# Low cost vet



## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

Would you take your dog to the low cost vet that offers the special spay and neuter prices if it was much cheaper than your regular vet? 

I feel like even considering it makes me a bad person... however I also think spending $800 more for the same procedure makes me a stupid person...I'm torn. 

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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

I think if you do your research and talk to others who may have gone to the vet and decide it's a decent place, that doesn't make you a bad person. We have 2 clinics here that are cheaper than others, and at least here, they are pretty decent. I, however, am rather attached to my vet so I stick with her.


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## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

Thank you! I will definitely look into my options.

I feel like my wording came off incredibly rude rereading it. I definitely don't mean that anyone who goes the low cost route is bad or anyone that pays more is stupid. I'm just having a hard time deciding what is best for us.

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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Oh I get it. Often times, lower prices have a stigma of meaning the product isn't of good value and that's just not true 100% of the time. Sometimes, yes, but often times, if you do your research you can find great things with lower prices. I do think $800 is pretty steep. I was going to pay $350 for my 80lb female to get spayed.. though it may also depend on the area you live too. Gotta love the economy


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Also, there may be things included in the higher cost that are not in the low cost program, the blood work, catheter, pain meds. 

Low cost does not always mean low quality. You just may not get the extras. 

800$ is stupid expensive, I don't care where you live. 


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## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

Well I'm glad I'm not crazy. I figured about $400 give or take and I put away a little extra for getting her stomach tacked and xrays...So I about died when she said it would be $848 to be exact. Just for the spay and whatever goes along with that. I assume there is blood work and stuff figured into that price. 
I love my girl and of course I'm not going to drop her in the chop shop to save a buck...but I definitely think I'll be shopping around for something less expensive. 

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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have done this in the past with no problems. My female GSD was $65.00 and my male golden was $85.00 and they both had blood work. The only time I go to my actual vet is for illnesses. Shots, heartworm, etc are all done at low cost places.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

$800 sounds insane to me, I had my Boxer fixed and told they "NO" Acepromazine!!! It's a Boxer thing it will/can kill them on the operating table! She cost $480.

Don't understand how you can get to $800 myself??? Get a second opinion.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I have a good friend whose husband was a vet for many, many years. After years of being on call and late nights, he decided he'd sell his clinic and open an little spay and nueter shop. That was all he did. He was very good. He was 1/2 the price of normal clinics. He simply didn't have the over head.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Lilie said:


> I have a good friend whose husband was a vet for many, many years. After years of being on call and late nights, he decided he'd sell his clinic and open an little spay and nueter shop. That was all he did. He was very good. He was 1/2 the price of normal clinics. He simply didn't have the over head.


Boxers??


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## AddieGirl (May 10, 2011)

I work at a non-profit, low cost spay neuter clinic. I had my own dog K-bar (cryptorchid) neutered at work and would do it again in a heartbeat. Our doctor is an experienced, fully licensed vet who works emergency on the weekends and for us four days a week. She has a passion for spay/neuter. 

There are nasty rumors that spread about low-cost clinics, and unfortunately they can be perpetuated by other veterinarians who feel that their "business is being stolen" from them. The reality is that some people cannot afford high prices, therefore the pets go unaltered and/or without vaccinations. 

I'd be happy to answer any questions about low/cost spay neuter. 

The two biggest rumors that spread are that we use vet students (never had a student step foot in the door) and that we do not use anesthesia (we are not fond of chasing animals around trying to make incisions, lol so again, UNTRUE!) General anesthesia, full pain protocol and monitoring is done on every pet. 

Our clinic is modeled after Humane Alliance (the mecca of spay/neuter in Ashville, NC). Below is a video entitled "Follow a patient". This is exactly what happens to your pet at our spay neuter clinic, even though the slideshow was produced at Humane Alliance and is not our staff or facility. The procedures are the same. Please watch!

http://vimeo.com/33547208


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

I have. I kind of feel like a traitor but the clinics are much cheaper. 
I have had a female cat and female dog spayed at our local low cost spay neuter clinic and the vets did a wonderful job, the dog had the nicest spay incision I have ever seen. It was about half the price of our regular vet. It did not include pre-surgical screen blood work though. 
I also take them to a country vet for vaccines. They have `basic procedure times` on Fridays where vaccines are $50. So when my guys are due for rabies, that's where we go. 
I try to reason it by thinking that when I need to spend big bucks on the pets, my regular vet gets it. The basic stuff can go to the clinics.


