Dr. Jeff Talks About the Future of Veterinary Medicine & Why The Industry is at a Crossroads

[Backseat Driver]

8. He's right, prices for vet services have really escalated n/t

So have basic pharmaceutical preventions like flea and tick, heartworm. Then there's the scheduled vaccines for every fearsome disease they might possibly contract and annual wellness exams. There is a fairly recent monthly pill-type that requires a script that also includes disease prevention that includes mosquito bites; it costs upwards of $100 per pill per dog per month. I have two little ones that are never in dog parks or off leash. Dogs are different than cats in their responses to medications, but one must use some types of "safer" preventions if one has both dog and kitty pets that interact in the home and those are also more expensive than single-species prevention types/formulas. With climate change temperatures getting warmer, the seasons are getting longer than April to October, and year-around treatment is now being recommended. Human medications used for animals (generally generic, thank goodness) is also prescribed more frequently, but there are plenty of specie specific brand named ones as well. Specialized diets with vet-only distribution and holistic herbs and supplements including Chinese medicines in pet-sized dosages. There aren't enough vets, let alone naturopathic ones, around town that deal with birds. The wild ones won't do pets; the pet ones won't see wild/feral domestic ones (like ducks, geese, or rabbits or small rodent species (hamsters, guinea pigs) or snakes and lizards. IDK anything about vets and farm animal fees for services out in rural American. Are farriers, horse, cattle, and sheep vet charges greatly increased as well?

My previous pooch, a short-haired Mountain Feist, died at age 12 because we were unemployed, and his vet's fees were astronomical at a time of our unemployment, so the vet guessed wrong. He had an adrenal/heart-associated genetically seeded tumor, a pleochromocytoma, but she treated him with a topical script for a chronic skin disease, lupus erythematosis, since we could not afford the imaging or testing required then for invisible cancers. Returning for that testing at a different vet at the vet hospital in town, we learned of his problem after another emergency symptom popped up one day. He had a $6,000 financed surgery then by a referred specialist surgeon/oncologist as it had invaded the lining along his vena cava (not metastatic) that was successful, but he had complications from the anesthesia with post-surgical shock and died before we could be called.

I took my 12-year-old Havanese to a lower cost-clinic for dental cleaning recommended by her regular vet practice (A, VCA-branded practice, under anesthesia and a second opinion on care (surgical vs holistic) of what appeared to be an ACL injury on one leg. The low-cost clinic prognosis said the injury on one leg would lead to an injury on the other leg. I chose holistic anyway since they told me both would heal with homecare restrictions but she'd have arthritis. For a senior dog, anyway, she's done well with those diagnosed injuries. She also flunked that pre-dental blood test to judge readiness for anesthesia. Instead, the low-cost vet told me her numbers were off and she may have Cushings disease (a vet diagnosed chronic trending disease either due to pituitary tumor or adrenal problem) and needed additional expensive testings and medicine because they needed to know which organ was diseased. Same deal in a 12 year old who has a life span that pushes 15-16 years in any case. (same thing here - holistic supplements to hold down her cortisol and improve liver numbers and inflammation) and a plaque preventer in her water (teeth look better though they are probably not) because I just can't afford upwards of $1000 for any surgery anymore and continuous testing/medication change from either practice. I'd never let them purposely suffer with a rapidly approaching painful problem nor take them to a vet or shelter that jumped to say "put 'em down" as the only choice.

Another problem: Both my dogs require 4-6 week groomings. I'm getting too old for bending over in the tub on my knees. Mattes seem to take shape in minutes despite many brushings, and you can't bath them before getting all those out because it tightens the tangled mattes. A mobile groomer used to do both for $120 about every 8 weeks; now she travels the world competitions with her own agility dogs and it got difficult to get the next appointment when the $$$ were available. Now each one costs that much for full-service including nails, etc...Wow, did that go up and you read so many horror stories. People the hair grows back, but the lacerations of ears, tails, genitals, and paws! and brutalities when groomers lose their patience...you need to do a lot of research on each candidate, testimonials, and find excellent ones to prevent even more vet visits or litigation for compensation. I never expected such a fast rise in grooming prices over two decade ago. I pay less at a salon for a cut, wash and style.