[t0nnn]

So, Bailey went into heat 2 weeks ago today. She's 14 months old.....and it sucks!

We have a cloth diaper thing and put 1 to 2 pads in a day. It's just annoying taking it off and on day after day when she goes out to the bathroom! And she looks funny with it on lol ..Hopefully it will be over by next week and we will schedule an appointment to get her spayed.

Brings me to a question, My fiance's brother just spent $400 getting his year old German Shepard fixed at our vet. They justify that price by charging per weight of the animal. Which in my opinion, he got bent over..

I'm gonna do some calling around to some other vets in the area and get some pricing, but is there anything I should look for or any tips you can give me about looking for a vet/hospital?

 

[DaneMama]

To me $400 sounds pretty routine, maybe a bit on the high side, for going to a regular vet. Most likely he had bloodwork and such done which is more than just plain surgical time. They can justify charging extra for a bigger dog because they do require more in terms of injections and anethesia, not to mention the surgery takes longer the bigger the dog. That is why it's always recommended to get dogs spayed/neutered early.

Look for a low cost clinic in your area if you just want a good deal on her spay. They often do have spay/neuter clinics that you don't have to be approved to take advantage of, in other words they are open to the public. Usually they will charge about $100-$150 for a large dog like yours. They can charge so much less because they get grants from the local government to help cover costs. I interned at one for about a year and a half in the spay neuter ward. I will say that your dog will just be a face in the crowd in this situation rather than having the one on one attention she would get at a normal vet.

Are you wanting to find a new vet for other things other than her spay? I can give you some pointers there if you would like...

 

[Unosmom]

Seems expensive, the regular vet here charges around $150, but we also have low cost clinic available through humane society, I paid $50

 

[malluver1005]

I paid $150. But this was when Aspen was 4.5 months old. I didn't want to wait til he weighed over a hundred pounds. Then I would have paid around $500!!

 

[spookychick13]

Yikes that does seem a little high to me.
We charge about 200 for that size dog...and that includes everything, no add on costs.

Look for a low cost spay/neuter clinic in the area perhaps?

Bear in mind most vets don't like to spay them until they're out of heat.

 

[CorgiPaws]

I am so glad I spayed Annie before she ever had to go through this. lol. Sounds like a nightmare.

I paid $40 to have my Corgi neutered at a clinic, and only $90 to have my Boxer spayed, both done around 5 months old. I was very happy with the incisions and outcome of both. My Boxer's spay incision is only about an inch and a half long and healed very very quickly.
Most places do charge by weight.

ETA: if you don't know of a low cost clinic in your area, your local humane society should be able to tell you where the nearest one is. Often times they even do it at the animal shelters for a low rate.

 

[t0nnn]

Thanks for the replies, I'll start looking for one of those clinics. I should have got her spayed when she weighed 40 lbs lol

danemama08: I dunno about the vet, they're always nice, but the doctor is kind of an ass sometimes. They've never asked me what I feed and I've never brought it up to them, they do have the usual Iams prescription crap and all that. There are 2 holistic vets in my area I think i'm gonna give them a call

 

[MandyPug]

Lol... My 15lb Pug cost $400 for a basic spay with no bells and whistles other than fluids. It wouldn't have cost any less anywhere else in my city unless i went to the sketchy clinics.

I can't imagine what a big dog would cost.

 

[CorgiPaws]

unless i went to the sketchy clinics.

What's so sketchy about them?
They're set up by volunteers who care about pet overpopulation.
In my experience, volunteer based organizations care a lot more than paid ones.
Actually, I had no problem paying my vet's $417 price when it came down to Annie's spay.... but the low cost clinic was the ONLY place in the area that would not use Acepromazine on her, and since she is a Boxer, that's a huge deal to me.

 

[MandyPug]

What's so sketchy about them?
They're set up by volunteers who care about pet overpopulation.
In my experience, volunteer based organizations care a lot more than paid ones.
Actually, I had no problem paying my vet's $417 price when it came down to Annie's spay.... but the low cost clinic was the ONLY place in the area that would not use Acepromazine on her, and since she is a Boxer, that's a huge deal to me.

No they're not low cost clinics like you're thinking... They're regular vet clinics that aren't run by volunteers. They're run by vets that have killed dogs before during spays and are dirty places that use outdated methods for many things and are just generally bad news. I'm not gonna sacrifice my dog's safety and wellbeing by going to a sub-par vet clinic known for killing dogs just to get a cheaper price so i paid the $400.

