I remember growing up it only cost like 50 to get my cat its shots and check up but now the price is like 120! Has it changed over the years?

I remember when it was like 75 to nuter now its like 150! Do you think some vets try to scam you into paying more money?

That's a huge issue in our family right now! We've always had 4 cats in the family, and it seems that we're having a harder time affording them as time goes on. A bunch of our cats have all gotten old (and therefore sick) at the same time, so it stresses us more. Chester, most recently, was diagnosed with heart failure at the age of 1 year. He's on meds and his yearly ultrasound will cost me somewhere between $550-$1000. Our vets just raised their prices for the 3rd time in 2 years as well.
I think part of it is that vet prices are going up, part of it is that prices in general are going up and the third portion goes to the fact that a lot of the proceedures that they run now are higher tech and weren't available years ago. Also, there's this feeling with our vet that she has to run every test imaginable before diagnosing in fear that she could get it wrong and make us upset with her. One part of me understands the need to know EXACTLY what's going on, and another par says "come on, you're smart, you can give me a really close estimate on this one without that $50 test".
My new tactic is to save save save. I have deligated all of my tips to chesters ultrasound jar and have almost saved up enough. Before I adopt another kitten I plan on having a bank account for it totaling at least a grand. Just to be sure.
It sucks, but they're worth it.

Yes vets have gotten more expensive just like human medical care has gotten more expensive. I have a cat that started with a chronic problem when he was only 18 months old, he is now almost three. When it first started I said yes to every test and boarding for medical care. I had one bill that was almost $1,000. He still goes to the vet when he needs to and gets essential care but I no longer get every possible test and x-ray and I always try to manage things at home first. He has had one more boarding since but the bill was $600 versus $1,000. I felt bad about it at first but there is a limit to what I can do financially and I don't want to end up in a situation where I have to opt for euthanasia for financial reasons.

I know that there is insurance for pets which is like 13 dollars a month that way you only pay a copay when you go to the vet... they mention it on the petco website

I have their indoor cat plan for both of my cats which I will probably cancel instead of renewing this fall. The problem with my cat that has been sick a lot is not covered and routine exams are not covered. The plan that covers more illnesses and routine exams is $26.00 per month and even with that there are lifetime limits on coverage.

That is why I stick to the low cost clinics. There is one about 30 minutes from me and I like it. If there is anything they cannot do, the refer to another clinic nearby which isn't too expensive either. For spaying and neutering, I go to the local shelters and get the low cost certificates so I can afford it all.

I remember growing up it only cost like 50 to get my cat its shots and check up but now the price is like 120! Has it changed over the years?

I remember when it was like 75 to nuter now its like 150! Do you think some vets try to scam you into paying more money?
I have to say when I lived in California my vet bills where over half what I pay now. I am in a small town, but the vet isn't always open when I want but hay Skittles got all her 1 yr vaccinations and a check up 3 weeks ago for under $50.00.. I took her last week for a cold and it was under $50.00 For the whole thing and meds. I would of easily paid a good $200.00 in CA for both visits.

My girls go for their yearly checkups and shots next week, I'm sure it's going to be on the expensive side. I'll post again after I get back with them.

Do you think some vets try to scam you into paying more money?

WHY do you think they tell you to bring your cat in for ANNUAL shots! They lose SO much money if they dont!

Yes Vets are really expensive and it's especially hard on people who have more than a few kittys and dogs to care for. Dental work alone can really be high. I wish that some of the well-off rescues in different states, would open their own Vets practices, hire the Vets and staff , it would save them money on their Vet bills and then we would be able to go there and hopefully get lower cost vet-care. Wouldn't that be nice?





:read: http://furryfriendsrescue.bravehost.com/

The vet I take Stanley and Sadie too isn't all too bad. Mind you I have only been there for meds and the problem with Stanley scratching out his hair.

To get them all checked out it is $45. With Stanely's allergy problem he went to the vet for the original check up, got ointment, meds, and another appointment for about $75.

But that could be bad sinc I have only been to one vet and can't really compare. I just really like the help there. The receptionist is really nice and tries to accomodate you the best she can. You mention your cat's name and she pretty much knows who he or she is and what their problem is. Pretty good if you ask me.

Helps it is a vet specially for cats ha ha.

in the past 2 months i have spent (dont choke) almost 600 dollars on my kitties!!!! that was getting them s/n and all the pain meds and over night stay that went with it. and complete testing and updates on shots and flea meds also

Since someone has mentioned the annual vaccinations I'll put my two cents in on that one. I have long thought that this is unnecessary for adult indoor cats and from the research I have done there are several vets that are breaking the silence on that one. There is even a vet in Texas that has brought a lawsuit against the other vets in that state for fraud because of unnecessary vaccinations. Some vets even go so far as to say no vaccinations are necessary after the kitten shots and one year boosters. I'm not willing to go that far but I like the sane middle of the road approach that says once every three years is adequate. I haven't got into that one with my vet yet but I probably will this summer when my cats are due. My one that is sick a lot has to be pretreated because of an allergic reaction to the one year boosters and that can't be good. I know with humans it's never good when someone has to medicate the side effects from another medication. I am not even sure an annual exam is necessary because he ends up at the vets more often than that anyway. Maybe it is good for him to be checked when he is healthy though. My other cat needs an annual exam because so far she has been healthy and that is the only time she gets checked by a vet but I think I am going to question the boosters since they had them last summer.

I have to say when I lived in California my vet bills where over half what I pay now. I am in a small town, but the vet isn't always open when I want but hay Skittles got all her 1 yr vaccinations and a check up 3 weeks ago for under $50.00.. I took her last week for a cold and it was under $50.00 For the whole thing and meds. I would of easily paid a good $200.00 in CA for both visits.



I agree that the area's cost of living has a lot to do with it. The most expensive vet here charges $60 for a spay and $40 for a neuter (and I'd never go there again for a completely different reason).

The BEST vet (quality AND cost-wise) here charges $25 for a neuter if both testes are down, and and $30 or $40 for a spay. Dental work there is $35-$45 depending on the shape of your pet's teeth.

Shots are $10 at the mediocre vet's office (the only thing I'd go to him for, if anything).

None of the vets here charge for a visit.

I think vet costs have gotten completely out of hand.

I wonder how many ore animals would get adopted if there was reasonable vet care available. I think vets are causing a lot of the homeless pet problems.

If I go to my doctor, its a $45 office visit. If there's anything minor to be done, she does it. It's only more for extra procedures like blood tests, etc.

At the vet, it's a $40 office visit, and then anything minor, they charge more for. For a similar visit to what I'd have, I'm paying $120 or more.

When I brought Bosley to the vet, they didn't even see me. Gave him a quick look over between other patients, did the fl tests, gave him a wormer (which I didn't ask them to do -- could have done it myself, but they didn't bother to talk to me), and an advantage treatment (which I also could have done myself if the had given me the consideration of seeing me and asking). No shots or anything else.

$162. I think that's ridiculous. If I got the shots, it would have cost me well over $200.

(and yes, he will get shots and neutered, throught he rescue for a lot less).

Sad thing is, if I wasn't fostering and volunteering for them, there would be 4 cats on the street or homeless that aren't now because there would be no way I could afford it.

At least with people, if you have a low income, there is help available for medical care.

If the pet world wants more homes for their animals, one of the things I think they need to do is try to set up some kind of help for those who would love to have a pet, but are responsible enough not to have them when they know they can't afford the vet bills. It's a catch 22 that the responsible owners are the ones being excluded from possible homes because of the high cost of medical care.

I can understand major procedures. But basic check ups, less serious and very quickly cleared up problems, shots, and medications should be reasonable.

You can't even get generics. $30 for antibiotics that I can get for myself for $10 (just a higher mg). It's really exploitation in some ways, in my opinion.

Even a sliding scale vet would be a help. Unfortunately, where I live, there is very little in terms of help with anything. It's sad.

I'll bet some sort of program (other than just s/n) would lessen the homeless animal population by a large number.





No shots or anything

I'm here in Britain and the vet fees are very expensive too. I have a diabetic cat (British shorthair) and about every 3 weeks we have to buy more needles for him as he has to injected with insulin twice a day

Since someone has mentioned the annual vaccinations I'll put my two cents in on that one. I have long thought that this is unnecessary for adult indoor cats and from the research I have done there are several vets that are breaking the silence on that one. There is even a vet in Texas that has brought a lawsuit against the other vets in that state for fraud because of unnecessary vaccinations. Some vets even go so far as to say no vaccinations are necessary after the kitten shots and one year boosters. I'm not willing to go that far but I like the sane middle of the road approach that says once every three years is adequate. I haven't got into that one with my vet yet but I probably will this summer when my cats are due. My one that is sick a lot has to be pretreated because of an allergic reaction to the one year boosters and that can't be good. I know with humans it's never good when someone has to medicate the side effects from another medication. I am not even sure an annual exam is necessary because he ends up at the vets more often than that anyway. Maybe it is good for him to be checked when he is healthy though. My other cat needs an annual exam because so far she has been healthy and that is the only time she gets checked by a vet but I think I am going to question the boosters since they had them last summer.



