The cost of an emergency vet visit varies greatly depending on factors such as location, animal species, breed, size, and the severity of the condition. For instance, a minor ailment visit can cost around $400 CAD, while treatment for a serious ailment requiring hospitalization can be anywhere from $250 to $10,000. The average cost for a vet visit is about $61, but additional costs can add up quickly if your pet has additional health care needs, such as medical treatment and medication.
Emergency vet visits can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the severity of the case. On average, an emergency vet visit costs $800-1500, but complex procedures can exceed $5000. Emergency exams can cost $100-$200, and overnight stays can cost $1,000-$2,000. Diagnostic tests may or may not include these costs.
Several factors can influence the cost of an emergency vet visit without insurance, including the severity of the condition and the need for diagnostic tests. If your pet has an emergency, contact your veterinary emergency services provider immediately. For dogs, the cost is between $475 – $1,080. An ER exam costs $100-$200, an ultrasound costs $300-$600, wound treatment and repair costs $800-$1,500, and consultation costs $100-$150.
📹 Tips from a vet on emergency visits and the cost | Part 1
What do you do when your pet needs emergency medical care and how do you pay for it? Depending on the emergency, care can …
What if I don’t have money to go to the vet?
If you can’t afford a vet, you can find financially friendly providers of spay/neuter and other services by visiting Pet Help Finder and searching for “Veterinary Services”. If your animal requires emergency veterinary care, contact nearby veterinary colleges to see if they have any emergency assistance programs. If you’re unsure what qualifies as emergency veterinary care, call your veterinarian and describe the symptoms. Some animal shelter and community clinics also provide emergency care on a limited basis.
To help cover veterinary expenses, negotiate a payment plan with your veterinarian, use a second opinion, use a less expensive area or look for discounted services for public animals. Check out local veterinary colleges, which may operate low-cost clinics for limited income clients.
Fundraising and temporary credit options include Care Credit, ScratchPay, donations from clients for a fund held in reserve, GoFundMe, Waggle, and local rescue groups and shelters. Be sure to understand the repayment terms and repayment terms to avoid interest-free repayments.
In summary, finding affordable and accessible veterinary care can be challenging, but there are several options available to help you cover your pet’s expenses.
Are vets overcharging?
The CMA has identified several concerns in the veterinary market, including overpaying pet owners for medicines and inadequate information about treatments. The review prompted 56, 000 responses from pet owners and professionals. The concerns include lack of information about the best veterinary practices, weak competition due to concentrated local markets, incentives from large corporate groups to reduce choice, and an outdated regulatory framework. The watchdog has provisionally decided to launch a formal market investigation based on its initial analysis of the issues raised in the sector and is currently consulting on this proposal.
Why do vets charge so much?
Veterinarian clinics, like human hospitals, require expensive diagnostic equipment, including state-of-the-art digital x-ray and ultrasound machines, in-house laboratory equipment, and anesthesia machines for surgical safety. Surgical instruments and physical examination tools also contribute to the cost of practicing good medicine.
The healthcare for pets requires a large team of professionals, including receptionists, veterinary technicians, veterinarians, animal care personnel, and a pharmacy. A veterinary hospital is more than just a primary care physician’s office, radiology center, laboratory, rehabilitation clinic, day care center, pharmacy, and food store. This complex structure results in various charges on one bill, but the efficiency and speed of the veterinary team may make it more cost-effective.
How much is a vet home visit in the UK?
Mobile vet services are offered to ensure your pet’s well-being, with consultation prices starting at £95 for a home visit, health check, and consultation, and £170 for a puppy vaccination course. The service is unique in the area, as it only sees a few clients daily and takes time to reach each house. Prices may be higher than typical veterinary practices due to the high volume of clients. Costs will be discussed during consultation before starting further investigations or treatment.
How much is an emergency vet appointment near me?
The average cost of an emergency vet consultation in the UK is £253. 34, with Scotland having the highest cost at £279. 60 and Northern England having the cheapest at £212. 29. This information is based on research by ManyPets in December 2023. If you’re browsing a website, you may be mistaken for a bot due to factors such as speed, disabled cookies, or a third-party plugin preventing JavaScript from running. To regain access, ensure cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.
Do vets charge for a follow-up visit?
The Healthy Pet Club offers consultations by appointment only, with an initial consultation fee charged for new or ongoing conditions. Regular consultations include vaccinations, six-month health checks, weight checks, and flea and worming treatment. It is recommended that all pets see a vet at least once a year for early detection of health concerns. Some routine consultations may be carried out by trained veterinary nurses (RVNs), who offer professional advice to keep pets fit and healthy.
The Healthy Pet Club membership includes a clinical examination by a vet at annual vaccination appointments, essential annual vaccinations, a six-month health check with a nurse, and vet prescribed parasite treatment.
How much does an emergency vet appointment cost in the UK?
Vet consultation fees for dogs can range from £30 to £60, depending on the time of day and the appointment. Standard consultations can cost between £50 and £60, while emergency appointments can cost between £200 and £300. Vet fees can range from initial consultations to more expensive treatments like x-rays and operations. The exact cost depends on the vet and the dog’s specific needs. Ballpark figures for average vet costs in the UK for dogs include £30 for a consultation, £50 to £60 for a standard consultation, and £200 to £300 for emergency appointments.
Can vets charge what they like?
The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 allows veterinary surgeons to charge fees for services provided, but the Royal College of Veterinarians (RCVS) has no jurisdiction over these fees. Fees are a matter for negotiation between the surgeon and client and may vary between practices and be influenced by factors like facilities and emergency call arrangements. It is important to explain these factors to clients. Pricing practices should comply with consumer protection legislation and not be false or misleading, and should not be misleading.
How much is a vet visit for a dog without insurance UK?
Pet insurance can assist in reducing the financial burden associated with veterinary care, particularly for costly procedures such as surgeries or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The mean claim cost for pet insurance is £848, according to the ABI. Confused. com provides an online platform for obtaining quotes for pet insurance, enabling customers to select a desired level of coverage.
What happens if you can’t afford a vet bill in the UK?
Vets may offer payment plans through credit companies to help spread the cost of pet care. However, not all vets offer this option, so it’s important to ask if it’s suitable for you. To determine if a payment plan is right for you, contact The Money Advice Service. Seeking advice quickly can reduce costs and improve your pet’s health. The first step is to contact your local vet, who can provide advice on alternative options. If your vet is unable to provide advice, consider other options, such as reduced costs or free treatment through pet insurance providers. Your vet may also provide treatment directly.
How much are most vet visits?
Routine check-ups are essential for pet owners to ensure their pet’s health and prevent potential issues from worsening into larger problems. These exams, typically costing $50 to $80 per pet, involve a thorough examination of the pet’s nose-to-tail, identifying abnormalities, and discussing the benefits of additional treatments. Common health issues detected include arthritis, dental disease, lumps or bumps, heart conditions, and obesity. Vets may also perform additional wellness services, such as vaccines, parasite testing, microchipping, or geriatric screenings, alongside the routine checkup.
