ladylisa

I have recently aquired a puppy who has now taken over my whole life, home and finances however I wouldnt be without the troublesome little monkey! Sorry hubby still love you too!

We took her to a local vet for her 2nd to last vaccinations and was amazed at how slick the practice was. Stangely my hubby felt his wallet get lighter as soon as we entered and saw the set up. The nurse saw us first she answered any questions we had about the dog and then weighed her etc. We were then given a corporate style folder which the practice used to record her details, which was sponsored by a heart worm tablet company which also advertised the merits of their heart pills. The vet then entered he had amazing powers he could diagnose a ear infection from 20 paces!

We were charged for the vets time and separately for the office staff time plus all the pills, all in all we felt a little um fleeced! I now also understand that we have to take her back in a year for booster vaccinations!...why?..my parents dog in England had her vaccinations as a puppy and that was her lot. There are even some vets here that do not believe in yearly boosters but they are in the minority.

Incidentally we changed the vet but had virtually the same experience with another thoroughly recommended one the only difference was that the folder we got from them was sponsored by a dog food company! LOL....

It all felt a little too corporate for my liking, is my experience a typical US thing or just plain unlucky vetinnerary choice?

James Box

Isn't Rabies a recommended annual vaccination here? You don't get that one back in Blighty.

AmerLisa

You don't take your pet in for its yearly booster? Do you think one booster cures it all? We should all be so lucky. Our UK vet always recommended a yearly booster. Plus if you wanted to kennel your dog for any reason it would have to have kennel cough vacination, something that has to be done every 6 months. But wait, you're really pulling my leg aren't you? I haven't met anyone in the UK (family included) that didn't get their pets a yearly booster.

Perhaps I'm not reading your post right......

ladylisa

Am quite serious...mind my parents dog passed away many years ago so maybe the system has changed in the UK too...it all seems unreal to me.

I have heard in my puppy class that you can have your dogs checked to see if there is still vaccination in them rather than have the booster some people are reluctant because it costs the same but it does stop the dogs having a reaction.

joto

I think you were unlucky with the vets you went to. Maybe go to some other vets in your area for a look see before you need to take the dog in again. Ask them who does their emergency coverage at nights and weekends. It's better to know these things before you need them. If you plan to board your dog, kennels usually require the dog to have an up to date bordetella (kennel cough) vaccination and usually distemper and rabies shots. Then you have to think about whether you want to put your dog on Heartguard tablets to prevent heartworm. The tablets are expensive, but the treatment for heartworm is much more expensive and hard on the dog. Dogs get a blood test for heartworm/lyme/erlichia once a year. I used to work in a vets so know what can happen to un-vaccinated pets. The cost of a vet visit will vary according to the area you live in and how much competition from other vets there are around there. The visits and vacs are never cheap, but they are only once a year, unless the dog gets injured in any way. I would recomend getting pet insurance. It will cover any major expenses and some even cover the yearly visits. Add it all up, the love and companionship your dog gives you throughout its life, priceless.

ladylisa

Add it all up, the love and companionship your dog gives you throughout its life, priceless.[/QUOTE]

I would pay any amount to ensure my dog is healthy that is not even in question, my comment was about how the two vets I visited were a little too corporate for my liking. I will stick to the 2nd vet however as they have much experience in dealing with my dogs breed.

Spot

Just call around and ask the vets in your area what their basic charge is.
My vet runs his own private practice, and so you get the personal touch.
My puppy is 13 weeks old now, so we have just gone through the 2 rounds of boosters, and we have the rabies shot booked this Friday. The cost, well my vet doesn't charge the "vet time" cost for boosters, as we have to go 3 times in 6 weeks, and therefore we just get charged for the vaccine. I end up paying 80% less than if I went to the more commercial vets office just up the road.
Also boosters are definately required at home, and trust me, you would rather be safe in the knowledge that your dog was immunised, rather than hope that their antibodies were still hanging around.
Trust me, once you find a vet that you like, this process becomes much easier
Michelle

