Puppys/dogs.... Vet? or Do it yourself?

[akhimark]

Originally Posted by arizona98tj

A year later, in they go for a checkup.
"We need to test your dogs for heart worm."
"Why", I ask.
"You don't want to take a chance that they have heart worm, do you?"
"Well, not at all. However, they've been on heart worm prevention pills for the past year."

Like anything, preventive meds aren't perfect. Not saying you did, but what if you were a few days late giving the next dose to Fluffy? If I remember right, giving a dog heart worm preventative if they already have heart worms can cause complications.

[IndyMatt]

Originally Posted by akhimark

Like anything, preventive meds aren't perfect. Not saying you did, but what if you were a few days late giving the next dose to Fluffy? If I remember right, giving a dog heart worm preventative if they already have heart worms can cause complications.

That is what I was going to say. My mom gave our dogs heart worm pills and she was a couple days late and guess what one of our dogs got heartworms.

Most dewormer pills don't kill all worms either. They kill the most common but one of my dogs had flatworms, looks like rice. Anyway, I kept giving him dewormer and it would reduce the number but wouldn't kill them off. So, I had to get the prescribed stuff and that did the trick.

Also, when we are away we kennel our dogs. The kennel we use requires vaccination proof from the vet before they will kennel any dog. So we really can't do it ourselves.

[SpringfieldXD.40]

Originally Posted by Bree

When you need some brain surgery do you save a few bucks by having a plumber do some or all of the work?

Get real. Pay a professional to do professional work on the animal that you love.

+1

[Jeff XD]

Originally Posted by arizona98tj

I don't begrudge anyone making money....but how about this:

Several years back, we had gotten a couple of pups and started them at the vet office we had been using for years. Seems the practice was sold....no biggie, same building, in we go. The pups are checked out as OK and we put them on heart worm medication, per the vet's suggestion.

A year later, in they go for a checkup.
"We need to test your dogs for heart worm."
"Why", I ask.
"You don't want to take a chance that they have heart worm, do you?"
"Well, not at all. However, they've been on heart worm prevention pills for the past year."

I asked the vet to tell me which part was the scam....the pills or the test. She wouldn't answer me.

Either I'll pay for the pills and skip the test or I'll skip the pills and pay for the test. It would seem that paying for both isn't really necessary.

I have had my dog on Heartguard since he was a puppy. A year or two ago the worm test came back positive. But Heartguard has a deal that if you can show that your dog has been on their product they will pay for the medicine to treat the Heartguard.

The price for the vet visit sound about right. You can do the shots yourself pretty easy. I have not done it myself, disclaimer, but you just have to get the shot underneath the skin on the back above the shoulder blades.

[LMTD]

Price is cheap compared to around here.

I love the comments about the vets needing to be paid etc.

You simply must shop for vet care. What will cost 50 bucks at one vet may well cost 300 at another. It is almost insanity these days.

Banfield inside petsmart has a "wellness plan" which most think is insurance, but it is not, it is prepaid care. For 70 bucks down and 20 to 30 a month you get check ups, shots etc are covereed, but there is a kicker as always, it is a binding contract for the entire term, so if you buy it today and fluffy gets hit by a car and goes to the kennel in the sky, guess who keeps charging you for the wellness contract. Thats right and they do NOT allow folks out of them at all.

Likely the best cost and care are gonna come from the local guy, just as with guns.

Pharmacutical companies in the last two years have taken significant control of the vet industry and they are gonna milk it for all they can!

U.S. consumers spent $36.3 billion on their animals in 2005, up from $17 billion in 1994, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

20 billion in increased sales in ten years, off the freakin chain!!!

[dasanii19]

Originally Posted by Bree

When you need some brain surgery do you save a few bucks by having a plumber do some or all of the work?

Get real. Pay a professional to do professional work on the animal that you love.

You know, when I knew nothing about autos I once paid a "professional" mechanic an arm and a leg to re torque the valves to spec on my 350 small block, I ended up with bent push rods and flattened out lobes on my cam shaft.

Point is, just because they are labeled a "professional" doesn't mean diddly squat in my book. I think a lot of you can agree with me on that.

[AV8R]

Originally Posted by Old School

Maybe its just me, but my last dog went to the vet just three times. Once when she was spayed (puppy), the second time for an ear infection that wouldn't go away and the third time when she was put down (age 12).

I see it this way. Dogs are animals and unless your dog is eating out of the trash, how bad can it get? Can it get heart worms? Sure. But dogs have lived many, many years before we had vets. Now, people just spend a lot of cash on preventative stuff that just doesn't matter. Vets love pet lovers; they spend a lot of money!

Did I love my dog? Yes I did. Did I feel that it was OK to spend $250+ per year on vaccines and what not? No, my human family was more important. I knew where my dog was at all times, what came in contact with her and could tell when she was not feeling well. The vet to me is like the ER. You go when you have no other option.

Flame on...

OS

Get out of my head! Same goes for my two dogs. One will be 12 this Feb and the other will be 11 in Feb. Both are doing good really good considering their age. We've had both of our dogs longer than our kids, and we love our dogs dearly. But the distinction must be made between pets and family. It seems to be a real grey area for a lot of people, though.

[rogerxd45]

well when it comes to shots i will from now on take my dog in. we gave my dog a shot for something i cant remember what but he had a terrible reaction to it and couldnt even stand or hold his own head up. it was terrible but after an hour he was ok

[AV8R]

My wife's friend's husband asked me to put his dog down after the being quoted $600 by a couple vets to put the dog down and for disposal. This guy is a crunchy sort of liberal, too, and doesn't own or see much need to own guns. But faced with spending that much to put his dog down made him view things realistically.

Years ago, animals were put down by their owners with a gun. But, back then people had a lot more resolve, grit, and sense of duty than the vast panty-waste today.

[Bree]

Originally Posted by dasanii19

You know, when I knew nothing about autos I once paid a "professional" mechanic an arm and a leg to re torque the valves to spec on my 350 small block, I ended up with bent push rods and flattened out lobes on my cam shaft.

Point is, just because they are labeled a "professional" doesn't mean diddly squat in my book. I think a lot of you can agree with me on that.

The inner workings of the bodies of animals... the interactions of drugs with one another... the diseases of animals... the treatment plans to cure animal disease etc etc are all the province of DOCTORS of Veterinary Medicine.

This isn't auto mechanics. It is the treatment of complex living creatures. If you mess up the patient dies. If you can't see the difference, I guess I'm glad that I'm not your dog.