’s in a rural location and my dog had an eye problem. I took him to the vet there and he literally had to dust off his outdated opthamologic equipment (once he found where it had been stored) and he couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Yes, he tried, but in the end I had to wait until we came back to the city to see the actual opthamologist vet.
I certainly didn’t plan on having such expensive vet bills, but as a pet owner that’s sometimes a reality.
I have insurance which makes a huge difference, yes, but even for the stuff that insurance doesn’t cover I readily accept the responsibility for those vet expenses, even if they are expensive. Vet bills come with being a pet owner.
Well, its kind of like a mechanic… you don’t generally have $3000 put aside to fix your vehicle, so you need a managable estimate, not a surprise bill at the end.
Its your attitude on things that made me not like your posts Samm07, nothing to do with the profession. Just they way you came off.
I’m gonna say maybe Sam your anger is misdirected at people who ARE being overcharged and maybe the problem is a combination of education costs going thru the roof, pharma companies making billions in profit, vets paying rvt’s (who ARE highly skilled – I’ve dealt with some who are more useful than vets themselves) just over minimum wage because they can get away with it and want to increase their own profitabilty if they own the practice, to practice owners hiring vets just out of school with huge student loans and paying them minimum they can while charging pet owners maximum they can. and then it’s the pet owners who are cheap and bad and not caring for their animals supposedly that is the problem, my the entire system itself?
I work in an accounting firm, it’s all about the bottom line in every business – and pet owners being made to feel they are inept and should not own pets is not correct in my humble opinion.
Sorry to hear of your pets’ health issues. I live in BC and have a diabetic 15-year old domestic short-hair cat. He’s adorable (my late husband’s cat actually) but the cost of meds, special food, needles, checkups, etc. really add up, particularly since I am on LTD and CPP Disability. That being said, apparently vets are not regulated when it comes to what they can charge so it does pay to check around and then to build a good relationship with the one you choose. In my experience I have had both poor and good and it did take a while to find the right one. My current veterinarian understands my financial issues and does all that he can to keep the costs down for me, even going so far as to give me the “old” rates for meds and needles and sometimes the food.
I’ve been away from the GTA for a couple of years but I went to Dr. Sohal at Bloor/Kipling Animal Hospital. It’s not the fanciest of offices but the service is great and inexpensive compared to others. Remember who’s paying for that fancy vet’s office … you!
Dr. Dan at the Baldwin Animal Clinic in Whitby is outstanding and encourages you to make the decisions about tests/treatment by letting you know the pros and cons. Excellent choice!
Our vet charges an arm and a leg and a tail and at first I thought what a rip off but then I did my research. It turns out that my vet foots the bill for 100’s of animals a year from shelters and donates tons of overhead to different animal organizations and to his University (vet school). He also pays for his techs to stay up to date with the most recent developements in Vetrinary care (courses etc..) He keeps a lab ON SITE so people don’t have to wait long for test results and has an animal Oncology centre on site. He also sponsors an animal rehabilitaion centre and donates to the new emergency after hours animal hospital. He doesn’t make a “fortune”. In fact he pays it forward so all animals get the care they need.
So , yes its expensive and I cringe with every bill but its easier to swallow knowing that he is paying it forward to educationa and helping animals and not laughing all the way to the bank.
