New Puppy Vet Visits

[LaRositaMonita]

Colin and I put together our "puppy budget," which we're hoping is going to include absolutely every cost we can think of for our new puppy (including things like the fees we have to pay our apartment complex, licensing, food, the crate and ex pen and bed, in addition to the Hedgie and the Lupine collar :) ).

We know of two good vets in our general area that have already been recommended to us. On average, how much will the initial vet visits for our future puppy cost us? How many will there be, exactly, before Puppy is fully vaccinated and spayed/neutered?

[Jespah]

Hi Heather!

The costs of veterinary care seems to vary greatly depending on where you live and the vet. Here in Canada, there are fee guidelines set that vets can't charge above. The vet clinic I go to is more expensive than a lot in my area - but they use a higher protocol of medicines and anesthesias. They also have 6 vets on staff and are open 7 days a week including 5 nights. I have been going there over 20 years - with my cats and the past 6 with my dogs.

My vets offer something called a puppy wellness package. You pay upfront for the vaccines, spay or neuter, get a puppy orientation kit, a meeting with a vet tech, the first 3 vets visits, etc. I think it saved me about 30% in the long run. Obviously the benefit to the clinic is by the time it's up - you are a client there. I haven't bought a package for 5 years so I don't know how much they cost anymore.

Check with any state or national vet associations for recommended vets in your area and start calling and get prices. Sadly, sometimes you get what you pay for with vet care - like anything else. But more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better either. Ask other dog owners - I think it's the most common thing people who have other dogs ask me.

Hope that helps - even though I didn't answer your question!!

Deb

[corgimom]

Heather,

I was trying to pull out old vet receipts and even though I have some of them, I don't have all.

When I got Cody, at 11 weeks old) I did take him to my vet to have him checked over and also checked for worms -that first visit was $75 - then about 6 weeks after that he was in for a wellness exam/vaccinations at a cost of $72 , his neutering was $160 plus I had him microchipped and that was an additonal $45. Also, you will need heartworm pills and flea protection(if you are going to use this).

You sound like you already have a couple of recommended vets which is good; nothing wrong with going to check them out ahead of time and ask what their costs are. Also, if you find out you don't care for those people, a reputable boarding place could maybe recommend someone as they have to utilize vets also. Maybe check into Pet insurance although I have heard pros and cons about it and I think Fluffypants has it and maybe she can fill you in on what it covers.

My advice to you is start a saving plan now - put away some money every week or month as a nest egg for vet bills(sort of like saving for college) I had two incidences last summer where Cody had ear infections that required a trip to the vet and also a situation last fall where he swallowed something that required a full day stay at an after hours emergency center to a tune of $900. Now he has something called ectopic cilia/Dysticha which is when some of the hairs grow out from along the eylid margins and can cause irritation or ulcers, so he is going to have laser surgery to correct/zap that and this will be about $150.

I am not trying to scare you, but just remember that things can come up
when you least expect it. I wish I could give you an exact amount, but as Deb said, every vet is different in costs.

[Dillydoodle]

Again, It does depend on where you live. I am in the northeast (CT) and the costs are higher than what Linda's were...I got dillon at 11 wks and he was seen at 12 wks for shots, again at 18 wks and then at 6 months. The other thing is that Dillon had an undescended testicle and his surgery for neuter was $360 as it is a little bit more invasive than the typical neuter... I think that squirreling away money as best you can to prepare for the unexpected is good too...

I had an experience with Dillon where he ended up at the vet for xrays to diagnose a limp he had at 7 months of age, and he was misdiagnosed with elbow dysplasia. (first visit with two xrays was $180) then i had to get a second opinion from a orthopedic surgeon/specialist that visit was $110 for the consult and $225 for a series of xrays there... then they told me he needed a $1,600 surgery to repair his arm... i waited about 3 weeks to prepare for this awful surgery ( he would have to be crated minimum of 8 wks) and when i went back to have the surgery done, they sedated him and took more xrays and discovered his leg "fixed itself" and no surgery was necessary... well that cost me an additional $350 becuase of the xrays and them putting him under... so when you add all that up you get $865 spent at two vets for a misdiagnosis... i then went to a corgi vet ( she has been a breeder of corgis for many years and she shows and owns corgis and is a vet) and she took a look at the xrays and told me that he was normally developing and the limping may have been panosteitis - like growing pains. so you see things can come up...

