Scratchings-and-Sniffings |
| Keeping Pets Healthy in This Economy Posted: 26 Aug 2009 06:18 AM PDT
I don't answer questions that ask me to second guess what another veterinarian has done or recommended. I'm not saying they are always right or that I might not have handled something differently. It's more about the vagaries of communication and someone's recollection of events. More often than not something is lost in translation and it's just not appropriate to comment if you don't have all the facts. I don't answer questions involving acute, serious illness or accidents either. My answers often show up days if not weeks after I write them. Not very useful in an emergency. Many questioners are looking for some type of OTC remedy or something an owner can do on their own because they can't afford to go to the veterinarian. I get that, but in cases where you really need to see the vet there are not too many great alternatives. While some medical problems don't need immediate attention, it can be downright dangerous to try to provide your own veterinary care for more serious maladies. According to an article I saw the other day, veterinary fees have been rising at an annual rate of around 5.5%. That's much higher than the typical rate of inflation in general and much lower than the rate of inflation for our own health care. Part of that increase is the result of everyday inflation and business costs, but part of it is due to the availability of better veterinary care, too. Virtually anything a physician can do for you, a veterinarian can do for Fido or Fifi. Given that, and barring a serious accident, what can you do to keep your pet healthy and not go broke in the process? I think a car analogy works pretty well here. When I've made long term car "loans" to my kids (AKA giving them a car) I've always given them this piece of advice: Change the oil every 3000 to 5000 miles. It's the one thing that will keep a car running for a long time. What's the analogous example for your pet? Do the annual checkup. It's money well spent and if you do some advance preparation it will save you veterinary expenses in the long term. Make sure that your pet is up on vaccinations and is not carrying a load of intestinal parasites or fleas. Bear in mind that many vaccinations don't have to be done annually anymore but don't use that as an excuse to skip the annual checkup. Write down all those questions you've been meaning to ask. The annual PE is the perfect time to get those answers from the horse's mouth. It can be tough to get a busy vet on the phone sometimes. According to my big book on typical fees charged by veterinarians you can expect to pay somewhere around $133 for a puppy visit and about the same for an adult dog visit. That does not include any flea or heart worm medication if you need it or any diagnostic tests if the exam turns up something suspicious. It should include the physical exam, DHPP vaccination, three year rabies vaccination, fecal exam, giardia screening and heart worm test. That's a lot of prevention. The exam can help pin point any brewing problems, too. If you can catch a disease early in the process there are more choices in how best to manage it. You can also slow or reverse the disease process if you catch it early. Spending a couple of hundred dollars, or less in most cases, on preventive medicine is the best way to save over the life of the pet. Last summer I completed my assimilation into rural New Mexico by buying an old 4X4 pick up truck from a buddy. I drive that truck more than anything except my bike and it has over 150,000 miles. A few new sets of tires and routine oil changes are all that truck has ever needed. Routine annual exams for our pets are like oil changes for your car. And with your pet you can skip the new tires. |
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