# How much are your annual vet bills?



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

Without including incidentals, I think I got away pretty good this year...
$410 for annual exam (including shots), fecal, heartworm test and 6 months of Revolution. 
I'm curious about how others weigh in on the standard stuff


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

for 3 dogs, one who needed a rabies, Snap 4, fecal, 175$, then purchased Interceptor and Heartguard = 90$ (15 doses total) so my 'total' bill was $265.00.
Not bad for 3.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Assuming I don't need anything else, $19 per dog for an annual heartworm test. I don't go in unless there is something wrong, and I do vaccines every 3 years. Distemper/parvo I get from a friend, so really I only need rabies every 3 years. Heartworm preventative I do myself. However it's never really that low. This past fall we got Pan so I brought him in for a puppy exam (something I do within 3 days of getting a puppy, usually the breeder requires it anyway), Nikon has had problems with an infection in his foot, and Coke had a really bad hotspot that required some prescriptions. Also, I do hip and elbow exrays on 6 month old dogs and hip, elbow, and spine exrays on 2 year old dogs.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

YTD mine have been close to $800.00. However, this is him seeing the vet from 8 weeks until current (13months). Most of those were regular routine visits, then some "i'm freaking out over everything" visits

I do not anticipate spending much this year *knock on wood*


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I would say that between vaccines and dewormings of Diabla and puppy Akela I should have paid around $20 (one for Diabla and 3 times for Akela)
Akela's little accident: other $20, considering medicines.
Diabla's complete blood panel and consecuent corticoid treatment: $40

So a total of $80 in US dollars. I wouldn't have added a second dog if I didn't had access to almost free veterinary atention, so basically all I pay are supplies.


----------



## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

I blisfully do not add it up. I don't want to know. I can tell you my last vet bill was $30 for a fecal for Grizzly and before that was $100 something for Bison's infected leg.


----------



## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

Ruthie said:


> I blisfully do not add it up. I don't want to know. I can tell you my last vet bill was $30 for a fecal for Grizzly and before that was $100 something for Bison's infected leg.


The other vet visits I try not to look at either LOL
...this is the one visit that covers everything for the year so if all goes well, I'll be looking at under $500 for the year. 
From March-December of last year it was probably close to $2k... And he's not even neutered


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I've probably spent about $300 in the last two months on Nikon's infection (two vet appointments and the third hopefully final on Tues, two rounds of different antibiotics, antibiotic powder, pain tablets, vet wraps, dog "boots", a cone, a muzzle, various tapes, and all the socks he destroyed with blood or wearing through them). This is to hopefully avoid amputation of the toe or part of the foot, which would cost me a lot more. I will know on Tues...


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

So far, the annual stuff has been pretty much free for us! We spend plenty at the vet for other stuff though...

It's been basically free because the last several years we won prizes at a Halloween pet costume contest sponsored by a local vet clinic. Last year we got 1st prize which was annual exam with titers or vacc(your choice), fecal and a years supply of Heartgard. This year we were 2nd, which was a gift certificate for IIRC $150 for the vet clinic which pretty much covered her annual exam, titers, fecal and the 1 vaccine she got. She didn't need rabies vacc this year because she's on a 3-year schedule.
She also gets yearly comprehensive (very thorough) bloodwork and heartworm testing free from the blood donor program she is enrolled in so that covers that. All I need to pay for this year is the Heartgard and of course all those unexpected things that come up, although Bianca's been pretty healthy so there hasn't been too much (knock on wood) unlike my cats.

My last dog Ginger got her annual vet fees paid for because she was a therapy dog and the animal-assisted therapy organization had a grant from a company, where they would cover up to $200 of your annual vet fees. They did this since they required the dogs to have a health certificate, certain vaccinations (or titers) and be on heartworm and flea preventive.


----------



## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I forgot I spayed Diabla past year and that was another $40


----------



## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

Jax's Mom said:


> The other vet visits I try not to look at either LOL
> ...this is the one visit that covers everything for the year so if all goes well, I'll be looking at under $500 for the year.
> From March-December of last year it was probably close to $2k... And he's not even neutered


 
The just "annual" stuff is split up over several visits and our city offers a deal on rabies and registrations together. It is like $12 or something like that for both. They offer them at the city building every Saturday in June. The last Saturday is the Doggie Rama where they have local pet vendors set up in one of the buildings. They have best trick contest too. Kinda fun.

The "other" shots that he needs for his indoor classes we have done at the vet. We also do an annual fecal and heartworm and the boosters.


