miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 My dog needs to have some skin tests and most likely skin scraping. One vet quoted me $650 for a consult and tests and another quoted me $320 for a consult and tests. Obviously I would like to go with the cheaper one BUT because of the large price difference I am now wondering if $650 is normal and the cheaper one might not be as thorough? I know it’s a fairly broad question but wondering if anyone has any experience with initial skin condition checks and the costing involved? Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightstar123 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Both quotes sound pretty expensive for a basic skin work up! Are you seeing a specialist dermatologist? What tests are included apart from the scrapes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Brightstar, to be honest I not sure. When I was inquiring with them I told them this. He is a very pink dog with very fine hair and minimal pigment on his body so he is always pinkish but I have noticed a part on his nose ( just below the nose and above that is now a deep red, almost looks like it’s a scab that has come off but it’s not). If you can see in this old pic the 2 little pink spots underneath his nose, they are now a bright red colour and look irritated. as far as i know it was just to see a normal vet. i did ask for someone that specialised in skin conditions but was told that all the vets are qualified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 do you have a closer photo of the spots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 ill grab one tonight persephone, i tried last night and he was not very cooperative at all poor boyo i just called another vet and they said im looking at around $60 per scrape in the clinic so maybe the others were talking about whole kits and kaboodles of tests and i didn't realise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 A few things jump out at me - what sort of bowl does he eat from? is he a digger? Does he chew himself much? Does he spend time sniffing around the fenceline? How long have the spots looked irritated- and what has been tried so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightstar123 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 A closer photo would be great. Perhaps if they were quite concerned there may have been a reason that the vets wanted to proceed straight to biopsy or a more expensive type of test? Otherwise I can't imagine why it would cost so much. All of Persephone's questions are valid - also are the red areas flat or raised? Any weeping or crusting? Do they seem itchy or sore? How long have they been there for? Any other lumps or bumps? Any changes to diet, garden plants, household sprays/cleaners etc? Also how old is he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumabaar Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 It could also be the difference between in-house diagnosis and sending them off to a lab for a pathologist to look at it as well as different procedures i.e. scrape vs biopsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 brightstar yes, perhaps the vets have discounted all these possibilities , and are now worried - but it would be interesting to know a bit more :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_PL_ Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 It may be that you're getting quoted for more than a scrape so you'll have to ask exactly what the vet was quoting you for. :) I'm waiting for laboratory pathology to come back on a japanese spitz with a bare patch on the end of her nose. She had a 'punch biopsy'. A more definitive test that isn't done in-house, and I'm praying for just a bit of solar dermatitis. Biopsies take more tissue, Alice was under for a dental etc so she was completely out. Scrapes are viewed under a microscope and can be done without sedation, it just does the top layers but is perfect for telling you if there is some demodex mites present. It's up to you if you just want to do a scrape first and possibly avoid needing a biopsy. That's all layman's advice of course. I'm not a vet. Very cute doggy by the way. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 he eats from either a ceramic or stainless steel bowl ( ones inside ones outside) not a digger spends ALL his time at the fence or trying to climb the trees its a (colour bond) ever since he was an itty bitty pup he had minimal pigment on his nose as he grew up it slowly developed but those 2 little spots just under his nose always stayed pink ( like his belly). it was only thursday that i have noticed the intense red colour/ irritation so im wanting to get him into the vet asap. it almost looks like its bleeding but you can tell it hasn't broken through? he gets dog sun cream put on him before he goes outside because unfortunate he LOVES to sun bathe but that little spot under his nose is always the hardest coz he licks it off. i have attached some pics. 1st is from the breeder when he was 6 weeks, 2nd is 8 weeks at our place, 3rd is maybe 6 months ago and 4th is last week so you can see the pigment and colouring growing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 the other 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 (edited) thanks for the advice everyone! if it costs that much then that's fine,i will get it done i just wasnt sure if i was being taken for a ride or not.i think maybe the vets have given me a general cover everything price. as far as i can see they are flat, no crusting at all. 2 months ago i changed his diet and put him onto Black hawk adult. nothing new in the environment. the only thing i can think of is that he sneaks the puppy black hawk ever now and then when she leaves some and im not fast enough to notice. he is 3.5 years old, desexed and completely up to date on all his vacs :) Edited November 25, 2014 by miss2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightstar123 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Hmm it's tricky to see properly without being able to look at the spots quite close-up. Do you mean the pink area right below his nostril, most visible in the 3rd photo? In the last photo it looks like his nasal pigmentation is much darker? I'd say you are getting quoted for more than a scrape - a scrape probably wouldn't be my choice for a tricky spot like that anyway - although it's hard to say without seeing him in person. Sunburn can certainly worsen several immune-mediated diseases affecting the skin on the nose, like Pemphigus and Discoid Lupus. I'd also find out a bit more about what you are getting quoted for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 If that discolouration has only been for a week or so ..and NOT being a VET - I would think injury/irritation of some sort . What have you put on it to date ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 brightstar yeah its there and a little further down as well, really hard to describe without a photo. i have no experience with anything to do with skin so skin scrape was the first thing i thought of. im going to call them back now to book an appointment so will find out exactalty what they will want to check for - i would think we should go in for consult first and then go from there. so far i have used the ' pink spray' sorry not very helpful, is what i use on my horse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Very cute doggy by the way. :) thank you - i think hes amazing haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 brightstar yeah its there and a little further down as well, really hard to describe without a photo. i have no experience with anything to do with skin so skin scrape was the first thing i thought of. im going to call them back now to book an appointment so will find out exactalty what they will want to check for - i would think we should go in for consult first and then go from there. so far i have used the ' pink spray' sorry not very helpful, is what i use on my horse? :) yep - get a consult - suggest things we have mentioned first . Do they look even like blood blisters? he is VERY cute - that bed pic is gorgeous . I think we need more pics ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightstar123 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Consult sounds good, your vet should check his general health and carefully examine his skin, especially the ears, eyes and belly as well as the nose/muzzle. From there your vet should be able to recommend and/or perform appropriate tests. Hopefully just something minor and not the start of a larger problem, as Persephone said, a week is not long so fingers crossed. Our horsey pink/purple spray is Cetrigen, a mild antibacterial, if that's what it was shouldn't have done any harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss2 Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 thank you! were booked in for Friday so fingers crossed all is ok and i will let you all know how we go! persephone, don't ask for that.. you will open a wholeeee flood gate of pics LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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