I have taken my dog to the same vet for 13 years and I don’t think I have paid more than $2000 all told. That includes 3 surgeries (including getting him fixed), with 3 overnight stays, yearly checkups, meds, ect. The last checkup was this week and cost $47.46 including a nail clipping.I certainly can say my vet does not overcharge. Her practice is very busy. We live in St.Catharines. Last year the rabies vaccine fee was $12.00 if you want to compare a price. My cat goes there too and his fee this year was $61.47 for a wellness physical and distemper shot. He is an indoor cat but I think preventative medicine is important. It must be cheaper in small town than a large one like Toronto (ie. rent)
One thing we as pet owners fail to realize is WE are in control of our pets health and nutrition…not the vets. But we are so brainwashed into thinking that the vet knows everything that is right for our pets. I was naive like this for years and years and now both my cats health are paying the price. We as pet owners must educate ourselves about our pets health and nutrtion so they do not fall ill with all of the modalities our pets are falling to over and over again. The long time vet I went to had misdiagnosed my kitty for 2 years. That’s 2 years of my money being given to a vet for no reason every 3 weeks when I had to take her in to see him. I finally made the decision to take her to another vet which was the best thing I did for her but now she is left with a condition for the rest of her life that if treated properly early on could have been avoided. This new vet and I have a good relationship. He is proud of me for wanting to educate myself about my cats health and nutrtion. He even says that most vets only get something like a half a days training on nutrition which is put on by the big pet food companies. And that they get kickbacks from these big pet food companies to sell their foods in their vet clinics. Remember this info is coming from my own vets mouth not mine. He feels that raw food diets are the best diets for our pets (which he also sells at his clinic) but has to sell the name brand prescription diets as well b/c his partners are not educated on nutrition. This vet is not afraid to refer me to more holistic vets or specialized vets when he hits a brick wall and can not think of any further treatments for my cats. And now that I am consulting long distance with a holistc/homeopathic vet he is not offended that all I really come see him for is check ups, blood work, tests, etc only.
I can honestly say that I finally woke up from being a naive pet owner 2 years ago. Unfortunately too late for the pets I have now b/c they are left with conditions they will have for the rest of their lives. My 12 year old cat became very ill 2 years ago. And after spending over $5000 in a month and a half and after misdiagnoses and nothing more the conventional vet (not my regular vet but the emergency clinic vet) could do for him but up his steroids higher and higher I made the decision to start consulting with a holistic/homeopathic vet long distance for more natural treatments. Within 2 weeks she had him off of the steroids and on the road to recovery. And 2 years later in total I have maybe spent around $1500 on consultations and homepathic remedies, chinese herbs, NAET, JMT treatments. All done in the comfort of my own home. She also has helped me save money at my local vets office. Only getting tests or medicines she felt were warranted. Not what the local vet recommended (which was of course tons more money).
With holistic therapies, attention is directed to finding the root cause of disease so you can heal on a deep, instead of surface, level. In simpler terms, holistic medicine focuses on health, whereas conventional medicine focuses on disease. Many times with conventional medicine it suppresses the symptoms instead of curing the disease.
In closing I will say that we as pet owners must educate ourselves. Learn about the vaccines the vets are pumping your pet with year after year. Learn about the the flea medications. Learn about the ingredients in pet foods. And know that just because your vet says you must feed the food on his shelf to get better doesn’t mean that is true. Learn about the medicines your pet is being given. Question why your pet doesn’t seem to be getting better and why other problems are popping up. Learn about alternative treatments. Educate yourself 🙂
If you are interesting on learning more for your pets health a good place to start is here http://www.animaltalknaturally.com/past-programs/
All the best to the loving pet owners out there!!! My pets are a part of my family and mean the world to me too 🙂 🙂
I agree that people need to think through owing a pet more thoroughly. I researched for 8 yrs before I got my rescue Greyhound. And a HUGE reason for getting a rescue greyhound, was their lack of predisposition to ailments. And, I purchased pet insurance immediately to help me out, because it’s a lot of money, and guess what, i’m not a vet graduate and I have heaps of student debt too!
I think it’s immoral to attack people and claim “I have $$$$$ student debt, so I need to be justified in charging X$ to pay back my debt”. I’m sorry, but that’s your choice, to go and study that profession. Don’t make me feel guilty as a pet owner that you owe all this money in student debt.