📹 7 Things to Never Say to Your Vet
Dr. Andrew Jones shares the “7 Things to Never Say to Your Vet” to help you build a better relationship with your veterinarian and …
Number 5 is how I ended up adopting a 12 year old Bichon Frise. I’m a vet nurse and answered the phone call from his owner wanting to book him in for euthanasia as they were moving house and didn’t want to take him with them. I was familiar with her dog as she had brought him in a few times just prior to this wanting medication for his “anxiety”. Yeah, she requested Valium by name (was that number 6 or 7?) The vet prescribed Endep (tricyclic antidepressant) instead, and the owner wasn’t happy with that, so kept bringing him in to try and get Valium. I have a soft spot for bichons, they’re one of my favourite breeds (I know, they’re notoriously awful patients, but super sweet, intelligent, ridiculously cute pets)and I had owned 2 before him, so he was also memorable to me for that reason. It was probably very unprofessional of me, but I asked if she would consider letting me adopt him, and fortunately she agreed. The cold hearted b### had her 18 year old son drop him off to my house, he said a very tearful goodbye and told me that the dog had been his 6th birthday present. It was horrible and so sad, but he wasn’t ready or able to move out of his parents’ house and take his dog. I felt so awful for the kid, and I told him that he was welcome to check in on the dog any time, and he did, just once at Christmas time when he brought me a card thanking me for saving his dog from being put down. Little Ralphie had another happy 3 years with me, adopting a senior dog and letting him live his best life during his twilight years was a really rewarding experience, I highly recommend it!
You helped me through a crisis with my cat, who had an open abscess on his jaw. They are beautiful caring people at the Veterinary Office, but when they were going to keep my cat in office and treat him, the starting cost to the treatment equaled my monthly housing cost. I declined hospitalizing my cat and took the antibiotics for him. I begged them for instructions on how to care for him at home and was only told to keep the wound open and clean. They were so mad at me, and expected my cat to die! Afterwards I went on an information hunt, talking to rancher friends, a previous vet tech, and searching online for instructions (I found you)… also, our local farm & ranch supply had a number of products for stock that were useful… a sterile medicated wound cleaning solution was a cat saver! That, and one of those baby nose syringes… I set up a home hospital, and took care of my cat’s wound on a 3x a day schedule irrigating the wound, keeping it clean, clipping the dead edge of skin. He was such a patient little cat, and was totally back to normal within a couple of weeks… and I was still able to pay my housing cost! I really value our veterinarians, but sometimes we need in-home care instructions to put good care of our pets within our reach!
Thank you Dr Jones. I agree 200%. My dog is 12.5 years old. She gets the 3-year Rabies (obligatory in Ontario, Canada); no annual “boosters” as she is no longer running after the wild critters off leash in the woods; and no heart worm meds after she turned 2. She has all kinds of healthy “human” grade toppings that are non-toxic for dogs. In fact, I believe she eats better than me 😂 I also love the home meds that you have shared in your other articles – we use Benadryl for allergies, Aspirin for pain, glucosamine chondroitin MSM… I wished there’re more GENUINE vets like you! ❤🙏🏻
This past year I went to a closer vet that I used to use years ago, for my dogs yeast ear infection. I tried your remedies and they didn’t work for me. He mentioned that I hadn’t been in in quite a while and I said they had misdiagnosed so many things I went to another vet, but he had now retired so I was trying them again. That set him back but he was polite and said they would try better. I told him the problem, said it was a YEAST infection due to feeding something I shouldn’t have and he prescribed the meds. I asked again if it was for YEAST and he said it was for “everything”. I did 10 days of the drops and it did NOTHING! I called them to see what they suggested and was told to come back in (30 minute drive each way plus another $60 for meds) and get some different drops. These ones SAID it was for yeast and the ear was improved in 2 days (although I did finish the prescription). I also want to mention that another vet previously, who I knew quite well, told me that he retired when he saw that they were TEACHING the new vets to charge huge fees because the ones that could pay would come and pay and the ones that couldn’t….well, they didn’t care about “us”. He said that was his cue to get out of the industry.
Took my Maine coon cat to the vet for a flea allergy. I told him my cat was pregnant but he argued with me that she wasn’t. I saw her mate several times and her nipples were developing so I’m pretty sure she was. Well, he gave her medication. Later she had kittens. Every single one of them was either born with severe cleft lips and palates or were born dead. It was heartbreaking because the live ones soon died because they were suffocating on their mother’s milk. Two days later she delivered a dead kitten. It was the last one I had to bury. She was traumatized. I found an abandoned kitten. Gave it a bath to remover any foreign odor from him and gave it to her. She love that kitten and treated it like gold. He became a fat little butterball. I never went back to that vet. She got over her allergy and never got it again. I don’t know why she got over it . She still picked up fleas occasionally. I had her for over 20 years and she never had any other kittens born deformed or dead.
One thing vets should never say to their sobbing client who has come in with their aging sick dog for that final appointment. “Are you sure?” That question still haunts me. One of the worst days of my life, and instead of remembering how I held her and loved her and was there with her, all I hear is that vet’s voice, “Are you sure?” echoing in my mind. Deep deep painful guilt piled on top of the deep deep pain of loss.
My friend had an argument with the vet about yearly vaccine. Vet said your dog needs it every year, she said no he doesn’t. Anyway my friend had a private blood test taken when the results came back she showed her vet boy he was not happy. Blood test showed her dog had at least 5yrs cover and didn’t need it. So basically vets are pumping vaccines in every year when they don’t need it. This is why a High percentage of dogs are back and forwards to the vets. This was also concluded in a trial many years ago.
My old vet almost killed my dog…multiple times! She was diabetic, and the vet would not listen to me when I told her about the reactions she had to the insulin and drugs she was on! They actually wanted to put her to sleep, when I told her she had a bladder infection! She was so lethargic, and we had her scheduled to be put to sleep on Monday. Over the weekend I took her off all of her drugs except her insulin and antibiotics, and two days later, she was up and playing! Changed vets after that! How that woman passed veterinary school is beyond me! My baby lived for two 1/2 more years. Finally passed away from old age & cancer.
There are good vets and terrible vets. Money driven vets and vets who are reasonable and discussing options. Most vets I’ve found are nice… but when you get a bad one it is brutal. I was so blessed to find several vets perfect for my dog .. he lived to 17 and was a happy guy at the doctor’s visits. I found one that I left half way thru the visit and cried in my car! My pet’s safety and happiness is my goal. So happy I found a few who feel the same.
I had a Lhasa Apso in 2011 that I took for regular visit to the Vet. He said she had maybe a week to live due to cancer in her chest cavity, though he couldn’t find a tumor. Fluid build up and bloodwork convinced him of this. He prescribed Lasix and Prednisone. I asked if there was any alternative-type medicine I could try, he said I’d be wasting my money, he was doing all there was to do. I looked online and found your site as well as others to see what I could do. I bought several supplements and started her on them. I did not tell him. She was still alive on her next visit 6 months later. He was shocked that she was still alive. Said there was no sign of cancer. He said what he gave her must have cured her, even though he told me initially it wasn’t a cure, just something to alleviate the symptoms. 3 Years later on her regular visit, he said the cancer had come back, that she had days to live, and that I really needed to put her down. I said “thanks” and I left. I checked for another Vet the same day, they agreed to take a look. They said she did not have cancer, but rather Chylothorax, and that meds could help her. Long story short, she lived another 2 years until I finally had to put her down. Many Vets do not want to be told any other options other than their own.
