Are vets scammers??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stinking ear is not a healthy kitty.

Well 1100 dollars later, the cat should be healthy, no?

It’s probably ear wax

No, it probably isn't.

Then what is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not think vets are scammers at all. The hardest phase is definitely diagnostics. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down what is happening and sometimes the necessary testing is cost prohibitive or has too many other side effects. So a lot of vets will make an educated guess and consider treatments that won’t hurt if they’re wrong. That’s probably the category for your ear drops.

I think $350 is just what it costs to see the vet. Costs are high, time is money. That’s like the baseline for a visit.

My last very elderly dog suddenly became very painful and ill with some respiratory symptoms. The vet did a handheld ultrasound and saw masses in the chest cavity. To know what they really were, we would have had to sedate him and do X-rays. We decided they were probably cancer and he was in a lot of pain so we just said goodbye. But I don’t consider the ultrasound money “wasted,” even though we didn’t get a real diagnosis from it. And I wouldn’t have considered the X-rays to be a “scam” had I asked her to do them.

Maybe your math skills are poor. 1100 dollars total between the two visits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

No, it's not proving your point. Do you take the first price suggested by the car dealer? Do you always do everything that random people ask you to do? All your husband had to do was say no. Patients and consumers everywhere are expected to use their brain when discussing services. If your husband is too stupid to do this, YOU have to do this. If you can't take time off to look after a sick pet, you should NOT have a pet in the first place!!! Your arguments are entirely unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

Pretty sure the crazy poster here is you. DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

PP you replied to. Excuse me? I think the shoe is on the other foot here

I foster pregnant dogs and their puppies for a rescue - lots of pit mixes in there. Since I get them from birth, I find them docile and easily trainable. But no, I don't defend or attack any dog breed on DCUM threads.

You're so weird, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

PP you replied to. Excuse me? I think the shoe is on the other foot here

I foster pregnant dogs and their puppies for a rescue - lots of pit mixes in there. Since I get them from birth, I find them docile and easily trainable. But no, I don't defend or attack any dog breed on DCUM threads.

You're so weird, OP.

You’re so exhausting when you jump onto a thread. Unhinged, all caps, endlessly argumentative, blah blah. Plus you use emojis like a teenager.

Yes, we know you love pitts and they get a bad rap, amirite? It’s an owner issue, not a breed issue, right?

[Anonymous]

I know vets are scammers, they try to make money off of teeth cleaning and prescription food etc….and charge TOO MUCH for routine care. They do tests that don’t need to be done. The honest moral vets are so full they aren’t taking patients. We need more low budget low income vets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

PP you replied to. Excuse me? I think the shoe is on the other foot here

I foster pregnant dogs and their puppies for a rescue - lots of pit mixes in there. Since I get them from birth, I find them docile and easily trainable. But no, I don't defend or attack any dog breed on DCUM threads.

You're so weird, OP.

You’re so exhausting when you jump onto a thread. Unhinged, all caps, endlessly argumentative, blah blah. Plus you use emojis like a teenager.

Yes, we know you love pitts and they get a bad rap, amirite? It’s an owner issue, not a breed issue, right?

DP, but you're the clown who brought the anti-pit stupidity to yet another thread, so maybe log off, walk your dog, and get some fresh air for your last brain cell? You're a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes.

Yes, they prey and guilt loving and scared pet owners into agreeing to unnecessary tests, x-rays, MRIs.

They will offer false hope and prolong treatments on pets that will only survive a few more months.

Listen... This isn't what they're doing. So many of you "pet parents" don't know when it's time to let go. You want the vets to do everything they can to save your "furbaby"... and you want it to be cheap. It's completely unreasonable! If you're a "do everything you can" kind of pet owner, you should've bought some pet insurance to help you handle the costs of the advanced testing, diagnostics and procedures. If you didn't, or couldn't afford it, well, you get palliative care and a good death via humane euthanasia.

Personally? The latter is fine. Your pet doesn't want complicated surgery, extended healing times, and a dramatically-reduced standard of living just so it can stay around to deal with your refusal to go to therapy and deal with your problems.

None of this means that vets are "scammers". Yeah, there are unethical ones, and bad practices, and the corporate buyouts didn't help increase satisfaction from the clients/patients/buyers, but that's literally every industry everywhere. It's no different here, and certainly no worse. I don't like whitecoats and kinda resent being put in the position to defend them as a class, but y'all are off the rails in this thread...

[Anonymous]

I actually finally found a good vet—and it was through a recommendation on this forum! They do exist but maybe ask other pet owners in your area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might pay extra for services that you don't need if you come in without having done your due diligence, OR if you can't think on your feet once you're there. Your husband sounds clueless, and paired with a vet who doesn't care how much you spend... it's a bad combination for your wallet!

I have a mobile cat-and-dog vet that comes to my home and is very low-key and hands-off. He has an old school wait-and-see approach and doesn't push any services that aren't strictly necessary. Once he did recommend I see a surgical vet about a persistent UTI for my dog, and I paid $400 for a bladder ultrasoundthat was inconclusive. But that was after months of symptoms and urine samples that were borderline positive a UTI, even with antibiotics, so the cost was entirely warranted, given my dog was a puppy at the time, otherwise healthy and will hopefully live 10+ years.