Emilie

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

I have been going through this with Dale this year and I have taken him four times for his puppy shots. Each visit is around $60.00. The vet examines him, weighs him, checks for worms, clips his nails, and gives him his puppy shots. I opted to not get his rabies at the same time as he got his last booster so he has another appt in May. I usually add something extra to the visit so it may fluctuate a little bit. The last time was heartworm preventative. When he is neutered, it will cost me about $120 - $160 depending on if I have him microchipped or not and he has to have two teeth pulled. But everyone is right, alot depends on your location. A quick call to the vet's should give you a little insight, however, there is always something extra

[LaRositaMonita]

Thanks guys! We had an idea about what neutering would cost, but no one in my family could remember what regular vet checkups and shots, especially early on, where like... my parents got Mitzie the beloved Lab 15 years ago this November! We just wanted some ballpark figures.

[Fluffypants]

Heather,


Maybe check into Pet insurance although I have heard pros and cons about it and I think Fluffypants has it and maybe she can fill you in on what it covers.



I have VPI insurance for Jackie (www.petinsurance.com) - the basic plan plus wellness care. Unfortunately, it doesn't help withup-fornt costs, but you do get money reimbursed from them, which is nice. The savings account is a GREAT idea also.

[MVons]

Being the extreme penny pincher (I'm Scottish) Petco was the cheapest for vaccinations. I went to them during the years when it was worried that Vets kept vaccination serums too long. Each Petco store had different prices. One store the Vet examined the dog before the shots!

Vet visit here $40 - $75 to see a Vet. Now my current old time Vet charges the $40 and that includes the vaccinations! Puppy follow up shots are $20, 15 years ago $10. I know that if my dog has something hard to diagnose I will have to go to the pet hospital where they have all the latest equipment. But I don't want that for the checkups. I had a list of 10 referrals until finding the current Vet. I made a note if the Vet insisted on vaccinations every year or sooner vs later. Only because if I had to do it over, I would not have vaccinated Pepper at 14yrs, and this Vet supports our decisions. I had the Vet in the past giving Parvo every 6 months!

So call around on their adult vaccination schedule, even though if they are supporting the less frequent schedule, they may only say that in person. But they should be able to give the fees. You can have more than one Vet like we do. One for the "well health" and one for the mystery problems. Also ask if they are familiar with corgis. Ah the memory of a Vet asking what breed Pepper was! Another fee to watch is the fee for aesthetics or if they insist on keeping the dog overnight. The excellent hospital before put Pepper under for long enough to get the fox tail out of her nose and then she could come home. She liked being at home not the hospital...just like me!

Hope this gives you more ideas of questions to ask to help you compile a list of Vets. I need to check on mine for spay/neuter fee and if he can come home the same day. We live too far to go up and down the hill. We can shop while the surgery is done.

Merrie

[sutulu]

I read the posts quickly but one thing that seemed missing is monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention.

To me.... that is what is truly outrageous. The flea/tick stuff is bad enough but the heartworm preventative is rideculous.

I live in a high tick area and wouldn't dare not give them heartworm meds. I will admit, I stopped the treatments December , January, and February. Started back in March.

I use Sentinel and k(Advantix (Advantix is toxic to cats but I don't have them).

Susan

[LaRositaMonita]

So call around on their adult vaccination schedule, even though if they are supporting the less frequent schedule, they may only say that in person. But they should be able to give the fees. You can have more than one Vet like we do. One for the "well health" and one for the mystery problems. Also ask if they are familiar with corgis. Ah the memory of a Vet asking what breed Pepper was! Another fee to watch is the fee for aesthetics or if they insist on keeping the dog overnight. The excellent hospital before put Pepper under for long enough to get the fox tail out of her nose and then she could come home. She liked being at home not the hospital...just like me!


The two vets I've had recommended are Brenda Perkins in West Chester, who apparently knows Corgis very well, and the King of Prussia Veterinary Hospital on route 202 near the mall. Any other Philadelphians want to weigh in on these? I know I'll call as soon as we know more about our puppy :)

[MVons]

I read the posts quickly but one thing that seemed missing is monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention.

To me.... that is what is truly outrageous. The flea/tick stuff is bad enough but the heartworm preventative is rideculous.

I live in a high tick area and wouldn't dare not give them heartworm meds. I will admit, I stopped the treatments December , January, and February. Started back in March.

I use Sentinel and k(Advantix (Advantix is toxic to cats but I don't have them).
SusanIn the last decade San Diego only had heartworm from fleas that had encephalitis (no cure) and the area (coastal lagoons) sprayed. This decade a whole new heartworm problem. The good news is that I could give Pepper the medicine and not test for heartworms. No need because she was too old to cure (the cure would be as harmful) but the heartguard med would help it from progressing. Before the heartguard med would be harmful if the dog already had the heartworms. Once I understood the changed in medication, I was fine giving a very senior dog heartworm med. We gave Virbac Iverhart Plus 26-50lb (Pepper was 26) which our Vet said uses the same medication used for mange only mange is 5 times the amount.

