Is A Toe Really Worth $1000?

[Guest JsMom]

Last night, we ran into our neighbors and their 3-year-old malamute. We let them play in the neighbors' yard for awhile, since she is missing her older brother who just died, and Jeff loves to play rough. He really went after her and was absolutely wild. When he was finished going nuts, we noticed his foot bleeding between his toes. I took him home, cleaned him up as best I could, and bandaged him. He screamed and cried whenever I moved his toe and wouldn't let me get a good look. This morning, he'd bled through the gauze and baby sock I put over it, but he could walk on it for the most part. (Sock makes him limp whether he's hurt or not... We've tested that before when he wasn't hurt.)

 

Called the vet this morning since he wouldn't let me redress the wound once I got last night's bandages off. Doc is out of town, so they referred us to another vet. The guy has been around for a long time, lots of people use him and recommend him, so I felt comfortable going there. Until they handed me the $1000 estimate for stitches. It's $300 just to put him under! (His dental a few weeks ago was less than that, and he had to go under for that too...) The other $600 was for the office visit, OR fee, suture procedure, kit, pharmacy, and something else I can't remember.

 

Is this ridiculous? It's just a cut. Not an amputation. Or have I just been really lucky that I don't know what a real vet bill is? Someone set me straight.

[Burpdog]

Doc must be very proud of his stitches......

 

I think I paid $120 for Grace's cut earlier this year.

[Hubcitypam]

Your being taken. Bigtime.

 

[Guest trevdog]

wow, that's way too much....time to look for a new vet

[Guest JsMom]

So what do you do? Let him bleed and hope it doesn't get infected? Go someplace else? (Where?) We were really on the spot to sign the estimate, so I think we're pretty much stuck now. But I was just so shocked I didn't know what else to do! I should say that it's not a split. He lost a huge patch of skin on the side of his toe. There's just a hole there, AFAICS. So it's not just a tape job (I thought about trying that with duct tape... But it's not that kind of wound.)

[Guest greydogluvr]

Maybe someone can give you a recommendation for another vet. Where are you located? Sound outrageous to me.

 

 

Oh just read your post.... maybe for next time.

Edited October 14, 2008 by greydogluvr

[Hubcitypam]

If you signed the estimate and left him there then you are stuck. If not, I'd certainly find someone else. You're right about it not being an amputation. I had one done a few years ago for $480 (with no rescue discount but a 20% off coupon). A grand is just crazy.

[Guest JsMom]

Ugh. Now I feel even sicker. I'm not good at dealing with him in pain, esp when he's having general anesthesia. And now y'all are confirming what I KNEW about the fees being outrageous. I just kept thinking, well, it's going to be at least $100 for the office visit and to get him out of there re-bandaged. How much less is another vet going to be? And then if he gets the bandages off before he can be seen by them, that's more blood on the carpet/bed I have to try to clean off, and DH has to go to work, so I get to juggle hurt dog and 10-month-old boy at the vet by myself.... And now I'm thinking I shoulda just sucked it up! Geez.

 

ETA: Another thing that makes me uneasy.... Tell me if you do this at your vet for surgical procedures.... They removed his leash and tag collar and gave them to me. Said they take 'em off while they're under so they don't choke, and don't want to have to try to remember which tag goes with which dog, they get lost, etc. So he's now tagless in a strange vet office. It gave me the creeps, like I'm not going to get him back or something.

Edited October 14, 2008 by JsMom

[ShantisMom]

I think that is a lot for what needs done. My girl has had biopsy and stitches under sedation, but not a general. I suppose it depends on the injury. As far as the collars being taken off. Mine always does that with my girls when they go in for any procedure. They put a plastic one on them that would snap off in a flash if need be.

 

Sorry your pup is hurt.

[carronstar]

I would say that unless you are in New York City like me, that the cost is escalated and they are counting on the fact that this is an emergency and you will pay anything to care for your boy.

 

 

[turbotaina]

ETA: Another thing that makes me uneasy.... Tell me if you do this at your vet for surgical procedures.... They removed his leash and tag collar and gave them to me. Said they take 'em off while they're under so they don't choke, and don't want to have to try to remember which tag goes with which dog, they get lost, etc. So he's now tagless in a strange vet office. It gave me the creeps, like I'm not going to get him back or something.

 

That is common protocol, so don't worry too much about that bit.

 

In my area, which is expensive (DC metro), it usually runs about $200 for anesthesia alone any time my boy needs to be put under. Then add $100-ish for wound cleaning/debriding (if necessary)...When Turbo had to have serious wound debridement and 14 staples it was still only $875. Hopefully, your boy will run much cheaper than they estimate

[dmswartzfager]

ETA: Another thing that makes me uneasy.... Tell me if you do this at your vet for surgical procedures.... They removed his leash and tag collar and gave them to me. Said they take 'em off while they're under so they don't choke, and don't want to have to try to remember which tag goes with which dog, they get lost, etc. So he's now tagless in a strange vet office. It gave me the creeps, like I'm not going to get him back or something.