I agree, and I will tell you WHY I'll never go to the aforementioned vet again. I took a kitten in to be spayed. She'd had all of her shots already (a few months earlier), and I handed them documentation saying so. I said I wanted her spayed. Nothing else. No other things were mentioned.

I come back to pick her up, and see that my bill is about $30 or 40 more than it should be. The vet gave her ALL of the shots AGAIN, plus a $13 Feluk shot (which I would not have gotten for her, seeing as she's never been outside, and is not in her new home either), and tacked it onto my bill. even marked them all off as "given" a second time on the paperwork I'd given them! :onfire:

There wasn't anything I could do but fume as I paid extra for shots I never asked for, as it would've been their word against mine.

Luckily, she did not seem to have any ill reactions to it, and recovered quickly.

They've done that to at least two people I've spoken to, and for obvious reasons, none of us are going back there again!

Pudge will get vaccs every 3 years, with titer tests in between to see if she still has immunity.

It costs me $60.00 just to bring Sadie to the vet! Then, any services provided are over and above this cost. Now, granted, the vet I use is very thorough and compassionate, but WOW, it's expensive. In fact, I had the opportunity to purchase one of Sadie's brothers, but I didn't take him because of the extra vet costs I would incur over time.

Seems that the cost of vet services is not regulated in Ontario Canada. As Sadie will soon go in to be fixed, I thought I'd research costs. One vet quoted me $250 and another quoted me $125. Why the big price difference - doesn't make sense.

"I think vet costs have gotten completely out of hand.

I wonder how many ore animals would get adopted if there was reasonable vet care available. I think vets are causing a lot of the homeless pet problems."


Thats WHAT I was thinking yesterday so many poor animals with no homes well when it cost 130 for shots and 200 to get it nutered no wonder people are relectant to have one.


ALSO one of my cats needs its tooth pulled and the vet threw in other tests and told me the pill would be 1050 GOD just like i have that sitting on my pocket ! LOL

TO JUST GET a cats tooth pulled here its 600!!!

IM in kingston ontario the prices for such things use to be amazing here but they have sky rocketed and its just silllyness.

JUst curious anyone in my area have a good vet that doesnt drain your account every visit? :clap: :confused:

i just also wanted to say THANK GOD FOR ANIMAL SHELTERs they can sell pets nutered shots de wormed all for just an adoption fee of like 150 ddollars IF i go and get a kitten from a pet shop or a barn it will cost me like 500 once im done spaying shots and de worming etc...

From now On i am NEVER getting another cat unless its from the humane society people dont realize how MUCH MONEY we are saving plus saving a life at the sametime! The cat was just so cute i could not resist but never again lol

also doesnt it make you think that rescues and shelters can adopt their nutered vaccinated dewormed healthy cats for like 150 but if we do it on our own it costs 500? BIG Differance eh?

"ALSO one of my cats needs its tooth pulled and the vet threw in other tests and told me the pill would be 1050 GOD just like i have that sitting on my pocket ! LOL

TO JUST GET a cats tooth pulled here its 600!!!

It cost me about $700 (between intial visit and surgery) when Freckles had 4 teeth extracted last year. His former owner would not take him to a vet for just that reason. She did not want to spend $$$. My vet office is good - they asked about his history before suggesting certain shots and tests because they weren't necessary in his circumstances.

Bob goes for his annual checkup tomorrow - I'll be lucky if it's under $100. He needs his distemper shot and have to do a fecal anaylsis in addition to the checkup.

i just also wanted to say THANK GOD FOR ANIMAL SHELTERs they can sell pets nutered shots de wormed all for just an adoption fee of like 150 ddollars IF i go and get a kitten from a pet shop or a barn it will cost me like 500 once im done spaying shots and de worming etc...

From now On i am NEVER getting another cat unless its from the humane society people dont realize how MUCH MONEY we are saving plus saving a life at the sametime! The cat was just so cute i could not resist but never again lol


Not just the cost alleviation, but the convenience of not having to drive out at 7 am and worry about kitty not making it.

That being said, I'll still get strays vetted, fixed, and rehomed. The cost is immediately offset by the satisfaction of giving them the happiness of feeling well and a warm, safe place to sleep, play, and more importantly-live. :)

Have anyone gone to the petsmart or petco clinics to see if they are good.

Have anyone gone to the petsmart or petco clinics to see if they are good.


No petshops at all in this area, unfortunately.

As a vet tech I can say that yes it is rediculous how expensive vet's are, but I have also seen the other side of it too-as in what things cost. Unfortunatly, medicine and other things are more for pets and I can say honestly as the mom of 5 cats, all with their own medical problems, even WITH my discount I can easily spend over $300/month on vet bills. I have a 1yr old kitty with asthma and for his inhaler alone it costs me $115 and it only last 2-3 mos. YIKES!!!! I can only advise you to check into the care credit card for times of emergency. It works at most hospitals and almost anyone is elligible. Good luck and happy saving!!!

I had a good visit today. Skittles was seen and got x-rays and antibiotics, Baby Brat was seen and got her 9 week shot and the total was 87.00 I about died. I am not going to get the insurance :( I will just use my Visa if I had to. There is nothing on it.

That is low. I have never gotten out of the vet's office that cheap. The lowest bill I can remember was $125.00 and that was for one cat.

I think because am in a really small place or town I should say. I came from Ca so this was a real surprise to me also. Usually my bills are double and some more.

Just wanted to comment on costs of small town vs. city vets. It's very simple--running a clinic in the city costs more!! I get new clients all the time who are shocked because their previous vet in a crappy small town was much cheaper. Here are some of the differences for running a clinic in a city vs. country:

1) RENT-- rent is extremely expensive in cities!! the rent for my clinic is 6000/month; whereas country vets either pay lower rent or are able to buy their building.
2) Employee wages--staff in the city expect/require higher pay than those in the country, because cost of living is much higher for us!! this includes everyone from vets to receptionists to kennel staff.
3) current equipment/drugs/education--not all country vets are bad, but all too often do I receive medical records from country vets practicing outdated medicine, ex. using 'old school' cheaper drugs, no pain meds after surgeries, improper diagnostic testing, and just simply substandard medicine. I'm not saying that all 'city vets' are perfect by any means, but the medical records from those country vets don't lie!

I could go on, but you get the picture.;) Hope this helps!!

When Trout was sick, we had to pay $380 just to get bloodwork and an xray..To me, that is RIDICULOUS! Should it really be that much to stick a needle in a cat, and take a picture of her bones?

Our vet bill after 2 days on IV for her was $800!!!

I was joking with friends that at least with a human baby, we have OHIP here in Ontario..might as well just have a REAL baby at these costs!:lol3:

Just wanted to comment on costs of small town vs. city vets. It's very simple--running a clinic in the city costs more!! I get new clients all the time who are shocked because their previous vet in a crappy small town was much cheaper. Here are some of the differences for running a clinic in a city vs. country:

1) RENT-- rent is extremely expensive in cities!! the rent for my clinic is 6000/month; whereas country vets either pay lower rent or are able to buy their building.
2) Employee wages--staff in the city expect/require higher pay than those in the country, because cost of living is much higher for us!! this includes everyone from vets to receptionists to kennel staff.
3) current equipment/drugs/education--not all country vets are bad, but all too often do I receive medical records from country vets practicing outdated medicine, ex. using 'old school' cheaper drugs, no pain meds after surgeries, improper diagnostic testing, and just simply substandard medicine. I'm not saying that all 'city vets' are perfect by any means, but the medical records from those country vets don't lie!

I could go on, but you get the picture.;) Hope this helps!!

maybe where you are. but..honestly..from someone who has had vets in city and country. I would much prefer my babies to be seen by the country vet.

Have anyone gone to the petsmart or petco clinics to see if they are good.

I went to banfield for a while, spent $200 a month on their insurance plans. Make sure you interview the staff, like you would anywhere else.

And hope the "office manager" knows something about critters.

Overall I liked the banfield I went to. But some of their corproate policys eventually peeved me off. so we stopped going. found a lovely kitty clinic for the mews, and went back to my old vet for the dogs

I think vet fees are shocking. I've been looking into routine teeth cleaning and what I'm finding is that it could cost THREE TIMES what it would cost for ME to have MY teeth cleaned!! :onfire:

(Of course, they don't have to anesthetize me, but still......)

.... previous vet in a crappy small town ...
Point taken about the difference in expenses, but I don't really appreciate the attitude this wording implies. Perhaps this poster isn't aware that the population flow these days is FROM the city TO the country, because they want the quality of life at a lesser expense that a rural environment can provide.

Where a person lives has very little to do with their competence level in their field. There are "old school" vets in the city, too.