For my "exotic" pets, I see a different vet practice that always explains clearly what my options are. Once my middle-aged, 2 year old, gerbil had a head tilt - very common in gerbils, and usually not a good sign (cancer). A diagnostic scan would have cost $1000, and the vet entirely expected me to refuse it, which I did! My gerbil was given steroids to reduce inflammation and died a month later. Do I regret not paying for a scan? No. Gerbils have a 3 year lifespan.

You've got to be honest with yourself, OP, apply the scientific method carefully, and avoid extrapolating things on discussion boards that DON'T look like your pet's symptoms. And then ask the right questions of the vet.

Maybe next time, go yourself and don't send your husband?

I can’t take the day off. And to say that I shouldn’t send my husband bc they know they can take advantage of him is proving my point.

OP, after so many reasonable explanations of why vets do what they do, you cling to your theory that ALL vets are scammers because you're not happy with how pushy YOUR vet was. I am 45, have had so many pets in my life, and have NEVER come across a pushy vet!

SO WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE VETS?

For goodness' sakes. Are you the same person who goes on the Health and Medicine Forum to claims to have lost faith in doctors? If it's not you, you have a twin over there

Oh it’s crazy pet thread poster. Sigh. I think you need to jump to the pit bull thread

PP you replied to. Excuse me? I think the shoe is on the other foot here

I foster pregnant dogs and their puppies for a rescue - lots of pit mixes in there. Since I get them from birth, I find them docile and easily trainable. But no, I don't defend or attack any dog breed on DCUM threads.

You're so weird, OP.

You’re so exhausting when you jump onto a thread. Unhinged, all caps, endlessly argumentative, blah blah. Plus you use emojis like a teenager.

Yes, we know you love pitts and they get a bad rap, amirite? It’s an owner issue, not a breed issue, right?

PP you replied to. I've never thought that, or typed that Many people use emojis and all caps, my friend. It's hilarious you're just going off on a random stranger, and it does put an interesting perspective on your initial rant about veterinary care.

You're a few fries short of a Happy Meal, it looks like.

[Anonymous]

Leaving a 15:year old cat in pain while its teeth decay is cruel. They are very stoic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a vet. He loves his job, but also finds it very stressful that he is regularly asked to reduce fees for his services or work for free. People often cry and tell him they can't afford treatment, and then tell him that if he can't treat for free they will have their pet put down. Sometimes they accuse him of caring more about money than animals and choosing to allow their animals to suffer. Or they agree to treatment and then later call to say they can't pay.

The thing is that my son isn't rich. He doesn't make much money as a vet and the practice he works for can't afford to treat animals for free. He would love to do that! But he isn't working for a charity and can't afford to work for charity.

My son says that he knows other vets who find dealing with owners who want free services and mistreat the vet to be hugely stressful. I can't help but think people don't treat human doctors this way.
The training for vets and human doctors is very similar, and both are competitive fields to enter, yet there seems to be a respect accorded to human doctors that vets don't receive.

I don't want free services and I've never asked a bet for free services.

What I want is not to be constantly upsold on tests and procedures that won't improve my cat's quality of life. The last time I was at the vet, they said they might have detected a heart murmur. They needed an EKG to know for sure. I asked how much an EKG would cost, whether it could definitely diagnose the problem, and what the treatment would be. It would be over a grand, it may be inconclusive, and if they did positively diagnose a heart condition, the treatment is an expensive prescription that may not help. I'll note my cat is 15 years old.

I said no and they kept pushing, then when finally they accepted I wasn't doing the EKG, they asked why I didn't get my cat's teeth cleaned, and I said it was because I didn't want to put him under general anesthesia at his age, he'd done it once and had a difficult recovery, plus I was sure at his age that he had tooth decay and they'd want to do extractions, which would cost even more and mean more recovery time. They got mad at me for this too.

My cat is well loved and has a nice life. We've avoided any major health issues for 10 years (he had urinary crystals when he was four and had to have surgery and has been on a special diet since then). I want a vet who will give him his shots, is prepared to help with palliative care if/when his health starts to decline, and who can euthanize him when the time comes. I am happy to pay for these services.

I am tired of vets who just want to do a million expensive tests with no plan or clear reason and who want to prey on my love for my pet as a way to extract money from me.

I went through similar situations with my cat who had myocardia (?). I went to a horrible vet who constantly pushed invasive stuff and finally quit her when based on bad blood tests told me my cat was in imminent danger of dying, talked me into leaving work in dc, drving to suburban Virginia to get my cat and driving to some special vet in Bethesda all to find out the blood work was wrong. When he was finally failing, she insisted I take him again for a very expensive invasive ekg or something that would require him being kept for a few days, I balked. I went to a different vet who diagnosed cancer. My cat got to live 6 months or so longer with some peace.