Heartworm preventatives can fail but I don't think there should be a reason to test more that once a year. I also think that once a year physicals are fine for most young dogs. As they get older then twice would be good. Did they do the exams without asking you or tell you they were due and you had to agree to get them groomed? I groom at a vet and what we require in order to be groomed is the basic shots and rabies within the last three years and bordatella yearly.

Lisa

If you did not authorize the testing etc. you need to contact your vet and indicate that his is completely unacceptable and you don't expect it to happen again unless you give specific, personal approval.

Again, if authorization was not given by you personally, you need to find another vet.

As far as what needed to be done, some things you list seem fine, other a bit off. BUT, your vet could be on a preventative practice, as mine is.

SG

Basically, they did tell me when I showed up with the dogs that this all needed to be done before they were groomed there at the vet. So I felt a little like I was hostage to what the vet wanted even if I just wanted them to get groomed. And this was a 6 month bordatella (they had one in October/November). Part of the problem could be that we moved in July 2007 and even though we gave the new vet our old records, there are still some cross over issues (we had both dogs tested like crazy before we left Tucson and started them on heartworm meds and flea/tick as well - both had heartworm tests that were negative and have been on the meds ever since).

I'm about to pick up our dog who had to go back for dental because she had a broken tooth - I'm sure I'll have sticker shock! Although I did ask when I picked them up from grooming on Tuesday (another sticker shock!) about how much the dental cleaning/extraction would be and was told the dental cleaning was $159.99 and extractions can run $20-40 per tooth depending on how many, etc. Then when I brought her in this morning, there's more medication that "needs" to go home with us which will add up as well. Yikes! By the time this is all done, I'm guessing I'll have spent $1k just this week.

Hi fairygirl,
My experience with vets (like all other providers) is that if you don't indicate a $$ limit, you will end up spending more than you wanted to or could afford. Insist that your vet offer you treatment options with ballpark figures before you choose a procedure, and then get an estimate that includes everything they recommend so you know the top dollar you could be asked to pay.

Reputable vets will be happy to deal with you this way. If the person you are seeing now doesn't, I suggest finding another provider ASAP.

Run as fast as you can away from the vet. Find a homopathic doctor vet for animals

This thread is 7 years old.