[nagdu] searching for a new vet.

[Lori Dent]

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