How I Love Our Vet!

[Enigma]

I had to take my Lhasa Apso to the emergency vet on Friday night. $600 later I was told "I think he was stung by a wasp." "But, his teeth are in dreadful shape, he needs several extractions, his gums are badly diseased, and it will cost $1500-$2000." Oh my.

He went to his regular vet today: for his shots and a second opinion on his teeth. The bill was $135.88. $68 for distemper-parvovirus. $30 for rabies. $21.40 for antibiotics for his gums. And, I bought a toothbrush and toothpaste. Then there was GST. She spent 20 minutes scraping his teeth, and she didn't charge me for it.

In all fairness to the emergency vet, he does have two teeth that might require extraction, and his gums are in pretty bad shape. He'll go in for a thorough cleaning when the antibiotics have settled his gums down a bit. That will cost me a couple hundred bucks. If the teeth do need to be extracted, I'm probably looking at another $500 or so. So, actual "worse case scenario" dental fees will be approximately 50% of the other vet's "low end."

Dr. Pytka (McLeod Trail Animal Hospital) has been our vet for years. I know she's a great vet, but being reminded doesn't hurt on occasion. It is sometimes easy to forget how good one has it: until faced with a situation where one is being manipulated and extorted.