What is up with Vets these days?? they wonder why people get mad about the prices...?

Question

I have a new pup today I noticed he had tapeworm segments in his poo, I know all about the lifecycle and I know that they get them from eating fleas.. well he doesnt have fleas but still got them probably from his birthplace. Anyway I called the vet for a simple price quote on the dewormer.. well no its vaccinations first, plus vet visit fee, plus this plus that. Right now I dont have the money for ALL of that at once.. I will get him vaccinated, I will get him neutered and I will care for him in every medical way throughout his life but they denied me worm treatment.. they would rather let him suffer worms than just sell me the darn meds and get it over with.. I would have cost me well over 100 dollars to get him wormed at the vet... I went to the pet store and paid $10 for a broad spectrum dewormer. If Vets really care about the dogs then why put prices so high and add on all this other fees at once, I can afford to pay for my dog but not all at once, however vets deny me that Why?

I mean what right have they to tell me I cant just get the treatment for the worms? I pay them to care for MY dogs... but they seem to act like if you cant afford all that at once then you are a bad person or something I tried to explain that yes I will get him vaccinated and everything else but that right now I cant afford it ALL at once but the worms take precedence.. they are not healthy to have and I want them gone NOW.. why try and deny my dog relief from a medical problem because they want to squeeze all money out of you at once and add on the holier than thou attitude like I dont know anything about dogs.. or worms etc. There is a vet out of town that isnt like this but I dont have a car, why I ask though should vets be able to have you by the balls like that?? I care about my dogs and if it wasnt for the pet store I would have been going to the food bank this month just to pay an exhorbitant and unecessary vet bill.

Oh ya and did I forget to mention the fact that they try to get you to pay for a stool sample test even though I KNOW what tapeworm segments look like and there exists broad spectrum meds that kill all intestinal parasites.. and they wont do it till you bring a stool sample and they get payed to tell you what you already know.. grrr!! Anyone else have problems like this??

I do have the money to care for my dogs, there has never been a case of any dog disease in my town, there is no walmart no other vet no petsmart or walmart or shelter or humane society I live in Northern Canada ppl if I had other options I would take them.. as it is the next nearest vet or clinic is hours drive away. The dog is not from a breeder, he was saved from a byb who thought it would be cool to mix a rottie and husky.. the tapeworm is more important to get rid of than vaccinations at this point as I said no dog diseases in this tiny town.. worst thing around here is mange and there is no vacc for that. I did not buy the pup he was given to me, so as not to end up dead or abandoned.. we have NO spca and no help for dogs here, there is no help for nothin, its a cruel world and Im all this pup has, I take my other dogs to the same vet and its always nothing but extortion.. I am knowledgeable about dogs and I would never put them at risk, I just wanted to buy wormer, vet said no.

Ontario greys..ALL worm meds can potentially kill your dogs or cause seizures have you even asked for the info with the dewormer at the vet or did you just trust that it had no side effects? I have used wormer from the vet before and it has the same potential side effects listed on the data sheet I requested from the vet to go with the meds... the wormer I bought at the pet store is for Tapeworms, whipworms, hookworms and roundworms. I am not an idiot, and just so you know I research it all online before giving it to my pets, just as a double precaution... and as for the other person who suggested I would deny my dog medical care in an emergency well no way in hell, however the vet here in my town has denied ppl emergency care when they didnt have money upfront.. I would rip the vet off before I would deny my dogs health care they are my life... but I dont fall into the whole "Lets worship vets as all knowing deities" attitude I know alot about dog health and I am far from ignorant.

Answer 1

I read your question, your additional details, and all the answers given.......was about to sign out, but decided I'll put my two cents in it.

I agree with you 100%!
I run a large rescue, my vet bills are into thousands of dollars each month. Over and over I see caring dog owners who would take far better care of their pets, only if it was more affordable.

There are three vets at the local clinic, while I must admit that they are acceptably caring vets, their prices are highly questionable, and they do mislead people is some of the procedures needed.