Have anyone gone to the petsmart or petco clinics to see if they are good.

Iused to work at a petsmart and they are WAY more expensive than going to a local vet. I have a vet in the area where I live that the first time I went to was expensive because of all the shots and exam fee and so on. But that was just the first time, now they wave the exam fee every time so I just have to pay for eye drops or whatever I might need. SO I think I have found one that is less expensive. I think that the vets that are in big cities are way more xpensive than those in rural areas like on the outskirts of bigs cites.

I remember growing up it only cost like 50 to get my cat its shots and check up but now the price is like 120! Has it changed over the years?

I remember when it was like 75 to nuter now its like 150! Do you think some vets try to scam you into paying more money?


I must have a great vet, or live in a state where things aren't that expensive. Getting my cat Sam, (who was a stray before I had him) all his shots and neutured plus micropchiped all in the same visit cost me $94 bucks.

So I would look around at different vets and maybe just call and ask them their prices. Vets are businesses too and may boost their prices to keep the place open if not enough business is going their way....

Vets are businesses too and may boost their prices to keep the place open if not enough business is going their way....I get the feeling sometimes that vets might be great with animals, but not good businessmen. This comment illustrates the exact opposite of what a good businessman would do if the business wasn't thriving. Raising prices is a sure-fire way to make the business fail. I wonder how many vets understand that business is competitive. If a business is struggling you want to attract more business. The two best ways to do that are to provide superior service and to charge competitive prices. Raising prices might temporarily increase cash flow, but customers are going to go elsewhere where they perceive a better value. A customer lost is usually gone forever.

What brought on this thought was a conversation that I had with my vet about why her fee for a certain lab test was almost double what another vet in town charges for the same test, and 50% higher than the "usual and customary" amount the insurance company allows. I could see that her viewpoint was how much she need to charge to have coming in what she thought she needed, rather than the viewpoint of being competitive in order to get more business.

Believe me I do call around before I take my guys in. But they are all pretty much the same. They wanted all said and done for both my guys to be neutered, and there booster shots. About 250, and one place even wanted 300. I went with the help from the shelter people, and got it all done for around 130. I now have to bring them in for their year old shots. Do you think it is really worth it? They are not allowed outside. Also in our state they insist that you have to have rabies shots done every year. When the shot is really made for a 3-year stint. They got them last year; I am not going to get them this year. I did want to say, some vets will let you pay a vet INS thing. That is about 150 here, and then you can bring your animal in for all the regular check ups and shots for that year. Now that doesn't include any emergency type of care. Like x-rays and so forth. But then with that you can pay I think it is like 50 dollars more to cover blood test and x-rays. The problem with this is it cost that per animal. It can break the bank if you don't save up for it. When I lived in MN, I had my Chi taken care of, for 85 dollars a year. Now that was cool.


Francine

I haven't asked my vet about it but I have read that there is different type of rabies vaccine that is only good for a year. That one is supposed to be safer as far as sarcoma than the one that is supposed to be good for three years. If your vet is using that one you would actually be better off than with the one for three years. I am assuming that for the other shots you are talking about the routine yearly shots rather than the one year boosters. I think once every three years is safe unless you are in an area with a particularly high incidence of one of the diseases. Everything that I have read says a full compliment of one year boosters after the kitten shots are necessary.

maybe where you are. but..honestly..from someone who has had vets in city and country. I would much prefer my babies to be seen by the country vet.
I was just wondering. I do not plan to change vets. I like the country vet because he knows me personally and my pets and the atmosphere is great. The money I pay for loving people is great. I will agree I choose country. Skittles even reacts to him great. The Vet in CA she was going to kill him. I just think they deal with stuff differently. I also think a lot of them show the compassion.

Also in our state they insist that you have to have rabies shots done every year. When the shot is really made for a 3-year stint. They got them last year; I am not going to get them this year.

I'm not sure about other states, but in Massachusetts if you bring a cat in and don't get a rabies shot, or don't get it updated the next year you can get your driver's licences suspended! I have no idea how they punish people who don't drive. I for one need to get to work so I don't argue, even though they are both indoor cats.

There are two rabies shots: there is a shot certified for one year, and there is a shot certified for three years. You receive a certificate which states which you received. When you license your cat, they want to see the certificate, and whether the shot is current. So a three-year shot stays current for three years, a one-year shot for one year.

My vet says the three-year shot is basically just three times the same vaccine as the one-year shot. Therefore the three-year shot has a higher risk of vaccine-induced sarcoma. So she recommends the one-year shot on a yearly basis.

I'm wary of both places that seem to charge through the nose and places that seem to offer a bargain, myself. I feel most comfortable patronizing a place that offers reasonable and competitive prices.

I found out that in KY you have to get a rabies shot every year. Even if you get the 3 year shot. So I will be getting the 3 year shot, as for them taking my licens away I don't think they do that here.


Francine

Why would you get a three year shot if your state requires it yearly? The three year shot has a much higher risk of vaccine-induced sarcoma. If you're not worried about the legal repurcussions, then you're better off getting the one year shot every three years. Immunity doesn't suddenly drop to zero at the end of the year.

All, nice to hear about others vet experiences. My vet clinic is VERY expensive.

Now I have one who comes to the house.

The vet clinic wanted to do an ultra sound of Diablo's liver (300 dollars and no way we could treat it if he *did* have cirrohis of the liver) when he and Sheba both came down with diarreah and stuff. (They ate bad chicken, and probably got salmonella, and got better without anti bios in a few days. In fact the anti bios made it worse, and I stopped giving them it after day 1!!)

They gave Diablo an enema and blood work and xray, the total cost of both cats was 800!!! needless to say, I'm like everyone else, streched, and didn't have money for it. I now manage at home, call the home based vet and nurse at home when they are sick. They don't get shots (the oldsters)
since they aren't out much. I give them good food, and I have decided outside of Diabetes or a "manageable" disease, once they are in pain and
suffer too much (no quality of life) it is my responsibility to send them over the bridge. (And that means not spending 1000s for cancer treatments
... in a 16 year old cat???... who hates vet visits???)

Lexi the youngest, got her shots but one time - and I am doing no annuals for her I can tell you!! Just the basics. She hasn't been in to the vet
clinic at all...

I remember when I first got Diablo and Shebs that vet visits cost under
150. I used to pay about that to have Diablo's wounds from cat fights
patched up and cleaned out. I NEVER had a bill over 280 dollars until a few years ago. Now, its about 180 just to get blood work done!

I found out that in KY you have to get a rabies shot every year. Even if you get the 3 year shot. So I will be getting the 3 year shot, as for them taking my licens away I don't think they do that here.


Francine


I had no idea of that (am in ky). A few of my neighbors don't even bother getting their cats fixed, let alone a yearly anything, and I honestly don't see how they WOULD regulate that. What is the logic of a yearly three-year shot anyway? That sounds very unnecessary.

I moved to KY from MN, thats why I had the 3 year shot. When I came down here, they said I had to get it again. Because KY does it every year. Well lets just say I haven't done it yet. He is due for one this year, so I will get it then.


Francine

Oops should also ad, I didn't have any idea that the 3 year shot was bad to get. Nor has my dog had any bad affects from it. Oh yeah it was my Chi that got the shot not my cats. LOL Just why do they think cats that never get outside need rabies shots is beyond me. But since I can get into trouble for it, I will get it for them.


Francine

Just got back from the vet with Maggie May & Jazz. Rabies shot, senior panel & office visit for my 2 girls - 470.66!!!!!! And Jazz has to go for her heart check up in June!:eek: .
On the upside their weight is good, tartar is not excessive all seems good:clap: and boy did I get jelous when MM let the office manager hold her. She never lets me hold her.:lol3:

For those defending the high costs based on their costs, I'm sorry, I still can't agree. Sometimes it feels like blackmail.

And I can see charging certain rates for needed and expensive procedures that require special equipment, etc.

But ...

Perhaps animal medications are more expensive than those for humans. Then something needs to be done to regulate those manufacturers. But how often can a MUCH cheapter generic drug produced for human use be prescribed and filled by the customer at a local pharmacy. More times than I'm sure actually happen.

Especially for those on lower incomes, it would be nice to be able to bring a pet into a vet (assuming there is nothing else wrong) to ask simply for routine shots, and nothing else. That would allow more people to own pets. However it makes it difficult if one has an "office visit" tacked on for $40, $60, or more just to ask for the shots, when the office visit isn't needed at the time.

For those of you who have family physicians who you've known for a while, and have a good history with, how many times have you been able to call the office and simply ask the doc to prescribe something for a cold, or the like, that you've taken before and you know what you need. Most times if it's something simple, they will. Try that with a vet, even if you know what you need. Not much in the way of working with or cooperation there.

Regarding that credit plan, what about those who aren't able to get it? What do they do? It means giving up or not having pets, and that means more homeless animals suffering on the streets.

How about sliding scales? Or clinics, even part time ones, for those who need them, based on income also?

