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Post by Nicole on Apr 21, 2004 6:23:50 GMT -5
I was curious as to what those of you who do not vaccinate do, or intend to do, in terms of wellness examinations. Assuming the teeth, skin, poop, energy level etc is all good would you still go to the vet for a yearly checkup.
My vet's exam consists of checking the teeth and ears, palpating the stomach, I think he listens to the heart and feels around generally. It seems to take about one minute. And they do a stool exam but that involves me bringing in a sample.
I don't care at all about the cost, I am just wondering if it is worth it to expose the dog to illness and viruses for a one minute exam if he is doing well.
Any thoughts on this??
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Post by Willow on Apr 21, 2004 7:17:08 GMT -5
That's a good question, Nicki, and even though I will not be vaccinating etc. anymore, I will still take Kerra in sometime after January for her fecal and hw test, plus I will have blood work done on her just to make sure she does not have any problems with anemia or any other illness. After losing Pup like I did, I really think the blood work is important to have done once a year, and of course, so is the hw and fecal.
I'm so glad I don't have to collect poop anymore for the fecal. They use a plastic "swab" to collect it at the vet I go to.
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Post by amyjo on Apr 21, 2004 8:11:52 GMT -5
My vet spends a bit more time than that - checks all the joints etc also... I get help with any concerns I have and they get a really good ear cleaning (which always seems better than I can do myself) and a nail clipping too. We spend alot of time on sidewalks so this yearly nail clipping is all we usually need. Well worth the $29.00 and 15 minutes.
We do yearly HW tests as well as full blood panels for sendior dogs. Which includes the thyroid test which was important for Mickey and now Elvis since his t4 level is hovering at the low low low end of normal.
However - I can attest that all the full blood panels in the world won't necessarily catch a catastropic illness in time. Even in the Londsdale book says that these diagnostic tests are often too late picking these up. Which once again leaves proper nutrition as you best defense.
I will still do blood panels on Elvis but my vet doesn't reccomend them unless there is a problem for dogs under 7. So Kylie will just get a heartwom test. Thats it.
Hope this helps.
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Post by amyjo on Apr 21, 2004 8:53:46 GMT -5
Nicki - I am thinking now of more stuff my vet does... has the dogs walk across the room and check the gait Parts the dogs fur in a bunch of different locations and checks for fleas and skin problems. Checks the pads takes temp Asks me a buch of questions about appetite, energy level, behavior etc.... Granted most of this stuff I check for on a regular basis (except the temp) but it is nice to have a more experienced eye give the once over.
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Post by Willow on Apr 21, 2004 9:20:16 GMT -5
Amyjo, you are right about yearly blood panels and that they won't necessarily help, because my Vet told me these things usually come on really suddenly, so I will probably rethink that. Then again, since Kerra is now 8, I may continue with it.
I agree too, that the best defense is not to vaccinate etc. so as not to assault their immune system any further, and to raw feed. Good points.
With Pup it was just too late, but I still think the raw feeding etc. gave him a better quality of life up to the end.
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Post by amyjo on Apr 21, 2004 9:27:52 GMT -5
Yeah for me it is a no brainer because I need to keep an eye on the t4 and the full panel is just a little more cost wise.
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Post by Willow on Apr 21, 2004 9:33:30 GMT -5
Yes, and as Nicki said...cost is not the issue...at least not for most of us, but is it necessary...that's the issue. I never mind spending $$$ on my dogs, but I don't like just throwing it away for no good reason!
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Post by amyjo on Apr 21, 2004 9:44:56 GMT -5
Yep! and here is something else I figured out.... I was spending more money each year on vaccs, tests, heartgard and frontline than I was spending on nutrition. I was spending close to $600.00 a year on preventative medicine - this did not include money for Elvis' 2 ear surggeries, his tooth cleaning and extraction or Mickey's emergency room visit last year. Which totaled well over $2,500. I don't really care about the money either - but sheesh it was like I was burning it last year and all the money I thought I was investing into "preventative" care ended up not meaning squat. TWO DOGS WITH CANCER LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER exams including full blood panels which indicated NO PROBLEMS. I still have issues with that in case you can't tell
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Post by Nicole on Apr 21, 2004 10:08:36 GMT -5
My vet charges $50.00 just for the exam and he doesn't do any of that. That really upsets me. He really doesn't even ask me questions. If I have a problem, I tell him. There is no gait, skin, joint or pad test and they don't clean the ears. And the fecal alone is $22. And a blood panel is $65. Out of curiousity, how much do you pay for the exam, fecal and blood panel.
