Video about crooked (overkill) vets - Page 1

http://www.knbc.com/news/15377166/detail.html

Check this video today while it's stil news.

Thanks for the info.  Many of us have had our bad experiences with "charge ups" and unnecessary, enhanced services.  The older I get the more determined I get to control the playing field by where I go and what I permit.

This is truer than they even make it out to be. I had a client call me looking for a puppy because they had to but there dog down due to pyometria (sorry for the spelling ) and the vet told them it was going to cost over 3000 dollars for the surgery that the family could not afford so they had no choice but to euthanize the dog my vet only charges about 500 dollars for this same surgery. about 8 mo after these people bought a puppy from me they wanted to get her fixed and another area vet wanted to charge them almost 500 dollars and she was not in season i sent them to my vet again and it cost them 125 for the spay they live in long beach ca i live in riverside county ca i guess the higher prices were due to the average income in that area i think that its bull that vets due this to innocent pet owners.

Thanks Louise,very informative AND TRUE

3000 for a pyo surgery.  I don't think that we would be quite as low as 125 due the fact that all animals get pre op bloodwork and cathethers, etc. etc.  And would depend on the animals age and how long it would take.  $3000 at a "regular" vet is insane!  In fact I don't even think that the emergency clinics in our area would charge that.   One gripe that I have, is our dental prices are insane!  Other than that we are pretty fair with most things, especially meds. 

In most areas, it's what the market will bear. Most vets in the same area belong to the same local association and they trade price lists at their meetings. Been there, done that, I used to keep minutes for one of them.

Not all vets are greedy although it often seems that way. In my experience the more reasonable fees come from the vets with the less "fancy" clinics and some are in mixed practices where they also treat farm animals. Any vet with a brain knows that the money lies in a pet practice and/or vetting horses owned by the gentlemen farmers who have more money than common sense. I'd suggest looking for a middle aged vet with a mixed farm practice. At first his or her facilites may look scant, but most dogs will never need a MRI or a CAT scan, so why pay for equipment your dog doesn't need and may never need. 15 years ago vets used to use the local vet schools or specialists to diagnose conditions they couldn't. Now they feel as it they need their own equipment  and charge every patient they see for this expensive equipment. It's not going to get better either since many are no longer giving annual vacs, the bread and butter of the vet profession. Their money has to come from somewhere; most vets will cut cut back on their quality of living like the rest of us in the even onf a recession, they will simply up their fees. One of my ex-bosses, a vet, recently purchase a thousand acres of land in Costa Rico and he didn't earn that  by charging reasonable fees.

Bottom line, don't be impressed by a general practice clinic filled with state-of-the-art equipment, odds are your dog is never going to really need any of it although most vets will tell you it's necessary. They count on most of their clients not having a clue about animal health so they can tell most anythign and they believe it. The average large breed dog only lives for 12 years making it highly unlikely that he or she will ever need some sophisticated testing and you can always take it elsewhere else should that happen.

If we think the veterinary medicine world is scary, think about this - in every state I know of there is only one vet school, some have none so it is MUCH easier to get accepted into med school than into vet school. Duh...

Did it again, I wish we had an edit key here.

Meant to say......................most vets will NOT cut back on their quality of living like the rest of us......................Sorry!!!

Its hard enough to afford health care for my family.   I hope they all go broke myself.  Too many people except things and just walk right thru those doors,  like cattle at the stockyards.  Whats behind door number three?

That video brings back memories.  Years ago I was told they  had to do a procedure on Reno's ears which required sedation  - cost $1,100.  They had me convinced she would lose her hearing from the infections - turned out the "procedure" was an ear flush!

Also - I wish we could get dogs spayed around here for less $125.00.  Falon's spay cost me $500 back in the fall.

Cheryl

"I hope they all go broke myself"

And then where would you be when your dog got sick?  I didn't watch the video as I am on a time schedule thismoring but that is a terrible statement!  In the area where  I live most vets are middle class, they try to keep their prices fair and reasonable.  No, they don't take payment plans because that is how you get screwed over, my clinic at one time had over $20k in accounts recievable and you know how much of that we actually recovered?  About 10%   Everyone always says, "I WILL pay, I just don't have the money right now..." We say, I am sorry we can't due to bad history, it is always the same, the client still says "well, I actually will pay you don't have to worry about me..."  We get one $25 payment on a $500 bill and never see them again!  Insurance for vets keeps going up and up and up because courts are looking at dogs as family members instead of property and it is hard to raise rates to keep up with inflation because people just can't afford it, so who takes it in the pocket?  Thats right, the evil vet.....I swear to god I get so sick of vet bashing on this board