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## ZoeD1217 (Feb 7, 2014)

I really appreciate everyone's input and opinion. I feel so much better about finding something more affordable for us. 

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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I wouldn't. Sorry, GSDs should have the bloodwork done, because they can have a clotting disorder, and you don't want them to find that out on the table. 

That being said, shop around, find a good clinic with a good reputation, and a reasonable cost, and to Hades with the vet that is spearing you for a simple spay. 

I do not like the idea of low-cost because of the lack of bloodwork/physical exam to ensure the dog is healthy, and because of the lack of follow up care if there is a problem, and because too many of them in our area, are staffed like a revolving door, and dogs may have a partial spay, complications, etc. 

Of course, I don't spay/neuter unless there is a problem with those parts, and well, that would probably make the operation more of a concern anyway, and I wouldn't do it at a low-cost place for that reason as well.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

selzer said:


> I wouldn't. Sorry, GSDs should have the bloodwork done, because they can have a clotting disorder, and you don't want them to find that out on the table.
> 
> .



Clotting disorders, of which I have never seen in a GSD won't show up on pre- anesthetic blood work. You may see low platelets. But that's it. 

Before anesthetizing an animal, a vet us REQUIRED, to do a physical exam. 


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## KayDub (May 4, 2014)

Wow I would have never thought of this costing so much in some places. Both vet hospitals near my area offer the whole nine yards so to speak when going in for spaying or neutering. It's $30 & $60 that isn't low cost either. The clinics offer more affordable deals for those with low income. My girls rabies vaccination is just $10. Don't feel bad about anything I think $800 is steep as well, even after reading what most others have paid in this thread.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

gsdsar said:


> Clotting disorders, of which I have never seen in a GSD won't show up on pre- anesthetic blood work. You may see low platelets. But that's it.
> 
> Before anesthetizing an animal, a vet us REQUIRED, to do a physical exam.
> 
> ...


I don't think I have every spayed or neutered a GSD or GSD mix without running a vWd test. We have always come up negative, but still, not something I want to find out with the dog on the table.


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

I am a vet tech and I utilize low cost clinics for common procedures and wellness stuff.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

selzer said:


> I wouldn't. Sorry, GSDs should have the bloodwork done, because they can have a clotting disorder, and you don't want them to find that out on the table.
> 
> That being said, shop around, find a good clinic with a good reputation, and a reasonable cost, and to Hades with the vet that is spearing you for a simple spay.
> 
> ...


I'm more interested in the blood work to make sure all organs are in good shape. The low cost clinic won't even do a dental on a dog over 6 without blood work. There isn't a lack of follow up care either. My golden had to go back in for a re check within a couple days. The low cost clinic vets are also one of the only vets in my area that not only offer but recommend 3 year shots and don't push shots that aren't needed.


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## AddieGirl (May 10, 2011)

selzer said:


> I wouldn't. Sorry, GSDs should have the bloodwork done, because they can have a clotting disorder, and you don't want them to find that out on the table.
> 
> That being said, shop around, find a good clinic with a good reputation, and a reasonable cost, and to Hades with the vet that is spearing you for a simple spay.
> 
> ...


So happy to read all the positive replies. Low-cost clinics may not offer bloodwork on site, but that does not mean that you are not allowed to have it done prior at a full service clinic. We do have clients who go for bloodwork and still come to us for surgery. We REQUIRE bloodwork on older patients. Every pet receives a pre-op exam and we always decline surgery to dogs or cats who are not healthy enough. We also re-check any of our patients at no charge. In the three years I have been here, I've seen 1 dog with a clotting disorder and it was a Golden Retriever. We gave her the meds to help (sorry, I don't recall what it was as I work in the office) and she survived. She actually stayed the night at our doctor's home as the owner could not afford hospitalization.


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