# money driven vets???



## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

Okay I am a bit miffed... I don't mind spending money for my dogs health but last time we treated our dogs for coccidia the medicine cost us 17$...now 2 days ago we took them to the vet because it came back and the SAME MEDS cost 120$??? I don't get it...and normally I wouldn't care but 1) how did they add an extra 103$? And 2) now I can't afford groceries for the next 2 weeks because the entire bill was over 240$....is this common and a sign to get a new vet or am I missing something? I'm so miffed...


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## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

Is it the same vet?

Did you ask them why it went up 100 dollars? there has to be an explanation, unless it's made of oil - then I can explain.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

They tried to tell us its a different medicine...but its the same medicine just in a different container? I am trying to find the previous bill statements we received to bring it back to them and see if they'll give us a refund... its the same vet. And they told us we have to go back in 3 weeks to get more meds for 120? -sigh- idk if I can afford that...its a bit overwhelming. I feel like the pups are constantly at the vet...


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## jmejiaa (Dec 8, 2009)

That sucks.. My suggestion is to find the receipt and get an explanation. 

Why are they in so often? Maybe there is a cheaper alternative and someone will chime in.. My dog hasn't been in for a while, I need to bring her in soon for rabies.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

You should have asked us, you can get the medication to treat coccida for under $20 online without a vet. That would be enough to treat 10 dogs. Happy to hear it was not a blockage but that really sucks they took you for your money.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

Well we brought Lily in because we thought it was a blockage but turned out to be coccidia... and Leo we found had it too and started displaying symptoms... however, I would appreciate the link to the coccidia meds for next time lol it sure would help out!


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

And my dogs are to the vet a lot for shots, spay/neuter, anal gland issues, coccidia, uti, separation anxiety,...they had fleas,,, err... I know they've had more issues I just can't think of it lol ...uh staph infection but I got meds online... we have some issue every month it seems...


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## k8nkane (Jul 9, 2010)

You could ask your vet for payment plans too. I'm on good terms with my vet, and she adores Kane, so she'll let me do payment plans when I need to. Like for Kane's heat stroke, that was 371 dollars, which I didn't have at the time because he'd just been to the vet for his annual check-up a few days before and that was another 300 dollars. So, she's been letting me pay it off over the past few paychecks.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

You can use metronidazole or Albon, when you pmed me about the fish flex you can get the metronidazole from that same thread in the health section. It is called "must have meds". And don't let pushy vets bully you! Just because you took the dogs to them does not mean you have to walk out with meds from them. Coccidia can get pretty bad but you can get meds overnighted for much cheaper than you could get it from the vet. Metronidazole is great to have on hand anyway and treats a variety of conditions.


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

I feel ya. They couldn't even tell me what was wrong with bruno,but they sent him home with 3 different bottles of meds.
I shouldn't have paid for them :/
Vet boll was 260 $, lucky my vet takes payments.


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## Sadie (Jun 18, 2008)

Dr's in any related field love to medicate they get paid big bucks by the drug companies to push medications even on patients who don't really need them. The drug companies make a ton of money every year Doctors /Vet's included. It helps going into the vet to know a bit about medicine and illnesses if they know you know your stuff they will be less likely to try and push drugs off on your pet unnecessarily with bogus diagnoses. I spend a lot of time researching and reading medical journals it never hurts to be educated even if your not actively practicing in medicine. Knowledge is Power!


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

They're telling me Beia and Bruno need another parvo shot in 2 weeks...This will make 4 for Bruno and 4 for Beia.

I think it's over kill,like you said before.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

I looked on the "must have meds" thread and it said the medicine suggested was for diarrhea not specifically coccidia... the med they are taking now and need to refill in 3 weeks is albon...can albon be bought online? Cause hubbys saying we can't afford another 120$ in 3 weeks..


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

I sent you a pm you can use metronidazole instead of albon to treat Coccidia. Albon we normally give to puppies who need liquid smaller doses. Albon does come in tablet form but you can treat with metronidazole they are very similar. You can do a search on metronidazole and treating Coccidia and see it is a perfectly acceptable treatment for it.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

Sadie said:


> Dr's in any related field love to medicate they get paid big bucks by the drug companies to push medications even on patients who don't really need them. The drug companies make a ton of money every year Doctors /Vet's included. It helps going into the vet to know a bit about medicine and illnesses if they know you know your stuff they will be less likely to try and push drugs off on your pet unnecessarily with bogus diagnoses. I spend a lot of time researching and reading medical journals it never hurts to be educated even if your not actively practicing in medicine. Knowledge is Power!


:goodpost::goodpost::goodpost: So true! Reminds me of when I called to get Helena's dosage strength for ivermectin for HW preventative and the lady told me that it wouldn't work! I asked her what the active ingredient was in the pills they had, she said she didn't know! She was just the receptionist but they need someone in there who knows better!


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## BullyDoc (Jun 11, 2011)

You can NOT use metronidazole to treat coccidia! That is COMPLETELY false information.

