# My love/hate relationship with my vet



## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

I like the practice. After interviewing them about my raw diet ("OK")
Minimal vac schedule ("OK")
and asking for a written prescription for meds rather than buying from them because I have a Walgreen's plan ("OK") I began using them.

My previous vet treated me like a second class citizen for those reasons.

They were super when I had a severe tick-related issue with subsequent problems related to the treatment. I'll spare you all the details.

Here's my rub: I brought my puppy in for his 1 yr rabies vac. Declined the distemper/parvo till a later date. They did a "well visit" exam during the rabies appointment. fine 

Yesterday I brought him in for the distemper/parvo and the vet looked at his eyes, teeth, testicles and listened to his heart. No otoscope or ophthalmascope just a very cursory thing. 

When I checked out there was a $32.00 charge for another well visit despite the fact that they had done one less than a month before at the rabies visit. :evil:

I refused to pay for it but I'm ticked. I don't want to create a vet-bashing thread but come on! Sorry. It's early and I'd rather spend the $32 bucks at my own discretion.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

It's $70 bucks just to walk in the door at my old vet's. I go to the cheap vet now, so it's only $50. It's like the Mickey D's of vet services, so it's hit or miss if I get a decent vet. Great vet for one visit, total useless turd on another visit, who I suspect was scared of my non-aggressive pointy eared dog.

So to me $32 is cheap and sounds more like a re-visit fee than a full fee, and if I liked my vet, I would suck it up and pay.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Lori Gallo said:


> I like the practice. After interviewing them about my raw diet ("OK")
> Minimal vac schedule ("OK")
> and asking for a written prescription for meds rather than buying from them because I have a Walgreen's plan ("OK") I began using them.
> 
> ...


Do they normally charge an office visit fee or something everytime you go? and if so was that on top of the 32 for the wellness visit?

I think my vets is about the same, but I only have been charged it one time that I can remember, in my life, and I have been using that guy on and off for 20 years or so.. 

I love my vet, bad part is that they dont take appointments. it is set up more like an ER at a hospital, with shorter wait times thankfully. he is probably one of the best and most experienced vet around here, prices are super reasonable too...he jsut quoted hip surgery to a friend for about 800....their vet quoted them over 2000...and this guy has done a 1000 of them most likely...ear crops 80-140, others 3-500....

Every other vet in my entire area charges for office time, about 30-50 bucks, on top of what you are getting done. it is pretty standard here.

Maren's not here to argue for the fees, or to tell you it costs money to own a dog..so I will..., the vets got bills to pay too, and its pretty standard for them to charge these fees, at least in my area...

I was gonna go to my GF's vet for an xray once, until I found out they needed to have me come in for an office call first, then come back for the xray, and was going to get charged an office/wellness visit charge each time, plus pay almost double for the xray itself..

cost me 60 at my vet, would have cost me about 180 to do it at her vet.

I like the fact that my guy does not ever try to cross sell me anything.
I do my own vaccines, and had the rabies done somewhere else at a clinic that was closer, and my vet has seen my dog 6-7 times in her lifetime, and he has never even asked me about vaccinations or anything else...they even told me it would be a lot cheaper to get the medications at walmart, and probably free antibiotics from walgreens when I needed them..


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

My vet will let me come in for just boosters, at reg vaccine price ( in line with the vacc clinics), but I do have to mention it. At my vet typically its the vet techs who will do the boosters, so thats why it is cheaper. If you want the vet to do it, you pay more. My vet wont make ME pay that, but she's also giving my dog the injection in the waiting room as she goes to see her next patient. I only do that for the rattlesnake vacc, as I worry about reactions. The rest I give myself. She does a once yearly exam/bloodwork. 

A lot of people would pay the fee without thinking twice, or just have it all done at once, to save them the trouble, so poss your vet receptionist didnt even think of it. My vet doesnt like doing all the vaccs at once, or even doing all those vaccs. 

You are lucky you have a vet that is ok with raw and minimal vaccs, and 32.00 is a lot but could be worse!!

I am sooo thankful I found my vet. I will do whatever it takes to keep her.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Lori

Was the $32 in addition to what they charged for the shot?
Who did you talk to about the extra charge, the Vet or Office
staff? Lots of Clinic (Vets, MD's DDS's etc.) policy is run by office managers and not the Doctors themselves. IMO you should have paid the bill and discussed it with the Vet at the next visit.
I know there's a principle involved but $32 is a small price to pay if you had a good relationship with the Vet.


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## Kara Fitzpatrick (Dec 2, 2009)

a lot of the time they exam pups 3-4 times, and charge for each visit. Just like you take babies for a check up a lot in the beginning. Then just charge once every year for an annual. That's how we did it where I worked.


