Office Visit Charges

[duncan41]

I'm just throwing this out here for consideration. Not sure about nationally, but some Florida Vets have voluntarily extended the time between shots to 3 years. I can't say for sure if it's for everything, but I do know that it is for the most common .

Does Miss Nellie really need all her shots every year?

[Tallgreydogmom]

I'm just throwing this out here for consideration. Not sure about nationally, but some Florida Vets have voluntarily extended the time between shots to 3 years. I can't say for sure if it's for everything, but I do know that it is for the most common .

Does Miss Nellie really need all her shots every year?

 

You can ask your vet for a 3 year rabies shot. Most do not have a 3 year tag so you just go in each year to purchase one if necessary. They also have a 3 year cocktail shot. Sorry I do not remember the name. It's the 3 in 1 shot.

 

We stop giving shots at age 10 as they say their immune system is build up.

[kudzu]

My young to middle-aged dogs still get vaccinations annually but they are on a 3 year rotation of a few core vaccines. The seniors get only rabies & that's just because it's legally mandated. I started this with some core vaccines at least 15 yrs ago. Vet recommended the 3-yr rabies vacc over 10 years ago so we've been doing it ever since.

 

Example of our current three year vaccination rotation cycle:

Year 1 - rabies

Year 2 - distemper & adeno

Year 3 - parvo

Within this some dogs will get kennel cough vaccine if required by facilities where we train.

 

Tallgreydogmom, every vet we've used since starting 3-year rabies has had a different tag for it. Also, our current vet is using Continuum vaccines from Merck. These are approved for three years but more importantly finally enable us to split parvo & distemper. However, the Continuum line includes a 3-year DAP so maybe that is the cocktail you were thinking of.

[Guest Greytluv]

My vet never charges me an office visit. I've often wondered why, but I dont question it.

Mine doesn't either.

 

I don't do shots on my dogs. They get 3 year rabies only and that only cuz the city makes me. I get their titers done yearly. I have never vaccinated my dogs and have never had a problem.

[lothianjavert]

Office visit is about 40.00 here. When I had the vet come to the house for Sebau this summer, the home visit + exam was 65.00. Sully sees a chiropractor at her office, but because he isn't seeing the vet those times, we just pay the chiro.

 

Vaccines- Sully is due later this fall for boosters, and rabies in fall of '12. I'm not vaccinating ol' mutt gal again until her rabies is due in '12, due to her age.

[JJNg]

I have never vaccinated my dogs and have never had a problem.

If you're referring to retired racing greys, most of them probably come to us already having been vaccinated enough to last a lifetime. However, I wouldn't recommend this approach (never vaccinating) with a puppy.

 

If you've raised puppies without vaccines and never had a problem, you might live in an area without much exposure, are relying on 'herd immunity' from most of the other owners in your area vaccinating, or are very lucky. In my area, I still fairly routinely see unvaccinated puppies getting parvo, and we even get the occasional case of distemper and hepatitis. For core vaccines (distemper, parvo, hepatitis), at a bare minimum, you need do the puppy series, and booster a year later.

[seeh2o]

I have never vaccinated my dogs and have never had a problem.

If you're referring to retired racing greys, most of them probably come to us already having been vaccinated enough to last a lifetime. However, I wouldn't recommend this approach (never vaccinating) with a puppy.

 

If you've raised puppies without vaccines and never had a problem, you might live in an area without much exposure, are relying on 'herd immunity' from most of the other owners in your area vaccinating, or are very lucky. In my area, I still fairly routinely see unvaccinated puppies getting parvo, and we even get the occasional case of distemper and hepatitis. For core vaccines (distemper, parvo, hepatitis), at a bare minimum, you need do the puppy series, and booster a year later.

For adult NGA greyhounds do you also recommend vaccinations every 3 years? Titers?