I did number 7 and told him about this guy on the internet that had a remedy for kennel cough last year, told him what I was doing and he was actually on board with it. Lol. SOOOOO much respect for your opinion on the shots too. Sir, your website is a GIFT and you are doing incredible work. Cant thank you enough for simply being honest.
I am new to learning about treating my dogs with natural home remedies or meds that are readily available and safe for dogs. I’ve been perusal your articles for a couple of years now, and you’ve helped me and my dogs MUCH more than any vet. Our 13 year old St. Bernard/New Foundland hasn’t really been able to walk without assistance in about 6 months. X-rays show she has terrible arthritis. They were ready to try laser therapy and a shot, but after that they recommended thinking about euthanasia for her. She’s an otherwise healthy dog! I watched your articles on treating arthritis in dogs…she’s now on 3 supplements and while she’s not running any laps…she’s certainly improving beyond expectations! Thank you for all you do!! We are so thankful for your wealth of knowledge and information and your willingness to share it with us!! ❤️
My dog had Leukaemia and had trouble breathing. I phoned Elderdog and asked for help. They said that they would be happy to pay for as much oxygen, the mask and the regulator. Our vet declined saying SHE wasn’t comfortable with that and gave us a prescription for OxyContin which made my dog seize. My dog passed January 3 this year. She could probably have made it a few more months without the horrible drugs but the gift of oxygen. I miss my girl
I ❤️ my vet and so do my 2 boxers. Both have terminal illnesses. Chinese herbs, mushrooms, cimetidine, benadryl and CBD oil keeping them at good levels. I decided no vaccines from now on but do heartworm prevention as I live in Arkansas, USA. The CBD oil you recommended in the past has helped so much with my 11 year old dementia baby. Our visit with my vet was last week and he agreed with my plan not to add anything else to their med regime. We are staying on what is helping currently and they will live their best life until it isn’t. Lots of love and pets, scratches and cuddles. Vets as a profession have a super high suicide rate. Please make sure your Vet knows they are appreciated and valued. If you can, let them know if they need to talk you’re willing to listen. You Dr Jones are an awesome human being and an even more awesome Vet. Thank you!
My 19 year old chihuahua has only gotten vaccinated when she was a puppy and that was it. She is still going strong and have always declined her getting any additional vaccines/heartworm meds when I go in for her yearly checkups. Also might add she was considered the “runt” of the litter. I really feel it’s about the combination of what you feed them and the water they drink. I have never given her tap water. Also give her CBD oil and of course plenty of love. Edit:Forgot to mention oral hygiene. She still has all her teeth. I brush them every other day.
These are awesome tips! After having only one vet for almost all my life, he retired. The new vet was lovely and kind as well. My family was lucky enough to own three labs, the last we adopted because he was being abused. He was a behavioral nightmare, but mostly because he was high energy, and we were getting older. He was loving and sweet, just didn’t have an “off” button. We certainly never considered euthanasia, and we worried that another adoptive family might not understand his “special needs.” When a personal situation forced me into seeking an adoptive family, I turned to my vet, who was well aware of his personality. Our vet found a couple who had miles of land for our dog to run—-hiking trails, and a dad who was so excited to get a big dog that he held a doggie shower! We owe everything to our vet, and this wonderful man. I rest easy at night knowing I didn’t abandon my doggie to a family that couldn’t handle him. I have the utmost respect for you and all the veterinarians who work diligently to take care of our precious animals!
My dog is 17, haven’t had him to a vet in years, maybe since he was 12, it was such a traumatic experience for him, so I decided at 12 years of age, I’m not putting him thru this anymore. For 17, he’s pretty healthy, his back legs are weak of course he struggles at times to get up, I make most of his food, boiled free range chicken, and organic ground beef, the occasional steak for a special treat, when it’s time, I will help him cross the rainbow bridge with the help of a vet. If love could keep him alive, he would live forever 💗
We live in the southeastern United States. Heartworms are extremely prevalent here. I work in rescue and approximately 30% of our rescues come into rescue heartworm positive. Treatment is painful and expensive (much more expensive than preventative), not to mention frustrating for the dog as you must keep them “quiet” for months–no running around and playing and just being a happy dog. Heartworm positive dogs must stay in rescue longer (until the heartworms are treated)–so other dogs don’t get that space and die because we can’t take the dog in, and any necessary surgery must be delayed until the heartworms are treated. If the surgery cannot be delayed, that puts the dog at greater risk for poor surgical outcomes. We feel that we would be remiss NOT to provide our own dogs with heartworm preventative (year round) and we require all adoptors to give it to the dog(s) they adopt (year round). If you live in an area where heartworms are rare, fine. But if you live in an area where heartworms are common, the risks of giving preventative are far less than the risks of the disease. Just my experience and I do trust my vet (who went to school for 8 years and has a DVM degree—which I do not) when she says “keep your dogs on heartworm preventative”.
I am eternally grateful to you Dr Jones. I have found a new vet on the island I live that she seems to be on the same page as you. Practices Chinese and western med. No ❤or flea tic preventive. Ok with just testing twice a year. And I would’ve never even sought her out if not for you! May God bless you good sir!
I have great vet specialists for my dog. I told them holistic treatments I am using and raw feeding and they were very supportive. His internists even recommended natural treatments to build up his muscles after his stroke and Cushings. I told her my regular vet wanted him to come in for his shots (rabies shot is required by law) and she said absolutely not especially with his health conditions and sent me a waiver. I consider my Adam and myself lucky to have found these vets in my area. Thank you for all of your informative articles!
It goes both ways regarding having a respectful discussion with listening skills. My observations have been negated at some visits which have sent me running to another practice to have the proper tests run for an accurate diagnosis. Listening to the client who lives with the animal & knows their health history is very important.
I watched your article on making home made cat food few weeks ago and my picky eater cat loved it. I’ve been making her home made food for a month now and saw that her fur had significantly improve and she doesn’t vomit hairball anymore as she can pass it through her stool! So glad that I found your article!
I’ve been coming here and doing my own research and, multiple personal dog experiences, this website has helped me and has covered all of the important issues I’ve run across. Except one. Maybe I overlooked it, but it seems to me and I’ve personally observed the transformation of vetranary clinics over last 8 or so yrs becoming an Association and the all follow Big Pharma type unneccassary tests and medications. It’s become so much ALL about the money. My heart and condolences go out to every pet owner who’s carried their half lifeless dog or cat into the emergency vet only to confront the heartless greedy money wanting bloodsuckers and won’t even help your best friend until the money is worked out. I no longer patronized my local vet. Went Hollistic, even doing acupuncture and chiro on mine currently with measurable successs. This website is doing Gods work. Thank you for making these vids. Have helped my furry friend countless times with info I’ve gotten by perusal your articles.
