[nagdu] searching for a new vet.

Thu Nov 12 18:49:18 UTC 2015

A few ideas in no particular order...

I agree with raven and Tracy on the food.  There are better choices for far 
less than what you are paying.  Check out Chewy or Petflo.  They have the 
ingredient list right there and you can sort by protein type or no grains 
and a bunch of other criteria.  You can even call their customer service for 
help with finding a food that will work for you.  Both companies have 
excellent customer service. I've ordered from both and had excellent 
experiences.  You wouldn't have to order from them though, just use the 
sites to do research on the ingredient lists.

I love Mountain Rose herbs.  That is where I purchase all my herbs.  They 
have quite a bit in capsules already for you.  If you don't have a picky 
eater, you can sprinkle the herbs right onto the food, skip the capsule.  I 
think turmeric  is awesome for inflammation of any variety.

I have not personally used this idea, but if I needed to purchase expensive 
prescriptions on a regular basis, I'd check out an on-line option.  This 
means your vet has to provide you with a prescription for you to use 
elsewhere and I've heard some vets don't like to do this.  It could save you 
a lot of money though.

Have you had an honest talk with your vet?  Perhaps there are cheaper 
options available, but he/she hasn't suggested them because you were willing 
to pay for the current protocol.  I don't ask for discounts, personally, but 
I absolutely will always ask about all my options or generic equivalents.

Julie
Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now 
available! Get the book here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
-----Original Message----- 
From: Lori Dent via nagdu
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2015 11:21 AM
To: the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Lori Dent
Subject: [nagdu] searching for a new vet.

Hi all,

I’m thinking seriously about  searching for a new veterinarian for my guide 
dog Gipp and my 2 other pets. I like my current veterinarian and he and his 
staff are  great with my animals. But frankly  their expensive and I’m 
getting to the point I can’t aford taking my animals here anymore. I’m been 
using my current veterinarian since about 2005 and I do get a multiple 20% 
discount but that isn’t enough of a discount. When I do go to the vet I 
never come out spending under $100 and in fact it’s always $100 and more. 
For example, I get my guide dog Gipp’s food through my vet because Gipp is 
on a prescription dog food for food allergies and he’s allergic to the 
protein in the leading dog foods. Also he’s on allergy medication.

Gipp’s food is called Ultra Allergeon ZD and I get him a 25 pound bag 
through my vet that cost $90and some change and his allergy medication that 
I get for him for a30 day supply costs me around $97 and some change. But 
that doesn’t count the flea proventitive and frontline meds that I get for 
both dogs and I usually get a six month supply of both flea proventitive and 
frontline getting one extra frontline tube for both dog for purchasing six 
months supply of frontline. Also for Gipp he can’t have the normal hart gard 
beef chews because he’s allergic to beef. So he get a nontasteless pill that 
is  specially formulated for Gipp  to prevent heartworms and any other 
parasite.

Anyhow, with all the medications for the dogs and the cost of the vet visits 
and any testing if needed or bloodwork ect it’s costing me a fortune.

I was wondering what kinds of discounts do you all get for your guides? Do 
your vets charge you for the meds but not the office vist ect?

Like I’ve said I like my vet but I can’t afford them anymore. I do have care 
credit but I’m on a limited income.

I want to find a new vetinarian that will   take good care of my animals and 
listen to what I need to tell them about my animals  and  listen to my 
concerns and answer any and all my questions  but not charge me a arm and a 
leg for medications, testing and exams ect.  I need more of a discount then 
just 20% and I need the vet  who cares about the dogs and not so much about 
the money side of things. I know I will spend some money on my animals which 
is not a problem but I don’t want to be always spending over $100 and more 
everytime I need to take my animals to the vet.

I’m going to do some researching of vets in and around my area and call them 
and see what type of services they provide and go in and get a tour of their 
ficilities.

Any thoughts and suggestions on where to start? I want to continue to give 
all my animals the best of care when going to the vet but be affordable and 
reasonable where I’m not paying  a arm and a leg for everything because it’s 
so exspensive and I can’t keep addording this like this.

Lori and the Gipper
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