BritGuyTN

we go to the local animal birth control clinic for injections and buy hartguard/frontline plus off the internet much cheaper

doctor scrumpy

My Jack Russell never had a booster, complete waste of money back in the UK. A vet charges you 50 quid for 5 minutes work. And for the record, despite a heart murmer he was born with, he has been as fit as a fiddle. Regularly did 10-15 mile walks with me. He is 14 next month & the only troubles he has had have been with the heat over here since he arrived. Touch wood that seems to have passed though. he had a seizure in the summer, but has been fighting fit ever since.

Pets eh ? Cause you more grief than kids do !

sibsie

I'm against over vaccination in animals so my lot only get the bare essentials every year.

My main vet experience here is with large animals and has been pretty good. They do seem to like to rush off to surgery without exploring other options, but I've actually found the cost for vet call outs for horses cheaper than in England.

Overall I've found the US is lagging way behind England in animal welfare and care.

ladylisa

I can honestly say until I moved here I have never heard of a yearly vaccination booster. The first I heard of this is when members of our local dog training school complained that their dogs had a reaction to their yearly booster so they had taken to having their antibodies checked instead which in all cases proved that the booster was unnecessary (I am not referring to the Rabies vaccine )

I guess I thought the whole booster issue was a US thing. Interestingly both of my brothers in England have just got puppies I will check to see what they have been told by their vets. I'm very intrigued now

honeymommy

We had to find a new home for our dog when we left the US moving back to the UK in July.... Not enough time or money to do the PETS scheme....

Anyway..... We had never given our dog her yearly boosters. The only one we kept up was the rabies 3 yrly vaccine.... She was fit and healthy, never sick. Oh breed samoyed by the way......
In the UK hubby's family had never given their animals yearly boosters and all the dogs lived till a wonderful old age....... I was a little dubious of this but had no experience of pets growing up, but seeing they never had a problem I accepted it as OK....And it was....

I took her in for a check up and yearly booster before she went to her new home.. The vet said she was wonderfully fit, teeth nice and clean etc.... She had her rabies and that was that.....

New owner took her over.... Took her to another vet in a large practise.... She had a general anaesthetic to have her teeth cleaned as he said they were bad.... he said she had a urination problem and prescribed 3 different medications... He insisted on liver function tests and immunology tests not to mention hip x-rays for displasia...... Oh and whilst cleaning her teeth he called the new owner saying she need an IV for fluids which cost another $80 on top of the $150 for the cleaning..... Oh and the vet shaved her whole leg just for an IV.
Prescriptions were almost $200!!!
x-ray aprox $250
Not sure about the other costs......All this in one visit!!!!!!!
The new owner was totally taken in by the vet and allowed everything to be done. She said she regretted it afterwards and wish she had been stronger and said no...... All tests came back negative for any problems by the way, and amasingly enough her bladder problem is gone....

So my opinion of USA vets is yes some are in it for the money... To be honest though it is a business and USA is very money oriented so I guess it's just up to the customer to say no..... Just like we do in regular stores to salespersons.....

scrubbedexpat099

So the ProHeart is a bit of a waste of space.

Just forked out $58 this morning, she did have a pedicure at the same time.

11 years old Newfie/Chow

Sounds a little bit like US Medication in general, as long as you have Insurance or the Money.

doctor scrumpy

Again, the nails should not need clipping if they are walked on concrete regularly. That always managed to keep Laddie's trimmed. But I know I am lucky with the health my dog enjoys. Took the Mother-in-law's dog to the vet yesterday. Her dog is a 15 lb chocolate stuffed lap dog. Should be 7-10 lb at best. Yet you try explaining to her that she is not doing the dog any favours.

honeymommy

We used to clip our Great Danes nails ourselves... The UK vet showed us how and we purchased the clippers at a pet store... She didn't need it till she was old and couldn't get around as much though....Wore them down with all the lovely walks we had...