A conscientious veterinarian told me that she was seeing sick dogs from all over the USA when she introduced herself to me. She was seeing so many people because she was the only vet within hundreds of miles that was only charging a few hundred dollars to take care of complete heart test and dental extraction and cleaning for those dogs with bad teeth. I now share the info that she shared with me to as many people as I can about the Paleo diet for dogs. Dogs are supposed to have enzymes from moist food and that is what helps keep their teeth healthy. Dry food has too many carbs and causes gingivitis. I feed raw, organ meat, goat milk, dried duck chews, bully chews, vegetables, fruits, quinoa, etc. For dogs that might have yeast or other skin issues there is an indoor bath at some stores where they have peroxide shower to disinfect the pups coat and gear. I make my own Colloidal silver to spray as needed for any issues.
I’ve been very upfront with both my vets. I have an holistic vet and a regular vet. The holistic vet does not do teeth cleaning or any possible surgeries. They are aware that I use them both depending on the issue, and occasionally, I’ve consulted both about a specific problem before deciding on the best course of action. Both vets are realistically priced, and I do not feel pushed into treatments as both respect my wishes and they are more than happy to discuss options. Best of both worlds!!!
One of my dogs was limping I was concerned about Lyme disease. I was drinking green juice at the time lemon kiwi and apple everything with the skins and seeds and everything. I read in a book that we could feed that to animals and I fed to my dog, in two hours she was not limping anymore. I continue to feed her twice a day the juice for seven days and she was great. I set up an appointment with the vet because I wanna make sure she have an exam and she doesn’t have Lyme disease I told him what I gave it to her and he told me that it’s an anti-inflammatory. Now I know my juice name is an anti-inflammatory lol otherwise I would just call green juice.😅 IT HEALED/HEALS MY AND DOGS ARTHRITIS, MY DOGS FLIES RUNNING WHEN TAKING IT. It ACTS AMAZING ON OUR JOINTS. ITS FOR SURE DIVINE!!!🙏🙏
I always start my seminars with students going into the vet field talking about debt. Suicide rates are way to high in our field. A lot of this has to do with the debt load, stress load and financial burden. There was a wonderful Ted talk I attended awhile back in Coeurdalene Idaho that talks about it. The fact that most of us know someone whose taken their own life over this job is terrifying.
I had a friend have her four year old cavoodle euthanised because it kept fighting with her other dogs. She wanted to punish her husband so she had her dog put down. When I told her she could simply surrender the dog so it could go to a loving home, she said no, it was her dog and she didn’t want to see it with anyone else. The dog simply wanted to be a one dog family. I’m no longer in contact with her. It’s a very narcissistic attitude to say ‘if i can’t have it, nobody can’.
Well, I went ahead and told my veterinarian that my last three dogs have died from cancer and it’s either the air they’re breathing, the food they were getting or vaccinations and I’m taking care of all three. She totally understood because if she didn’t understand I was going to find another veterinarian. I told her about the man in Congress who was a veterinarian and said vaccines are killing our dogs and Congress said Yep continue doing what you have to do. These guidelines suck and I think a lot of veterinarians know it. Cancer is now huge for dogs. I feed my dogs a cooked diet that I prepare every day. Walk them every day. Give them lots of love and filtered water. I will take them to the veterinarian if they really need help but they are doing very well. Praise God.
I have fought vets so many time because of most of these. Thank goodness I found my current vet. He listens to me, understands that i know a lot of info and we work together on treatments for my dogs. I trust him way more than any other vet I have gone to. You are an awesome vet for being so open to other ways of treating dogs and sharing what you know. Thank you for your articles.
I don’t lie to my vet when asked certain questions, but I don’t volunteer information that insults their ego. Some vets are condescending and arrogant, and after Covid, they’ve become worse. I’ve been gaslit and my pet has suffered because of it. Medications and treatments have been used on my pet without informing me of the pros/cons beforehand. My dog developed a tumor that his vet thought would outlive him, but it didn’t. He didn’t do anything about it and now it’s the size of a small grapefruit. It recently opened and now I have to spend thousands on a surgeon when it could’ve been removed at a vet’s office when it was more manageable. Aside from this my dog still runs around, eats well, and loves his life. I cook my dog’s meals and stopped vaccinating at 8, he’s now 17 and thriving. I’ve used a holistic animal desk reference for ailments that I’m familiar with, but I don’t rely on internet influencers to treat my pet. I’ve lost complete respect for the veterinary profession but fortunately, I’ve found a new vet who is kind, professional and addresses all my concerns. She genuinely cares for the wellness of my pet, and aside from her, I will never blindly trust a veterinarian or medical doctor. The relationship isn’t transactional. We’re dealing with lives.
I had a vet (briefly) who went into overdrive with medication when my dog had a scratch rash. He pumped him up with a couple of powerful antibiotics and steroids and my healthy dog died within 6 months from a cardiac arrest. Thankfully now I have a wonderful vet who is open to all 6 things you’ve mentioned and yet is proactive without overmedicating my youngest dog.
I learned this lesson when I was fostering a dog and we visited the conventional vet. He didn’t want to hear that the dog might have food allergies. He didn’t want to hear that we could use natural remedies to clear out ear infections…Thinking back, you are right, there are some things you don’t mention to a vet unless you want to be read the riot act.
Ugh. I’ve taken my 13 yr old to Petsmart and I’ve told them I don’t want her vaccinated. They respond with “well, it’s required by the state of TX that they need to be vaccinated with the rabies shot.” I’m like, she’s got acute pancreatitis, and a heart murmur, so I’m not going to allow anyone to mess with her immunity.”
I have a good vet, he comes to my home, I consider myself very fortunate, because being paraplegic, it’s a relief to know that I can get quality veterinary care for my animal. He’s been coming to my home for almost thirty years, and if I have a question about what to feed my animal or a problem I’m experiencing. I always ask for is informed opinion. And that’s really what I’m paying for, is the benefit of his education, if I wanted to use an alternative treatment, I would ask him, what is thoughts were on the matter. There’s an old adage I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV!
I guess I’m lucky. My vets are very open to alternative treatments. When my Maltese was having back issues, two of my vets recommended that I take him to an animal certified chiropractor – after conventional methods failed. Best advice ever! And he – the chiropractor – gave me the name of a vet who practiced acupuncture – which was a game-changer for my dog. After just one treatment, my little dog who had not been able to use his back legs prior to the treatment, was up walking across the room just 24 hours later. The vet who performed the treatment warned me prior to giving it, not to get my hopes up, but he surprised us both. Trying something “outside the box” can be just what your pet needs. But then, I’m in human healthcare, and have always been receptive to other forms of care.
