F....Animal Vets

[mredskins]

I was going to title this thread how to lose $1,500 in half hour outside of Vegas; Answer go to a Vet.

I love my dogs a lot let me first say that. My wife is obsessed with the dogs. With that said the past two weeks my one dog has been throwing up once a day but acts normal otherwise. My wife takes him to the Vet (AKA Alarmist), where they say he has an enlarged spleen and heart, maybe. So off to the Pet ER (why these things are never discovered during office hours is beyond; tack on additional fees). Where he gets a bunch of ultrasounds that say he is fine and yes his heart and spleen are a bit oversized. He will need to take over the counter Zantac and they will be $1500 for the half hour testing. Oh and he also needs to come back for a GI scan, another $500. Not to mention he may need to go see a cardiovascular Vet about his heart.

So much money it is crazy. We just had a baby 7 weeks ago and now all this. Vet’s are just getting out of hand with the cost. I love my dogs but there is a point where you need to draw the line in the sand. The dog’s bills can’t take away from my son’s growth. If you are a dog owner someday you will face this same problem. It is gut wrench having to set a financial limit on dog that you love.

Now days a man can barely afford to have a child, home and a dog. Today’s economy is just horrible. I am starting to feel like the American dream is no longer attainable.

[Schneed10]

Dude I feel you on this.

I've got a Miniature Schnauzer. She's 11 years old now. Great personality, playful when you want to play, cuddly when the wife wants to cuddle, mild-mannered with the kids, perfect dog. We love her, my wife is especially attached.

A few years ago she was peeing in the house frequently. We'd walk her and let her out all the time. But she'd stop to pee every 10 steps. Eventually she would strain to pee, and then eventually blood showed up in the urine.

She was clearly in pain so we took her to the vet. They did x-rays (which I was fine with) and they found bladder stones. They recommended surgery to remove the stones and a special diet to prevent them from forming again. The surgery was $600. It was costly, but I was even fine with that, because I can't let my dog deal with that much pain, ya know?

But then as the vet is listening to her heart, she says I hear a bit of a heart murmur. I think we should do an echocardiogram just to be sure the heart can handle the anestesia from the bladder surgery. So they got me all worried about her heart giving out, so we're like OK do the echo. Another $250.

Now everytime we take her in to get immunizations, her teeth cleaned, whatever, they ALWAYS say that we should do another echo to see if the murmur gets worse.

WHY? Are we going to do open heart surgery on my effing dog??? Even if her murmur is bad, we're not paying for a $4000 heart surgery. So I drew the line, I told them no more Echos, the murmur is what it is.

I think it's part of their business model. Tug at your heartstrings to get you to open your wallet.

[mredskins]

Thanks Schneed it is always nice to know someone else is walking on your same path in life.

I really don't think our normal vet is trying to make money off us, since most of the bills were added up at the ER Vet. I think some of it has something to do with CYA and lawsuits. It is up to us as pet owners to say when enough is enough. Which you have done.

My problem lies with my obessed wife over the dog. She simiply can not make that decision. She is going to need a intervention or something. The part that gets me the most is the dog is not in pain at all and now that he is taking the Zantac he is golden no throwing up. Enough with the testing.

I also agree with the heart. They want to check for a tumor, ok lets say he has one, there is nothing we can do. So why waste the money trying to find out something you can't do jack about. I would rather not know and see how long he goes. Ignorance is bliss in this case. Let me add they already said they saw no fluid around his heart (good sign) and he is in no pain.

It is madding!

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by mredskins

Thanks Schneed it is always nice to know someone else is walking on your same path in life.

I really don't think our normal vet is trying to make money off us, since most of the bills were added up at the ER Vet. I think some of it has something to do with CYA and lawsuits. It is up to us as pet owners to say when enough is enough. Which you have done.

My problem lies with my obessed wife over the dog. She simiply can not make that decision. She is going to need a intervention or something. The part that gets me the most is the dog is not in pain at all and now that he is taking the Zantac he is golden no throwing up. Enough with the testing.

I also agree with the heart. They want to check for a tumor, ok lets say he has one, there is nothing we can do. So why waste the money trying to find out something you can't do jack about. I would rather not know and see how long he goes. Ignorance is bliss in this case. Let me add they already said they saw no fluid around his heart (good sign) and he is in no pain.

It is madding!

I think you're right about CYA and lawsuits. They want to make sure they don't leave themselves exposed to a big suit. Sign of the times I guess.

You talked about the American Dream getting harder to attain, that CYA mindset is a big reason why. So many people suing for huge payouts has resulted in medical professionals (vets or otherwise) doing all they can to avoid a lawsuit.

Also, my wife also has a very hard time separating her emotional attachment to the dog from the medical decisions. I've taken the tactic of insisting that we sleep on medical decisions for the dog. We'll be in the vet's office, and the vet will make my wife all worried, and before you know it my wife will be agreeing to every test known to man. When she sleeps on it a few days, she gets the chance to cool those emotions down and then I can actually get through to her with a logical argument. That's when I ask her "Why do an echo on a heart that we're not going to fix anyway?" Once the emotions calm down a little bit, she's a little easier to get through to.

Doesn't always work, but you could try it! After all, what's the harm in waiting a few days if you end up deciding to do the tests anyway?

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I think you're right about CYA and lawsuits. They want to make sure they don't leave themselves exposed to a big suit. Sign of the times I guess.