If those kinds of things were fought for by rescue groups, etc., perhaps there would be a big dent in the overflowing homeless animal population.

...If those kinds of things were fought for by rescue groups, etc., perhaps there would be a big dent in the overflowing homeless animal population.:bigthumb:
Yes!! We need to be thinking more about providing homes for pets. The high cost of caring for a pet these days works against this goal.

I have been going to the same vet clinic for about 18 yrs. They orginally had I think 3 vets doing both large and small animal care. They have added 3 more vets over the years. There prices have been going up too over this time period.
By the end of the month they are moving into their new facility about 1 1/2 miles from their current location. I haven't had any complaints with them over the years as I am I a pretty friendly basis with most of them. At this time I wouldn't want to switch to a new vet. Are they the cheapest date in town-no but I think they do a really good job-they don't push extra stuff at you a and follow your wishes.

I just did some calling around, because my dogs are going to be due for their rabies shots. Well just for an office visit, it was 16.50, then the cost of an exam was 25.00. OK guys what the heck do they call and office visit!!! I figured that the exam was the office visit. That is just plain silly to me. By the end of it all, I was going to have to pay about 350. Now I think that is just way too much to handle.

I just did some calling around, because my dogs are going to be due for their rabies shots. Well just for an office visit, it was 16.50, then the cost of an exam was 25.00. OK guys what the heck do they call and office visit!!! I figured that the exam was the office visit. That is just plain silly to me. By the end of it all, I was going to have to pay about 350. Now I think that is just way too much to handle.


Where in KY are you?

Dry Rige area

I went to a normal neighborhood vet for my kitten. It cost me about $150 to get screened for all the major diseases (FIV, FeLV, etc.), basic kitten shots, and spaying. No fees for "office visit", "aftercare", "stitch removal" or any other such nonsense. The only thing I can reason for the cost consciousness is that the vet is older, established, and knows the relative income of his area (which is a combo of both young entry-level workers and middle-to-upper class families).

I think some of these vets that overcharge are doing it consciously. Why should my $150 of quality care equal $400+ elsewhere?

I went to a normal neighborhood vet for my kitten. It cost me about $150 to get screened for all the major diseases (FIV, FeLV, etc.), basic kitten shots, and spaying. No fees for "office visit", "aftercare", "stitch removal" or any other such nonsense. The only thing I can reason for the cost consciousness is that the vet is older, established, and knows the relative income of his area (which is a combo of both young entry-level workers and middle-to-upper class families).

I think some of these vets that overcharge are doing it consciously. Why should my $150 of quality care equal $400+ elsewhere?



It would , to a decent vet, depend a lot on cost of living in the location. The more they have to pay to run the clinic and keep the lights on, the more they'll have to charge for services.

I have seen "do it yourself" shots listed in a pet supply magazine. There is no way I'm doing it by myself as I wouldn't be sure I could do it correctly and what if the cat got away and you squirted the shot? You have to order another one! I can see where on a cost basis that might appeal to some people.

Really I have never heard of that for cats. Now when I had horses we would do our own vaccinations. Why didn't I think of that!!! LOL Do you think it is the same stuff as the vets give out? Plus since you don't see a vet, would the state except that you have given your animal the rabies shot on your own?

Here's the link to the magazine I saw it in:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2002+113227

They also give instructions on how to give the shots. I did check and they don't sell the rabies shot, but they do have the other boosters.

Here's the link to the magazine I saw it in:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavResults.cfm?N=2002+113227

They also give instructions on how to give the shots. I did check and they don't sell the rabies shot, but they do have the other boosters.


It would be as easy as getting a general blood titer test done. It would show the immunity levels.

I give my own shots on my cats, and Dogs. Except Rabies as by law that has to be done by a vet. when we go in for annual check up we get rabies done.

New kittens go to the vet for their shots only because I also do all the testing, ect at the same time.

Great that is the route I am going to be taking from now on. Thanks for the tip. (ScamperFarm) I just have to say I am sorry your kitten Ares passed on. But I had to comment, what breed was Ares? I mean that is a real cute cat.

Great that is the route I am going to be taking from now on. Thanks for the tip. (ScamperFarm) I just have to say I am sorry your kitten Ares passed on. But I had to comment, what breed was Ares? I mean that is a real cute cat.


He was a persian.

Great that is the route I am going to be taking from now on. Thanks for the tip. (ScamperFarm) I just have to say I am sorry your kitten Ares passed on. But I had to comment, what breed was Ares? I mean that is a real cute cat.

Thank you. He really was a sweety and will be missed forever. He was the perfect little embassador.

Ares was a Persian ( classical old style in the face, aka doll face) and was to be my future stud. :(

we will be getting *fingers crossed* a full brother once his momma is bred again. and we are hopeing for a baby that looks just like him.

Wow I have two half Persians, and they don't look like him. I like his face. I don't really care for the smushed in face of some Persians. so I would have never guessed he was one. Well I hope you do get one that will look like him. I would love to see the babies out of this union.

I was wondering this same thing as Grazee's bill for a broken front paw
was $175 dollars.

$50 for the splint
$27 exam
$66 for x rays
$20 for sedation
$12 for e collar


And this was her regular vet not an emergency clinic. I didn't mind paying that much but it made me sad thinking of cats, dogs, other pets who don't get help because of the cost.

Exactly. That's why I do *as much* as I can at home,
and learned kitty first aid!

(I can shave, clip and clean out
a wound pretty darn well thank you!)

When Lexi was bit
by diablo and the wound was puss filled... I shaved it, cleaned
it, gave her the proper weight dose of Baytril (which the
vet had given me a few months before..) Of course I had help -
my neighbor "held" her in a cat burrito (towel wrapped round her),
to immobilize.

When I was done, I called the home based visit vet to
come out... she came, checked my
work, clipped her nails and gave an anti bio shot and charged 75 for the whole thing.

And if I'd gone to a vet clinic? round here, that would have been
a 125 or more bill...

I also don't believe older cats that don't go out need anything
but MAYBE a rabies shot...the other shots?

Well, if they aren't exposed, they aren't getting the diseases. And since
mine WERE outdoorsy, if they were exposed then, there is
nothing I can do about now.

(Harsh thinking, but true. I've
learned alot in the last 20 years about keeping cats safe.)

And otherwise, preventative care such as diet, lots of love and
home nursing gets them well faster than a stay at the vets.

I can give Sub Q fluids, administer insulin and Adequan (intra muscular
injections), and pill the suckers ...so... I can treat alot of things... :)
I can force feed with baby food, and give total body massages and T touch.

In years past, I'd have
taken to vet for these things, but the way it is now, I simply can't afford
vet care. Just the basics.

And I'm pretty well off, so just think about
folks with pets who aren't as well off... what must they be going through,
and their animals with them??

I think we should have a MUCH better system of low cost vet care.
Through animal control and humane socieities. God bless the vets that do pro bono...

I am on another site, and had mentioned doing my own care at home. Because of the vet cost of late. I have been getting a lot of flack for it. Here is what one person posted back to me.

There are several problems with using vaccinations bought from sources other than your vet.

1) Vaccines must be stored properly, expirations checked, and if shipped, they must be shipped in dry ice. You cannot gaurantee the safety and purity of the vaccines during storage, shipping and handling of vaccines bought outside of your vet. When vets buy their vaccines, they use trusted representatives from the vaccine manufacturer, their lots are shipped properly and promptly, to avoid contamination, and upon arrival, are carefully inspected for any damages. They are then stored/refrigerated properly.

2) Buying from pet store magazines or online does not afford the safety as outlined above. Plus, you can never gaurantee the products will include safe handling and administration instuctions. Vaccines must be handled properly, refrigerated at appropriate temperatures, must be mixed properly, and cannot be left out after mixing. If handled improperly, there is a risk of impurity, contamination, or failure of the vaccine's effectiveness.

3) If you buy vaccines from a source other than your vet, and should your pet(s) develop a serious reaction as a result of administration, you will have absolutely no recourse to recover expense and damages, because the vaccine manufacturer will not gaurantee the product if it is sold and/or administered without a vet's supervision (i.e., Merial, Fort Dodge, etc).

4) Should your pet(s) develop a serious reaction to a vaccine you have given yourself, you may not recognize some of the reaction symptoms, or be aware that immediate veterinary attention is warranted for a severe vaccine reaction. A lot of time can be wasted because you may not be able to get your pet to a vet as quickly as necessary and your pet can suffer needlessly.

5) The rabies vaccine needs to be given by a licensed vet, per the law.

6) The most important reason of all: A complete exam on your pet(s) should always be done prior to any vaccine administered. For the simple reason that if your pet(s) were suffering a hidden illness, or bacterial infection, etc, your vet could detect the condition before risking the immune system by giving a vaccine. Giving vaccines to an ill pet is dangerous and puts the pet at further risk.