There have been alot of dogs that have been becoming resistant to the albon, so some veterinarians have started using either Marquis, a horse medication, or Baycox for piglets (which I use) The Baycox is cheaper than Marquis, but can only be purchased from Australia. The Marquis paste is super high.

As far as getting kick-backs from drug companies, that's a load. Veterinarians have super high overhead, no insurance or government subsidies, etc. Some of them are out to get money out of you, but most are like me; honest, hard-working and starving to death.

Would you complain about the price an attorney charges to keep you out of jail? Just a thought.


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## BullyDoc (Jun 11, 2011)

We do use Metronidazole along with Albon/Marquis/Baycox to treat some bacteria associated with Coccidia, but it cannot be used in place of.


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## 9361 (Jun 25, 2009)

I'm still trying to wrap my head around taking the dog to the vet for flea's...


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## Sadie (Jun 18, 2008)

To treat coccida most vets will prescribe sulfadimethoxine (Albon) and trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (Tribrissen). 

As far as the drug companies go they are some crooks and everyone knows this there is plenty of information FACTUAL information about the FDA and the drug companies and how Dr's of medicine are getting paid big bucks to push these drugs even when patients do not need them. I don't expect you to admit that to me Bull Doc  when your paid to shut your mouth. I am not calling you dishonest but lets not pretend like we don't know how crooked the FDA and Drug companies really are. I could get so deep into this but the thread would go a totally different direction lol. What I said does not mean that their are not good doctors out there I know it's harder to get into Vet school than it is regular med school. I am just saying that people need to be educated and aware even if they are not actively practicing medicine.


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## Sadie (Jun 18, 2008)

I question my doctors and vets all the time and I have that right. I don't just go in without asking questions because the person treating my pets or my kids went to school for a billion years. Doctors don't know everything and don't always have all the answers. Doctors make mistakes, they misdiagnose, sometimes they can't explain " Medically" explain why a patient is having certain problems and may have to experiment with different drugs before they find a treatment that works if one at all. Regardless of how much they are getting paid I know vets don't make anywhere near what a regular MD out of med school makes. Science has a lot of knowns and unknowns. Patients need to be educated and question their doctors no matter who they are or how long they have been in practice.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

BullyDoc said:


> You can NOT use metronidazole to treat coccidia! That is COMPLETELY false information.
> 
> There have been alot of dogs that have been becoming resistant to the albon, so some veterinarians have started using either Marquis, a horse medication, or Baycox for piglets (which I use) The Baycox is cheaper than Marquis, but can only be purchased from Australia. The Marquis paste is super high.
> 
> ...


The rescues I have fostered for have used Albon or metronidazole but if the Bullydoc says it will not treat it you still have 2 options for Albon without a vet.

sulfadimethoxine is the Albon drug name. It is available 2 ways, injectable or oral.

oral you can get a gallon jug and mix it with some other things and make Albon at home. I use this for puppies or smaller dogs but you could use it for adults you just have to give them more.
Di-Methox (Sulfadimathoxine) Concentrated Solution 12.5%, Gallon - Cattle Antibiotics - Lambert Vet Supply

You have to mix it with
Dyne - Liquid Supplement. $7.99 (Save $0.51)

Here is info on it and how to mix it

Coccidia

What you will need: 1 gallon Sulfadimethoxine 12 1/2% solution, 1 gallon Dyne High Calorie Supplement

You can get these from a vet or pet supply without a prescription and for a lot less money than the Albon your vet will charge you for.

Sulfadimethoxine 12 1/2% solution (generic Albon) Active ingredients: Each fluid ounce contains 3.75 grams Sulfadimethoxine solubilized with sodium hydroxide. It costs around $40-$45 per gallon.

Dyne High Calorie Supplement. This product expedites the rate of recovery of weak or sick animals. It also may be fed as is or diluted with milk for animals unable to eat solid foods.

Directions:

Mix 5 ounces of Dyne High Calorie Supplement (or 4 ounces & 1 ounce of pedialyte/water) with 4 ounces of the Sulfadimethoxine 12 1/2% solution discussed above. This gives a fairly palatable mixture of the 5% Albon (Rx) at a 85% or higher savings without the required prescription or the expense of a Vet office visit.

Each teaspoonful (5 mL) will contain 250 mg of Sulfadimethoxine. Dog/puppy should receive 1 teaspoonful (5 ml/cc) of this 5% Albon Oral Suspension mixture per 10 lb of body weight (25 mg/lb or 55 mg/kg) as an initial dose, followed by 1/2 teaspoonful per 10 lb of body weight (12.5 mg/lb or 27.5 mg/kg) every 24 hours thereafter for 10 days.

The other way is to buy injectable Sulfadimethoxine but I do not recommend this for someone who does not know how to administer injectable medications directly into the vein. We use this method in our house but again if you do not know how to give meds like this you could kill your dogs in several ways.

