Vet Bills To Soar

[SpikesPuppy]

When our dog has his cruciate replaced, it was $500 per leg (done separately). I have heard of others being charged upto $2,000 or higher

I could be wrong but my guess is that in this situation they where quoting for different techniques, some of the higher priced repairs are more successful long term than the cheap surgeries, so what you think is cheap now may come back to haunt you in a few years time when your animal has ongoing problems or requires further surgery as the result of having cheap surgery now which fixed the symptom rather than the problem.

I work in a surgery that is by no means the cheapest around (but neither is it the most expensive) however I can tell you that they pay their staff fairly as well as promoting and paying for continuing education. This translates into happier and more experienced nurses and vets. The end result being that they are more compassionate and care for the animals better than some of their peers who work elsewhere. I would also question the cheap vet about their experience with major surgeries such as cruciate repair ...have they done it before? They may be using your dog as a guinea pig to learn on.

The dog was 8 years old when he had his first done, he was PTS at 14 (unrelated issues). The second was done less than a year later as a preventative measure and both were total replacements. This vet is highly qualified in small animal surgery :D Our dog was a small breed, but he gave his joints hell (thought he could jump 3 foot off the back of the couch whenever he pleased etc), but this same vet has also performed the surgery on heavier dogs such as Rottweilers and a St Bernard with great success.

This particular vet charges what they do because they can- they don't believe in charging more than is necessarry and lives a very modest life. I once asked why not charge more and the answer?? Every animal deserves the chance regardless of what kind of income their owner has.

[MissMonaro]

Deception Bay dog breeder Debbie Creagh was hit with a $4400 bill for an emergency after-hours caesarean on her labrador retriever Brooke this month after the 20-month-old swallowed a dog toy.

Just goes to show how easily a reporter can get things wrong.......I think she was confused by the other lab having an emergency c-section, but I can guarantee that the labrador in question did have an operation to retrieve a rope toy that had become lodged in her lower intestine.

The emergency vets saved her life - and for that I am sure Brooke is grateful.

Edited February 2, 2010 by MissMonaro

[centitout]

$4400 to remove a toy -bloody hell,cant remember how many corn cobs i saw removed from intestines,often with the dog dangerously close to being septic,and i think they averaged $800. I SO LOVE MY VETS RIGHT NOW

[SpikesPuppy]

$4400 to remove a toy -bloody hell,cant remember how many corn cobs i saw removed from intestines,often with the dog dangerously close to being septic,and i think they averaged $800. I SO LOVE MY VETS RIGHT NOW

Indeed, even for an emergency operation

[MissMonaro]

Because you cannot always get the full story as written by reporters....

I happen to know that the after hours "emergency" vet costs to stabilise the dog were $1500.

The operation was actually done during the day, and the choice was given to return dog to normal vet - but as they had seen the dog the day before and again the same day (an hour before she was rushed to emergency) and sent her home with a "take a pill and call me in the morning" type of attitude - there was no way she was going to be operated on by them.

The actual operation itself and the care and monitoring of the dog for the following few days whilst in vet care - $2900.

[whippets]

Take out pet insurance? I'd rather PTS than pay 100k in chemo fees. That is just ridiculous. For such a short lifespan a dog has I cannot fathom puting a pet through chemo, the complications and it's side effects.

Then again I wouldn't pay 4.4k to remove a toy from a dogs gut. I have paid out of my own pocket for surgery on myself, anaesthesia and a night stay in hospital. It sure as hell didn't cost anywhere near 4.4k. What a rip off.

You know why vets charge these fees? because people are silly enough to pay them....

[whippets]

Of course vet nurses should be paid properly,i earnt the same fo rvet nursing as i did for supervisor at an IGA :)except sundays ,i earnt $33 an hour. But it is up to the vets themselves to pay appropriately,the bonuses i mentioned were taken from the vets own pockets to give to us.

None have flash cars or big houses,although being the only vets over a huge area,they could easily be very rich if they chose to be.

We also received sometimes less than cost price care for any of our animals,cost price drugs etc as another perk.

umm you earn $33 per hour as a VET nurse??!!! I'm an RN DIV 1 and I don't get paid that per hour. That makes me disgusted with the government and our pitiful excuse of a union, the ANF.

[centitout]

$33 an hour was only on sundays,i did 4 hrs .

And human nurses should be paid double to what they do ,as should police.

[Quickasyoucan]

My bloodhound bitches c-section/desexing at 2.30 am cost me all up with x-rays,fluids,AB on a sat night was $947.

My bitch that had the 18 pups was $650/xrays,AB and lots of fluids to c-section/desex.

The last one was performed by a 2nd year practising vet whom i did the vet nursing for,and while a little slower,did an amazing job.

I'm sorry totally off topic but 18 pups does that make the bitch like Octomum? How does she feed them all?

Was it madness at 6-8 weeks Centitout?

What is a normal size litter for bloodhounds?

[Kyra]

PET owners are being hit with dramatically different vet bills for the same procedures.

My Sharpei needed surgery on his eyes as his eyelashes were rubbing and causing ulcers. The vet i originally took him to, quoted me $900 to do this and at the time I thought nothing of it however I found an eye specialist at a different vet clinic and took him for a consult, she said it would cost me $350 to get the same thing done there, and this is from a specialist!

So obviously, i went with her and couldn't be happier with the job she did on his eyes.

[centitout]

My bloodhound bitches c-section/desexing at 2.30 am cost me all up with x-rays,fluids,AB on a sat night was $947.

My bitch that had the 18 pups was $650/xrays,AB and lots of fluids to c-section/desex.

The last one was performed by a 2nd year practising vet whom i did the vet nursing for,and while a little slower,did an amazing job.