7) The net is not the proper place to determine what is or what is not the best health care, illness, vaccine usage, etc for your pets. Only your vet can determine those needs based on a variety of factors, which were clearly outlined above in the links given you. Your vet needs to evaluate your dogs on an annual basis to determine what vaccinations, schedules, etc will best fit your dogs, based on his assessment of them and based on their health histories, etc.

The net is filled with misinformation, and you should never really on any of it for a substitute for regular veterinary care.

8 ) Vets aren't making an exceptional amount of money on vaccines. The focus and priority for their clients and patients is health awareness, wellness and prevention of disease. Yearly exams are crucial for ALL pets so that your vet can detect health problems early on and treat them most effectively, or in some health conditions, to slow the progression of the disease.

The veterinary clinic is a business, not unlike any other business. It is a health care system for pets. You expect the best care from your physcian, likewise you expect the best care from your veterinarian. The costs of veterinary care are justified for most cases, your vet has expenses just like any other business. With an ever increasing demand for optimal care, diagnosis and treatment options for pets, comes an expense, that's part of responsible pet-ownership.

9) Compliance on the owner's part is also crucial. So, as noted in #6 above, to give vaccinations on your own and never get your pets examined on a regular basis until you feel the need to do so, is putting your pets at risk for various health problems and/or complications.

10) A common scenario: Owner gives vaccinations on her own. Dog suffers severe reaction or illness, does not recognize the symptoms, delays vital veterinary attention until the problem has escalated. Finally takes pet into vet. Vet cannot discern if the symptoms are caused by the vaccinations alone, or due to an underlying illness that has been progressing. The illness could have been progressing for some time and the vaccination administration has exacerbated the condition, making treatment exceptionally difficult.

If you don't think this ever happens or cannot happen to your pet(s), think again, sadly it happens all the time.

This forum strongly advocates health awareness and wellness exams. Your vet is the ONLY one who can perform those exams and make reasonable suggestions and recommendations based on those exams and based on your dogs' individual needs as they apply.

I don't think most pet owners are capable of giving vaccinations at home. They just simply don't know what they're doing. Obviously, some people are the exception to that. They know what they're doing and are competent not only at giving the vaccination but at handling whatever might come up. I think it's a good idea to be careful about being in favor of something that the majority aren't capable of doing, because they might get the mistaken impression that it's all right. Perhaps that attitude is what prompted the lengthy posting on the other board.

And as noted in a previous post, the law requires rabies vaccinations to be given by a licensed vet, in any case.

I am on another site, and had mentioned doing my own care at home. Because of the vet cost of late. I have been getting a lot of flack for it. Here is what one person posted back to me.

There are several problems with using vaccinations bought from sources other than your vet.

1) Vaccines must be stored properly, expirations checked, and if shipped, they must be shipped in dry ice. You cannot gaurantee the safety and purity of the vaccines during storage, shipping and handling of vaccines bought outside of your vet. When vets buy their vaccines, they use trusted representatives from the vaccine manufacturer, their lots are shipped properly and promptly, to avoid contamination, and upon arrival, are carefully inspected for any damages. They are then stored/refrigerated properly.

2) Buying from pet store magazines or online does not afford the safety as outlined above. Plus, you can never gaurantee the products will include safe handling and administration instuctions. Vaccines must be handled properly, refrigerated at appropriate temperatures, must be mixed properly, and cannot be left out after mixing. If handled improperly, there is a risk of impurity, contamination, or failure of the vaccine's effectiveness.

3) If you buy vaccines from a source other than your vet, and should your pet(s) develop a serious reaction as a result of administration, you will have absolutely no recourse to recover expense and damages, because the vaccine manufacturer will not gaurantee the product if it is sold and/or administered without a vet's supervision (i.e., Merial, Fort Dodge, etc).

4) Should your pet(s) develop a serious reaction to a vaccine you have given yourself, you may not recognize some of the reaction symptoms, or be aware that immediate veterinary attention is warranted for a severe vaccine reaction. A lot of time can be wasted because you may not be able to get your pet to a vet as quickly as necessary and your pet can suffer needlessly.

5) The rabies vaccine needs to be given by a licensed vet, per the law.

6) The most important reason of all: A complete exam on your pet(s) should always be done prior to any vaccine administered. For the simple reason that if your pet(s) were suffering a hidden illness, or bacterial infection, etc, your vet could detect the condition before risking the immune system by giving a vaccine. Giving vaccines to an ill pet is dangerous and puts the pet at further risk.

7) The net is not the proper place to determine what is or what is not the best health care, illness, vaccine usage, etc for your pets. Only your vet can determine those needs based on a variety of factors, which were clearly outlined above in the links given you. Your vet needs to evaluate your dogs on an annual basis to determine what vaccinations, schedules, etc will best fit your dogs, based on his assessment of them and based on their health histories, etc.

The net is filled with misinformation, and you should never really on any of it for a substitute for regular veterinary care.

8 ) Vets aren't making an exceptional amount of money on vaccines. The focus and priority for their clients and patients is health awareness, wellness and prevention of disease. Yearly exams are crucial for ALL pets so that your vet can detect health problems early on and treat them most effectively, or in some health conditions, to slow the progression of the disease.

The veterinary clinic is a business, not unlike any other business. It is a health care system for pets. You expect the best care from your physcian, likewise you expect the best care from your veterinarian. The costs of veterinary care are justified for most cases, your vet has expenses just like any other business. With an ever increasing demand for optimal care, diagnosis and treatment options for pets, comes an expense, that's part of responsible pet-ownership.

9) Compliance on the owner's part is also crucial. So, as noted in #6 above, to give vaccinations on your own and never get your pets examined on a regular basis until you feel the need to do so, is putting your pets at risk for various health problems and/or complications.

10) A common scenario: Owner gives vaccinations on her own. Dog suffers severe reaction or illness, does not recognize the symptoms, delays vital veterinary attention until the problem has escalated. Finally takes pet into vet. Vet cannot discern if the symptoms are caused by the vaccinations alone, or due to an underlying illness that has been progressing. The illness could have been progressing for some time and the vaccination administration has exacerbated the condition, making treatment exceptionally difficult.

If you don't think this ever happens or cannot happen to your pet(s), think again, sadly it happens all the time.

This forum strongly advocates health awareness and wellness exams. Your vet is the ONLY one who can perform those exams and make reasonable suggestions and recommendations based on those exams and based on your dogs' individual needs as they apply.

Thats one heck of a post. Granted not everyoen can give vaccines. So i can see why that would take place. I can, I can give fluids, and a myriad of other things as well. I can start an iv too. I do take my animals in for an annual and their rabies..
ah well...some will always think no one but a vet should give vaccines.

Wow I have two half Persians, and they don't look like him. I like his face. I don't really care for the smushed in face of some Persians. so I would have never guessed he was one. Well I hope you do get one that will look like him. I would love to see the babies out of this union.

Thanks. Fingers and toes crossed here.

I wouldn't feel comfortable doing my own vaccinations, I would worry in case they moved and only got a part dose, and also in case they had a reaction - plus I wouldn't be able to listen to heart etc that my vets do before giving vaccinations - my two had theirs done for the first time last year, and both vets (done when my regular vet was on hol, so had two different vets) gave them a thorough check - only one picked up on Ginger's heart murmur though (admittedly he purrs so loudly that a couple of vets have given up trying to listen to his heart).

For those who live in Michigan. The michigan humane society has received a grant. You can have your cat spayed/neutered and get kitties vaccines for $20.
Here are the details in pdf format.
http://www.michiganhumane.org/site/DocServer/blingKittyPoster.pdf?docID=881
Hopefully this will happen more often and in other areas

I know I can't give them their rabies shots, but other then that I know I can handle the other shots. I have been taking care of my animals pretty much all my life. On a farm you can't bring every animal in just because it got a cut or sneezed. You learn to do the job yourself, and if it turned bad, then you ask for vet assistance. If you feel you can't handle doing these things yourself. That is OK too, take your animal into the vet. I'm not saying you shouldn't. What I am saying is, I don't think it is right for others to tell you your not a good pet owner because you don't run to the vet every time fluffy has to sneeze!!! The world has had animals as pets a lot longer then there ever was vets. I in no way am putting down their profession. I wanted to be one at one point in my life. But the cost of schooling just was too much. So by no means do I think we can do with out them. But they do have there place in this world. And I am appreciative that they fill that need very well. I just don't think it is life threatening to not go to them as often as others seem to think you must go.

I should also let you know, I do take my guys in once a year for their check up, and rabies shot. I just went a bit crazy when I got a message from our local vet. It will cost me 559.60 for all my guys to get their visit done. Now that is a bit insane if you ask me. I think I am going to just ask for the shots from the vets and do it myself. What the lady said about not knowing if the shots were handled right makes sence to me. All the shots we use to give our animals on the farm, was given to us by the vets. So I think that more then likely is the best route to take. But with care, you can give a shot, and it will be alright.

