I found a tumor on the left side of my dog chest. I went to my vet and he did a biosy and told me is a tumor but he can't tell if it cancer until he do the surgery. The cost with my vet is between 1,400 to 1,597. I can't afford this because 5 month ago she had a surgery due to pyometra that surgery cost close to 3,000. I went to a second vet and he did a body check on my dog and he told me is a tumor but is small all she need surgery to remove the tumor before it grows and then turn cancerous. The second vet said he only charge me $390.00 only for the removal of the tumor. Should i be concern because the cost is too cheap?
2006-10-08 04:22:04 · 13 answers · asked by migdalia j 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If you and your dog are comfortable with the first vet then cost should'nt be a factor.
The fact that you went for a second opinion speaks for itself but before you let the cheaper vet do the surgery you need to ask a few questions.Can you see where your dog will be kept after the surgery?Can you leave things with your dog like blankets or toys-things that smell like home-while it's recovering?Can you see your dog after the surgery?Can you visit the dog while it's in the vets care?Can you stay with the dog until it's absolutely necessary that you leave before the surgery?
If any of these answers are NO then don't switch vets!You would'nt hand your kid to a nurse at the hospital door and go on your merry way until someone called to come get it and you should'nt do it to your dog either!And if your present vet expects the dog to be dropped off and not to see you until the bill needs to be paid I would keep looking.
When I found a vet that said yes to all the above questions then the cost would not matter.
2006-10-08 15:13:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its funny that you should be writing about this ..I just posted a question about my grief.. I put my baby to sleep 2 days ago. She had massive adrenal tumours. The vet said that surgery was a possibility but the prognosis at this stage was not good and recovery was hard, especially for a 10 1/2 year dog, so we did the inevitable and I feel horrible because maybe I didn't do enough to help her ...and if I had been smarter and had put together her symptoms over the years, etc etc etc ...
So the moral is ...If it were me, and I had it to do over again, I would do the exploratory surgery ...as far as why the two vets charge such a different amount, you need to ask what each vet is doing ..some only remove the "small" tumor, others go deeper to find if its metastasized, etc. Check it out very carefully, and good luck!
2006-10-08 04:39:42 · answer #2 · answered by pingber 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can't afford the expensive vet, then you don't have a choice, really. And cost is no guarantee of expertise. Sometimes cost is only an indication that the vet has high rent to pay and high paid employees. To feel better, you could ask the cheaper vet for some references and call them before you decide. You could also talk to the more expensive vet and see if you can work out a payment plan. Most vets love animals enough that they will work with an owner who also clearly loves their animal and wants to do right by it.
I feel for you in this. It is a real dilemma. I hope it is not cancer. Our little friends are so important.
2006-10-08 04:38:27 · answer #3 · answered by SportsChic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I work in a vet's office and $390 sounds pretty close to what my boss would charge. You're other vet is probably charging way too much. If you're still concerned, I recommend getting a quote from a 3rd vet in your area. That should give you an idea of what other vets in your area are charging.
2006-10-08 05:30:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would say personally if it were my dog find out how much time the treatment would give her then think long and hard about it ive seen dogs that have went through the radiation treatments and honestly the ones ive seen have looked worse every round they took its kind of like people when they get the kemo treatments and they look sicker then when they went in if it were me unless it would buy her a considerable amount of time i would just make her confortable and spend alot of time with her and when making my decissions like these i always ask myself if i were in my pets postion and couldnt tell someone what i wanted what would i really want and would it be right to do a major persedure with the possible side affects just to buy a short amount of time more with them
2016-03-28 01:40:51 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a third opinion. The two prices are way too different. See what the third vet says.
2006-10-08 04:51:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
as the always say (You get what you payed for). I would say get a third opinion. I know prices very one may be charging too much just as the other is charging to little. Ask fellow pet lovers in your area who the like and why.
2006-10-08 04:30:22 · answer #7 · answered by Nani 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no...... vets know what they are doing. i would go with the cheaper one. senses you can't afford the higher priced one. the vet with the higher price might just be chargeing you that because he has to do the surgery.
GOOD LUCK.... AND I HOPE YOUR DOG GETS BETTER!!
2006-10-08 04:26:37 · answer #8 · answered by teddybearleogirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No don't be concerned as to the cost. That vets overhead might be different than the first.
My vet#1-cost for c-section/$450.00
My vet#2-cost for c-section/$150.00
2006-10-08 05:22:34 · answer #9 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the first doctor was just trying to peel you, go to the second doctor unless you want to give your pup some whiskey and use an X-acto knife yourself!! No, seriously, go to the second doctor, he hasn't built up a clientelle he feels comfortable enough to rip off yet.
2006-10-08 04:28:30 · answer #10 · answered by rasputin 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