Many "over-the-counter" dewormers are worthless, but there is one called "Safeguard" that does treat all four types of worms: round, tapes, hooks, and whips. Safeguard IS Panacur, the highly expensive prescription dewormer, that you can only get from a vet.
Hopefully it is the one you bought!

Yes, it is very important that you start the vaccinations as soon as possible. Both Rottweilers and Huskies are very prone to the Parvo virus. Go on line and search for pet vaccines. It's much cheaper, just as safer, and you can easily administer them yourself.

I'm not trying to take anything away from the vets, as they are needed, and you do need to establish a good relationship with one for the sake of your pet in the long run, but right now you need to protect your pet from illnesses and parasites, even if it means you have to do it yourself, it comes first!

Answer 2

It's really aggravating when people generalize an entire profession based on one experience alone.

I agree that the price quote that this veterinarian was requesting was very high. Most check-ups and vaccinations will run you in the $50-60 range. If this clinic was charging you $100.00 for a full check-up/vaccination/deworming/neutering then I'd say you're paying more than a decent price for the medical care your dog will be getting in the process.

As with any medical profession (personal doctors included), only calling one professional will not get you far. The best thing to do, is to call other clinics and veterinarians and compare pricing quotes.

I'm sure you will find much more reasonable prices/plans for such procedures.

Most clinics will NOT deny you a payment plan for veterinary care, so the fact that this practice doesn't* offer that option speaks volumes about the place.

Instead of getting aggravated however, try to find a place that better suits your needs.


Animals are like children and are not as cheap to care for as most people believe unfortunately.

I also hear this argument quite a bit from a lot of people even for prices that are incredibly low ($25-50 range). Prices where none of the money actually gets seen by any of the veterinarians.

Why the money?

Medical/hospital/clinical upkeep, employee salary, cost for medication and care itself aren't things that are paid for on their own.

Veterinarians really don't make any money when all of these costs are taken into effect. The fact that most students spend over 100k in school to become veterinarians (it's an 8 year process) only to end up in debt once their career gets set in motion also plays a role in prices.

90% of the people who are in veterinary professions however, are not doing their jobs because they care about the money. Rather, you get into this profession because of your love/respect for life & animals and the bond they share with their loving owners.

As with doctors.. no one is perfect. Just make sure you find a veterinarian that cares about you and your pets needs. There are plenty of great DVM's around, and of course there are always a few questionable people.

If you like the veterinarian that is far away, try to find out if he is willing to take house-calls.


PS: I posted a link below with someone who had the same concern, and what a veterinary practitioner had to say in response.


~Hope this helps

Answer 3

Ok...the reason for being denied dewormer is this...the vet had not seen your puppy before...there could be underlying things wrong that you as the owner aren't aware of..in giving a dewormer you potentially could make your puppy very ill even kill it..as for requesting a stool sample right on...just because you are seeing tapeworm segments doesn't mean those are the only worms present...most times a dog/puppy has more then one type of worm and they aren't usually visible to the naked eye. Vacciantions need to be done at the appropriate time in order to keep your puppy healthy and protect it from disease. Puppies are very vulnerable to disease once they reach 8 weeks and beyond since their natural immunity has been depleted. Your puppy won't suffer from having tapeworms but it sure can if it has other worms or has an underlying medical condition.

OTC dewormers are NOT a good idea. They are ineffective and they can be dangerous to your puppy. They could cause gastrointestinal bleeding, seizures,gastro upset and yes even death.

The vet was not being out of line or out for extra money by denying you dewormer without seeing your puppy first..he was being totally responsible..looking out for the wellbeing of your puppy. He would have been totally irresponsible if he had dispensed dewormer without exam and then if something had happened to your puppy because of it.

Answer 4

I understand your frustration. A few months ago, my dog was having a horrible allergic reaction well past the hours of his vet so he HAD to go to the ER. I had absolutely not a penny to my name at that time and they wouldn't treat him or see him. They, of course, don't have a "bill me" policy. Fortunately, they would take my mom's credit card over the phone without physically having the credit card.