Ares was a really cute cat. I knew people were still breeding the dollface Persians but seems like I don't see them as often as the traditional Siamese. I prefer both the dollface Persians and the traditional Siamese. I bet they don't have the eye problems that the modern Persians have which of course would cut down on the Vet bills. I saw on someones bill that they were charged $12 for an e-collar. One of my cats had one and it was something the vet tech put together with a flexible light piece of plastic and a lenghth of gauze and I wasn't charged anything for it. Charging someone $12 for an e-collar is crazy.

Ares was a really cute cat. I knew people were still breeding the dollface Persians but seems like I don't see them as often as the traditional Siamese. I prefer both the dollface Persians and the traditional Siamese. I bet they don't have the eye problems that the modern Persians have which of course would cut down on the Vet bills. I saw on someones bill that they were charged $12 for an e-collar. One of my cats had one and it was something the vet tech put together with a flexible light piece of plastic and a lenghth of gauze and I wasn't charged anything for it. Charging someone $12 for an e-collar is crazy.

thank you. Your right. Our doll face babies dont have near ANY of the problems our little rescue Peke face girl does.

The last vet I went to was only concerned abouit getting more tests and more money from me. I admire someone who can do their own medical care. I don;t like being scammed. I will never return to him.

The problem with people being allowed to administer their own vaccinations is that many who can't, and shouldn't, attempt to do so will just to save money. I wouldn't want to try and since I'm taking my boys to the vet for an annual check up anyway it doesn't cost me much more to have the vet give them their injections at the same time. Its also important to check things like temperature and heart rate are normal before you give a vaccination and I wouldnt feel confident doing that either.

It's hard to say whether vet bills are too high without knowing exactly how much drugs, blood tests etc actually cost not to mention overheads of running a veterinary practice. I certainly have no idea of what they cost. I think it's good to have itemised bills as that way you can see where the money goes. One of my boys recently had a dental examination and only a small proportion of the cost was for the actual teeth cleaning and extraction of 2 teeth - the rest was for the anaesthetic, blood tests, iv drip, hospital bed for the day etc. I don't feel ripped off by my vets and don't get the impression that they suggest tests etc for the sake of it.

I am so glad I have a country vet. It is very inexpensive here and he does alot for free...

When we 1st agreed to rescue/take-in/adopt LuckyGirl we weren't even sure we were gonna keep her. We were worried about disease, and scratching, and litter training...my house is all brand new, we didn't want a cat...but she was starving, and had a bunny tail, and the sweetest face. So we took her home.

I called different vets/ vet schools/ clinics/ SPCA's and asked about shots/spaying/check-ups etc... and it goes like this: most vets in my area (Philly...the outskirts) want $50 for the visit/exam, then $9 for distemper, $11 for rabies...total $70. I thought she had ear mites, they wanted $15 just to check & do a swab..and then $9 for the drops. Total $ for a cat we're "rescuing" because we're good people and didn't want her to be sick & starve to death....$94 :doh3: .

Clinics/SPCA's were a joke... I had no luck there. SPCA's would spay/shots/check-up everything if I wanted to drop off the cat and get rid of her. But because we thought maybe we'd wanna keep her they couldn't help me at all. :stomp: Go figure?! And I feel like asking them...do they spay/neuter all the pets they get in even though some of them end up being euthanized? It seems like a waste of veterinary care to spay an animal that doesn't get adopted...

I tried veterinary schools. My friend is going to school to be a dental hygenist and said their senior students do dental work for almost nothing. :idea: I thought maybe this would be true for animal care...after all, vet students need to spay and give shots under the care of teachers right?! Nope. The vet school is only for cases that are too tricky, or can't be figured out by a regular vet. They only take the extreme cases.

So I talk to some neighbors/cat owners and they recommend this vet really close to my home. They charge $50...for office visit, rabies, & distemper. This is 2 minutes away from the $70 places :scratch: . And the staff was supposed to be great. I called to verify and they said yes it'll be $50. When I go in with the Dr. she suggests I get a blood test being that she is a wild cat. Due to the 8yr old I have and all my neices/nephews coming around. She was concerned about disease etc. I already had these fears so I agreed. At no time did they discuss price...and I was thinking, ok $50 for both shots...maybe at max is would be another $50..totaling $100. Nope. I get to the desk and the girl says $165 please :jaw: . I almost had a heart attack. :eek2: I was lucky to even have that much in my acct that day. (we had just broken down on our way home form Disney, had to get towed, & a new transmission!!!) But I paid it anyway. I've been duped!

I'm glad I did get the blood work done, because she came back positive for Cat Scratch Disease. And now has to be on anti-biotics. Guess how much? I call and ask the girls at the desk and she said $28. I'm like...ok. Then I go to p/u the meds and she tells me it's $28 for this bottle, but it's only good for 10 days...she has to be on it for 3 weeks. :argh: So it's another $28 when I go in to re-fill her bottle. Also, she has to come back for boosters 3 weeks from her 1st kitten shots. And of course by the time she had her 1st appt, we were hooked:worship: , totally & completely in love :kisskiss: with her...I mean really ga-ga over her:jump: . So now what are we to do?!?!?!

Oh, and spaying...my vet charges $100. But I applied for a discount certificate at spayandsave.org (anyone in Philly area can go to this site for a spay/neuter coupon!!!) and my vet is on the list that will take the coupon, the coupon is a spay for $40-$70 vs. $100, depending on the vet. I haven't gotten my coupon yet but we'll see... she's 8mos old. They said I had to get her done by 10mos.

i go to a clinic that could be considered a "country vet." they have 4 vets, a large staff, and are a 10 min drive up the freeway from where we live. the in-town vets all charge an arm & a leg. and God help you if you have an emergency, the in-town vets just send you to an emergency clinic that is even more $$$. the clinic we use, takes emergency calls for their clients (found that out when stimpy pulled his stitches out on a saturday night). and i can pretty much ALWAYS get my cats in right away if they need to go in for something. the clinic i go to is both large & small animal vet, and they are *just as good* as in-town vets. but a much more reasonable price. the clinic i used for the last 5 years was similar, before we moved out of state.

i don't have any troubles with my clinic not knowing me. they seem to know me and my critters even though we aren't there all the time. i just get so ticked that the in-town vets almost have a collusion going on with prices. when i lived in so. california there were so many vets that they HAD to be reasonable. there i went to a small vet practice in a low income area. the vet was AWESOME, and always got us in when we needed to get a cat in. and they had much better prices on vax than i've seen in a long time.

ps-the estimate i have to get dentals for 2 of my cats at my clinic is $200 different from the in-town vets' estimates. would you rather pay $200 for a dental (all the same stuff, no extractions) or $400 at the fancy foo-foo clinic for the same thing? like most people, i don't have a money tree out back.

I can't complain about what Shay's Vet charges. Shay's visit with her Vet yesterday was only $55.00. She had her butt area clipped and cleaned, an anti-inflammatory injection, medicated cream for her butt (well over 1 weeks worth), antibiotics for 2 weeks, and her Rabies and FVRCP vaccinations.

Scully is in today and from the estimate (this is the stuff NOT covered by insurance)

Radiography setup (the actual xrays are covered but not setup and evaluation: $70
Various Shots & Vaccinations: $234
Blood Services: $25
CBC: $61
Full Panel: $87
T4 w/Panel: $45

Some of the stuf that is covered

Biopsy/Histology: $122
Fluid Therapy Surgery: $64
Medication (various): $128
Isoflurane (30mins): $90
Anaesthesia Induction: $104
Consultation: $59
2 Radiography (xray) Plates $86

Scully is in today and from the estimate (this is the stuff NOT covered by insurance)

You poor thing icklemiss!!! I'm glad Scully is with you, I would'nt be able to afford all of that!!! PS...I love Scully:lovegrin: ! I checked out all his pics...he is SO HANDSOME!!! I think I'm gonna start my own I love Scully Fan Club:woohoo: !! Anyone wanna join:pix: ?!

I live in San Francisco and my wife and I have 3 beautiful indoor cats. Unfortunately, my older guy Lenny Love, has been diagnosed with Liver, Bile Duct and possible Pancreatitis.he worst part is that he now sems to be in Pain :(

If you see my previous post you will see what I have been going through. After getting ripped off at a certain, unsympathetic non communicative vet we found the best group of vetrinarians I have ever seen. They are located on the Coast in Pacifica, which is welll worth the 20-30 minute drive. They are caring, compassionate, understanding and an all-around well-run practice.Their prices are much better as well.

However, in the past two months I have spent close to $3,000 on getting Lenny better. Money I do not have given the fact that everything here is too expensive (for no real reason given our saleries) I thought he was getting much better, because he has been acting more like himself, playing and fighting with his brothers, etc. However, yesterday he was acting weird and started vomiting.