I want to thank you for helping us folks I am 70 years old and on a pension recently my 13 year old chihuahua had a bad eye infection so I used chamomile tea bags like you suggested and within 5 days his eye was healed ! You saved me over 200+ dollars right there! Thank you Dr Jones! also my dog and cat live strictly indoors and my vet was always pressuring me with letters and phone calls to take them for vaccines, kennel cough. heart worm meds etc all very expensive which I struggle to pay for! I have now stopped all that. I look after both of them and they are in good health. One day l hope we will be able to get CDB oil for animals here in Australia Thank You and MERRY CHRISTMAS
I enjoyed this article, even if maybe for slightly different reasons than it was intended for. These were a handful of pet peeves for vets. They tell me what a vast variety of different people and different belief systems a vet encounters in their clients owners. But in the broader sense this article is about owner-vet communication. I own cats and find the communication with vets extremely difficult, it just goes wrong very easily and very often. There just is a communication abyss that I can’t seem to overcome. 1) as a layman telling my pets symptoms and why I decided to bring the pet to be seen by a vet without the skill to preselect relevant from irrelevant. I am not trained to give them the clinic as another vet would be able to. And because I know that I am not a vet and because I know that I don’t know relevant from irrelevant I try to be at least comprehensive just in case some observations I made could help. I expect the vet to have the time to listen and to do the work of sorting relevant from irrelevant. Unfortunately they rarely if ever have that time and seem to zoom out after 1 sentence. I have now made the habit to train what I say before the vet visit because I know that I have 2 sentences maximum. A lot of information isn’t conveyed. Sometimes crucial things that I only learned were crucial in retrospect. When it was too late. 2) owners are probably very different. I need to know details even if I don’t understand them there and then. I do google and I do try to read up on things to the best of my layman ability.
My dog was getting massive headaches and losing her vision and hearing off and on. I tried to explain this to the vet and they looked at me like I was crazy. “How do you know she has headaches?” Because she pushes her head into the floor as hard as possible, is panting and whining distressed. Vet looks in her ears and a check glance at her eyes: she’s fine. 4 months later I wake up to her passed away. Now I realize it was probably had a stroke last year and developed focal seizures. A few more strokes and seizures got worse, then idk blood clot or maybe stroke is why she passed. I’m really glad I had known deep down she was very sick so i always tried to do fun things with her, give her lots of attention and treats. I was up in the middle of the night a few hours before she left, giving her pets and treats, she was wide awake and knew what was going on. Owners know their pets, they are our best friends. But I’m glad I didn’t take her back to the vet since they didn’t listen, weren’t going to treat the symptoms but test and “try this – try that” (which had killed my cat many years before with a different vet) which would have been a waste of money and, more importantly, tortured poor little Pearl in her final months. RIP Pearly girl – I miss you
I don’t like the fact that our Vet will NOT examine my dog in front of us! The dog had a lump removed from his butt, they prescribed 2 pain meds, one being Gabapentin? Refused the G. After I passed on some of the additional stuff, like E Collar etc, (cant reach his butt….long body) they padded the bill with misc crap. I find it peculiar and underhanded. I will stand my ground with a Vet as I’m not dumb. As far as them going Corp, subsidiary of Mars started that……. all about the $$$$$, therefore we stay away from those.
I’ve got to be one of the luckiest people on the planet. We “had” a fantastic vet but ended up moving. I assumed finding a replacement would be a major issue but our first try turned out to be a massive success! Besides regular checkups / maintenance visits they performed some absolute miracles on emergency visits! One of our horses is… well… accident prone. They saved him twice!
I brush my dogs teeth every day, and when I took him in to a new vet for the first time she commented how great his teeth looked. I told her how I brush them every day. She told me even she doesn’t do that to her dogs, and she then encouraged me that I should still purchase a special dental food diet as well ( I really don’t know why). I did not say anything, but afterwards I read the ingredients of the food and the first ingredients were corn and did not look good at all!
I completely agree with everything you tell us, when I was a kid our dogs were in their late teens 14- 15- 16 before we would loose one, now if we get ten years out of a dog it’s normal.. the only thing that has changed is we don’t feed them table scraps and they get their shots every year. It speaks volumes.
My biggest problem with vets is that they virtually demand that you give your pet the “gold level” treatment, even though they won’t understand why they’re wearing the “Cone of shame” or why you’re forcing pills into their mouth. The vets need to be more understanding that people have different levels of expectations about their pet’s care – anywhere from “do everything, at any cost!” To “what’s the cheapest method of treating this”
Yuo ate right! When I got my dog 12 years ago, vet bills were reasonable. Fees are so high now I can’t afford to take my dog to the vet. I just had some things done for my dog, and it was almost 3000. This really set me back financially. I can only imagine how many dogs are suffering due to the high vet bills and their owners can’t afford to help their poor dogs. This is heartbreaking to an owner who loves their dog. For these reasons I’ll not be getting another dog. Just couldn’t afford the vet bills.
I’ll never not say these things sometimes. It’s a good way to screen a new vet. 😉 I had a raw food discussion with my vet & a student. The vet talked about the dangers of raw. I explained the dog’s gut bio is different than ours and pointed out that lots of dogs eat all kinds of (fresh) poop & are fine. I asked if they didn’t think it’s weird that dog poop takes forever to decompose. Gosh they hadn’t noticed. I told them when I was a kid 50 yrs ago that dog poop turned white in just a few days and crumbled away; that commercial foods have changed & whatever they did to it almost, if not completely, stops the decomposition. They were dumbfounded and had no explanation. There’s a rarity!
Bless you for all you do, Doc!!! 🙏 I lost my 11 yo fur baby several months ago to heart disease. He had a multitude of other challenging health situations that he was born with & had a wonderful veterinarian who also practiced animal chiropractic & acupuncture and was open minded and recommended alternative medicines/supplements. The last days of my dog’s life happened over a holiday weekend where my vet’s office was closed. My vet was already out of the office & his staff and another vet in the same practice handled my very valid concerns so extremely poorly. They basically shooed me off telling me to stop a med we had recently started until my vet was back & could do more. By the actual holiday day, my dog collapsed & ended up in the veterinary ER for hours because they were so busy. That is a long story in itself but, bottom line, is I had to make the heart wrenching choice of euthanasia. My grief was so overwhelming & I’m crying as I write this. My boy was everything to me! My feelings towards my vet’s office led me to choose a different vet when I recently adopted a rescue puppy & this new vet is really closed minded. I miss my old vet & want to go back but I have such horrible feelings towards them. To be clear, I do not believe my dog could have been saved… it was his time. My anger & grief stems from the fact that my baby was in an atmosphere of pure chaos & stress for many hours at the E-vet before I demanded to just bring him home. That’s when the E-vet showed me his test results.
I am a Vet tech student. #8 he/she hurt her paw yesterday…. or X simptoms started yesterday… we know that paw injury is long enough to have an infection… so dont lie, it hurts your pet even further if you do not tell us exactly what happened. Please be honest, vets and techs are not here to judge. We are here to help 😊
Thanks and I agree totally with you. With so many Vets going Corp things have changed so very much for my ability to do well by my kids- both cats and dogs. I the last 3 years thing have gone from me working hand in hand with my Vets to them coming in with a diagnosis and meds without talking with me- other then the initial discussion of the problem. Then they give a bill with bogus charges and escalated prices. Example is office visit has tripled. I have no problem paying for good services but not it is only get them in and out- just like people. I know the price increase is from the Company the Vets are working for but I hate hearing it as an excuse. Needless to say I am looking for another Vet.
That’s easier said than done. We live in Kelowna and heartworm is not an issue here but my vets would not take no for an answer on vaxes or heartworm meds. They also described me as “noncompliant” bc I home cook for my dogs. not raw but meat veg and rice. I never knew they expected compliance! I would try not to bring it up and not to have discussions but they can be quite persistent. All my dogs live into their late teens with very little health issues. we currently have a 17 yr old Lhassa who’s very spunky.