I'm sorry for giving your false info about the metronidazole I know we have used it for fosters (meds give to me from places we had fostered for) and I did do a quick search online to make sure I was giving you correct info but I guess that shows you cannot always trust all sources.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

We didn't take them to the vet for fleas, I was just listing their many past health issues and expenses... also upon questioning our vet said albon was for the first 9 days of treatment and the 3 week follow up used that metr...whatever medicine to clear out cysts or something? Idk... I'm still confused. And broke. I guess we have to go to the food shelf this week o__o but I feel okay about it since my dogs feel better lol


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

No worries about the information  I appreciate the help you've provided me with in the past and its not like you were intending any harm! Thank you for the alternative info!


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Phone calls are free, call your vet and ask them what treatment you had to do in 3 weeks so you can get the right medication. Make sure you follow through with the treatment or it can just come back again.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

We have both the original meds and the 3 week follow up meds. That's why we are so broke lol


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

BUMMER! yeah some vets will take you to the bank and some are great. It really pays to find a great vet who will not take you for all your money. I use to work with vets that would guilt people into pending more money. NO BUENO!


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## KMdogs (Apr 22, 2011)

I cant stress to people enough that unless its an emergency or you believe something is definitely going on that needs special assistance don't go to the vet. While not everyone knows how to treat from home theres so much information out there and places like GP where knowledgable people can help that have been doing it for years.

I go to the vet for shots just because i personally dont feel comfortable to do it myself, thats just me though.. Once a year i'll go for an exam just because my vet is honest and tells it how it is, doesn't over charge at all. 2 exams (1 per dog) $15, biggest reason is i've had this vet for now 4 years and we have a good relationship.. Other than these, everything is done by me unless theres broken bones or something i know i cant treat without going in for an xray or other testing. 

When you go to a vet, if they cant find anything many will charge you for something it may or may not be just because they feel obligated to tell you something since after all you drove out there and are paying for it. If you strongly are concerned and they say all is well, UH OH you may go some place else and they lose business. 

Even with an excellent vet i still rarely go. Why bother wasting money on little things? The "popular" thing now in days is if theres a scratch its not right, itchy omg it could be ____. Bumps?!?! AHHHH!!! lol


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## Sadie (Jun 18, 2008)

I agree vets are there for a reason. I am very comfortable with stapling wounds, giving vaccines, running Iv's, administering oral medications. Flushing wounds. There are many things I can do at home. Major Surgery is something that needs to be done at a vets office, and of course routine xrays, sonograms, and things of that nature can all be done by a vet. But I do not run my dogs to the vet for every little thing nor do I run them to the vets for things I can treat at home. Make sure you find a good vet who is not only skilled in medicine but nutrition as well. There are not very many vets out there who have a great deal of knowledge about canine nutrition and allergies related to nutrition.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

KMdogs and Tara you are so right! We have the advantage of both being vet techs so in our house we can just about do everything except surgery and x-rays. My vet jokes that our house is better stocked than his office! We are fortunate to be able to do many things ourselves but you (meaning every owner) knows your dog best and if you are truly concerned a trip the vet needs to happen. In this case Coccidia can look very much like parvo but because the dogs are older I would have taken a stool sample to the vet and had a fecal done. After they said it was Coccidia I could have picked up 4 days worth of meds to treat right away. Coccidia can get really bad but you could get enough to last till you could order the meds online. That way you are only out the Stool sample fee and one week of meds. Having a great vet who does not need to see the dog if you talk to them on the phone is really something nice to have. Phone calls are free and most people don't know you can call the vet and get info just over the phone.

LMAO the last time I took my dog to the vet he said...... You already told me what you thought was wrong and you were right...... why did you come? Sometimes I second guess myself and I will make a run to the vet and he laughs at me! 

Not all vets are horrible there are some great ones out there you just have to find them. Talking to other dog owners is a great way to find a good vet.


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## r0ckah0l1c (Jan 18, 2011)

I really want to become a vet tech I just am working on saving up money for college lol its not going so well with the vet bills... maybe it'd help me not run to the vet for every little thing if I were more knowledgeable xD usually I only go to the vet if I notice drastic changes in my dogs (vomitting, bloody diarrhea, etc)... my hubby loves that I visit this site though because it has saved us SO much money treating Leo's staph infection & taking care of fleas.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

r0ckah0l1c said:


> I really want to become a vet tech I just am working on saving up money for college lol its not going so well with the vet bills... maybe it'd help me not run to the vet for every little thing if I were more knowledgeable xD usually I only go to the vet if I notice drastic changes in my dogs (vomitting, bloody diarrhea, etc)... my hubby loves that I visit this site though because it has saved us SO much money treating Leo's staph infection & taking care of fleas.


Do not waste your money on vet tech school! Most hospitals would rather train you themselves and the pay it just the same Even if you were trained at a school. You just need to apply to pet hospitals my suggestion is to talk to the vets and apply for a reception position and go from there. That is what I did when I was about 18. I worked the front and went in the back when I could and was trained by the vets. My husband went to a college for vet techs and I learned more that he did for free from hands on experience. We also made the same pay. He ended up with a 7,000 school bill and I learned for free and we made the same pay...... not worth it! Also I know many vets who own their own practice and they say they would rather train someone themselves than hire from a school. They can pay them $2 less an hour and get them to learn their way. I know several other techs who started like I did and really it is the easiest way to get in.


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