To make a long story short, it cost me close to $400.00 for an ultrasound re-check and bloodwork, shots, fluids and meds for approx 2 weeks. I am now totally depressed and almost broke. I will do anything I can for my cats and I believe they are "worth every penny." However, my main problem with vets here in Cali-$$$-fornia is that even if you are a recurring customer with multiple cats or other animals, you refer other people to them, etc, they still seem to never be able to "work something out financially." I do have CareCredit @ 0% for 6 months, but now I have another bill !

I fully understand how business works, and the fact that "if they give you a deal, they have to give everyone a deal," however, it seems to me that the issue here is that our cats are our children and we will do anything for them. So the bottom line is that I think they know that they have you by the heart. :(

I just wish Vetrinarians would understand that people with multiple animals sometimes need a "little more" in regards to working things out with long-term payments, etc. I, for one, would rescue more animals and provide a good home for them if it were not for the cost of Vetrinary care. I guess the good thing is that I feel totally comfortable with my current Vetrinary office and that is a definite plus. I am now searching for a part time job to help me pay for Lenny and his brother's care.

I think the bottom line is that these days the objective of running a small-animal clinic IS the "bottom line." The days of James Herriott are long gone.

If anyone lives in Wisconsin, you can come to my clinic! I can almost guarantee you'll be paying WAY less than any prices I've seen on here!!!! PM me if you want to know where it is!!!

I think my vets fees are about average for where I live, but the most important thing for me is that I like the practice I use and feel confident in the care my cats receive. Thats worth paying a bit more for, imo. It's a referral and postgraduate centre so I feel that the vets there are all keen on learning and keeping abreast of what's new. They also provide their own emergency cover so if I need to see them out of hours (only happened once) I dont need to go to a different place.

I too woudl have more cats if it weren't for the high vets bills I have (I do take on oldies) but that isn't really the vets concern - I am lucky that my vet will do what she can to reduce the bill for me, I dont always pay a consultation fee - but have only been using them for 4 years and have spent over £1k there (min £250 per cat, and have had 6)

So since we're talking about vets trying to get as much money as possible out of their clients...is there anyone here who wants to talk to us about how much s/he is overpaid in his/her own line of work? Do any of you feel like your boss pays you too much?

Amen to the ridiculous costs I say!
Funny how my FORMER vets cost skyrocketed after the addition of their state of the art ultra sound machines etc and a building addition were added.
I was really offended that they would attempt to take it out of my hide.

Also about the shots, I too have read many articles now about how it is not only unneccesary but harmful to innoculate your pets every single year. So I will be checking into this deeply.

I think it is costly everywhere because everything is expensive here in Alaska but vert fees are beyond believable, like someone said, it costs more for my cats than it does for me.

As for the vet tech saying that it's because these medicines are expensive I say HOOIE!
I've fostered pets for our local animal rescue that gives their puppies and kittens their intial shots and THEIR cost for those shots? 5 BUCKS!

I don't even want to tell you what they charged me just to flush my cats eye when I could have done it myself at home.

And the insurances are a scam because they end up covering nothing unless your cat happens to get a gumball stuck up it's butt during a full moon on the 4th of July.

I've fostered pets for our local animal rescue that gives their puppies and kittens their intial shots and THEIR cost for those shots? 5 BUCKS!

Bur presumably they are a non profit making organisation? If I was a vet I would expect to make a decent salary. I know how hard it is to get into vet school over here and how demanding the course is. Then when you qualify it's long hours, being on call at night and the expectation to continue to study and keep up with the latest research. I would not do that for what I currently earn and I don't expect anyone else to do it. My vets aren't running a charity and I'm happy with their fees. If I become unhappy with them I'll vote with my feet and find a new vet.

So since we're talking about vets trying to get as much money as possible out of their clients...is there anyone here who wants to talk to us about how much s/he is overpaid in his/her own line of work? Do any of you feel like your boss pays you too much?
Nope, at my job, we are overworked and underpaid. :(

So since we're talking about vets trying to get as much money as possible out of their clients...is there anyone here who wants to talk to us about how much s/he is overpaid in his/her own line of work? Do any of you feel like your boss pays you too much?

:clap: That is all. Just :clap: . :)

Sure, let's talk about how teachers are UNDER paid.
When a Vet makes more than a man or woman who is guiding your childs mind than I'm sorry that is just sad.
And wow someone that is happy with their vet fees ROFL :clap:

Bur presumably they are a non profit making organisation? If I was a vet I would expect to make a decent salary. I know how hard it is to get into vet school over here and how demanding the course is. Then when you qualify it's long hours, being on call at night and the expectation to continue to study and keep up with the latest research. I would not do that for what I currently earn and I don't expect anyone else to do it. My vets aren't running a charity and I'm happy with their fees. If I become unhappy with them I'll vote with my feet and find a new vet.


Charity Schmarity, there is no need to make 50 bucks off of a 5 dollar shot.
I suppose you're fine with your human Dr. bills too? How about your prescription prices? I'm not buying it sorry.

I suppose you're fine with your human Dr. bills too? How about your prescription prices? I'm not buying it sorry. Well I don't have human doctor bills as health care is free here.

The harsh fact is that training to be a vet is harder than training to be a teacher. There is more study involved and more knowledge to acquire. A poor teacher may affect a child's whole life but there is always the opportunity to go back to school for anyone sufficiently motivated. A poor vet may kill my cat. I also have pet insurance so large bills are covered. I think I get a fair deal from knowledgeable and caring vets. When my Magpie died last year the vet didnt' leave his side from when I took him in at 7.30pm to when he died 5 hours later. 3 vets including the senior partner saw him and they were going to give him some new shots to disperse his blood clot that only a handful of practices in this country had access to at that time. Unfortunately he deteriorated too rapidly to have them in the end. After he died the vets were great with me (rang me next day to check I was ok) and with filling out the insurance claim. Yes I am prepared to pay for that. If vet fees were much lower I would worry whether the quality of care my cats receive was the best, and I think it would become hard to attract people to the job which would reduce the quality of care available. Of course we'd all like to pay less for most things, but I don't expect subsidised health care for my cats.

Sure, let's talk about how teachers are UNDER paid.
When a Vet makes more than a man or woman who is guiding your childs mind than I'm sorry that is just sad.
And wow someone that is happy with their vet fees ROFL :clap:

Teachers are definitely not paid what they're worth. But teachers are notoriously underpaid. There are many, many professions that pay more than teaching. Ironically, vet medicine isn't really one of them. A teacher makes about as much as a vet who is a general practitioner and does not own a practice.

But teachers also do not have as much, or as expensive, an education as a vet is required to have. And we don't directly pay for the services we get from teachers because we have public schools paid for by our tax dollars. But the bills for an independent private school, either grade school or college or anything in between, makes veterinary medicine look like a comparative bargain! I pay $25,000 per *year* for my schooling, and that's just for tuition, not even counting things like fees, books, etc.

Vets are doctors. Doctors, just the same as the one you go to. The only difference is that they treat more than one species. That means a minimum of 8 years of education past high school, and at least the last 4 of those years are extremely, extremely expensive. In contrast, education to become a teacher takes only 4 years past high school and can be done at a relatively inexpensive public university, followed by a master's degree that is almost always subsidized by the school system.

It's fine to say that it's crazy that a sports or movie star makes more than a teacher. But I have to take serious issue with your saying that it's crazy for a vet to make more than a teacher.

I think vet costs have gotten completely out of hand.

I wonder how many ore animals would get adopted if there was reasonable vet care available. I think vets are causing a lot of the homeless pet problems.



That's not all it's causing. When my kitten was sick a few weeks ago I described the symptoms to someone I knew had had kittens and asked what they did in situations like that. He is not a cruel person but he said "Get a new one."

The kitten that wandered into our yard in April is the first pet my husband and I have had since childhood and the vet bills have shocked us. So far it's been $45 for medication, $188 for the kitten package which includes initial exam, deworming and the first three vaccines, $30 for blood tests, $14 for a stool sample, $147 for a visit to the emergency clinic and I think that's it. :rolleyes: My husband finally asked how much the cat had cost us when we were on vacation last week and his eyes popped out of his head...and my family looked at us like we were total fools because when they make a run into the vet for a quick check it's more like $15 for the simple stuff.

I would love to get a second kitten as a companion for this one but we can't afford any more bills like this.

Since someone has mentioned the annual vaccinations I'll put my two cents in on that one. I have long thought that this is unnecessary for adult indoor cats and from the research I have done there are several vets that are breaking the silence on that one.

I have wondered this as well. If your cat NEVER goes outside, why do you have to continue the yearly vaccinations after they are not a kitten anymore? If there is a good reason, please tell me.

I will probably do it because I may have a need to board my kitten when we go on vacation when he is older.

If your cat NEVER goes outside, why do you have to continue the yearly vaccinations after they are not a kitten anymore? If there is a good reason, please tell me.

I do it for 2 reasons.

