vet bills are crazy. thats why i got toby insurance because i would rather pay a little each month then get slammed with a crazy vet bill that i can't afford.
Agreed... I can go to the one vet down the road and their care is ok but the price is high... does that mean I trust them... NO. The only vet I truly trust is the one who is on the lower end of the price range... my breeder also works at her clinic and the care that our dogs receive there is second to none. The prices there are much less due to it being a clinic based out of her home, it is a small older building and not much to look at but the care is fantastic and I can leave it to them to know what to do in an emergency whereas the other vets always have to have your permission to do anything. So while her prices are a fraction of the others her care is every bit as good as the high priced clinics and even more so in some cases. Remember expensive does not always equate to the best. If it costed an arm and a leg to keep my dogs safe and healthy then that is what I would pay but the best care for them is where a trusted vet and friend is there in my opinion.Terry... I can tell you from experience and having moved from one part of the country to several others over the years with two or three dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs etc, that expensive doesn't always mean the best!
I agree that expensive doesn't always meen the best. But, if good care is expensive, I am willing to pay for it. We like our vet. They are close by. They have clean, updated facilities, knowledgable and caring personnel, and they are accomodating when unexpected emergencies pop up (there have been many over the years). They've allowed me to delay payment or set up a payment plan, and they have waited for me after hours. They authorized unlimited refills on Moe's meds without seeing the vet every time and they answer medical questions over the phone. For our area, they are not more expensive than other vets, and they are not the most expensive. We used another vet for our rabbit (they had a small mammal vet on staff who was good with rabbits) and my daughter drives fifty miles to take her chinchillas to a specialty vet.Terry... I can tell you from experience and having moved from one part of the country to several others over the years with two or three dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs etc, that expensive doesn't always mean the best!
Exactly... a good vet is worth their weight in gold no matter what kind of fees they charge. I choose to go to the vet I trust and who has a great deal of experience with bassets as she knows what kind of issues bassets have (especially growing bassets). For our chinchilla we go to the other vet as they have a small animal specialist there who knows a great deal about chins. I would never skimp on my vet care but I go to the vets that I trust with what ever problem we are having.I agree that expensive doesn't always meen the best. But, if good care is expensive, I am willing to pay for it. We like our vet. They are close by. They have clean, updated facilities, knowledgable and caring personnel, and they are accomodating when unexpected emergencies pop up (there have been many over the years). They've allowed me to delay payment or set up a payment plan, and they have waited for me after hours. They authorized unlimited refills on Moe's meds without seeing the vet every time and they answer medical questions over the phone. For our area, they are not more expensive than other vets, and they are not the most expensive. We used another vet for our rabbit (they had a small mammal vet on staff who was good with rabbits) and my daughter drives fifty miles to take her chinchillas to a specialty vet.
My point is good care is worth the price. And, as with our own personal doctors, you need to find a vet who you are comfortable with and meets your needs.
Wow...that is great! I wish I had a vet school near me.the vet i go to has really good prices. on saturday mornings they have really good deals on shots. and i was really worried last week when i was told hank needed surgery for his hip, thinking i was about to have to spend like, 2,000 dollars. the vet visit on saturday was 390, which included 2 different medications, blood work, the exam itself, x rays, anesthesia, and a 50 dollar deposit to hold his spot for surgery. the surgery itself was about 580, so all in all about 1,000 dollars for this whole ordeal. not too bad. and the surgeon hank had teaches at Texas A&M which, if you live in texas, that is THE school to go to if you're going to be a vet. and when toby got colitis, all his fees which included several things was only 200. they've been good to me!
Vet prices, even in a small area vary wildly. I have toenails trimmed every 5-6 weeks & was paying $16.00 to go to the closest vet. I finally smartened up & now pay only $5.00 for driving another 6 miles. The office visit & meds are also less but I can't remember the details. I do know a complete physical was $90.00, all yearly vaccinations included. I sometimes have to wait a little longer here but the vet & staff are wonderful. While waiting on Doc to check Mr. Pea's ear swabs (which he does on an old microscope right in the back room) every single vet tech came to say hello to Peabody. Oh yea, the ear check & meds were also included in the $90.00. Mr. Pea has frequent yeast infections in his ears, I know ya'll can relate.
Susan
So true...I would never go to a vet that didn't give great care just because it is cheaper. There are a lot of places that actually care for the animals and do a great job. They are not into it for the profit.I agree that expensive doesn't always meen the best. But, if good care is expensive, I am willing to pay for it. We like our vet. They are close by. They have clean, updated facilities, knowledgable and caring personnel, and they are accomodating when unexpected emergencies pop up (there have been many over the years). They've allowed me to delay payment or set up a payment plan, and they have waited for me after hours. They authorized unlimited refills on Moe's meds without seeing the vet every time and they answer medical questions over the phone. For our area, they are not more expensive than other vets, and they are not the most expensive. We used another vet for our rabbit (they had a small mammal vet on staff who was good with rabbits) and my daughter drives fifty miles to take her chinchillas to a specialty vet.
My point is good care is worth the price. And, as with our own personal doctors, you need to find a vet who you are comfortable with and meets your needs.