does this seem reasonable?

I agree that on a non-urgent issue, if you can write down a list of questions or topics you have questions on, and get it to the vet before the visit, I'm sure they'll appreciate it and maybe even be able to schedule a little extra time during the visit to address the issues (heck, my human doctor loves when patients can do that!)

I would suggest that quoting a source would be good - just saying "I saw it on the internet" will, I think, drive most health care professionals right up the wall, and, IMO, rightfully so! But if they know you got the data from a reputable source, then they know how to address the information.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Btw, when was Jake's last deworming? They might ask about that or want to do a quick fecal. Even if you keep fleas under control he could still ingest one before it dies and get tapeworms.

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He was never dewormed, he had 4 fecal tests done and all turned out negative, and they told me that they plan to do a fecal test again this time when I asked them what the $109 incudes. I think it's their policy to just test for parasites before deworming unlike most vets ..

Originally Posted by ut0pia

He was never dewormed, he had 4 fecal tests done and all turned out negative, and they told me that they plan to do a fecal test again this time when I asked them what the $109 incudes. I think it's their policy to just test for parasites before deworming unlike most vets ..

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Well, there you go. That's the extra cost right there. My vet will do both - I can get them to deworm without a fecal. If they've been on Revolution and I see a tapeworm segment there's no fecal to look for worms needed. My own vet agrees - since you usually won't find evidence of tapeworms.

And since all of mine come to me as strays, we automatically assume roundworms from environment/prey/mother and tapes since they always have fleas. So they're dewormed even if there is a negative fecal. The kittens were negative, for example, but had 'roundworm belly'.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Well, there you go. That's the extra cost right there.

My vet will do both - I can get them to deworm without a fecal. If they've been on Revolution and I see a tapeworm segment there's no fecal to look for worms needed. My own vet agrees - since you usually won't find evidence of tapeworms.

And since all of mine come to me as strays, we automatically assume roundworms from environment/prey/mother and tapes since they always have fleas. So they're dewormed even if there is a negative fecal. The kittens were negative, for example, but had 'roundworm belly'.

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Yea, I'm sure if he had symptoms of worms he would be dewormed, but his digestive system was working okay as a kitten, his poop consistency and color was fine and he didn't have a round belly- so he just didn't get dewormed. And he hasn't had symptoms of intestinal parasites since then, he has been on revolution too...
But he got the fecal test also with the first shots so the bill I have that's $53 for shots and exam includes that..I mean, I know they gave me a pretty big discount then because I was calling other places around and they were quoting me around $100 for the kitten shots and exam, it just sucks not to get a discount again now, lol

Originally Posted by mews2much

I would just do the 3 in 1 Distemper and the Purvax Rabies.
My sphynx only get Purvax shots.
Do not get the leukemia or fip shot no matter what the vet says.
The techs push the leukemia shot at my vet but I refuse to get it and I complained to the owner her is one of the vets I see.
No tech or vet is going to push me around.

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Same with me.
Sometimes the tech prepares the vaccines, and of course I always ask what they are. Once she told me she was including Leukemia and Aids since I took Lucky and Bugsy to the garden with me. I said no, and she said yes... I said NOOO... She said yes, since they go outside and rolled her eyes . I told her I didn't mean to be rude but to please leave the room, stop arranging the vaccines as she was throwing $$$ on the trash, and I would discuss the issue with the vet.

Of course my vet agreed with me, apologized... And if the vet didn't agree with me, I would have just walked out. Nobody is going to hurt my babies under my watch.

Utopia, I just had my vaccines and annual for Hope - it cost me $77
$40 for the exam, $15 for the Purevax 4 in one RCCP, and $22 for the Purevax Rabies.

Here is my plan: I will vaccinate them with the distemper combo for the first 4 years, until the get a pretty good immune system, then I will only vaccinate for rabies. And I don't care what my vet says.

Originally Posted by mews2much

I would just do the 3 in 1 Distemper and the Purvax Rabies.
My sphynx only get Purvax shots.
Do not get the leukemia or fip shot no matter what the vet says.
The techs push the leukemia shot at my vet but I refuse to get it and I complained to the owner her is one of the vets I see.
No tech or vet is going to push me around.

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That's the spirit!

It's funny about the FeLV. My vet is just the opposite, she doesn't like to give the FeLV unless the cat is high risk, meaning, goes outside (free roaming) or in a household where cats of unkown health status are coming through (rescue/foster situations) or, of course, in a household which contains an FeLV + kitty.

Well, apparently I found a way to avoid techs or the vet trying to push for the FeLV vac - I caught them very busy today.

For Sherman today:
Wellness exam - $15.40
CVR (they don't do the other multi) - $9.90
Rabies - $12.10
So $37.40 just for that.

They were doing another urinalysis for $30, though, and they added another $20 on for Tanna's spay even though she was not in heat - so they got plenty out of me today.

$109 is very reasonable for shots and exam. I pay more than that here.

My vet only uses Purevax 1 year rabies shot and the 3 in 1 shot every three years. They do felv ONLY for outside or high risk cats. They don't even carry the FIV vaccine because they are so against it. (Because it doesn't work and is highly carcinogenic according to my vet).

My vet does not push for FeLV vaccines either, and will order in FIV vaccines if requested but generally doesnt have any. Even with fosters they have never suggested a FeLV vaccine.

I suddenly love the vet tech at my vets even more, she never pushes anything (unlike their student tech who needs a kick in the rear)

Even with my multicat discount, it costs me $80-90 inc tax for shots, and my vet gives me a fairly big discount. If I take them in together, its cheaper as I only pay one office visit, but I am slowly moving their shots closer together. I think Quincy and Autumn will be done at the same time this year. Boomer could have been done with Magnum but he already had a visit for health issues so got it done then.