the cost of vet bills

[pomtzu]

I don't know where you live - big city? - suburbia?? - rural??, but perhaps if you are going to a larger vet clinic that has all the bells and whistles, you might want to consider a smaller vet practice. The vet I take my fur kids to, is a single vet, small office with one vet only and a couple of techs. She doesn't have tons of fancy stuff - just the basics - 2 exam rooms - surgery and lab. If she feels the necessity for an animal to have more than she is equipped for, then she will recommend another vet specializing in whatever the issue is. Her prices are very reasonable as compared to other vets in the area that have a fancy modern building and a huge staff. I've been going to her for about 20 years and have been very satisfied with the care she gives my kids (past and present), and wouldn't switch for anything. She is loved by everyone in this area and has a huge number of patients.
And the vet a couple of miles across town??? - she has the big fancy building and all that goes with it - including big fancy prices. She is also arrogant, insulting, and not a very nice person in general, and as far as I'm concerned, the worst vet I've ever had an experience with. Lots of others think the same and I don't know how she keeps the practice running. Bigger isn't always better.

[Charlie08]

thanks for the ideas. yes a yard sale is a good idea.I will take them to the vet one way or another, that's for sure. good to know I can try a vet school.
yes I have considered, and tried , to brush their teeth but I kind of wanted to keep my hands, and didn't want to end up looking like the face of freddy krugar or something like that!

sasvermont--what brand of food is that you use?

freedom--yes I have a fat cat too so I know just whatyou mean about the grooming! and yes-aspirate-thats the word!thank you.

Im in phoenix so it's pretty big. the vet I go to has 3 or 4 vets, but I like them. I may have to look around tho, yes I think I have to and will check out their website for deals.

all good ideas. thanks tons to all.

[Grace]

The University of Arizona, in Tucson, has a school of Veterinary Medicine.

We use Michigan State - costs about half what a regular Vet does - at least for emergencies. The reason being, we pay taxes that support the school.

We had a cat with a badly fractured leg. He had hardware inserted up at MSU - spent about 48 hours there, and the bill was exactly half what it would have cost at the fancy conglomerate near Detroit. The fracture was too bad to be fixed by a 'regular' Vet.

Vet schools do routine care also, so check it out.

[Sowa]

The vet college here costs more then the clinics.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I know all to well about the high prices of vets. I currently have 6 cats and I usually bring them in 2 at a time for their annual exams. This way I usually get a price break on the exam. I love my vet and she's given me many discounts in the past and she always comments on how well I care for my cats. She does work in a brand new vet hospital with all of the bells and whistles so it is pricey but it's also an emergency hosptial so it's open all of the time. I've been to other smaller clinics and they charged almost as much but I just didn't get good customer service from them so I changed to this hospital.

I do brush my cats teeth once a week. They don't like it but it's for their own good. I also feed 4 of them grain free diets and this helps to control their weight and has improved their overall health. I feed them Wellness Core dry and Wellness grain free canned food. My oldest cat Storm had urinary crystals and became blocked 2 times and had to have the PU surgery. He also used to get UTI's sometimes. Now since he's been on a grain free diet he hasn't had any more urinary problems. He does need plenty of canned food though.

If a vet bill is too expensive I have no choice but to use a credit card and pay it off later. Lately I've been able to use my debit card for most vet visits though. I also will not put an animal through a lot of expensive treatments that I know that I can't afford. I also lost a my RB Sunny to cancer.Good luck.

[Charlie08]

going to look around and check out websites etc. and vet websites for deals.I have gone from using a 24 hr vet to a regular clinic, and back and forth for a few years. when I first got the cats, the first cat, and then more..I went to the same clinic for years till I got mad at that vet for not doing something and treating me like she couldn't be bothered. then i switched around every once in a while, now I have found one I like but like I posted before, going to have to re-think that.

my Charlie was only 8 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. I feel guilty because I was not home alot around that time. but did see them daily. one day I came home, and petted him, oh my god whats wrong? he was just skin and bones! how did I not see it earlier? it's like it just popped up so sudden! lymphoma. too advanced. nothing they could do, and I had a friend who had cancer at the time (has passed away) and she told me it would be wrong to put him thru the chemo treatments. I didn't have alot of money for it but I was going to try anyway, maybe. I wasn't sure. I did not want him to suffer. turned out they said it was too advanced to do any good. how did I not see it sooner?? anyway now I have the 4 and will look up vet schools to take them for check ups .

[BitsyNaceyDog]

We have a "pet budget" we add to each week. For the most part it covers our pet expenses. Emergencies often come out of our savings account or put on a credit card.

One evening, back in March, my dog Nova ripped her stomach open. A loose nail on our back porch had popped up and we hadn't noticed it. Nova's belly got caught on the nail and really did some damage. She spent the night in the emergency clinic and was transferred to our regular vet the next morning. It was a full 2 months, and more than $4000 before she was better. That really drained us. She's doing great now though!