I do not think we can blame those greedy lawyers (actually their greedy clients) for this one. Generally speaking, vets are not exposed to big lawsuits. I cannot, for example, get $1M if a vet commits malpractice and kills my dog. Typically, if a vet seriously harms or kills your pet, you are only entitled to compensatory damages (i.e., the cost to buy the dog). I guess if you own a prize-winning racehorse and a vet kills your horse, you might have a claim, but otherwise you generally do not.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I do not think we can blame those greedy lawyers (actually their greedy clients) for this one. Generally speaking, vets are not exposed to big lawsuits. I cannot, for example, get $1M if a vet commits malpractice and kills my dog. Typically, if a vet seriously harms or kills your pet, you are only entitled to compensatory damages (i.e., the cost to buy the dog). I guess if you own a prize-winning racehorse and a vet kills your horse, you might have a claim, but otherwise you generally do not.

True that, you don't win much from dog lawsuits. Takes away the incentive to cover ass, doesn't it. Maybe they are just gouging?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I do not think we can blame those greedy lawyers (actually their greedy clients) for this one. Generally speaking, vets are not exposed to big lawsuits. I cannot, for example, get $1M if a vet commits malpractice and kills my dog. Typically, if a vet seriously harms or kills your pet, you are only entitled to compensatory damages (i.e., the cost to buy the dog). I guess if you own a prize-winning racehorse and a vet kills your horse, you might have a claim, but otherwise you generally do not.

If I'm correct some states maybe most or all look at pets as personal property. I'm not sure if it was a case in Virginia or in another state which received national attention but it involved a pet owner suing for a large sum of money due to the death of their pet. Not sure how far it went up in the court system but the final ruling was they are personal property.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by firstdown

If I'm correct some states maybe most or all look at pets as personal property. I'm not sure if it was a case in Virginia or in another state which received national attention but it involved a pet owner suing for a large sum of money due to the death of their pet. Not sure how far it went up in the court system but the final ruling was they are personal property.

As far as I know, all states treat pets as personal property. I'm glad you know the end result of the case. Most people think that if person A sues person B for $1 billion upon some ridiculous claim, then person A gets $1 billion. It's no wonder why people think our legal system is far more out of whack than it really is.

[mooby]

I guess you gotta know which places to go. My sister is a vet assistant and she told me she would never take our dogs or my cat (We have 2 dogs, and my cat) to where she works because they charge you 2-3 times what other places would. She says the place she takes our pets to only charge you for services rendered, like if an animal needs a shot, they'll charge you for that shot but they won't charge you for bringing the animal in to take a look at them, but where she works, they charge you 50 bucks just to bring her in and get her checked out, and then they pile on a bunch of fees, like "labor" for giving the pet a shot, in addition to all those other fees that bring the bill out to like 4-5 times what it would be at another place. She doesn't like working there either, because the owner is a greedy asshole who's bottom line is how much money is going into her pocket.

[MTK]

There's a quick and easy solution... don't have pets.

Yes I know I'm being a jerk. But tell me I'm wrong.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

There's a quick and easy solution... don't have pets.

Yes I know I'm being a jerk. But tell me I'm wrong.

Right now I am mad and venting but if I pull back and look at what that dog has given back to me $1500 - $2000 is nothing for that kind of happiness.

Pets are no sweat compared to kids. My first is seven weeks old and has been nothing but work since day one but to seem him simle or do anything it is all worth it.

Most of the best things in life also require at times sweat, blood, and tears but it all worth it!

[MTK]

Originally Posted by mredskins

Right now I am mad and venting but if I pull back and look at what that dog has given back to me $1500 - $2000 is nothing for that kind of happiness.

Pets are no sweat compared to kids. My first is seven weeks old and has been nothing but work since day one but to seem him simle or do anything it is all worth it.

Most of the best things in life also require at times sweat, blood, and tears but it all worth it!

I know, I'm just sayin'

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

There's a quick and easy solution... don't have pets.

Yes I know I'm being a jerk. But tell me I'm wrong.

LOL

It would be simpler, that's for sure. At some point, that is exactly the decision you have to make when the medical bills get too costly. Let's say your dog gets cancer. Really, your choices are pay $3000 for cancer treatments, or not to have a dog anymore (put him down).

It's a labor of love. And the cost is definitely worth it... up to a point.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

LOL

It would be simpler, that's for sure. At some point, that is exactly the decision you have to make when the medical bills get too costly. Let's say your dog gets cancer. Really, your choices are pay $3000 for cancer treatments, or not to have a dog anymore (put him down).

It's a labor of love. And the cost is definitely worth it... up to a point.

That's the truth but it hurts just as much as losing a loved one. I had a black lab for about 8 years, up until August of 05, and he contracted heart and lung cancer and we had to put him down because there was no way my family could afford the payments that it would've cost to keep him alive. That's the price you have to pay in the end.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

There's a quick and easy solution... don't have pets.

Yes I know I'm being a jerk. But tell me I'm wrong.

Agreed. I do love dogs, though. Other people's dogs. I've seen what puppies do to your home. If I came home and found my leather couch/chair shredding by a freaking dog, well....

My closest friend has two labs, one chocolate, one golden. Great dogs, a lot of fun, but his house is always a mess because of those animals. And last week the chocolate lab was diagnosed with torn ligaments in one of his hind legs. $3200 surgery. EFFFFFFFFF that. I'll be damned if I ever spend that much of my hard earned money on a pet.

I get it that there's this bond between man and dog and they're great companions, ra ra ra. And maybe I'm being a jerk, but the juice ain't worth that kind of squeeze.

My wife and I have an indoor cat (it's hers really, I don't particularly care), but she knows if we ever run into that kind of vet bill, it's sayonara kitty.