Rabies Vaccines..

[Spiritwind]

I had a terrible experience with the last (and first) dog I ever owned. The first time my (now ex-) Fiancé and I ever took her to the vet, the bill was well over $300 - which I thought was insane.

I agree! the cost of a exam has really gone up. The place I most recently worked at actually charged you an office fee (roughly $30) AND an examination fee (which I think was $45). THEN broke down the cost of the vaccines like they were individual shots the dog was getting, rather than a combo. So a Combo shot of DHPP that cost them all of $5, cost you $80 (I believe it was like parve - $25, Distemper - $15 etc..etc..etc..... Rabies, if needed that year was $25 or $30. The HW test they required yearly was $60 the fecal check they required yearly was about $30 - plus if you got a 6pack of interceptor, say the white pills (what most of my dogs take) that was $55... so basicly it was about a $300 bill per dog for annual stuff.... they are the most expensive vet clinic in that area.... because even when I worked there (Employees didn't get much of a discount or anything) I would take my dogs to the place closest to my house unless I absolutely had to take them to work with me lol But I do all Vaccines (puppy series) myself except rabies of course..

I hear you about burn out!! i am feeling it myself but i think it is only because i work at an ER clinic with day practice...i HATE doing ER..way to stressfull. and the doctor can be a real jerk to employees he doesnt like.(luckily he likes me)

This is going to go way off topic but.... Its kind of weird really.... the vet clinic I worked at most recently, the Dr. that owned the place I seemed to get along well with him.... I mean at first he would hardly say two words to you.. but after that he seemed pretty cool... he'd joke around with you and talk to new people a bit more than in the beginning... and the other Dr. that worked there I got a long great with her from the very beginning, I liked her as a vet and if she would ever go and open her own clinic I would take my dogs to her! However I refuse to take them to the place I used to work at.... the office manager is who made everyones life there a living hell, except the receptonists who could do no wrong... and after a while I just got sick of it and had to leave...

[chocolatepuppy]

Rabies shots are law here and my dogs get the three year ones. We do have wildlife near us and at times in our yard. They bait raccoons here for rabies, that's enough for me. I don't let the vet give them a rabies shot with any other vaccine, I make a separate appointment.

[So-Crafty]

I agree! the cost of a exam has really gone up. The place I most recently worked at actually charged you an office fee (roughly $30) AND an examination fee (which I think was $45). THEN broke down the cost of the vaccines like they were individual shots the dog was getting, rather than a combo. So a Combo shot of DHPP that cost them all of $5, cost you $80 (I believe it was like parve - $25, Distemper - $15 etc..etc..etc..... Rabies, if needed that year was $25 or $30. The HW test they required yearly was $60 the fecal check they required yearly was about $30 - plus if you got a 6pack of interceptor, say the white pills (what most of my dogs take) that was $55... so basicly it was about a $300 bill per dog for annual stuff....

They had made an estimate for us that was around $150 before we even saw him, but then once we were in the office, they blindsided us with all these "tests" that they had to run etc., so on and so forth. When we got the bill, that's exactly what they did - charged us individually for each medication, plus the disposal costs for "medical waste", plus the RX's....multiple rx's (this is why it pays to buy from a good breeder, mind you.) And believe it or not, this was one of the cheaper vets in my area.

Has anyone had good success with Pet Insurance?

[pomtzu]

Wow - after reading some of the things posted here about vets - I really feel fortunate. I have a wonderful vet - a real down to earth country gal. She genuinely loves her patients and will take as much time as needed and answer questions - not just rush you out the door. She comes to work in jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt - has only 2 techs and a girl at the front desk - her office has a small waiting/reception area - only 2 exam rooms and 2 back rooms for surgery and lab - not some big pricey fancy building that she has to pay for by charging outrageous rates. She makes house calls once a week for people that can't get in (like seniors, etc) or for the dreaded day a pet has to be PTS if the owner wants it done at home. Her fees are more than reasonable and she has no problem if you can find meds for less money than she charges (such as flea or heartworm meds) - she doesn't insist that you get them from her. I guess she's a lot like the old time country doctor of long ago. I just love her - she's the best !

[Spiritwind]

Wow - after reading some of the things posted here about vets - I really feel fortunate. I have a wonderful vet - a real down to earth country gal. She genuinely loves her patients and will take as much time as needed and answer questions - not just rush you out the door. She comes to work in jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt - has only 2 techs and a girl at the front desk - her office has a small waiting/reception area - only 2 exam rooms and 2 back rooms for surgery and lab - not some big pricey fancy building that she has to pay for by charging outrageous rates.

I guess she's a lot like the old time country doctor of long ago. I just love her - she's the best !

Now this was like the FIRST vet I worked for, back in Ohio before I moved to NC. A country vet is what I WISH I could find down in this area... because thats what I am used to! Where I worked, It was a small clinic, 2 exam rooms, 2 people up front behind the desk, and 3-4 in the back (I was one of them)... we all did everything, cleaned the building, the kennels, and exam rooms, took care of the animals.. we only had 1 certified tech. The vet would wear jeans and a t-shirt... heck I also got to wear jeans to work... it was a new clinic she had built, but it was a smaller clinic... only 1 vet. She would come in on weekends if she got an emergency call. She mainly did small animals, but on occasion she would have clients bring horses and treat them in the parking lot, or go to the farm.... we had a couple people that brought goats in on occasion as well..... the kennel area for boarding dogs was all of 6 runs and 8-9 shor-line metal cages of varies sizes.. then there was a small area for hospitalized animals and an ISO room.... prices for everything was SOO reasonable... I wish I could find a place like that down here. A fully booked boarding weekend was like 10-15 animals boarding....

I live out in the middle of no where now, but all the vets in town are larger practices with 3-4-5 vets in huge fancy buildings... with high costs of everything. Where I worked in North Carolina 80 animals was a fully booked boarding weekend...

[Moesha]

That sounds like my vet's office. Small town indeed.

[pitc9]

Rabies is a problem here in NE Ohio so my dogs get rabies shots every year. Sierra will (and has) killed any critter that comes in our yard, so I make SURE they get their shots. As for the other shots, I would like to not vaccinate anymore, but I take Sierra to the dog park for PT meetings and she has to be updated.

In my county they do TVR (Trap, Vaccinate and Release) with wildlife to keep the number of rabies cases down.

[Flower51]

We live in NE Ohio also. I saw the picture of your dogs and am wondering if you've had any problems with skin conditions that could be related to rabies shots? One of our dogs had chronic problems that got increasingly worse through the years. Now that I feed her raw they have mostly cleared up although she does flare up somewhat around September. I have been cautious about vaccines since she had her problems and she and our other pooch are both due for rabies soon. Both Ida and Bootsie had puppy shots but we don't do regular boosters except for rabies. There is a nearby clinic that does rabies shots for not much money and we may take them there but again I worry about her because of the old allergy problems and our dog Boots has a lump on his chest and I don't want to aggravate his immune system. Not sure what the requirements are here.

Have you found a vet you like? We moved to Summit County from Cuyahoga County awhile back and haven't needed to see anyone since moving so any suggestions are appreciated.

Rabies is a problem here in NE Ohio so my dogs get rabies shots every year. Sierra will (and has) killed any critter that comes in our yard, so I make SURE they get their shots. As for the other shots, I would like to not vaccinate anymore, but I take Sierra to the dog park for PT meetings and she has to be updated.

In my county they do TVR (Trap, Vaccinate and Release) with wildlife to keep the number of rabies cases down.