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Post by amyjo on Apr 21, 2004 11:06:15 GMT -5
Nicki -
I pay $36.50 (not $29.00 oops) for the exam (which includes ear cleaning and nail clipping)
$17.20 for the fecal
$24.40 for the HW antigen test
$27.70 for the T4 test
$49.10 for the Senior Profile
$31.75 for a CBC Differential
Then I get a $44.00 discount on all the blood tests combined
I don't really know if these are good prices or not but seem pretty standard in my area. A few years ago we thought the prices were too high so we went to OSU vet clinic since it is a teaching hospital. The prices were the same, we were there for like 3 hours and were not allowed to be present during the exam. So NO THANKS!
I think your prices might be in line for where you live but I think the real issue is the attention to detail you get from the vet...oh and his titer prices are way out of line - I remember that.
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Post by Laura on Apr 21, 2004 11:57:55 GMT -5
Man, you guys are getting off cheap!! Just to walk through the door is $55.00 for me, and that's PER DOG! Titer/ full blood panel is 125.00, fecal is 25.00, HW test is 30.00, and I go to what's considered a reasonable vet! I need to move .
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Post by Nicole on Apr 21, 2004 12:17:50 GMT -5
Me too Laura!!! I am going to pay closer attention to what he does during the exam and simply ask him to check whatever he doesn't. He does it so fast maybe he does check the skin etc and I missed it.
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Post by Nicole on Apr 21, 2004 12:20:13 GMT -5
This reminded me about my last visit to my primary care physician for a checkup. I think the actual exam took about 50 seconds.
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Post by packerdogs on Apr 21, 2004 13:22:17 GMT -5
I still bring my dogs to the vet each year. The exam is $29. Any animals I bring in on the same day over 3 do not get charged a vet visit. HW test is $25, fecal is $15. I will usually just bring in one fecal sample, I figure is one of my dogs has something, they most likely all do. So, for 6 dogs, it costs me $327 (about $55 each) to go to the vet once a year! I have very reasonable vet!
Also, they give great discounts for the rescue: No office visit charge Fecal $10 Rabies $13 HW test $17 Neuter $69 Spay $100
Cathy
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Post by Willow on Apr 21, 2004 13:57:02 GMT -5
Here's what I paid last year in town here: Office call: $ 8.50 Distemper/parvo: $15.00 Bordatella: 15.00 Rabies: 13.00 Heartworm: 17.00 _________ $ 68 .50 x 2 dogs = $137.00 Of course the 2 pkgs of revolution were an additional $70 and then the Interceptor, which I think was like $26.00 a pkg. I also had a fecal done, but can't find it. This year I took and am taking Kerra to the *big city Vet* ;D and he is more expensive. I also see their prices have been steadily climbing each year. The reason I'm taking her there however, is because last year this "cow vet" down here couldn't find the vein to draw blood and my tough ol' Pup finally whimpered after she dug around awhile!!! I was sooooooo angry and decided I would never take them there for blood work again. This is what it cost when I just took Pup in: Office visit/exam. $37.40 (up from $25.60) Fecal: 9.60 (up from $8.55) Red blood cell count: 2.70 -(2.35) White bloodcell count: 8.65 (7.55) Blood collection/disposal: 8.10 (5.50) Differental count 10.95 (8.55) Large radiograph: 55.60 (41.95) The heartworm wasn't done, but the total bill, with (gulp ) 25.80 for euthanasia, was $168.55 I have never totaled everything for a whole year and there was other stuff in there too, like Kerra's ear infections.
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