I'm sorry totally off topic but 18 pups does that make the bitch like Octomum? How does she feed them all?

Was it madness at 6-8 weeks Centitout?

What is a normal size litter for bloodhounds?

OT- Yes,was pretty full on for a while :laugh:and no,not quite normal,but 12-14 is the norm.A uk breeder had a bitch that had 20 and had to handraise

[Quickasyoucan]

My bloodhound bitches c-section/desexing at 2.30 am cost me all up with x-rays,fluids,AB on a sat night was $947.

My bitch that had the 18 pups was $650/xrays,AB and lots of fluids to c-section/desex.

The last one was performed by a 2nd year practising vet whom i did the vet nursing for,and while a little slower,did an amazing job.

I'm sorry totally off topic but 18 pups ;) does that make the bitch like Octomum? How does she feed them all?

Was it madness at 6-8 weeks Centitout?

What is a normal size litter for bloodhounds?

OT- Yes,was pretty full on for a while :laugh:and no,not quite normal,but 12-14 is the norm.A uk breeder had a bitch that had 20 and had to handraise :rolleyes:

OMG if that was a human they would have sold their story to the tabloids

[Guest Baylord]

A uk breeder had a bitch that had 20 and had to handraise

Actually the UK Breeder did not handraise the 20 pups as she culled half the litter, for a couple of reasons.

The first being that it would be too taxing for all concerned, being herself and the pups mother, but most importantly, the breeder felt that there would not be enough suitable homes for all of them.

[sandgrubber]

The difference in prices is insane- the lowest quote I heard for a c-section during clinic hours was $550..... the other end of the scale, again clinic hours, was $1,600. WTF??? Both quotes included fluids etc.

When our dog has his cruciate replaced, it was $500 per leg (done separately). I have heard of others being charged upto $2,000 or higher

One of our preferred vet clinics charges $36 for a consultation. Another vet we used charged $76 These clinics are nearby to eachother, with the cheaper one actually in the more valuable position real-estate wise (so higher rent can't be the reason). The cheaper vet is by no means inferior.

Can I ask a question of breeders?? If a puppy buyer told you their pup needed emergency surgery (through no one's fault) and it was quoted upwards of $3,000 upfront and they opted to euthanaise the dog because they did not have that cash on hand... would you consider selling them another pup or would you put them on a blacklist??

1. I get short term insurance for puppy buyers that gives them a $100 deductible. I try not to sell to people who are cash-strapped and who are likely to end out in such a situation. Having said that: If the required surgery had something to do with the way I bred the dog, I'd refund the purchase price and not blacklist. I would probably opt for the green needle myself if a pup required expensive surgery to get out of the starting gate, even if I had cash on hand. For all I know, the pups we (most breeders) PTS for cleft palate could be saved if we were willing to put $3k into fixing the problem. I would prefer it if the puppy buyer call me to let me know what is happening before making a decision . . . sometimes vets prescribe expensive surgery that is entirely unnecessary.

2. Variations in vet fees/up front payment. BFD. I can buy carrots in a 20 kg bag from the corner gas station (horse carrots, but just fine for eating, also grrreat munchies for Labradors) at $0.35/kg . . . or I can buy slightly more perfect carrots from Wollies at (on special) $1.29/kg. That's life. You shop around. You figure out what you want to pay for and you look for the best vet you can find for what you want. You either keep cash reserves or get some form of insurance. I entirely respect vets requiring up-front payment. Breeders should avoid selling to people who are so cash strapped that they can't pay vet bills . . . or get insurance.

[SpikesPuppy]

The difference in prices is insane- the lowest quote I heard for a c-section during clinic hours was $550..... the other end of the scale, again clinic hours, was $1,600. WTF??? Both quotes included fluids etc.

When our dog has his cruciate replaced, it was $500 per leg (done separately). I have heard of others being charged upto $2,000 or higher

One of our preferred vet clinics charges $36 for a consultation. Another vet we used charged $76 :p These clinics are nearby to eachother, with the cheaper one actually in the more valuable position real-estate wise (so higher rent can't be the reason). The cheaper vet is by no means inferior.

Can I ask a question of breeders?? If a puppy buyer told you their pup needed emergency surgery (through no one's fault) and it was quoted upwards of $3,000 upfront and they opted to euthanaise the dog because they did not have that cash on hand... would you consider selling them another pup or would you put them on a blacklist??

1. I get short term insurance for puppy buyers that gives them a $100 deductible. I try not to sell to people who are cash-strapped and who are likely to end out in such a situation. Having said that: If the required surgery had something to do with the way I bred the dog, I'd refund the purchase price and not blacklist. I would probably opt for the green needle myself if a pup required expensive surgery to get out of the starting gate, even if I had cash on hand. For all I know, the pups we (most breeders) PTS for cleft palate could be saved if we were willing to put $3k into fixing the problem. I would prefer it if the puppy buyer call me to let me know what is happening before making a decision . . . sometimes vets prescribe expensive surgery that is entirely unnecessary.

2. Variations in vet fees/up front payment. BFD. I can buy carrots in a 20 kg bag from the corner gas station (horse carrots, but just fine for eating, also grrreat munchies for Labradors) at $0.35/kg . . . or I can buy slightly more perfect carrots from Wollies at (on special) $1.29/kg. That's life. You shop around. You figure out what you want to pay for and you look for the best vet you can find for what you want. You either keep cash reserves or get some form of insurance. I entirely respect vets requiring up-front payment. Breeders should avoid selling to people who are so cash strapped that they can't pay vet bills . . . or get insurance.

Sorry, I should have clarified- during the dog's lifetime, not just when it was a puppy

Thanks for replying ;) :D