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## Ben Thompson (May 2, 2009)

I found a vet through my trainer. This vet is known for working with police dogs. So I knew he would be able to handle my dog. I don't mind paying a little extra and driving further if I like my vet. Its hard to find vets that understand what I am trying to do with my dog. My goal is too keep the dog healthy so I don't have to go that often. Plus I know they are not getting rich off of being a vet....


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

I took my latest acquisition (jrt) to my vet a couple of weeks ago, deep infected head bite which was cleaned and an antibiotic injection administered. A five day course of antibiotics, and a wormer (drontal I think) for when he was settled. I also picked up a box of 60 x 100mg tramadol for my gsd, cost £35 total. I love my old vet :-D, think he must be going completely senile :-D.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

I guess it must just be me..but I cannot ever remember this vet even asking me about vaccinations, or ever asking me what I feed any dogs I brought there, except when allergies were an issue.

I go there to get what I need to get done, and they respect the fact that that is why I am there. Not to get all kinds of other advice about things. He asks the pertinent questions to why I am there, and that is it...

He either hates me, or likes me...who knows...but I have seen them talking to other people there a lot more about a million things about their pets.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Joby Becker said:


> I guess it must just be me..but I cannot ever remember this vet even asking me about vaccinations, or ever asking me what I feed any dogs I brought there, except when allergies were an issue.
> 
> I go there to get what I need to get done, and they respect the fact that that is why I am there. Not to get all kinds of other advice about things. He asks the pertinent questions to why I am there, and that is it...
> 
> He either hates me, or likes me...who knows...but I have seen them talking to other people there a lot more about a million things about their pets.


I get those postcards about vax. But yeah, unless I bring it up (or there is something wrong with the dog to tell me about! :lol: ), I don't receive feeding or other unsolicited advice.


Could it be a *vibe*? Could it be* me*?


Nah ....... :mrgreen:


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## Lori Gallo (May 16, 2011)

"Lori

Was the $32 in addition to what they charged for the shot?
Who did you talk to about the extra charge, the Vet or Office
staff? Lots of Clinic (Vets, MD's DDS's etc.) policy is run by office managers and not the Doctors themselves. IMO you should have paid the bill and discussed it with the Vet at the next visit.
I know there's a principle involved but $32 is a small price to pay if you had a good relationship with the Vet."

This $32 was in addition to the shot. The gist of it is this: They saw my dog for rabies, did an exam then we talked about when I'd bring him in for his distemper. No mention of another wellness check, he was booked for a shot. Period. They did a wellness check less than a month before and there were no changes or complaints. I think it was unnecessary.

It was the front desk girl who told me about the fee and she was on the same page as me when I said "I just did this a month ago....all I booked was a shot" she said "let me cover my butt...I agree with you" 
Anyhow I posted this early today when I was feeling rather crabby about the whole thing. I guess the fact that they removed the charge shows that even they knew it wasn't really necessary!

I know they have bills to pay and I for one pay right up front with my Amex. No problem, but somehow this got under my craw.
___


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Glad it worked out for you. It's some thing I would discuss with the vet next time you see him. A clarification would be nice for the future if this was an omission on their part or if you will be hit for that $32 every time you see your vet (which really isn't that much if you like the vet). I get it, their time isn't free and being in the service biz I can't stand it when clients expect a service for free just cos they're special. I don't mind doing the freebies for the ones who I think are special, but it's just rude to expect it. 

Basic vet visit charge around here is min $50 just for walking through the door. I'm lucky I have found an awesome vet. He gives me discounts and free visits, invites me back for a recheck, has all the same ideologies as me and actually talks to me like an intelligent person capable of making decisions for my dogs, points me in the right direction for research on issues we're discussing even looks things up for me on his own time. I was just there for a rabies shot this week as we forgot to do it last time (we got carried away talking), I spent over an hour there talking again and walked out with just a charge for the shot. He used to be the local k9 vet and just adores my dogs, I some times feel like he's stalling just so that he can spend more time baby talking to them.


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## Ryan Venables (Sep 15, 2010)

Marta Wajngarten said:


> Glad it worked out for you. It's some thing I would discuss with the vet next time you see him. A clarification would be nice for the future if this was an omission on their part or if you will be hit for that $32 every time you see your vet (which really isn't that much if you like the vet). I get it, their time isn't free and being in the service biz I can't stand it when clients expect a service for free just cos they're special. I don't mind doing the freebies for the ones who I think are special, but it's just rude to expect it.
> 
> Basic vet visit charge around here is min $50 just for walking through the door. I'm lucky I have found an awesome vet. He gives me discounts and free visits, invites me back for a recheck, has all the same ideologies as me and actually talks to me like an intelligent person capable of making decisions for my dogs, points me in the right direction for research on issues we're discussing even looks things up for me on his own time. I was just there for a rabies shot this week as we forgot to do it last time (we got carried away talking), I spent over an hour there talking again and walked out with just a charge for the shot. He used to be the local k9 vet and just adores my dogs, I some times feel like he's stalling just so that he can spend more time baby talking to them.


Or to you


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