[Guest RICHandJUDE]

My vet charges about $45 for an office visit. He charges 1/2 price for a recheck. I think my vet is about average in charges for most common procedures. In September of 2010, my 7 year old male greyhound was dianosed with Osteocancer. I was surprised that my vet only charged us $1000 to amputate the rear leg, including the shoulder. I was surprised after hearing what others were charged for the same thing. My greyt is doing fantastic and is still cancer-free for 13 months. (had 5 chemo's)

[JJNg]

For adult NGA greyhounds do you also recommend vaccinations every 3 years? Titers?

For most healthy, adult dogs, I recommend DHPP every 3 years, rabies vaccine as required by your state laws (3 years if possible), and other vaccines are recommended as needed based on lifestyle and exposure (such as Bordetella, Lepto, etc). With older dogs (older than 10 or so), I really don't think they need DHPP anymore, and I also try to avoid vaccines if possible in dogs with a history of cancer or immune-mediated diseases. For these dogs, I'll often recommend rabies only.

 

Other than rabies, titer testing really hasn't been validated for any of the other vaccines, so I don't typically recommend or do them. A high titer probably, but doesn't always, mean a dog is protected, and a low titer doesn't necessarily mean the dog isn't protected.

[Guest oldNELLIE]

Ugh. Nellie's appointment for her booster is tomorrow, so when I got the reminder call I brought up my thoughts that the 3rd office visit was excessive. The response I got was "It is our policy to do a full exam with every vaccine to insure the dog is healthy enough to get them. We are only doing what we think is best for the dogs, and I can bring your concerns up to the vet, but what I can tell you is he makes the rules."

 

Ugh. I am feeling really yucky about it now and I don't know if I should say something to the vet tomorrow when I see him. I guess I mine as well, since I am paying him for his time

 

When I had the vaccine done in the fist place, the vet said it would be about $20. She neglected to mention the $100 worth of office visits.

[Batmom]

I would say something to the vet.

 

In most practices, a policy like that is in place because of those who only bring their dog in for vaccines as required by law.

Edited November 7, 2011 by Batmom

[BatterseaBrindl]

I would also say something to the vet.

 

When Bandit was ill a couple of weeks ago, on our first visit we got charged an 'examination & consultation' fee of $68.

Radiograph 'set up & interpretation' was $58

The actual radiographs were $48 per plate + a $7.50 processing fee.

 

When she went back the following week we were only charged for the actual xrays + the $7.50 fee. The vet did examine her again but there was no charge.

 

Her euth was done here at home...the 'call out fee' was $56 and the euth was $90.

 

We also get a 5% discount if multiple dogs come to the same annual check-up visit.

 

Of course, the Evet is a whole other matter...that was $169.50 'examination' fee.

 

Our vets are going with every 3 years for vaccines, except Lepto, which is annual.

[Devotion]

I would absolutely speak to the vet directly about any concerns. Just approach like you did here! with that being said, I keep waiting to see the "vet wing" they are surely going to name after Avril. Lordy, she's been to college and back now it seems from the money I've spent. But she's worth every bit!

[dmswartzfager]

For vaccinations that require a booster three weeks later, we do not charge an office visit fee. The nurse or assistant will ask the owner if the pet has any health concerns, and will also take the pet's temperature. If everything looks and sounds good, we deem the pet to be fit for vaccinations... the feeling is that a full exam within the past month is sufficient, barring any health concerns the owner brings up.

[Guest Melissa516]

I would not be happy about paying for so many office visits, especially for a booster shot.

[Guest mirinaaronsmom]

When I had taken Miri in for her annual checkup and titers earlier this year, they charged me for the office visit ($35 I think). We had to come back for the Lepto shot because they don't keep it in stock. I asked if we would be charged for the office visit just to administer the shot and was told 'no' by the vet. When we came back, there was a charge for the office visit on the bill. I told the receptionist that the vet had said I wouldn't be charged for it and she snottily told me that she'd have to check. She came back and took it off. I asked for copies of all of my records and never went back. I hope they're happy, although I'm sure they have plenty of other clients they can charge so they won't miss me and my two pups. Although they've missed out on a nice chunck o' change now that Mojo was diagnosed with lymphoma.