 

I work at a vet clinic and we always take off the pet's collar when we admit them to the hospital. We usually hang onto them so the owner doesn't forget to bring collar/leash when they pick up, but the collar does not go back on until we're ready to discharge the pet. The patients are put into a crate or kennel that does have the potential to catch a collar and choke the patient - even in the treatment room where we have a couple of cages, there can be several minutes when no one is in the treatment room because we're all in the kennel or in an exam room or at the pharmacy counter, so all collars are off. Just like how you shouldn't have a collar on a dog in a crate - it's a safety thing.

 

For identification, we have flow charts on clipboards that hang on the outside of the patient's crate/kennel, and those clipboards move with the patient. The flow charts have the patient's identifying information on them - name, breed, color, sex, identifying marks, etc. No doubt this vet has a similar system.

[Guest JsMom]

I wish I were in NYC! At least then, as you say, the fee would be normal. AND I could be having a pastrami sammie while I wait for him to be finished!

 

Thx for all the assurances about his leash. When we did his dental, I know they removed it and his collar, but they kept them. They didn't strip him down and hand them back to me! I felt like I was giving him up for good. I just hope they know what they're doing re: the anesthesia... That scares me to death.

[feemandvm]

That does sound pretty steep to me. I would keep a copy of your invoice and take it to your regular vets so they know what their clients have to pay when they are out of town. In the future, maybe they would be willing to hire a relief vet to see appts. instead of referring.

 

Just a thought.

 

 

[Guest JsMom]

That does sound pretty steep to me. I would keep a copy of your invoice and take it to your regular vets so they know what their clients have to pay when they are out of town. In the future, maybe they would be willing to hire a relief vet to see appts. instead of referring.

 

Just a thought.

That's a good idea. I think I'll do that, since the anesthesia alone at this place was nearly double what I paid for his dental at his regular vet. The irony is, Jeff was so comfortable there, and not as excitable as he is at the regular vet. I had a fleeting thought that if I liked them just as much, maybe I'd switch b/c he's more relaxed there. Now that I know their fee schedule, I'm rethinking that...

[Guest HeatherDemps]

I spent $2500 on a front leg amputation and that included 3 days in ICU. And that was at a university vet hospital. I definitely think $1000 for a stitches is way expensive.....

[Bevd]

$1000 - for stitches? Lordy me. I bet he drives a nice car (but I'm not sure how he can sleep at night).

[Guest KennelMom]

Sounds pricey to me. We have a quote of $1200 for a toe amputation which includes one overnight stay and being done at the specialty hospital (where everything is more expensive to begin with). We have a couple extra back up vets that we use in the event ours is unavailable.

[Burpdog]

So what do you do? Let him bleed and hope it doesn't get infected? Go someplace else? (Where?)

 

If there is no other vet to go to, then it's worth $1000 to get him fixed

 

I am in a big city and could choose probably a dozen vets that could handle something like that and charge less than half what you are paying!

[Guest JsMom]

There are lots of other vets in town, but none I know anything about. I felt okay going to this guy b/c not only did my regular vet recommend him (and I hope he gets at least half for a referral fee!) but several of my neighbors use him and love him. He's also one of the longest-established practices in town. I guess I just wasn't thinking clearly -- I should have called the vet that our rescue works with. It's taken me this long to calm down enough to think of that. I hate being a hysterical female.

[Guest Pipi5]

This sounds awful high for a cut...I think when your vet gets back, I would have a meeting with him. Spaying/neutering only cost about $250 here & that's with anesthesia...I can't imagine this costing that much. Okay I went back & re-read & you said it was NOT an amputation...

I've had dogs that got in fights tear each other up pretty bad for only $300 ER cost so I think this is a bit deep.

[Trudy]

Jet degloved her foot and had about 20 staples put in, emergently, right before the vet closed.

They put her under to clean her up and put her foot back together again. They were going to keep her, but decided to send her home when she woke up instead and called us to come get her.

I'm pretty sure the total bill was under $200 or $300

[CaliforniaGreys]

That sounds so very high. Misty had surgery on all 4 feet and that bill was only 450.00 and the prices out here are pretty high. Granted it was only to remove all her nails but still.

Edited October 14, 2008 by cbudshome

[Ruth]

Tess had 2 toes amputated and some questionable spots on her tummy removed and all together it was less than half than than.

 

Ruth

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Wow, sorry that happened. It is hard when your dog is hurt and you don't know what to do, or where to go. I would review the bill with your regular vet (since the recommendation came from him.) To me, it seems really high. It's been a few years ago but we paid less than half that for an emergency vet visit, on a weekend, out of town, with I think 28 stitches and minor surgery.