I studied massage therapy in school from 2001-2004, and half way through schooling, our teachers told our class “Don’t expect to break even for the first five years especially if you own your own practice”. Okay that sucked to hear, and I don’t have a fiance to help support me it’s just me, so, I graduated, and made a tough decision, and didn’t become a massage therapist. It was heartbreaking to think I spent all that time and money, but instead, I went into advertising, and make a good amount of money to support myself, and my pet, and I’m not stressed and an angry person because I am paying back my student debt, paying my bills, and I have theh most incredible creature in my life, who brings me an unbeilable amount of joy and happiness.
I do agree that owing a pet is a privilege. And thank heavens there’s a bit more screening that takes place now to get a pet (from a shelter, humane society, rescue group, breeder, etc). It was a lifelong dream of mine to get a dog, and I waited until my financial situation was stable enough to afford one.
We all make choices in our professions, but if consumers are paying for a service that isn’t transparent in their fees across the profession or that people don’t fully understand, then perhaps is the College Of Veterinarians should educate the public, so they fully understand the costs involved with the testing that can take place. There shouldn’t be such a discrepancy in fees, from one vet clinic to another. If fees are in fact is regulated by the College, why does one vet charge such a nominal fee for the same service and another vet charges triple that? We as consumers SHOULD be questioning that, regardless of the motivation of the vet. I’m not a consumer that will be complacent and just accept that’s the cost, I’ll ask questions, and educate myself, and make my vet clinic accountable for the costs they are charging me! I agree with the agreement of having the vet clinic disclose all possible tests, and rationale for the tests, PRIOR to them being done. All pet owners should have that agreement in place so they are fully aware of the expected costs should those treatments/diagnostics be performed.
I’m sure there are MANY young vets and vet clinic owners that are in business, but care deeply about the wellbeings of our animals. And yes it is a business. But there is a responsibility of both parties: the vets need to disclose and explain better the rationale of the services on each basis, and disclose that PRIOR to completing tests. And owners need to do their research, and understand the rationale for the recommended tests, ask LOTS of questions, and come to an agreement that works for their budgets, the well being of the animal and their conscience.
It’s not sufficient that we just complain. Be as active as you possibly can in the care of all your pets. We have tools to access an amazing amount of information, and we don’t need to be ignorant anymore when we walk into a vet clinic (or our doctor’s office) and we should strive to make INFORMED decisions when it comes to the health of these amazing animals. And, if your vet is not willing to answer your questions, that allows you to make an informed decision, GO ELSEWHERE until you find one who will!
Just had to find out what I have spent on my vet since I have had my pets. I keep everything so added up it’s $2200 for my dog (13 years old) and $386. for the cat (3 years old.) It’s a lifetime commitment so anyone has to be prepared for some bills. There is still food, treats, and toys. They do bring great joy! While my vet has great prices and great staff, others are more expensive even in my city. Good luck with finding one you love.
I have read and heard about raw diet and am now using it on my dog and she LOVES it.As a dog groomer I see many dogs suffering ear infections and skin problems. I beleive this has much to do with diet. Dogs on a raw diet can live healthy without those problems and that will save you a ton in vet feas. Look into it as I truly beleive it is the key to good health.
I also wanted to add that if you would like to try the Natures Variety Raw diet just got to there web sight naturesvariety.com and sign up and you can print off a 3.00 coupon.
I do not like Vets!!! Everyone one I’ve come across is so money focused that the pet is often secondary to them. They will “sell” you some pills for an outrageous amount when they could just write a perscription that you can get filled at your local pharmacy for much less. Every vet visit requires “lab work” which always runs, minium, in the hundreds.
It just seems to me that the vet should be focused on the animal and not on how much they can make on the drugs, specialized food, toys and all the other things.
I know there are good ones out there but they’re few and far between.
I consider myself a responsible pet owner. I buy quality food, keep my dog safe, watch her behavior and moods. And when something seems wrong I try to figure it out and adjust accordingly.
I took a kitten that was given to me to the vet thinking she was pregnant, and I’ve never had a pregnant cat before. The vet examined her and said she wasn’t pregnant so we scheduled an appt. to have her fixed. During the surgery we come to find she was pregnant.
