How Does This Compare With Your Vet's Pricing?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jackdoodle had his annual exam today. The total bill was $371. You'd think I would no longer be shocked by that, but I always am, lol.

I thought it would be interesting to hear how these prices compare to other vets around the country. (I'm in the Northern suburbs of Chicago).

Here's the breakdown:

Annual exam- 38.00

Fecal parasite screening- 28.00

Bordatella vaccine (intranasal)- 37.00

3-Year Rabies shot- 65.00

County Rabies tag fee- 18.00

Heartworm test- 45.00

Titer for Distemper/Parvo- 86.00

Hazardous waste disposal- 3.00

(The additional 51.00 was for a B12 injection and Tramadol, which would of course not apply to most dogs.)

Hopefully this made some of you feel better, either because your vets charge less or because you were smart enough to get pet insurance. :) 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Yours is comparable to mine and I am in mid Michigan. However my vet just retired and sold his practice 3 weeks ago. I just have a feeling the prices will go up so they can start getting a return on their investment. They used to have all the pricing on their website, but the new owner took them down, not a good sign. Annabelle goes next week for the first time with the new owner. In addition to her heartworm test, I am also going to get her vaxed for Lyme since we live with the deer.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree it's not a good sign that the new vets took the prices off the website. Hopefully they won't go up too much. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have pet insurance but nothing you listed would be paid for under my policy. The extras might be. I skipped the distemper and parvo last year, the vet said the titers would be fine if we took them.
The second person bitten by a coyote in a week got rabies shots. The first coyote was rabid and the second is being tested. I would like my vet to give me the vaccine! I am scared to take the dogs out. In both cases there was a dog. The first one was bitten and is now quarantined since it's rabies shot was not up to date. The second dog escaped being bitten.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That's scary! We have coyotes in my neighborhood, too. 

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

F, I've been thinking about you with these coyote happenings.  I heard they found two dens with the latest occurrence.  Too close to home!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Well of course we are in rural Ohio so you know we are a little cheaper.  Our last visit with AnnaBelle which is when she was 1.5 the office call was $40 but that was for multiple pets (lucy was there too).  The Bordatella was $15 and the Rabies 3yr was 11 She got the Dhlppc which was 13.  I will start doing Titers for that this year.  As long as I have done their heartworm regularly as scheduled year round I don't have the blood test done each year.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I can't believe you only pay $11 for a 3 year rabies shot! 

My vet will not let me skip the blood test for HW even though I was keeping JD on the prevents year round. So now I stop giving it for 3 months in the winter, I think that pays for the blood test, lol. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

BTW, our annual exam is more expensive I thin around $65. The fecal costs more too. And I try to forget the prices :-)

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Im with you F, I just close my eyes and swipe my credit card. It hurts less that way! lol

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It would have been easier if I hadn't scheduled it the week after April 15th, lol. 

[Gail and Bailey]

Bailey's last check-up was Oct 2014.   Total bill $156.50.  

Here is the breakdown...

Office visit-  30.00

Titer for distemper and parvo-  90.50

Bordetella vaccine (intranasal)-  15.00

Rabies (*one year)-  21.00

   (*my vet does not do 3 year rabies because given the high dosage at one time, she thinks there is more of a chance for bad reaction in some dogs)

 ## Blood test for heartworm was given when I first started taking Bailey to this vet.  I assume that she does not do yearly fecal parasite and heartworm tests because I buy all my heartworm and flea and tick meds from her office so she knows Bailey is protected.  However I will be asking her why we don't do them yearly.

Cost for the Heartgard and Nexgard is $169.00 for 6 month supply.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Gail, you might want to ask your vet to check on this, but there is no difference in strength or dosage between a one year rabies shot and a three year shot. The only difference is the labelling on the bottles, which is a legal issue. (And of course the price, lol). The three year shot is not a higher dosage.

http://enlightenme.com/3-year-rabies/

3 Year Rabies Vaccination

For many years, vaccinations for rabies were required yearly. All fifty states have now moved to a three year rabies immunization schedule due to studies that proved that the immunity a rabies vaccine provides lasts far longer than was once thought.

The change raises many questions in the minds of pet owners: Is the three year vaccine stronger? Is it a different type of vaccine, or in a different quantity? Most importantly, what are the risks involved, if any?

Facts About the 3 Year Rabies Vaccination

You might be very surprised to know that the 3 year rabies vaccine is exactly the same formula and the same dose as the once per year vaccine. The only difference is the labeling on the bottle.

The reason for this is due to the differences in state laws. Lawmakers have been slow to realize that research has proven that the effectiveness of the vaccine and the longevity of the immunity it provides lasts beyond the original one year time frame.

As a matter of fact, research is still being conducted even beyond the 3 year mark; it seems that it may be possible that the immunity lasts over longer periods such as 5 to 7 years.