In shock from Miss Kitty's white coats trip today

[jazzcat]

Could someone pick my jaw up off the floor please? I cannot believe this vet's office and the prices. First off we are just going in for annual vaccinations and check up. For those of you who don't know, Miss Kitty is my parent's cat.

Okay I get there and while I'm in the lobby someone comes out with a list of test to try to sell them to me. I asked her what they were for and she didn't really know but said the vet tech could elaborate. Okay?! So then they take us back and before she even opens the carrier to take Miss Kitty out the vet tech starts asking if I'm getting the full work up today. I ask what that means because we are just here for her annual. She says that there are certain tests that MK will need. I asked why, she couldn't say exactly. Then comes in the "hard sale" vet tech with all the answers. She says that because MK is now 8 years old she need the senior bloodwork profile at $100. She also says that MK needs a Gluacoma test at $50 and an early renal failure blood test - no price was stated or else I had gone deaf at that point. Now keep in mind that so far no one has asked a single question about MK or even taken her out of the carrier yet.

To try to shorten this very long expensive tale I will tell you that I agreed to have her tested for FIV and FeLV since we had never done that before and thank goodness she was negative. I also let them do a fecal check which was negative but they insisted it can give a false positive and they talked me into giving her Drontal just in case since she hunts outside at night and does kill things.

When all was said and done it cost $150.34. I just about fell over because I can take my inside only cats in for their annual and it costs $35 at my vet. I need to get MK a new vet that isn't in it for a major profit. Good grief! I'd take her to mine but I don't think she could handle the 70 mile round trip ride.

Does all that sound crazy to you? I've never heard of a Gluacoma test for cats. I'm kind of from that thinking of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and "if there's not a problem don't go looking for one". Geez!

By the way, she got a clean bill of health but now my checkbook is sick!

Sorry I wrote a novel but I needed to rant.

[Pam]

My jaw is on the floor right next to yours. I have never even heard of some of those tests and my Trevor is 11 years old. Do your parents go to this vet all the time or was this a first time visit? I don't mean to sound cynical but he sounds very creative. Do you think he has bought his first Porsche yet?

[Freckles]

Could YOUR vet recommend a vet in Miss Kitty's town?

[rg_girlca]

I have never heard or had anyone come out in the waiting room to sell a list of test, that is ridiculous, especially when they didn't even know what the list was all about.

Before even checking MK out, they start telling you that she is going to need this and going to need that. Balony.
Then they CAN'T tell you WHY she will need these tests.
I don't blame you for ranting Lori, it sounds so unprofessional to me. I can't comment on the Glaucoma test as I have never heard of this either.
Maybe there are certain tests for an outdoor cat, I really don't know, since my cats have always been indoor.
I'm glad to hear that she had a clean bill of health though.

Hopefully someone will be able to give you some answers in regards to all of this.

[Craftlady]

I am scratching my head on this one. I'd tend to agree with the rest that this vet's office is helping the vet get his fancy car.

[aly]

My vet costs too much too. $150 is pretty cheap for an annual visit at my vet. The office visit alone is $45, which I think is absolutely insane. And if I take 2 cats in at once, there's $90 just to walk in the door!!!!!!!!

I have to take my fosters to the low-cost clinic. I just can't afford it all All of my money goes to vet care and I barely have enough to pay bills with what's left!

Most vets in my area are really pricey like that. Blah!

[Craftlady]

Eye

I found the above article. It does say to have eyes tested when kittys are 6-7 yrs old (considered Seniors).

[Cataholic]

My vet is expensive like that, too. Though I don't think he 'hard sells' me, he does recommend alot of tests, and meds, etc. I make the decision to not do some things. But, he is also very good, and close.

[catnapper]

YIKES!!! What a thief!

Our yearly visits are about $35 too. I can't imagine all those tests. You feel guilty if you don't do them, and you feel as if they are judging you as a pet owner if you say no.

[Craftlady]

Average for us 3 at time little over $100 for annual stuff. We get 10% discount if all 3 come in at once. It's worth the effort to get them all there.

[jazzcat]

Well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one stunned by this. This is the same vet my family has used since I was young but the difference now is his daughter just graduated vet school and is now in practice with him. Guess she minored in "Get Rich Quick".

Aly - that is horrible that your vet costs that much. I'm sure with even taking the foster to the low cost clinic that you're still tapped out.

Craftlady - thanks for the link, I'm going to read up because this is the first I've heard of it.

My husband just reminded me that our vet has a second office a little closer to my dad's so the drive would only be about 22 miles one way. I think Miss Kitty and I will just suffer the longer drive next time.

[Grace]

We have 5 cats, and each one gets an annual check-up. Depending on the number of vaccinations they need, it will cost $110 - $130 each. This includes a 10% preferred client discount.

We choose to have basic blood work on each of them every year. I want to know as early as possible if one of them is having signs of renal failure, or any other disease, so palliative treatment can be started.

And then, if they need it, they get their teeth cleaned. Duffy is 6 and has never had it done - great teeth. Actually of the 5 we have now, only Red has had dental work, and that was when he first came to us. He had a fractured tooth that was beginning to abscess.

[Uabassoon]

I usually only spending around $50 (per cat) for my annual. Normally the visit to the vet costs $35 but for annual visits they drop the charge (I think it's just to get more people in there for vaccinations) Each shot runs around $10 - $13 and are adminstered by a tech. For an additional $10 the vet will come in and check your kitty to make sure that everything looks good. I always spend the additional $10 for the vet to give my kitties a look over, but I know that a lot of people don't.

[Karen]

I would report them to the Better Business Bureau and the local newspaper. What you wrote here would suffice to raise suspicions of any local reporter. That's almost highway robbery, and sending out not one but two people to give you the hard sell on tests they could not themselves explain is inexcusable.

[sirrahbed]

YIKERS! I had to go dig out my last bill just to check. It is $35 for an annual checkup and the $29 for each additional cat if they all come in together. The vaccinations are $15 each. I did get an x-ray for Dylan and that was $12 and one fecal flotation since they have had worms in the past so one feacl goes for all three and that was $9. My total bill was $159 for all three including the fecal and x-ray. I also got a free 7 pound bag of diet catfood. The x-ray is something I wanted for my own peace of mind because worried that Dylan was not declawed properly (he wasn't but the vet said intervention at this point would be costly and painful and not likely to help anyway - just to watch for signs of infection which there are none)

I think this guy is WAY too expensive. Then again - I am not an advocate of much "preventative" stuff either. When RB Ernie had kidney failure, I refused all the fluids, dialysis, etc to prolong his life. BTW, I also carry a Living Will and Advanced Directives for myself at all times. (in other words - do nothing at all to keep me alive if I am on my way out!)