I just lost my chihuahua 7 and 1/2 years old from the Nobiva three rabies vaccine. I’m still devastated it happened on August 19th when she passed away she passed away 3 weeks after the vaccine. Actually I brought her to the hospital because she passed out and I didn’t know she’s dead or not I picked her up and she was alive so I bought her to the hospital he did all sorts of tests on her and they found a tiny bit of water on her heart.It wasn’t enough to extract. They put her on pills to help her with the water and they put her on antibiotics cuz she had some blood in her stool. I brought her home and they said expect her not to live. I was devastated but they were right. 5 days later she passed away after I gave her kisses on her belly it’s over how much I love her. Her arms starting shaking. I just went the other room I couldn’t handle it. I’ve never been this close to any animal in my life. I still can’t get through pain
My problem is, I’m not the one bringing things up. They always question me and I never know what to say. The first time they asked what I feed my dog, I got scolded so badly by the vet for disclosing that I make homemade dog food w/added nutrients. I was actually following a recipe that I got out of a recipe book written by a pet nutritionist which I purchased from the waiting room in her clinic lol. That book is no longer there. Oh and they always ask if the pet is updated with their shots. I hate lying. I love your articles and I’ve learned so much from them throughout the years.
My cat that died of cancer at age 10 had every vaccine on schedule. My current cats have rabies and initial distemper combo vaccines and that is it. All three are still going strong. I have followed zero vet advise for my cat with chronic kidney disease. That cat is still at the same level and doing well for the past 7 years. And when I was fostering I did ask for specific meds and tests. And guess who kept the pet alive with those protocols – yup me.
What I have found to work is – a two or four way, parvovirus/distemper once a puppy is outside of its dams antibody protection, for me, given around 12 weeks of age. Then I titer test. I have not had to repeat or give boosters during a dogs life, for Boxers anywhere from 10-13 years. Rabies, same thing, wait until puppy is outside of dams antibody protection- around 12-15 weeks of age. And depending on breed, sometimes not the full cc. Then, titer test. Ultimately, maximum doses are 2-3 over my dogs lifetime. Some breeds fare better with vaccines but having been involved in the breed pretty heavily since I have owned them, they seem to have more issues with multiple vaccines over their lifetime. We do the minimum, but also test to make sure their titers are high enough.
I adopted a husky recently and brought him in to my previous vet who was so wonderful. I wanted to vaccinate for lepto which she happily did. She recommended heart worm check since he was a stray and we weren’t aware of his previous travel, if any, which we did and came back negative. She said we have a near 0 incident rate in our area but still sent him home with a dewormer as it can take months after exposure. After discussing risk and benefits we decided that giving him a dose and recheck in 6 and 12 months was best course. You are taking your pet to see a doctor and like with any qualified medical professional it should be an open discussion about the risks and benefits of any treatment or preventative therapy. You likely know your dog or cat better than the veterinarian but the veterinarian is an expert in health care so listen to their advice with an open mind. They want the best quality of life for your animals just like you do.
I am very fortunate that only one vet that I used was so closed minded that we could not have a dialogue of holistic and traditional medicine working together. Raw feeding was always a sticking point, but the Vet my dog and cat now have is open to it and encourages it. She is traditionally trained, yet has continued her education in the holistic arts . So at the very least she leads with a well rounded realm of expertise. I am grateful to this especially since SHE suggested doing a titer test since my dog had a malignant tumor removed … and when he started to have seizures ( after the death of ” Daddy”), she recommended starting the natural way with CBD and Melatonin… I appreciate the information gathered from traditional testing, especially when it is willingly applied to holistic treatment! Thank you for all that you do-
I had a small Yorkie I adored! She became very sick, loosing all her hair, scratching until her skin was raw and always, always licking herself almost nonstop! The only time she didn’t lick was when she would finally fall asleep! – I bought her the best of everything! She was suffering so bad I had to put her asleep! No lie I took her to over 5+ vets….. not a single one would tell me what was wrong! I even went to a very high price vet clinic, I didn’t care what it cost! The first visit cost me $600.00. The medicine she put her on was over $100. a month and my little one hated it! One evening I was holding her, like like a new born baby in my arms, I asked her what she wanted me to do next for her…. She licked my face when I asked her if it was time I let her go…. We spent the night together, me holding her, we slept a little on and off while I cried my heart out! We will never have another dog…. it’s heartbreaking when the 5+ vets couldn’t diagnose her! Now it’s too expensive to own a dog as I’m a senior and have less disposable income if it should become sick! Many prayers and best wishes to you who have your beautiful babies!
Hi Doc, great advice as always. The asking politely if you disagree. I agree on the being polite, but having argued with three surgeons chomping at the bit for $100k plus another $100k follow-ups wanting to crack open my Mom’s chest, and she is fine fifteen years later without it. Sometimes you have to read them, and put your foot down if needed. That’s my mom, and I would have sold everything I had, it wasn’t money, she had excellent insurance, but it was money for them. And it was it was the only millisecond reaction on two of three faces when asked “do you honestly believe this is best?” The one honestly did think it was best option or was a better liar. I honestly don’t know. It’s not easily taught, but ask questions that require a little thought, ask the yes answers first to get your baseline, mix a couple “no’s” in, to read them when they switch legitimately. Then ask a few more given “no’s” then ask the important question, keeping eye contact.
I took 5 dogs to a new vet, 3 belonged to my boss and were fed Purina, my 2 raw. My working Border Collie was last to be checked. Vet remarked how clean and good her teeth were, she guessed har age at 7 or 8 when she was 14. She asked what I fed her and when I said raw she told me I needed to change it to kibble or something they sold. I just laughed and pointed out how she had praised how good and fit she was whereas bosses dogs needed teeth cleaned. Dogs fed raw need chunks of meat and also bones they can eat, not just marrow bones.
Here’s a non-traditional approach. Praying against the spirits of disease. I put my hand on my dog’s chest and prayed against the spirit of pulmonary hypertension, not one episode since. Since nobody could seem to agree whether he had it or not and he’s now no longer symptomatic. Have the drugs ready to be on board if need be, but always pray against the spirit of whatever the disease is, I’ve seen miracles.
By working with my vet I turned down a bone marrow biopsy and we discovered that my cat actually had atypical hypoadrenacortasisum! ( Atypical Addison’s) – this is very rare in cats – we were able to manage it happily for years – he lived to be seventeen. I’m so happy I heard the doubt in my vets voice when she tabled a bone marrow biopsy and asked how she really felt about the initial diagnosis ( non viral leukemia) we agreed to blood test for everything else it could be – thereby saving my cats life!
oh my goodness! We just experienced this!!! We took our dog this past week to the vet for the first time in 6 years ( we were desperate) It was the third time they asked me about up to date on vaccines and I finally said our dog got the initial vaccines but since we personally chose NOT to vaccinate he is NOT up to date and the vet turned red and said that dogs like ours put other dogs at risk!!!! This was good information and I will keep this in mind if we can find a vet who will now see our dog without being “up to date” We watch your articles and try to care naturally but the natural stuff was not working for his ears so we had to go!