I don't qualify for the low cost spay program here and it's not a clinic set up by volunteers, it's a voucher you get to take to any vet in the city.

 

[CorgiPaws]

No they're not low cost clinics like you're thinking... They're regular vet clinics that aren't run by volunteers. They're run by vets that have killed dogs before during spays and are dirty places that use outdated methods for many things and are just generally bad news. I'm not gonna sacrifice my dog's safety and wellbeing by going to a sub-par vet clinic known for killing dogs just to get a cheaper price so i paid the $400.

I don't qualify for the low cost spay program here and it's not a clinic set up by volunteers, it's a voucher you get to take to any vet in the city.

Ohhhh. Okay. I get it now. I thought you were referring to the low cost ones set up by non profit orgaizations and shelters and the like.
The low cost clinics I've used aren't based on income (although based on income you can qualify for no cost) and are set up by volunteer vets, generally ones who work in their own clinic as well and volunteer their own time to the cause.
Thank goodness I haven't come across what you're talking about. (then again I don't go on vet searches very hard) I don't think I'd be able to keep my mouth shut and would probably get in trouble!

 

[MandyPug]

Ohhhh. Okay. I get it now. I thought you were referring to the low cost ones set up by non profit orgaizations and shelters and the like.

We only have one humane society, three independent cat rescues, one independent dog rescue, and one shelter... So no one can really afford to set up the clinic so the No Kill Alliance (NOKA) sets up these income based vouchers.

The low cost clinics I've used aren't based on income (although based on income you can qualify for no cost) and are set up by volunteer vets, generally ones who work in their own clinic as well and volunteer their own time to the cause.

Yeah, ours are income based because the animal rescue effort stuff is so very underfunded and the city only gives out a certain amount of money to give to NOKA and they can only get a certain number of alters done with that money. Since i still live with my parents and one makes a pretty penny, i get nothing from them. Heck i barely got anything for student loans because of my parental income!

Thank goodness I haven't come across what you're talking about. (then again I don't go on vet searches very hard) I don't think I'd be able to keep my mouth shut and would probably get in trouble!

I've been kicked out of vet clinics before simply for disagreeing with the ever amazing Dr. Joffe Raw Study because i know exactly what happened with that study and who he manipulated to do it.

 

[CorgiPaws]

We only have one humane society, three independent cat rescues, one independent dog rescue, and one shelter... So no one can really afford to set up the clinic so the No Kill Alliance (NOKA) sets up these income based vouchers.

That's a shame.
I have actually heard some scary things about some independent rescues. I'm sure they mean well and that some are fantastic. There was actually an episode of Animal Cops that delt with an independent rescue that was awful. Literally made me cry. (okay so almost every episode does that.)

Heck i barely got anything for student loans because of my parental income!

I know it's off topic but I totally get this. My former stepdad made really good money (though he's a drunk and spends it ALL on booze and has NOTHING to his name, despite making about 80 grand a year with NO children to take care of, and a paid off vehicle.) and even though he and my mom (who makes nothing) were separated for three years, and had filed for divorce at the time i did my FAFSA, they made me claim his income because the divorce wasn't final, and I got nothing. What made me even more mad is they said "But apply when the divorce is final, you'll qualify for a lot of grant money." so they even knew they were totally screwing us over.

I've been kicked out of vet clinics before simply for disagreeing with the ever amazing Dr. Joffe Raw Study because i know exactly what happened with that study and who he manipulated to do it.

I will have to google this study, I've never herd of it.
I had a vet tell me that a raw diet would kill my Corgi.
This was the SAME vet that told me carbs were killing my Corgi.
I love how when it comes to nutrition, vets don't know one little thing.

 

[t0nnn]

Bringing this back to life....

My friend just told me about this organization called friends of animals. Friends of Animals | Spay and Neuter Certificate Information

You buy a certificate and search on the site for vets that accept it and you only have to pay another $90 +/- for the spay/neuter depending on the vet.
* Female Cat $65.00
* Male Cat $51.00
* Female Dog $90.00
* Male Dog $64.00

I think I may do this, total cost may be $200, but it's a lot cheaper than paying $400+ by just going to the vet and getting it done