Anyways, it was frustrating because I felt they would rather have my animal die then fix it, but it comes down to they are doing business. They have to make money somehow and a lot of people misused the "bill me" method and just not paying them.

It's kind of like if you are sick. You can't just call up a doctor that you have never seen and have them call you in a prescription. They won't do it. You have to go into the office first. The only difference is a doctor's office can't deny you treatment.

They don't want to prescribe a wrong medication. They want to make sure they are giving you the right medication for the disease, even if you know what is wrong. Unfortunately, that is just the way it is.

Answer 5

I have been very lucky with our vet. He is extremely nice. He will answer any questions you have over the phone. They are also very reasonable on their prices. They also dont expect payment all at once if you cant afford it they will allow you to make payments. Did you ask this vet if they would do that? Not all vets are out for the money! A lot of them do care about the animals. We just got a new puppy and when i got her she still had her dew claws and had a really bad case of worms. The total to have her dew claws removed with laser, return check ups, getting her dewormed 3 times and vaccinations was only around $250. That also included getting our older dog checked and vaccinated. SO there are good vets out there yet. Dont get too discouraged, there are no doubt better vets in your area.

Answer 6

First off why do people seem to think vets don't need to make a living too? They've got bills to pay for the clinic, staff salaries and they need to live to. I find prices very reasonable considering that.

Second tape worms can't be detected with fecal samples. The simple fact is nearly 99% of all puppies have worms. They want the fecal to test for other worms your puppy may have. As far as those broad spectrum wormers, they DON"T cover tape worms, that is an entirely seperate wormer. Tapes aren't treated with the wormers commonly given. Also wormers bought at a store can be very ineffective.

As far them wanting to this, that and the other, I'm pretty sure they were merely giving you recommendations. Yes you would have to pay for an office call, exam, a fecal to be sure your pup didn't have any other nasty worms, and the meds. They would have waited on shots.

As far as not just giving you the wormer for tapes, no vet can ethically treat a dog without first seeing it. You may know your dog has tapes, but the vet still needs to see the dog. I tell my dogs vets what's wrong when we go in all the time. But if your vet treats your dog without seeing it, and then something happens to your dog as a result, your vet could very well be out of a job.

I have a question. What would have happened if this were an emergency? Would you have denied your pup medical care because of the price of it?


**** I just recently heard a story about a man and his dog. The man had brought his dog to the vet to have a sore on his ear looked, wanted to make sure it was healing ok with no infection. The man apologized to the clinic staff, saying he and the dog may be a little smelly as they had been doing alot of dumpster diving.

When it came time to pay the man pulled out an envelope full of cash and paid. He told the clinic staff that the dog earned the money so only the dog could spend it. The man also had a credit card in the envelope, this was backup in case there was an emergency with his dog.

This man is walking around with a large stash of cash and a credit for his dog, his dog is very well cared for, THE MAN IS HOMELESS.

Now why is that those of us with comfortable homes to live in, and luxuries to go with it will sit here and complain about the prices of caring for our pets. Some of the biggest 'price whiners' pull up in $20000 cars wearing designer clothes, and the complain the vet bill is to expensive.

Next time you want to complain about how rough you have it, and how expensive it is to provide care to the pets you claim you love, think of that man and his dog.

He is a dedicated pet owner.