Yes, you do not have to give when there are no mosquitoes around. I am a magnet for mosquitoes and know when the first one arrives. This year it was March but we had snow shortly after, so no dosage needed. We give May to Oct. in the mountains, but San Diego was year round.

You can order Heartguard from Drs. Fosters & Smith if you have a prescription.

Merrie

[Dillydoodle]

I am one to err on the side of caution when it comes to my pets... I live in CT and give heartworm monthly regardless of weather... same thing with the frontline topspot... the likelyhood of getting a tick in the middle of winter is low, but not impossible... and becuase of that , they are treated year round ... i just dont trust these ticks and the heartworm is something i would never mess around with... my motto is better safe than sorry.

Em

[Fluffypants]

I am one to err on the side of caution when it comes to my pets... I live in CT and give heartworm monthly regardless of weather... same thing with the frontline topspot... the likelyhood of getting a tick in the middle of winter is low, but not impossible... and becuase of that , they are treated year round ... i just dont trust these ticks and the heartworm is something i would never mess around with... my motto is better safe than sorry.

Em

Ditto for my area of NY, and ditto on the motto! :)

[bunnybutts]

Having gone through Heartworms with Emma I can't/won't take the chance of her getting them again. :( it was heartbreaking watching her suffer and at times wondering if she would make it through the day...

As some of you may recall she was so ill the Vet wouldn't chance giving her the two back to back shots to kill the heartworms. She had one shot, 3 days at vet, restricted movement for 30 days then 2nd shot, 3 days at vet, and another 30 days restricted movement. And then months of slow recovery... I still am not sure this hasn't shortened her life expectancy - she tends to wear out sooner than b4.

soooo long story short my Girls get their pill every month - 12 months a year. Gives me peace of mind.

[sutulu]

Thanks guys for your experience w/ the tick/heartworm meds.

I didn't realize Emma had been treated for heartworms. I've seen it on Animal Heros and it looks like the treatment is really bad. Poor Emma.

I always struggle with putting the chemicals in my pets whether it is vaccines or the flea/tick/heartworm meds.

But the risk really is too great.

By the way... today is our day!!!! Got to round up the pups!!!!!

[MVons]

Location is critical on ticks. We only have ticks on the hiking trails, which I don't walk a dog, never in our yards.

Here is a bit of info on So California. We have a lizard that the ticks bite and the lizard purges the lyme disease out of! That is why our lyme disease rate is so low. But when we visited Montana we gave our dog the vaccination 10 years ago. Now I read there are different varieties of lyme. Does anyone give that vaccination?

Merrie

[corgimom]

Here are several good articles on Lyme disease. We have lots of ticks around here and yes, I did give Cody the vaccination last year.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/lyme.html

http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/lyme.htm

http://www.2ndchance.info/lyme.htm

[Dillydoodle]

I have given Dillon the Lyme disease Vaccine... but i cannot give it to Gus because of his autoimmune disease and sadly this puts him at greater risk... I can't afford to let him get bitten by a tick as if he does get lyme disease he is at risk, and if he gets the vaccine , he is at risk, so eitherway, i am kind of screwed. I do use frontline topspot on him monthly without incident and i am careful to keep him off of areas where i know ticks hang out, we also treat our yard to kill all ticks and fleas so they wont ever get a tick in our yard... our walks are all in our neighborhood on sidewalks but it is not impossible for ticks to be around, so the worry is always there for me. We took Dillon for a nice woodsy hike and in one hour he managed to have about 16 ticks crawling all over his body, we picked them all off, got him home, checked again, did another check , gave him a bath, and brushed and checked him again to make sure none of them were in our home ( we dont want to get bitten and my untreated indoor only cats dont wat that either!!!).

darn ticks, no more woodsy hikes for us -Grrr...

Emilie

[The Chipmunk's Mom]

Ticks are awful. When we first moved south, one got on Digger and I about had a heart attack. I didn't know what they were. :( We are just going into the tick season here and I will dose Jasmine (she is a tick magnet) and do a wait and see with the chipmunks and Maybelle. Lady has only had two ticks on her in the 11 years we have been in the South so she only gets treated if she happens to pick up a flea. (fleas love her) Once hot weather comes, you don't see many ticks if any where I live and I check my outlaws regularly. Now heartworm is another thing. Chip, Dale and Maybelle are all on monthly heartworm preventative and I keep them on it year round - I never had before but with T-Gal's experience, I am not going to risk it. Jasmine and Lady are elderly and I don't want to upset the applecart so to speak as they are right now healthy. Mosquitoes are very small here and not at all aggressive - I am used to the NY monsters that drill a hole when they bite so I can sympathize with all you northerners. I also haven't heard of any cases of lyme disease here.