When I was younger I remember bringing a pup to the vet for his vaccinations and that was usually it until that dog had issues related to an injury or old age. These days most vets want to see you every 3 months for regular flea tick and lice treatments whether your dog actually requires them or not. I’ll do all I can to keep my dogs healthy but everyone has a financial limit regarding the welfare of their animals and vets routinely fail to recognize this simple fact.
We had a dog when I was a child, that had very long, heavy, hairy ears, ( like a cocker spaniel but was built low and stocky like a Bassett) and he kept getting recurring ear infections. Like oozing, sometimes green, infections. After years of drops his vet asked us to consider having his ears CUT!😔 We loved his practice and had been taking all our pets to him for yrs but that time we got a 2nd opinion from a vet who said he specialized in “senior” dogs. So glad we did. Charlie went in for surgery, but came out with both ears intact, and the vet said he did some sort of alterations to his ear canals. Charlie spent the rest of his days without an infection!!
My working dogs get a raw food diet, and both of my vets were openly impressed by their longevity, complete absence of health issues, and the fact that three of them (adopted random pit bulls) lived to 14, 14 and 15 and died with full mouths of shiny white teeth and healthy gums without ever having a dental or their teeth brushed. Only one even had any tumors, which are basically the number one killer of pits. They all worked actively professionally until they were within a year of their natural deaths. I never lie to my vets, and they don’t to me. One nags me all the time that I work them too hard or keep them too lean (BCS of 4 on average), but can’t argue with results (yes, I’m definitely an owner that gives them the gold star treatment, since they’re also my partners at work; spare no expense, yadda yadda, but no procedures without three professional opinions, which I can all get in a day). The vet who works with me issues prescriptions and gives rabies, and I give anthelmintics, DA2PPV boosters and preventatives myself as needed, heartworm test with SNAP panels and draw their blood myself for the tests and to check antigen levels (which I need on file always to keep them certified with public access), and do most home treatment that doesn’t require a prescription. They examine them every other year or as needed if they get ouchy from overwork or an accident, but my friend who is a vet that I collaborate with for my behavior clients sees my animals on the regular when we hang out so it’s more of a, “Boom Boom seems tender when putting weight on his back right leg, is his patellar luxation acting up?
Took my 18 year old cat in Oct 2023 as he was sick. His kidneys were shutting down. The vet suggested euthanisia. I dont believe in that. So I asked the vet to do what she could, and I brought him home. I started giving him canned tuna water, then the tuna. Then I got food with gravey, and I made chicken soup giving him broth and chicken. Its Jan 15, 2024 and the cat is still following me around the house and my best buddy! Im not saying this will last forever, but at least he is given a chance!
I fostered a mom that gave birth to 6 gorgeous pups and the league handling the adoptions was extremely diligent on their adoption rules as they were a pit bull mix bread. One family adopted my favorite sweet boy, the mother was a vet tech at a local Vets office. I received a text 6 weeks after the adoptions that she had put Moosey down because he bit her elderly mother when she gave her a treat. Sickening that we can dispose of animals this way.
I have realised no matter where you go you need to educate yourself before going to any professional so when they tell you what to do you can make an informed decision from different points of views. Sometimes when you go to a vet, a lawyer or whatever they think you are ignorant and will just take their advice because they know better. I watch all your articles and that of other people who are not pushing the various meds and offer alternatives and it has empowered me when I go to see these professionals so I know what is them trying to make money and what is truly best for my pet.
Good to know! But, I admit that I have brought up the vaccine issue. They didn’t like hearing it, but my vet wants all vaccines annually except rabies. My little fur baby developed mast cell tumors where two vaccines were given. I cried every day. I feed him raw, post surgery with almost no vaccines. It’s been over two years and he’s doing well with no MCT’s. My other fur baby receives all vaccines because she loves going to day care. She developed kennel cough even though she’s vaccinated for it. I’m just a concerned mom.
It’s the same when I go to a medical doctor. I tell them upfront why I am going to them: bloodwork, xrays (if needed), diagnosis, and if and only when natural remedies don’t work, or for emergency, then they can prescribe conventional medicine. I believe good health starts with diet, gut health, and exercise. (They are usually shocked that at my age I take no prescriptions, too.) I plan to use the principles with my dog. Therefore, a vet who practices integrative medicine is worth the 2 hr drive. Luckily, there are a handful in the Denver metro area. I just found Dr Kate Woodley in the metro are, but have not made contact, yet. In the meantime, I’m enjoying her You Tube website. I adopt my foster pup in 1 month!
Actually my vet is right out of school,bought our retiring vets practice and loathes holistic vets. She hasn’t made much money off of us because we research everything. And our old vet would give us numerous suggestions on how to save money with over the counter meds which the new vet doesn’t. And the hard sell on the crap food she pushes is actually driving people away,it’s a small town and word travels fast here. It’s a farming community here and if you work with the people instead of fighting them,you might get further ahead in life.
1.) If you have a budget for the day, don’t tell your vet about it AFTER you have finished with the visit and arrived at check out. Rather, tell them BEFORE work has begun. This way, your vet can prioritize what they need do to your pet that day, based on what your budget is, and discuss whatever else may be needed during a future visit. Please don’t leave surprises such as this one till the end. 2. Focus on the pet you are presenting to the veterinarian that day. Yes, many of you have multiple pets at home. But it’s hard enough trying to keep track of what’s going on with a single non-verbal animal, much less several of them simultaneously (including those who are not present for an exam). 3. Do not tell us that your dog with a 9/9 body condition score (ie. morbidly obese) receives zero extra food at home aside from his/her properly measured out dog food. As pets do not gain weight on breathing oxygen alone, we know better, and it makes you look silly and in utter denial. 4. Do not tell us that the 6-8″ tumor protruding from your dog’s body was just noticed a few days ago. This is not only blatantly untrue and in defiance of all common sense, but it is also completely unhelpful/counterproductive because accurate information on the tumor’s true growth rate can be helpful in making a diagnosis. 5. We don’t want to hear about your plans to breed your “purebred” mixed breed dog. No, people, a labradoodle is not a breed. In most cases, breeding is done to select for perfection in any given breed, thus helping to improve the breed according to breed standards (ie.
I used a conventional vet and also a traditional Chinese medicine vet. My conventional vet thought I was crazy about raw feeding and no vaccines, no flea meds, no tick meds etc but they said it was their job to inform me and I said, ” I understand”. My TCM vet when I first went to her and she found out what I did for my dogs she said, “your doing a great job”. You have to be an advocate for your dog or cat or animal!!!
My sweet girl pom/terrier is 10 years old. I didn’t know puppies could get parvo without their vaccine. First time I took her to the park she got parvo, but I kept her well hydrated until she could eat and she made it. She got fixed about a year into her life and got her vaccines for the first 3 years. I have fed her kibble, and tried many wet foods, but i ended up feeding her plain chicken or beef. She is healthy and even with her accident on the 4 th of July, she got hit by a car and her test confirmed she had liver problems, probably from the accident. I just let her rest and kept her hydrated and loved until she could eat and then stand. She made a complete recovery and is healthyer than most dogs we met at the dog park. I’ve been her vet and beautician most of her life. 😂❤
Thanks so much for this content. I have a puppy who is just this week due to get her 2nd set of vaccinations. I’ll probably let her get them, but I’ll only give them every 2 years after that. We’re an over vaccinated society in general. So great that you have this website. So informative and more comforting coming from a person in the field. Keep them coming. Oh, do you have any suggestions for chicken treatments. I have ducks, turkeys and chickens and would love to hear your views regarding alternative treatments. (ie. eye infections, mareks, coccidiosis, parasite control).