1. I put my cats in a cattery each year and they need to have annual vaccinations for that. Even if I didn't use a cattery on a regular basis you never know when you might need to. For example, I had a blocked drain that flooded my flat a few months ago. As the flat was flooded with sewage water I obviously needed to get Jaffa (and myself) out of there asap. He went to his regular cattery at short notice but he couldn't have done so if he hadn't been up to date with his vaccinations. As long as catteries require annual boosters I will continue to get them.

2. I'm not certain without checking but I think it may invalidate my insurance policy if they arent vaccinated annually. I certainly wouldn't be covered if they got cat flu, or something else they are vaccinated against, if I hadn't given them boosters once a year.

I don't believe they need annual boosters but I have no choice. My cats have never had an adverse reaction though, and they don't have the leukaemia vaccination, so I'm not too concerned about them having them annually. I just think they're unnecessary and look forward to it becoming accepted practice for them to have boosters every 3 years instead of every year.

Abby goes to a higher priced feline only practice, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. I had one experience with a lower cost place, and I will NEVER do that again. Don't get me wrong, I am sure some of them are fine. Yes, my vet charges more. In doing so, she has more staff, and better equipment than many other vets in the area. She is very up to date in the latest research, etc. When my Molly was dying a few years back, it was a huge comfort to me that she had all of the necessary equipment right there to run the tests, and care for her. Yes, it did cost me a few thousand, and poor Molly had to be put to sleep a week later. I don't regret a single penny I paid to her, and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The level of care and compassion we experienced was above and beyond. For me, that alone far outweighs the cost. It is a personal decision on what type of vet you frequent. If you feel your vet is charging too much, try somewhere else. Just don't necessarily expect the same level of care, that won't always be the case.

But the cost of schooling just was too much.

It will cost me 559.60 for all my guys to get their visit done. Now that is a bit insane if you ask me.

As you can see from the quotes above from frawri - she couldn't afford vet school but thinks what the vets charge is insane. Folks you can't have it both ways. As I've said before, most vets have a business to run - including rent for the clinic, staff to pay for, cost of medical insurance, drugs to stock, food for overnight animals, STUDENT LOANS to pay back - then, if that isn't enough, they may be married with a mortgage, children, auto expenses and all the other expenses we all have like food and clothing.

I don't get any cheap/free visits at my own doctor so why should I expect less from my vet.

I have been a tech for almost 11 years, and am head technician and supervisor where I work. I get paid $12.25 an hour after all this time. Most of the money we make gets regenerated into the clinic to buy better machines, more staff and add ons to our clinic, not in our pockets.

Just been charged £21 for a 100ml flea spray :confused:

I am SO glad to hear this. I moved to TX two years ago, from Vermont. Before I transported Pixel in the car I got her some medication for the ride, to relax her for the long journey. She was up to date on her shots. About 4.5 or 5 years old.

When I get to TX I learn they want rabies shots EVERY YEAR. In VT it was once every four or five years. If you hear anything more on this lawsuit I would love to hear it.

We have a hard enough time getting people to adopt all the cats that need homes, this vet practice needs to get reasonable.

Since someone has mentioned the annual vaccinations I'll put my two cents in on that one. I have long thought that this is unnecessary for adult indoor cats and from the research I have done there are several vets that are breaking the silence on that one. There is even a vet in Texas that has brought a lawsuit against the other vets in that state for fraud because of unnecessary vaccinations. Some vets even go so far as to say no vaccinations are necessary after the kitten shots and one year boosters. I'm not willing to go that far but I like the sane middle of the road approach that says once every three years is adequate. I haven't got into that one with my vet yet but I probably will this summer when my cats are due. My one that is sick a lot has to be pretreated because of an allergic reaction to the one year boosters and that can't be good. I know with humans it's never good when someone has to medicate the side effects from another medication. I am not even sure an annual exam is necessary because he ends up at the vets more often than that anyway. Maybe it is good for him to be checked when he is healthy though. My other cat needs an annual exam because so far she has been healthy and that is the only time she gets checked by a vet but I think I am going to question the boosters since they had them last summer.

Interesting thread. I am hoping to adopt two kittens I have come to love very much but am going back and forth between letting them go and keeping them.

I live on a fixed income and am looking for information on Pet Insurance. Thus I found this thread and hopefully revived it because I believe the vet prices are out of hand.

Yes, vets take on more training than some physicians and then of course they need to hire vet techs, who, have to have gone through training. On the job training would probably work just as well but training institutions need to make money, right?

I hate to see vet care turning into what our human medical care system has become. It would be nice to see vets avoiding this, if possible. Charge a little extra for basic medical care and keep the costs down and responsible pet ownership up.

I just fight my tongue when I read how it's irresponsible to adopt cats when you don't have a wealth of disposable income. The aged, the mentally ill, the poor and sick, all need to be able to have pets.

The vet bills are ridiculous here. So essentially, people don't go for routine care, only when their pet is in trouble.

Now, off to look into pet insurance and I'm not finding anything easily in the forums here.

Now, off to look into pet insurance and I'm not finding anything easily in the forums here.


Have you tried running a search for "pet insurance"? there's a myriad of threads about/discussing it, some of which are very large.

I find it really interesting how this thread keeps getting bumped by new posts. Must be because it's a "hot button" topic with a lot of people.

I find it really interesting how this thread keeps getting bumped by new posts. Must be because it's a "hot button" topic with a lot of people.


I second that. It's gone for months, then bam! Back to the top with a post containing things which were covered extensively within it already.

It had been probably three or four years since I last had seen anything about his lawsuit but I just went into ask.com under pet vaccination lawsuits and it is still going. His name is Dr Bob Rogers and it is now being handled by a Chicago law firm. There were references to articles on a website called barknblog, they seem to be following it very closely. It is a website for dogs only but the lawsuit includes feline vaccinations. There were a few other references to him and this suit. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1975 and has been in practice since.

Thanks so much Denice! Good news.

Have you tried running a search for "pet insurance"? there's a myriad of threads about/discussing it, some of which are very large.

Actually, that's what I'm doing. And I'm really sorry that I'm a new person and haven't participated in these discussions yet, I guess I'm just a chatty person.

If you think about it, the entire gamut of discussions about cats has already taken place. You don't want to stop discussions because something's been discussed already, do you? Not you specifically CommonOddity, just a general question to all.


So far, I've found links to TWO pet health insurance programs. So I am making headway. How this forum's users rate the different insurance programs is much more tricky to figure out by searching through page one of the search results, since I cannot even see page two. I get an error message and it won't allow me to go any further....

I am SO glad to hear this. I moved to TX two years ago, from Vermont. Before I transported Pixel in the car I got her some medication for the ride, to relax her for the long journey. She was up to date on her shots. About 4.5 or 5 years old.

When I get to TX I learn they want rabies shots EVERY YEAR. In VT it was once every four or five years. If you hear anything more on this lawsuit I would love to hear it.

We have a hard enough time getting people to adopt all the cats that need homes, this vet practice needs to get reasonable.
yep, i just got the reminder for my Pixel's shots...she gets so lethargic on the day she gets them - i wish it wasn't illegal to skip a year or two...
oh, & i did a search yesterday for pet insurance, & found 3 programs - sheltercare, VPI & ...the third name escapes me :doh3: anyway, they're all very close to the same price. for 4 cats, i think i'd rather open a savings account instead :nod:

...If you think about it, the entire gamut of discussions about cats has already taken place. You don't want to stop discussions because something's been discussed already, do you?...No, you never know what new information can pop up on an already well-covered topic. But sometimes if I have no new information to contribute it's easier and faster to just refer to an existing thread. ;)

Sheltercare I missed. I'll look that one up.

I don't know, I think insurance is for emergencies that cost more than you have. I have no extra money so if Pixel got hurt I would be in trouble, desperate, selling things off. If I can get a reasonable price for insurance for her and the two kittens I want to keep, it may work, but it's not looking good at THIS point, from the comments I've been picking up.

Hmmm.

Here is my list of companies:

VPI: the url is too LONG...

Petplan: http://www.petplan.com/

Petcare: http://www.petcareinsurance.com/us/index.asp

and here is sheltercare:

http://www.sheltercare.com/

http://www.petinsurance.com/
http://www.petshealthplan.com/

Actually, that's what I'm doing. And I'm really sorry that I'm a new person and haven't participated in these discussions yet, I guess I'm just a chatty person.


You don't need to apologise for that. I meant nothing rude/sarcastic by my post.

Vets have always been pretty expensive, but along with everything else, inflation hits them too. Cost of rent/mortage/taxes, utilities, supplies, staff. Plus they want to make some money out of it too. It all adds up.

I was talking to my sister-in-law last night. She said she spent $400.00 on Monday at the vet getting her cat checked out along with blood work. Turns out he is diabetic and needs his blood sugar checked twice a day and given insulin shots. That's a pretty pricey sum to pay.

I've always thought that our pets as members of our families should be covered under our health insurance and claimable on our income tax as dependants. But the government doesn't seem to agree with me, LOL