Grr Vet Visits are so expensive! Vent ahead!

Are you aware of how expensive vet school is?  They study so many different animals and is more difficult than medical doctor training for humans.

Vet schools are highly competitive and very expensive.  There are far fewer vet schools than there are medical doctor schools.

Having a pet is expensive and ensuring pet health is important.  I really wish that information about caring properly for a pet would be given prior to a person obtaining a pet.  It is like having another family member in cost.

If you've got a farm supply store nearby, research giving your own vaccines. You can't do rabies, but can give many of the others.

Note: some kennels don't accept home vaccination. We found one that does, and we provide them with the labels from the bottles as proof.

It is expensive but really no more so than the cash price for the equivalent doctor visits (without insurance/insurance discounts). And like quiltz said - it's a LOT of expensive education plus overhead of running a practise.

We have 4 cats - we take them in 2 at a time for their annual visits and shots - and it adds up.

I paid $200 ish for an emergency guinea pig visit (including antibiotics) for an ear infection then $121 for a follow up and more antibiotics last month. If we wanted to go more invasive, have her sedated and had her brain scanned to make sure the issue wasn't neurological it would have been in the $800 range. Umm we'll take the antibiotics thank you.

Trying to find a vet that actually sees guinea pigs is also an issue...

Our local farm supply store has a vet clinic regularly and the prices for vaccines can be cheaper - or they used to. We did that for awhile with our cat and then the regular vet became the better price. You just have to shop around like everything else.

Yeah, slipping under a lot of people's radars is there is a growing shortage of veterinarians. Animal ownership has risen, but the number of veterinary school slots has not kept pace. Add in Boomer retirements and burnout, and its reached a crisis point.

About 3 years ago my now 12 year old dog started having problems with her anal glands. My dog has to have her glands expressed anywhere from every 30 to 90 days. The 1st anal gland expression charge (for a VetTech) was just under $40. The last one, a month ago, was $95!

She is probably due for another expression and I dread paying ($95) for it. We belong to the Vet's 'care club' and all office visits are free. The $95 is just for the expression by a VetTech - it doesn't include an office visit or exam. (Her diet is good and her poops are firm. The Vet said that this sometimes happens as dogs age.)

😂😂😂. I can only imagine!  Love those little guys!

Also, in case you are close to Wichita Falls, there is a low cost Vet there for vaccines, toe clippings, etc. We have a branch here in Amarillo and I hear great things about them -- Im pretty sure shots are like $15/shot but I could be wrong.

www.petsclinic.org/locations/wichita-falls/wichita-falls-veterinary-services/

My vet charges $35 for vaccine pre-check visit to make sure the cat/dog is good to receive the vaccines. For some routine shots like Cytopoint, we can do vet tech visits so we just pay for the shit ($89 here and that includes added fees like sharps container, county pick up, etc).

Have you looked at your county or city for free and low cost vaccine clinics. Several in my area on specific days.

We just spent $430 for labs and emergency vet visit ($56, rest was lab cost). Then $30 for medication.

Annual exam (my pets have always gotten them)
Vaccines
Blood work

$637

And she has to get more blood work for $250

can a groomer do it?

I really think it helps to shop around.
We lost our dog 17 months ago. I still miss her. When we got her (rescue dog) I made an appointment for her to be spayed. When I took her in, she was in heat so they couldn't do it. This was in 2007 and it was going to be $225. A friend recommended a different vet and it was $70. Less than 1/3 the price. We stayed with that vet.
We spent a LOT in Molly's last six months of life. I don't think the vet was taking advantage of us. He sat with me in his office and said "She is not going to get better. She has lived a long life. She was well-loved" I still couldn't do it. Until it was obvious. Total cost for euthanasia with private cremation and return of cremains:$175
Five month later, my mom's 17 year old dog had a neurological event. Admittedly, she took the dog in at 4:45pm so we knew there would be after hours charges. My mom used a different vet. A vet with a brand new office and staff in matching uniforms. There was a room with a couch where she could hold her dog. She had the same euthanasia that my dog did, private cremation, and return of cremains. Her price: $525 Which included a $75 charge for "comfort care" I asked what that was and they said it was for the room where my mom held her dog. I kid you not!
I love dogs and so does my mom but I understand why people either don't own pets or don't take them to the vet.
We haven't even talked about the flea and heartworm medicine.
Shop around.