Answer 7

Now that it is the Spring Season, there are lots of puppy diseases going around. It would be normal for a Vet to want you to get the shots because the worms won't kill him any time soon but a disease can kill him quickly. You may want to make that your first priority.
If the Vet wants to charge a hundred bucks just for worming, you might want to use a clinic that has lower rates. That is very very high.
Some stores like PetCo have a day in the week, on a monthly basis I think, where a Vet comes through and gives very low cost shots. You might want to see about that too. Some clinics like Spay and Neuter clinics have low cost vaccinations as well. You could call an organization like SPCA and see if they might know where you can be referred to for lower cost treatment.
I hope the broad spectrum dewormer works. I also hope you checked it to make sure it was appropriate for your puppy at his age and works for tape worms too. Vets usually prescribe a stronger medicine for tapes.
One thing you can check on that is cheap for getting shots started, is calling a reputable feedstore in your area. They carry shots for about ten bucks apiece for a combination shot. It is the same as what Vet's offices get but at a Vet's office you are assured the Vaccine is stored at the right temp, and is given properly. Some Vets do shots differently for different breeds.
A feedstore in my area has employees I know that would give my puppy the shot when I would buy it there, no fee. I used to buy the shots myself and give them to my dogs myself, but I knew how to.
You want to get your puppy started on Heartguard too.
BioSpot is a good flea preventative that can be purchased at pet stores but I think the pup needs to be at least 12 wks old.

Answer 8

Why ppl like to criticize veterinarians without first thinking from the vet's point of view?

1. Taperworms will NOT kill your puppy. They don't even hurt him, maybe annoy him a little. Parvo and distemper will. His vaccinations are more important than the gross worms. By not vaccinating him on schedule, you are putting him at a greater risk than tapes ever will.

2. If a vet prescribed dewormers w/o seeing your pup first and therefore missed something that can be life threatening (ie. signs of parvo, bleeding, swelling, etc) that may push him over the edge after the medication and something happens to the puppy: is considered malpractice, the dr can get sued and he WILL lose his license. Try to pay $200,000 in student loans without a DVM after your name. Licenses are exceedingly easy to lose, sometimes due to "sue-happy" cheap ppl that demanded free care and a good vet decided to help out that person, but it didn't work out.... the road to hell is paved w good intentions.

3. OTC dewormers do NOT work against tapeworms. Have fun w that.

4. I do not see anything wrong that the vet did. Is not worth it to risk your license for a new pet owner that got a puppy before realizing how much it COSTS to raise a pup and didn't plan ahead. Liability insurance is frikin expensive already............

5. BTW, we also have homes.... w mortgages.... student loans.... to pay... car payments and expensive medical equipment to maintain..... Since when veterinarians are required to work for free? Do you ever go to the dentist and expect to pay only $20? After all, toothbrushes and paste is cheap!!!!

6. We are: surgeons (w expensive surgical equipment), dentists, radiologists, and treat various species: each w different reactions to every medicine, different anatomies to study, etc.... try getting THAT out of your general practitioner?

Answer 9

the over the counter wormer you bought just might kill your dog, it has almost killed many dogs I see in our clinic on a daily basis. But if you think you saved money you think that. Vets don't over charge usually, they have overhead costs to pay for, they have staff, equipment supplies, mediciine, lab costs, and frankly your animal should be vaccinated first before deworming. those diseases that need vaccinations for are far more dangerous than tapeworms. $100 is nothing to spend on a pet, consider it a down payment on what will be a life long payment if your dog gets sick and he will.AND As his owner you are the responsible person who took the dog in as a member of your family, you owe that pet the good care a vet can give to him. Don't be ignorant or cheap. take care of your dog from the beginning and you will have him a long time in your life.

Answer 10

Number one this a new puppy vaccs need to be done asap, so is a necessity to provide immune pretection,
while at the vet he could potentially pick up virus so the vaccines are necessary if he goes in. to give him pretection

The fecal is a necessity, yes you can see tapeworms, but round, whip, hook worms you cannot see also you cannot see giardi and other bacteria's that a fecal tests for

Do you know store bought dewormers can kill puppies and or cause seizures?
Do you also know that the broad spectrum dewormer you bought will not work remove tape worms ?

So if you think you just saved money you did not, because you will still need a deworming and hopefully your store bought dewormer will not end of costing you far dearer if he has a severe reaction to it. Your a fool, I just hope you are a lucky one for the puppies sake.

No vet will prescribe a dewormer without seeing a dog and checking that it is healthy beforehand and get it weighed to ensure the correct dose,