----------



## krystyne73 (Oct 13, 2010)

$35 for 4 dogs, each year, for shots. Preventives, and nails clippings ( $60 per mo i guess) plus basic Health exams and old age panels... Umm I choose not to add it up lol
I'm sure it's over $1,000 but I'm sure it's better than my monthly shopping expense Hahahaha


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I spent 7,000 a couple of years ago, but last year I got it down to somewhere around 3K. 

The bloat scare on New Year's Day, and the C-section the first week of January has me in the red this year already. Add to that Vaginal cultures and Brucellosis tests on Heidi and Babs, and more coming up, to the tune of $180/bitch and Joy's OFAs coming up... well I think this is going to be another bad year.

ETA: Last year I had four year shots, and heartworm tests on Heidi, Whit, and Tori, One year shots on Joy, and Puppy shots for the litter and subsequent shots for Beansy, and Bear. All of those cost way too much. But I am too much of a whimp to do my own shots.

This year, Bear and Dolly need 1 year shots, and I think everyone else is set. Odie will be four, but she had shots prior to shipment. 

So if I am really careful, I might be able to keep it under 5k. Hard to say really. The bloat scare cost almost as much as the c-section because it was an emergency call and I got stung for that.


----------



## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Annual stuff....the boys go to OB club each week, so I have to do annual vac's on them. The girls I update every 3 yrs, and both got updated this year. I use a VERY nice shot clinic (not the standard crap place - this is a nice shelter that does this, and has a seperate building used for clinics and exam rooms for each dog). For adults for the usual vacs it's around $30ish per dog. I will be doing HW tests myself at home, I believe a 10 pack is $80. I use liquid Ivomec for HW preventative, that was about $40 and will last a couple years for my dogs plus my moms GSD's. I don't use presecription flea meds, they are OTC.

Excluding Kodi's vet bills which were in excess of 7 or 8 grand for the year 2010, all my routine stuff probably didn't clear $150. There was an emergency vet visit for Dante (I think it was $160) and one for Audrey but it was during open office hours, not at the ER, which was about $400...and a couple other non-routine vet visits for Dante. If we're including other medical needs (I'm not talking voluntary supplements), then add in Akira's EPI meds at approx $140 every 5 months.


----------



## MicheleMarie (Mar 29, 2011)

$40 so far for something the vet didn't even have to fix 


but i am taking ***** in when he turns 6 months for an exam/tests/shots so i don't know how much that will be


----------



## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Between annual exams including blood work and vaccinations, and then one or two visits a year for who knows what, probably between the two of them about 600.00 a year-maybe a little less.


----------



## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Rerun said:


> Annual stuff....the boys go to OB club each week, so I have to do annual vac's on them.


Your obedience club requires annual vacs, even tho the vet schools advocate an every 3 years protocol?? Wow.


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

DunRingill said:


> Your obedience club requires annual vacs, even tho the vet schools advocate an every 3 years protocol?? Wow.


 
Will the club accept titer testing results? I only make the suggestion if limited vaccination is desired.


----------



## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't want to know and won't add it up. 

Recent vet visit was $225. We've had 4 or 5 of them in the last year, at least. I can only imagine! (plus a spay and neuter!)


----------



## ashylove (May 14, 2011)

recent visit for 3 dogs, with 2 heartworm tests was $627... not counting the surgery my chihuahua had to go thru in february for $2000. ouch, when i write it all down thats alot!!! and thats not counting precious's next 2 sets of shots!!!


----------



## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

DunRingill said:


> Your obedience club requires annual vacs, even tho the vet schools advocate an every 3 years protocol?? Wow.


I haven't discussed it with the owner, but they run a breeding and board/train program as well so I would imagine that plays a role in the decision to require annual vacs.

Can you link me to the vet school advocation of the 3 yr protocol? I have been doing the 3 yr thing for my other dogs for awhile, but I didn't know it was officially recommended now. I would be interested in reading it, and sharing it with the owner. Perhaps policy could be swayed, if not now, but in the future.


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Oh the topic said annual so I only mentioned the yearly routine stuff. I have no idea how much I spent total on vet bills for non-routine stuff. I don't think it was that much for Bianca because she is pretty healthy and has not had a lot of non-routine visits, but lately it seems like I'm at the vet every few weeks for one cat or another with health issues, and back to the vet in between those visits for medication refills or food for my food-allergy cat.


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Rabies shots every three years. Not all dogs are on the same schedule so it varies per year and Tazer is not getting any more Rabies due to his age and health issues.

I don't do DHLPP, or Bordatella. I don't do yearly exams. I don't do fecals. I don't give Heartworm meds.

