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Why is veterinary care for my pet(s) so expensive? Sometimes
I believe I'm spending more on my pet's health care than on my
own! |
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Relatively speaking, veterinary care is a great value! The cost
of veterinary care has risen very little over the last 20 to 30
years, especially when compared to the cost of human health care
or almost any other services.
Veterinary fees are a reflection of the costs of maintaining
suitable facilities, equipment and support personnel to provide
the level of care that is expected in animal medicine today.
Remember, too, the original cost of the animal has no bearing on
the cost of services delivered. Annual veterinary care is a cost
that should be factored in to the decision to own a pet. |
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If my veterinarian doesn't clear up my pet's problem, can I
get a refund? |
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Fees cover what is done for the animal including an examination,
administration of tests, diagnosis, treatment and medications.
Some problems can be long term or involve multiple and/or
changing causes. Treatment may be ongoing.
To effect a cure is not always possible. You are paying for
an honest attempt to diagnose and treat a problem. There is no
implied guarantee. |
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My veterinarian says my pet's office visit / vaccinations /
surgery / medication, etc. adds up to a couple hundred dollars
or more! I just don't have that kind of money all at once.
What about terms...a payment plan that's fair to both parties?
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Like most other professional offices you visit (your dentist,
chiropractor, lawyer, etc.) fees are payable at the time service
is rendered.
Your best course of action is to call your veterinary
hospital ahead of time and inquire about alternative payment
methods. Our office manager will be happy to clarify the
payment policy.
We recommend you try to budget for veterinary care in your
household budget.
Many veterinary preventive health care services can be
staggered over a period of time, rather than doing "everything"
in one visit. Your veterinarian can best advise you which
procedures can be deferred, if necessary.
We also accept payment by major credit card (Visa, MasterCard
or Discover). This is especially helpful at the time of a medical
emergency. |
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Isn't the cost of veterinary medicine out of sight and
unreasonable? I mean, we're "just" talking about animal
care. I thought my doctor really cared and would go the extra
mile for me. |
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The extent of care given to any animal is ultimately determined
by its owner. Every pet owner has different ideas as to what is
acceptable pet care. Veterinarians can only make their clients
aware of the medical options that are available. Then, they
guide owners in their choices regarding the most important
health care options for their pets. The final decision and
choices rest with the owner. Veterinarians are willing and do go
the extra mile for pet owners, but owners should be prepared for
the associated expenses and understand that the veterinarian
should be compensated for his/her professional services and
related expenses. |
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Why should I spay or neuter my pet? Why does it cost what it
does? |
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There are long term health benefits to your pet when it is
spayed or neutered. Ask your veterinarian to explain these.
Obviously, the primary benefit is controlling the pet population
and reducing the numbers of unplanned, unwanted pets.
Spay and neuter procedures are major surgery for your pet.
The average spay or neuter costs less than an automobile
tune-up. The procedure requires the time of a veterinarian and a
surgical technician, newly-sterilized surgical instruments,
general anesthesia, drapes, suture material, and
hospitalization. When measured against the cost of feeding and
nurturing unwanted kittens or puppies, spaying/neutering is much
more cost-effective. |
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Why is there such a wide range of prices for the same
procedure(s) among veterinarians? |
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Fees are set by each individual veterinary practice and each has
different expenses that are covered by the fees charged (i.e.,
salaries, rent, utilities). Often, the different fees do not
reflect the same set of services, although there may be certain
basic procedures in common.
Each veterinarian sets the fees for services based on varying
criteria, such as different drugs, anesthetics, antibiotics,
medical techniques and products, which may have a bearing on the
cost of the services. When comparing fees, be sure to inquire
about these variables. In addition, you might ask for a tour of
the hospital so that you can judge for yourself, the quality and
competentcy each staff may provide. |
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My injured (sick) pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian for
prompt attention, but: a) I just lost my job...b) I don't get
my next pay for another two weeks...c) I barely have enough
money to put food on the table...d) etcetera |
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Most pet owners have a regular veterinarian who will work out a
payment plan with his/her regular clients. The problem arises
with people who have pets that do not get regular veterinary
care, but demand and seek services in an emergency situation
without guaranteeing payment. If you choose not to establish
yourself with a veterinary practice, you should give
consideration to how you will manage the financial aspect of an
emergency situation involving your pet. |
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I've heard that there may be pet health insurance available.
Is my pet eligible and what is covered? |
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Third party health insurance is available for pets. As with
human health insurance, different companies offer various levels
of coverage which have a wide range of deductibles and premiums.
There are also certain restrictions on which conditions,
injuries and procedures are covered.
For more information about pet health insurance, see
www.petinsurance.com
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Why can't
veterinarians advise, diagnose and/or prescribe over the
phone and save me a whole lot of time and money? |
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Not only is it unethical and illegal to prescribe for an animal
that hasn't been physically examined by a veterinarian, it is
also impossible to come up with an accurate diagnosis and
rational plan of treatment.
