You've already been given lots of good info & options - I just want to addrress one thing - if Tim is in the service, then he can use on-base veterinary care that is WAY WAY WAY less expensive than civilian vets. (hubby's a DOD employee, so we can take ours to the Navy vet for checkups cost: $2.00. Vaccines cost about 1/4-1/3 normal rates, & heartworm & flea/tick meds are about 1/2 price.)

Whatever he decides, be sure he takes care of all this several weeks before he goes. (it may take that long to get an appt.) Considering how inexpensively he can take care of these things, foisting all these expenses off onto family or friends would be very unfair.