I normally don't use any flea or tick stuff but this year is VERY bad for ticks (just picked one of MY head) so I'm using some Frontline for Mauser and Sasha. I can find the ones on the Cresteds and Winnie. Tazer cannot handle that stuff so I do a hands on check every night on him (actually, on everyone just to be sure).

Cats don't go to the vets either - unless they are sick. They don't get any vaccines.


----------



## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

With Zoey (the weasel) I just do the once a year vacs and exam.
I don't do the twice a year "senior exam" 
That's about 170 or so.
Miss ChaChing (Alice) is epileptic...so...160 every two months for Pot Bromide. 40 every three months for Pheno. 400 every year for blood work. 
The blood work kills me...they charge separately for each test. The Pheno levels, thyroid, liver, and Potassium Bromide.
I may be paranoid but I just think that the machine to check the Pheno levels are about two feet away from the machine to check Potassium Bromide. 
I've also heard to get the blood checked twice a year, every three months and once a year. Being the broke eternal optimist, I opted for door number three (once a year)
One cat is almost 16 years old and at this point if it aint broke it aint getting fixed. I had one vet suggest a teeth cleaning for a 15 year old cat....um...no, if she's not eating and sick...we'll pull it; but I'm not putting the old lady through that kind of stress for a cleaning.
At this point if the senile old lady can open all my lower kitchen cabinets and climb up on the counters...she seems fine.

So, easily about 1200 per year. Before annuals and triannuals for Alice.


----------



## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

My lab gets several ear infections a year, Brutus always seems to hurt his leg or paw twice a year, and the routine vaccinations, fecal examinations, Heartguard, Frontline, I have them clip their nails frequently as well so I'd say it comes to about $1,000 a year. This year will be higher because of Brutus being neutered and then the complication that required another surgery, and the emergency trip to the vet.


----------



## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Rerun said:


> Can you link me to the vet school advocation of the 3 yr protocol? I have been doing the 3 yr thing for my other dogs for awhile, but I didn't know it was officially recommended now. I would be interested in reading it, and sharing it with the owner. Perhaps policy could be swayed, if not now, but in the future.


Well here's what I found with a basic google search on "vaccination protocol for dogs": 
Community Practice Vaccination Protocols from the College of Veterinary Medicine

UC Davis: William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital


----------



## Rowan (Feb 10, 2011)

Between Rowan and Miss so far I have spent about 2,000. I still have Rowan's nuter and Miss has a tone of treatments ahead of her, each at $200 a pop with at least five more to go.....


----------



## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

Just regular yearly? For both my dogs, about 150$


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

I spent $250 for yearly exam, fecal tests, rabies, distemper, leptospirosis, and lyme vaccinations, 6 months supply of heartguard, and a bottle of ear cleaner.


----------



## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Just switched vet practices, for 2 dogs to have distemper vac ,heartworm test and stuff for daisy's ever infected ear ,it was 183.00. Last year I spent right around 1100.00 .Daisy had a fatty tumor removed and their annual physicals set me back 500.00 plus the meds.revolution is expensive. When my vet found out I swithched they called wanting to know why,price played a big part.


----------



## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

2 dogs and it was about $300 for 1 3yr rabies, 1 3 yr booster, 1 yearly booster, 1 senior blood test, and then double the fecals and overall exams.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Well, it was about $100.00 for his annual exam (fecal included) and another $110.00 for his heartworm/flea/tick medication.

I do titers every other year as well as heartworm test every other year, so we didn't need that this year.

Rabies was also not needed this year as I do the three year rabies as well.

Now, for Stark's skin/nose issue, we are already up to $750.00 in three months and have an appointment at the U of Guelph Dermatology department in two weeks time which I can imagine will cost me another pretty penny or two.


----------



## Lola10 (May 5, 2010)

I don't want to know, but here it goes:
Lola last year...
normal vet visits are about $20-$30 depending on any test and shots she gets
her PDA surgery was about $2000 (which included her boarding, meds, and follow ups)
Heartworm (senital): $96 for last year 
flea/tick prevention was about $70 
city license was $10

this year is by far cheaper, *knock on wood*


----------



## kiya (May 3, 2010)

A long, long time ago, I used to have my vet come to the house every spring and do the horses, dogs and cats for about $600 maybe the occassional emergency.
Now OMG forget about it, I can't catch a break this year. Having senior's sure adds to the bill between my 34 yr old horse, the 18 yr old kitty, 7 yr old dog (with seizures) & a 8-1/2 year old dog with bad arthritis & panus.
Right now I am well over $1,000 excluding meds and the year is only 1/2 way over.


----------