A veterinarian can't make a diagnoses based on symptoms only
as observed by an owner. The outward signs may be an indication
of any number of internal causes with a wide variety of clinical
treatments. A complete physical examination and other diagnostic
tests are required to determine the cause of the symptoms and
best course of treatment. |
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Why do I have to pay for a follow-up examination if I paid for
an examination on the first visit? |
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When your veterinarian recommends a re-examination, it is
because he or she feels it is important to determine whether or
not the problem is improved or if further treatment is
warranted. Just because the symptoms have improve, does not
necessarily mean that the problem has been completely resolved.
The hospital must charge for the time involved to cover our
overhead. This fee is usually less than the initial exam. If we
built this fee into our original fee, it would not be fair to
those clients whose pets did not require a re-examination. |
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Why does my dog need a Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine to
board or groom if I keep it up-to-date on its other vaccines? |
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Bordetella is a highly contagious, upper respiratory disease of
dogs. It is spread from dog to dog by inhaling air containing
the bacteria from an infected dog. Stress and confinement
increases this risk of infection. Vaccination protects your pet,
other pets and the hospital. |
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What does a grooming with Lakeland Veterinary Hospital include? |
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Dogs and cats will receive a "Hydrosurge" bath and conditioner,
brushing, haircut, nail trim, ears cleaned and anal glands
expressed. Also, our groomers will make you aware of any obvious
medical problems your dog may have, such as dental problems, ear
infections and lumps and bumps they may find. Your groomer will
recommend you see a veterinarian if they find any health
problems |
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What is
a "Hydrosurge" bath? |
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HydroSurge® Animal Bathing Systems are a State-Of-The-Art
development in bathing for pets. This unique system produces a
vigorous, penetrating, combing action spray of shampoo and water
through a hand held sprayer. The bathing solution easily
penetrates through the hair and down to the skin to flush away
dirt, debris, loose hair, dead skin and/or dander for the
healthiest skin possible. Animals love the massage-like
invigorating sensation! |
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Do
short-haired breeds need to be groomed? |
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Short-haired, shedding breeds such as Labradors, Pugs, Basset
Hounds and German Shepherds can benefit from regular grooming.
With our Hydrosurge bathing system, we can greatly reduce the
amount of hair your dog sheds. We use a conditioner which helps
stimulate the hair to shed in the bath tub, then use a
high-velocity blow dryer to blow the shedding hair off your dog.
Our customers tell us this greatly reduces the shedding in their
houses, if done on a regular basis. |
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Does my cat need
grooming too? |
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Many cats groom themselves and do a good job. However,
long-haired cats tend to get matted if you don't help them by
brushing and combing. Short-haired cats can benefit from a
professional grooming as well to help with shedding. Most cats
don't like grooming, so many of them will need to be sedated. We
use the same method for grooming cats as we do for dogs,
complete with Hydrosurge bath and high-velocity blow dry. |
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How often should
my dog be groomed? |
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Dogs that need haircuts (i.e. poodles, schnauzers) should be
groomed every 6-8 weeks. With an especially long haircut, your
dog may need grooming every 3-5 weeks. Dogs that need a good
grooming bath (i.e. Pugs, Labradors, Beagles) also benefit from
6-8 week groomings, but frequency of grooming is really up to
the owner. |
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At what age
will my pet need grooming? |
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The sooner the better! Our groomers like to see your pet when it
is a young puppy or kitten, so that it can get used to the
sights and sounds of grooming. Three months old is a good time
to bring them in, even if it's just for a facial trim, nail trim
or bath. We want your pet to enjoy grooming! Dogs and cats who
receive their first grooming at 6 months or older tend to be
very nervous and afraid of the clippers and dryers, and it may
take us longer to train them to relax and enjoy themselves. |
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To help with shedding, when is the best time to bring my dog in
for grooming? |
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To get the longest-lasting groom on your dog, you should bring
them in when shedding is the worst. If you can lightly pull on
the hair and it comes right out, we will be able to remove the
most hair. If your dog isn't shedding, we can still get it
clean, but your dog may start shedding a few weeks later. |
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How long will my pet need to stay while he is being groomed? |
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We keep the pets at least 4 hours. Some large dogs will need to
stay longer in order to get dry. Your pet will not have to stay
standing on the grooming table for the full time he is with us.
We work on 8-10 dogs a day, rotating between them all, letting
them rest throughout their stay. |
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Do you
ever sedate the dogs for grooming? |
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Never without the expressed permission of the owner.
Unfortunately, some pets (especially cats) will not allow us to
groom them while they are awake. Luckily, we have the option of
sedation at Lakeland Veterinary Hospital for these few pets that
need it. |
Lakeland
Veterinary Hospital