Just wanted to let you know Samm that I feel your frustration! I just can’t believe what I am reading… Do you really guys believe that vet owners are making millions and pay their staff pennies because they can? That is just total BS.
My husband and I are vets and we own a practice. We are paying our staff a good salary for their work. I agree the salary is not high but vet have also the lowest salary for an healthcare professionnal (comparing to dentists, doctors, pharmacist, etc). Yes veterinary medecine is a business and we do have to make a profit to be able to pay the building, x-rays machine, upgrade to the hospital, etc. We also have 3 kids and we got to make a living (is that so wrong?). I am proud to think that we make a great team and not everything comes down to money. I think our staff like the work environnement and that counts for a lot…
I don’t think there is a lot of vet clinics trying to just take advantage of clients. Like I said before, veterinary medicine is expensive and we do have to run some tests to find out hopefully what is wrong with your pet. I think the main problem that people are complaining about is lack of communication. I think you should always ask for how much everything cost and if you can start by doing tests 1 step at a time if money is sparse. Sometimes you can do a plan A, then plan B if your animal doesn’t get better for exemple. I always go over every fee with my clients because I think it is very important that they understand what I am trying to do and why.
It makes me sick to see how some people are just questionning the integrity of our profession. I didn’t think so many people thought we wre ripping them off!!! I’m sorry that some of you feel this way. Again, I think it’s coming down to a lack of communication.
P.S. By the way, the veterinarian prescriptions are not 10 times more expensive the human pharmacy. I don’t know where you got your numbers but it is definitely not accurate…
1. Holististic natural food diet is a must
2. Pet insurance (through pc financial), we were going to cancel but suddenly had to use it as kitty developed crystals in her kidneys- new discovery, my pet insurance covered most of the bill and also for the special prescribed food too. Yay!
I agree that mostly it is a lack of communication and transparency. My view of vets may be a little tainted by the fact that I do tax returns for one – business paying for vacation property and receptionist/rvt that has worked there for almost a decade still getting just over min wage. I do my job but on a personal level I don’t think that receptionist is there because it’s not all about money and she loves the team and environment, more likely she is there because that’s what the going rate is for her job and she knows it. I suppose some employers are better than others. It’s sad that only in R&D using animal models are rvt’s paid well. From personal experience, I’ve had a dog that was prescribed meds and when I subsequently brought him for diarrhea and the vet said its probably an ulcer from those meds he is on. I expected to be told when the meds were prescribed that this could happen! So I researched his condition, put him on homemade food and he does have issues still and some days are bad but overall much better than when on ulcer causing meds. It’s less convenient than just throwing a scoop of kibble down but worth the extra effort.
IF you cannot afford to have a pet , quit complaining about it. No one made you buy one in the first place.
Why is it that Stephania always has upsetting Blogs???
Maybe if she did’nt get so many speeding tickets, she could afford her vet bills!! lol
I find a lot of these comments to be a little ridiculous…
Yes, taking your animal to the vet is expensive. Yes, having a pet, in general, is expensive.
If you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t have a pet. You shouldn’t have to “borrow from others” in order to cover the costs of taking care of your own pets. Or “brag” that you went bankrupt and was happy to not have to pay the vet.
Responsible pet ownership people. Seriously.
This is the reason many animals end up in shelters and/or get put down. Many people don’t understand the responsibility it takes to own an animal. They think it’s cute and fluffy and they deserve to have it.
I had a great vet for my dog, but when I moved, I switched to one very close to my new home. New vet wanted me to go every 3 months to check my dog’s kidney function (it’s very low), and give him more antibiotics and supplements and special food. So I was paying for the tests, medicine, food etc but my dog was only getting sicker. Last week took him back to his old vet, who charged me nothing but a consultation and discovered previously undiagnosed cancer. The other vet (every 3 months for over a year) didn’t even do a simple feel of my dog’s body to notice a large lump. New vet says all I can do is pain medication to keep him comfortable and think about putting him down. Old vet would have just given more antibiotics and booked me for another appointment. I feel like my dog was cheated of better care and suffered needlessly, let alone the $ I spent that didn’t help!
