It PAYS to Shop Vet Prices!

**savvy_sniper** · 09-03-2009, 01:28 PM

We had a vet that we really liked, prices were great, treatment was excellent. We moved across town. Hubby still takes are German Shepherd to him because he has seen him all his life.

When I got Zeus from the SPCA a year ago, I got a free checkup and reduced charges for the first year from VCA. So the prices were decent because of the discount. They were nearby so it was also convenient.

I called VCA today to schedule Zeus' annual checkup and vaccinations. They said it would cost AT LEAST $160!. I called the vet across town and they quoted me $100. I know they will also give me a multi-pet discount.

So I will spend the gas money to drive across town. I am SO glad I called my old vet's office! I want good care for my pets, but I also don't want to pay out the nose.

**frugalfranny** · 09-03-2009, 02:02 PM

Wow....that is neat that you get to save money and have it closer to home too. We love our pets........don't we???

And you need to shop not only the vet prices but about the shot prices too.

Around here we have 'shot clinics' and they can be more than half CHEAPER than going to a vet. There isn't a shot that is more than $20 for anything.......the rabies runs a little more but not much.

**pollypurebred39** · 09-03-2009, 04:24 PM

Our regular vet is fabulous, top grade, state of the art animal hospital, and you pay like it is. But our pets get premium care. That said, when our dog became ill Sunday night and by morning had taken a devastating turn for the worse we knew we could not see our regular guy we had to seek out the least expensive care ( husband's been under employeed for almost 2 years now and we are struggling to keep our heads above water). We decided on a walk in vet in a gang and drug ridden neighborhood. (my Sister lives in this neighborhood, a drive by killed a man on his porch a couple of doors down from her house and last month a bank robber ran through the back yards and police ran into my Siter's yard guns drawn chased the kids inside and ran through her house! Great neighborhood, she's looking to move)

I was not real happy about it but the whole visit was only $97! (would have been $400-$600 easy at our regular vet) Just $20 for the examination. Can't even sit in our guys waiting room for that! The downside, just being in that neighborhood is risky, really risky and my husband struggled to understand what the vet was telling/asking him. The vet is from another country and has a very heavy accent and limited English so it's possible to miss something critical. I feel like a bad Mom, but I know she received good care. Still trying to work through the guilt of it all.

We started going to pet shots clinics 2 years ago and they by far are the cheapest way to go. Don't feel guilty about that, I get a free examination for each pet and their shot. We have 3 pets so once each month 1 of the 3 will get 1 shot or a worming (can't afford more then 1 at a time). It works out that every 3 months all of our animals get a free examination along with necessary vacinations or other pet care, which helps me to feel secure that our pets are healthy. I keep a folder with each pets name on it and file their health records and rabies tag in the pocket of the folder.

**savvy_sniper** · 09-03-2009, 05:03 PM

Polly,

I totally understand! We now have three dogs - a 102 lb. German Shepherd - Ace, a 52 lb. Australian Shepherd mix - Zeus (AKA Spazturd), and a 46 lb. pit bull mix - Betsy Boo.

The vet across town is older, in an older part of town, he owns the property with the old house on it that he renovated. He also teaches and has student vets. When a dog is sick, injured, etc. - you see the vet. If you are there with a new puppy for vaccinations, standard exam, blood work, you see a student. If anything is out of the ordinary, you see the vet. They give you discounts for coming regularly and when you have multiple pets.

VCA (which is close to home) is a LARGE corporation, brand new facility, etc. So they have higher overhead. I was just shocked that they were more than 1/3 HIGHER for the standard yearly exam and vaccinations. I was lulled into a false sense because they gave me MAJOR discounts for the first year because they had some sort of agreement with the SPCA. I guess they figure people will just keep coming back.

My vet across town told everybody there was an emergency and they would have to wait or reschedule because they had an emergency and took my dog Plumber (deceased now) immediately when we called and said he had gotten on a table, ripped open a bag, and popped open TWO prescription bottles of meds. We couldn't ascertain how many of which drug he might have eaten, but he had thrown up. They just said sweep it all up, bring it in with dog, NOW!

They put drops in his eyes to make him throw up while techs counted pills. Luckily he had not eaten ANY of the the BP meds because they would have killed him. He just chewed on a couple of antidepressants capsules and spit them back out. We stayed all afternoon and they monitored him to make sure he was okay and then they sent us home. The charge was VERY reasonable.

So we will be driving across town to the tried and true, reasonably priced vet, that has done right by us in the past. Everyone there LOVES animals. I think that is part of it also. The vet and students do what they do out of love for animals and are not just in it for the money.

**pollypurebred39** · 09-03-2009, 06:06 PM

Our regular expensive vet is like that. Day or night emergency care. They make house calls, even have a pet ambulance. They have been our family vet since I was a kid. It's a big practice with a lot of caring people, just way to rich for us now. I can't tell you the guilt I feel about going the cheap route, ugh. I hope my husband gets back to his real work soon.

I'm glad your dog turned out okay, It sure must have put a fright in you!