Jelly takes Simparica Trio and Zenrelia.

Those prescriptions only last a year. The medicine costs upward of 800$ a year alone.

Yearly visit to check to see if she has heartworms. Why the hell am I doing that if I’m buying the medicine. And allergy medicine? There’s no test for that, just give me a lifetime prescription.

Such a racket.

I get the rabies every 3 years. But I’m not sure about the other crazy ass vaccines. Base Vet doesn’t have an open appointment for 90+ days. Who plans THAT far ahead. And I can’t refill a dog preventative medication without another prescription.

$579. That’s what 70$ worth of time and meds costs me today.

Top it off with the fact that my wife cooked beef liver tonight. It’s not the Great Depression! I still have enough money for something edible after the vet.

What a day!

I don't have it for my dog, but my daughter and son-in-law have pet insurance for their three dogs. I don't know what all it covers, but it might be worth some of your time searching.

Unless your dog runs free rabies vaccine is a total scam. In fact it’s a scam no matter what. There’s a vet on YouTube that goes into detail about it and if your vet even offers it get a new vet because he either knows it’s a scam or he’s a terrible vet.

I get my pet meds at Costco Pharmacy - I think they have much better prices.

quote:

Base Vet doesn’t have an open appointment for 90+ days. Who plans THAT far ahead. And I can’t refill a dog preventative medication without another prescription.

There are online Vet visit options to obtain a prescription:

Chewy Vet Care

Vetster

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:
Unless your dog runs free rabies vaccine is a total scam. In fact it’s a scam no matter what. There’s a vet on YouTube that goes into detail about it and if your vet even offers it get a new vet because he either knows it’s a scam or he’s a terrible vet.

It's a mandatory vaccine in many States. However, I do agree that it is not necessary in many cases.

I used to really enjoy getting Osteo-Biflex covered by my FSA. It was for my dog. I actually felt like I was winning for a change.

Pet owners have to contribute to big pharma's execs paydays too.

quote:

Originally posted by SHOOTIN BLANKS:
I used to really enjoy getting Osteo-Biflex covered by my FSA. It was for my dog. I actually felt like I was winning for a change.

Well played.

We have a Bengal cat; genetically predisposed to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and it's recommended she have an annual echocardiogram (ECG). I get an ECG every 18 months. But why does her ECG cost $250 MORE than mine?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 229DAK,

Heartworm meds are a total scam. They are OTC in other countries and much cheaper. Here it's exactly as noted, a racket. Force you to pay for a test to get the meds that prevent it.

I try not to show my ass on this forum. But if you all knew my monthly overhead and cost I would be pissed about these comments.

Have a good day

Tommy

You may not like it but all your pets meds have to fda approved just like human medicine. Don't blame the vet blame the fn government. We have to follow the rules or they take our license.

It costs the same millions of dollars to licence a pet medication as human one.no I don't like it but it's not the veterinarians fault.

Rant over.

Sorry

Tommy

About two (2) years ago, I asked my friend and personal Doctor during a visit if he provided the flu vaccine.

He told me that he didn't, and added that the vaccine provider charged $40,000.00 for being able to have it in stock. A regular flu vaccine.

Stuff like that is what horsedoc is talking about.

Impressive, isn't it?

Ottosig,

I apologize for ranting in your thread. This is a hot topic for me. Most of my colligues have retired and sold out to corporate groups. I don't know how they operate, us old school guys are cost plus 10-20 percent so we can make a living.
O
We paid the same amount and spent the same time as a human doctor does because we love what we do but make less money. So I kinda take it personal.

I would drive to Georgia to help para's cat if I he needed it and I could make it work. That's how we are but we still have to pay the bills.

I don't post much but I read every day. I enjoy your posts.

Tommy

quote:

Originally posted by horsedoc:
Ottosig,

I apologize for ranting in your thread. This is a hot topic for me. Most of my colligues have retired and sold out to corporate groups. I don't know how they operate, us old school guys are cost plus 10-20 percent so we can make a living.
O
We paid the same amount and spent the same time as a human doctor does because we love what we do but make less money. So I kinda take it personal.

I would drive to Georgia to help para's cat if I he needed it and I could make it work. That's how we are but we still have to pay the bills.

I don't post much but I read every day. I enjoy your posts.

Tommy

It’s okay, Tommy. I understand.

To put this into perspective. I had the exact same thing done in Burke County, GA 2 years ago and the total set me back approx. $150. On base I’m looking at <$200.

Our old vet in Florida was affordable.

One genuine question, why does the Simparica and Zenrelia have to be regulated? I can buy my certrazine over the counter. I can buy several heartworm medications over the counter. The annual test seems silly, it’s not even an option, I HAVE to do it in order to give my dog the medicine.

I believe, and I think you may have confirmed this, please let me know if I’m wrong, that these vets now are not the owners. It’s a larger conglomerate that charges crazy prices. If my vets back in Florida and Georgia can do it for 40% the cost then there is a 200% mark up in there. The location doesn’t account for that much for sure.

I’m not placing blame on the vets, I just don’t think animal care should cost me more than my child care throughout the year. Especially considering the dog isn’t sick for any of these visits.

Horsedoc. I’m right there with you. No, I’m not a vet.
But it pisses me off to no end to see the clowns on some local FB pages start bad mouthing vets and saying they’re only in it for the money, etc..
I always reply(in more words and not very nicely) that they have no idea what it takes to become a vet, maintain a practice and be there for their clients right up to the literal end.
Interestingly enough they never respond.

I'm on the opposite end as Horsedoc having been ripped off by vets for years.

I had a dog with chronic ear infections. Every visit was over $300 (this was probably 15-20 years ago). They would force me to pay for an culture that they looked at under a microscope and then sell me some Otomax.

I finally got fed up and said, "Just give me the Otomax. I don't need a vet visit for $300 because it's always the same result." Here is the kicker, they said they wouldn't let me just get the prescription because they had to see what was in her ears. I replied, "yeast and bacteria. It's black goop like very time and unless you are planning to do an ID then I am not paying $300 for you to tell me you saw yeast and bacteria in a microscope." Hell, you will find yeast and bacteria in a healthy ear.

They finally gave me the Otomax on that particular visit. After that I did some research and found a steroid OTC ear drop that resolved her issue permanently. The Vet just kept charging me a bundle and selling me the same crappy med that only worked temporarily.

Oh and I forgot, they always charged me $20 for Crystal Violet. They use one drop on the slide to look at and charged me that amount. So on one of my visits I brought them a 16 ounce bottle from work and gave it to them and said, leave off the charge for the crystal violet. Of course, they refused to take it.