Annual Check Ups - How Much Much & What Done

[JulesP]

Just interested in how much people are paying for their annual vaccination visits. Also interested in what the vet actually does during these visits. Do they just give your dog the vaccination or do they do more of a health check.

I am a bit peeved with my vet's lack of attention during the last visit but it may just be normal.

[shepherdpower]

My vet. always checks my dogs' teeth, ears, heart, lungs, claws - a full body check. Also asks if I have any concerns about anything at all. So, he is very thorough, and prepared to take the time to ensure that my dogs are in good health. I also take a urine sample from the dogs for analysis as part of the wellness check.

So, if your vet isn't doing more than just giving the vaccination, it's not good enough. I think I would be having a chat with him/her, or looking for another vet.

[goldens]

My vet does the same as Sehpherdpower's vet But I also have a blood panel done every year. Early one I have what I call a "geriatric panel" done to get a base for furture tests. Also, no later than 4 Ihave chest x-ray to get picture of hear and lungs.

Then after that, it is the usual hands on physcal and a blood panel, but not quit as in depth. Then about 8 I start with the geriatric panels again. It was thru one of these geriatric blood panels before a dental that we found our 10 year old golden had very lw thyroid. He did not show any symptoms and we and our vet were stunned. But meds brougt it back to normal, and even so, a year laer, they had to be increased by 50%.

Also thru the early chst x-ray we found our one golden girl had an enlarged heart chamber. There was no indication of this til we sAw the pictures. So I always encourage to get an early full blood pael done for a base on down the line, and the chest x-ray done early. It will not have to e repeated for a long time unless a problem does arise.

As to cost, thr no wa to compare cost as I am inTexas.

[puggy_puggy]

$75 for C5 and check which includes listening to heart, breathing, feeling around their internal organs & quick check of eyes, ears & teeth. They also enquire about the general health as well.

[Sam&Saki]

Same sort of checks as above - visual check; poking and feeling check, checking eyes, ears, teeth, paws, tummy, etc; & asking about general habits & health of dog - & then annual vaccinations.

Prior vet charged $400+ for annual check up.

New vet charges around $150.

I like the new vet much better!

[puggy_puggy]

Prior vet charged $400+ for annual check up.

What the? $400+ for one dog? What did this include?

[Sam&Saki]

Prior vet charged $400+ for annual check up.

What the? $400+ for one dog? What did this include?

Well to be fair that was Kia's vet. Kia was larger than Saki, so that does explain some of the price difference, and also, as mentioned by another DOLer above, Kia had a geriatric blood screening done from the age of 8 as part of her annual check up too.

So normal annual checks + geriatric blood screening + vaccinations for 45kg dog = $400+

I still do think that was rather overpriced though!

[Daxilly]

Hi,

Just had my two done. This included 2 titre tests and kennel cough vaccination, nails clipped, anal glands checked and cleaned for 1 dog. Ears, eyes, lungs, heart, teeth etc checked.

This cost a total of $325, which included cost of ointment for ear infection. They picked up a couple of things which need further attention so I am happy they did a good job.

Cheers

Edited April 1, 2009 by Daxilly

[anniek]

I use a greyhound vet for the annual health visit for my two. They get a good going over, checking for greyhound "type" issues (pulling, bending and prodding of limbs, hocks, feet, toes). Listens to heart, eye check, teeth check including hand teeth scale, tummy prodded etc. and a chat about any changes in habits blah blah.

I don't vac, and for the double consult it is around $70.

annieK

Edited April 1, 2009 by anniek

[Ms James]

Ours is $70 for full checkup and vaccs (including eyes, internal organs palp, weight, etc etc). We go to the uni vets so there's always a few students in with us during the consult, they're pretty thorough to demonstrate for the students

[greytdog]

I use a greyhound vet for the annual health visit for my two. They get a good going over, checking for greyhound "type" issues (pulling, bending and prodding of limbs, hocks, feet, toes). Listens to heart, eye check, teeth check including hand teeth scale, tummy prodded etc. and a chat about any changes in habits blah blah.

I don't vac, and for the double consult it is around $70.

annieK

His consults are reasonable, but geez, he scrapes it back off you if the dog needs surgery

[claireybell]

Our annual visits cost $75 each. The vet does the vaccination, checks their ears, mouth, heart and has a general feel. He also asks me if I've had any concerns, asks about their diets, feeds them liver treats as he talking to me and then we leave with a pig's ear for each of them.

[Teebs]

So normal annual checks + geriatric blood screening + vaccinations for 45kg dog = $400+

I still do think that was rather overpriced though!

VERY overpriced! I would have walked out

I pay $40 for my vaccinations, and my vet does a full check over, she does charge extra if i do bloods, but for a simple check over, it is included with the needles.

If i go to the other vet here, it is about $75

[WreckitWhippet]

Mine charges me anywhere from about $40 - $60 for my vaccs ( i don't do past the first adult booster anymore ). The price largely depends on who's doing it and how they feel on the day

For that money, I've never been rushed out the door and they do the usual heart and temp obs, check the coat, have a chat about anything I might be worried about, check the pads, teeth, ears and go through the joints ( petellas especially ).

I usually don't get out of a vacc consult in less than 20 minutes.

I get the same service when I have a dog chipped as well, which I find surprising and not necessary but I'm happy for them to look the dogs over.

[menacebear]

I'm lucky enough to get a staff discount so I don't have to pay for a consult fee. C5 vaccines cost me $13.75 each It cost me around $60 to get 4 dogs done plus cream for the border collie's eyes and my old vet used to charge around $80 PER vax so a massive difference for me.

My OH had his 3 dogs done under my name also and his were only more expensive because he gets the proheart done at the same time. Still i think we only paid around $40 for the proheart for the biggest dog and he's 34 kg. They vet did tell me it would have been around $130 for the proheart alone for a normal customer.

[sandgrubber]

I'm a breeder and run a boarding kennel, so get "wholesale" prices . . . I use a mobile vet and my location is on her normal route of travel. Like all vets, she makes occasional mistakes, but her overall record is good.

Routine check accompanies vaccination. This includes: teeth, ears, stethascope over heart and lungs, quick look at coat, etc., plus answers to any questions I may have about other aspects of health. She has a good eye/instinct for dog health, and is likely to pick up other indications. If I've got a few jobs lined up, she happily answers other questions for no charge. I generally do 3+ dogs at a time, and the vet charges $25/dog plus any other (apart from C5 vaccination) medications. If the dogs are boarders, rather than my own dogs, she charges $40/dog.