When we take our pets into the vet with an issue, I tend to open with I saw this happened and of course I went first thing to the Googler and saw all the nightmares. This has always gotten a smile or knowing nod from the vet and allows me to open the conversation regarding any questions I may have about what I saw. Generally all the vets have been very open after that with any thing I ask about and even proactive with great info.
Dr. Jones, I’ve had a question for your regarding the rabbies vaccination. I stopped vaccinating my dog but they say it is against the law. So I cannot take my dog to the vet anymore. The thing is that government is tampering all vaccines including for animals with graphene that contains complex high tech ingredients to …. What do you think to have dogs seen by vets when really needed without the rabbies vaccination❓
I recently adopted a neglected 2-year-old rescue dog. She hadn’t been spayed and had puppies, was heartworm positive (from AR, now in NY), and born blind. She is now heartworm negative on retesting after treatment. I don’t understand why they tell me she has to be on heartworm pills year-round FOREVER because she HAD heartworm. I’d like her to have a break from them and just use them seasonally. I’d prefer not to use them at all because I’ve read they don’t really prevent heartworm. Friends of ours who have always given heartworm pills now have a heartworm positive dog at 13 years of age and has to go through treatment. How does that happen if heartworm pills actually work?
Our vet was prescribing us Sirenia for everything. It was expensive and did not seem to work for anything it was prescribed for. I finally said “No, you have prescribed this in the past. It did not work.” I should not have added, but I did that over the counter vet recommended substitute likely saved the cat’s life. I was afraid, we would no longer seen as a client.
That was well said, I am not a vet I’m not in the medical profession at all. Just the person that has a couple dogs.. Thank you ✅. I can’t believe somebody would ask veterinarian to euthanize a healthy animal .. that’s just ridiculous. Good for you putting this up for people to be able to hear and see
It’s hard to avoid the vaccine talk, because vets push it on animals so much. I find myself repeating that my cat will pass on any vaccine except a rabies shot, which is mandated by law for surgical procedures/anesthesia involved procedures, and they are SO pushy. HUGE turn off. They must get kick backs or something, seriously.
Immediately after my healthy 14 yo Brussels Griffon had a dental cleaning, he became completely deaf. After researching, I found out that it’s not common, but does happen. I brought my boy back to the vet to have him checked, and she confirmed the deafness. While I don’t blame the vet for the incident, anesthesia can always be risky, but I was disappointed in her claim to have never heard of this happening. He’s 16 now, has a heart murmur that we are treating, takes Flexiden which has helped his movements greatly, keeps up with his new puppy brother, is not hindered by his deafness because I trained him from the beginning with hand signals, but his sight is diminishing. He’s generally a very happy boy. He just developed a bulging eye and is on antibiotics for a suspected tooth abscess, which would require anesthesia, which scares me.
Thank you so much for this invaluable information coming from a vet such as yourself. I often find myself at odds with my vet which didn’t happen until the past 10 years or so when the vets are coming and going from my area and I can’t get a relationship going with one. It is something I dread immensely, going to the vet that is. Your information helps, .thank you
Since I started perusal your articles, I’m skeptical of my long-time vet clinic. I was not happy last time I visited for my 12 year old silky terrier’s annual rabies shot and asked them about something to calm my dog’s fireworks anxiety without harming him. His anxiety is awful…his whole body vibrates and he pants incessantly. It’s like he has PTSD. I am very sensitive to his emotions. Is there anything natural I can use to help? Fireworks go on for days and late into the night where I live. We all become unnerved, I must say.
When I told my vet I want to take my puppy off of kibble. She was okay and sent me to nutritious for animals. I did it cost me some $$$ for 1 recipe. I didn’t care. But I took it upon myself to LEARN how to balance her food myself. I left the vet bc I want to only give vaccines that was needed. She didn’t like that. I found a holistic approach to healing my puppy. She’s 3 and I have turned her gut around. What I do is time consuming and having the right vet behind you give you a win win
Thank you Doc! I agree with you 100%!! I don’t give my dogs any vaccines…..specially after the covid quackccine, btw, I didn’t got it as well. I gave up my veterinarian, because what he only can see is $$$. My husband gave him a nickname: “doctor god”. 🙄🙄🙄 Thank you Doc, I love you and I wish you a Wonderful Christmas and an amazing New Year. WWG1WGA! 💖🙏🏻🕊🎄🐶🇧🇷
I feel very fortunate to have the vet I do now for my Lymphoma Cat of 15 yo. She’s pretty open about everything. Even recommended to me some anti fungal remedy that I can use on his paws using the same fungal shampoo that I use for a similar infection. She told me how to water down the dose and make it into a spray. She has also asked me if I want to vaccinate or not. She’s not even on the holistic vet list in our city either. <3 Very grateful
I feed my cats raw. I’ve done the research, and their food is formulated from a local producer that ensures it meets all cat’s nutritional needs. It’s damn expensive but it’s also a choice I’ve made for my cats. They are happy and healthy, and see the vet regularly for check ups, shots, and teeth cleaning. What infuriates me is the thought that a vet would become so upset and pompous about my food choice. I am more than willing to listen to an expert opinion. I would LOVE to see the independent studies that focus on CAT health regarding a raw diet, specifically meat that ISN’T chicken (American chicken sucks, and yes it’s filled with salmonella. My cats don’t eat chicken they eat venison). So please give me those studies! Until then I’m going to keep giving my little carnivores meat. (Oh and the only time they started to develop health issues was when I tried to add in dry food bc the raw was too expensive.)
I do take exception to one thing, alternative or complimentary medicine. My dog had IDD and was paralyzed in the hind legs and surgery was recommended. I did not have an extra $5,000 for the surgery required so I had explored other options. I found a veterinarian who practiced hollistic medicine, and I brought my dog to her. She performed acupuncture on my dog and also laser treatment. After about four sessions, my dog had regained full use of his hind legs. She was a fully licensed veterinarian who had some additional training in acupuncture and hd made that her specialty. I have a lot of respect for veterinarians and conventional medicine, but i am also open to other modalities as well. There can be more than one kind of tool in the tool kit.
LOL! Well these are helpful, but in my experience many vets simply do not want clients to weigh in on their pet’s care. I had a vet get very angry with me when I declined flea preventative and worm medication for my young dog without any reason to believe she was suffering with these parasites. (btw, the puppy had been given a round of Panacur just two weeks prior before I picked her up in Poland. In addition, I was happy to pay for a fecal test to make sure she didn’t have a problem.) She countered with, “where did you go to vet school?” At which time I countered with, “I don’t believe you need to go to vet school to use common sense.” And then she called me a terrible, terrible person. LOL! One week later at a different vet office, I did bring in a fecal which showed that my dog was clear of all parasites. Vets, just like many medical professionals, can have glass egos when it comes to being treated like mere mortals in my experience. If you don’t believe they’re gods, they can get very testy.