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. :) 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

These prices seem very reasonable. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Seriously I didn't even know about county licenses. I thought the vax and the tag vet gave me was all their was. He never said I needed to do anything else. I know ignorance of the law is not an excuse, but it's all I got. I looked up my county and for a sterilized dog with a 3 year vax, it is $34 or $14 for a 1 year. It really jumps for a non sterilized one. A 3 year non sterilized is $155. The oral bordetella was $20. Guess what I am doing tomorrow? Karen good thing you asked about this or I might never have known.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think the laws vary throughout the country. In my area, the vet gives you the tag, collects the county tag fees and sends the proof of vaccination and paperwork to the county. My village requires you to register the dog and buy a license, but they are pretty lax about enforcing that, and it has nothing to do with the vet.  In the town where I used to live, they would send out letters if you didn't register the dog and buy a village license. I think the county sends the rabies info to the various town boards of health, but I'm not sure about that. F?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Here we need to get a license from the town with proof of vaccination. The Board of Health can check the records, order a quarantine etc,That's what happened with the dog bitten by a rabid coyote, it was quarantined because it's rabies vaccine wasn't up to date. There is a paid employee who monitors quarantines etc. We have coyote stories on the news nightly.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Our Vet didn't even issue the physical rabies tag. We had to go to a County Office to pick it up. This was a first for us! Any place we had ever lived, the Vet always provided the tag. License was $14 the first year...and they would only allow us one yr., because Enz only had the 1 yr Rabies Vac. It would have been $30, intact. This year $31 for a 3 yr license...$76 for intact!

[Marni and Hanna]

Could someone explain to me what a "titer" is?  And why some have fecals done?

thanks !

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

A Titer test tests the antibodies telling the Vet if the animal is actually in need of a vaccine., preventing over vaccination...or unnecessary vaccination.
A fecal is done for internal parasites. Many worms are not shed..I think hookworms, round worms ...there may be more....the eggs are shed, but not the actual worm. Fecala are usually done 3 or 4 times early on as a pup and then done twice a year.. At least that is what our pet plan pays for.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's some information on titer testing: http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/33393350071/vac...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Regarding fecal tests, most veterinary practices recommend them once a year for adult dogs. It's a good idea. Totally non-invasive and not a great expense. It's easy for any dog to pick up a parasite outdoors, and it can be very tough to know if they have them without a fecal. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I do not have decals done unless my dog has symptoms lasting more than a few days. As a physician I think we pet owners do some unnecessary tests,all of which drive costs up. Of course I do advocate for all necessary tests.

[Marni and Hanna]

You ladies are a wealth of information! thanks !

[Julie, Eloise & Beasley]

Yikes, I'm kind of depressed reading through the costs in other areas!  I'm in Cincinnati, but feeling like my vet has some NYC prices.

The breakdown from Eloise's annual exam last June was:

Annual exam - 56

Lepto vaccine - 33

Bordatella - 33

Fecal - 38

Heartworm test - 60

County dog license - 21 (purchased through the county, not vet)

And it seems like all these prices go up $2 each every year, so that's what I'm expecting for this June's exam...and then again for Beasley's in August.  I do like the doctors there, but sheesh! 

I checked E's 3 yr rabies vaccine and that was $31 in 2013.  And, Beasley's 1 yr rabies vaccine last year was $33 (go figure!)  I should stop looking at the bills.