Annie, FYI, my old vet was going to charge me close to $2 a pill for something that costs a human 10 cents a pill. I know, I work for the drug manufacturer. Yes, it was the same tablet.
I noticed I went back and forth with which vet is “old” and “new”. I get confused because the one that was the “old” has now become the “new” and vice versa! Sorry.
🙁 I feel really strongly about it because I’ve seen people sleep on the street because they don’t want to be separated from their dog and shelters won’t take dogs. This whole ‘don’t have a pet if you can’t afford to shell out thousands’ argument turns pets into a commodity, like a tv that you shouldn’t buy if you can’t afford it, while at the same time pulling on ‘pets are family’ heart stings. Well those two are not consistent, can’t have it both way.
I was trying to have an attitude but I deal with this every day. Families that cannot afford it. I’m not saying take $3000 and shove it in a savings account but what would you do if your 6 month old puppy got hit by a car? That’s at least $1000 in bills or more. So you have an option to shell it out or euthanize an otherwise healthy puppy.
Or say your 1 year old dog or cat becomes diabetic? To treat this with insulin and bloodwork is over $1000 a year. So again would you just euthanize? A perfectly treatable problem… And in this profession you see it every day. It’s defeating to see.
I’m not saying too put yourself in debt but I’m just asking if you can’t put food on your table or realistically pay an emergency vet bill why would you get a pet?
I went through pretty much the same thing with my cat. My cat was throwing up and coughing, she wouldn’t eat and drank very little water, so we took her to a vet w/ emergency after hours (located on Front, west of Spadina). They took her in over night and I had 3 different vets from that clinic giving me 3 different possible dianogstics.
They were going to do more test on her costing aroung $400 each. When my bill reached $1500, I told them to stop b/c I can’t afford it anymore and ask to discharge my cat. The vet kept on trying to make me feel like I’m a bad person and that this wasn’t the right thing to do. Neverless, when I brought my cat home, she was fine. Eating and purring like normal. I suspected that she had a bad case of furball and coughed it out at the clinic and they were still trying to milk more money out of me.
Totally unethical 🙁
years ago my father did some reno work at a vet office. He heard them discussing owners of pets, and how much they could get out of them. One older lady that owned a cat was “good for $1000”.
Depends on if they feel they can soak you, they will try, play on your love for your pet, make you feel bad for not offering the best for your pet. I dont believe half of the pets that see a vet have anything seriously wrong with them, but owners could do their pet a favor by stop feeding that walmart crap food to their furry friend!!
Sorry – but if you made the choice to get an animal, you should have realized that owning a pet is expensive! You should have considered the vet bills. Yes they are expensive, but consider that they have to deal with a patient that can’t tell you their symptoms and can’t speak with them. They have to figure all that stuff out with expensive tests. Suck it up is all I have to say. Either give your cats away, put them down (if they are that sick and you can’t afford it, better than letting them suffer) or suck it up!
A mutual friend emailed us this link to your internet site. Glad I clicked on the url! I like how you really scrutinize and get to the point but is it possible to run through that last part once more? A tiny bit? Much obliged.
This may not be the best place to ask this, but, I need a good fresno dentist and I don’t know how to find them do you have any info on this a good fresno dentist? They’re located in Fresno, close to my office I can’t find reviews on them — Fresno Dentist, 411 North First Street, Fresno, CA 93701 – (559) 472-9613
Not to hijack this thread, but I want a good Fresno Dental and I have not idea how to find them do you have any info on this a good Fresno Dental? They’re located in Fresno, 20 min from my office I can’t find reviews on them — Fresno Dentals, 411 N 1st St, Fresno, CA 93701 – (559) 472-9613
If vets are like boxer, than really I want to adopt or buy it. Can you tell me address of some good pet shops?