Anonymous wrote:You have to try and find a vet that isn't run by private equity. They gobbled up vet clinics during the pandemic and they turn everything they touch to shit. I go to an old-school father and son outfit. The office isn't sparkly and new, but they provide very good care.

This. We took our pet over a weekend to friendship hospital which has been bought up by private equity. They recommended 15k in diagnostics and surgery, saying our pet would die if we didn’t do it immediately and that our pet had a strong chance to live a long qualify life if we didn’t. we sacrificed to pay for that care and our pet died a painful death 3 months later.

It was equivalent to having lit a pile of money on fire made worse because our regular vet told us they never would have recommended those $$$ measures as pets with that condition don’t survive long.

We had this experience with Caring Hands. It’s too bad because the vets themselves are great.

A lot of clinics have become very corporate. I went to one where I was required to sign a paper that I would pay them before the vet examined the dog and could only communicate with the vet tech. Like they took the dog into a closed room and returned him to me with the vet tech telling me the vets findings. If I had a question it had to be run through the vet tech. I never physically saw the vet. It felt strange and I didn’t go back.

As an animal biologist, I know that it's really hard to diagnose a problem when the patient can't talk to you! It's harder than human medicine, OP, and words that might lead a doctor to the right diagnosis have to be replaced by whole body scans or invasive exams, plus general anesthesia because the patient doesn't understand what people are doing to him and won't like it. It gets expensive FAST. It's as if you were dealing with a fractious human with limited reasoning who couldn't communicate and had to be anesthetized for the smallest procedures - imagine the costs!

Maybe I'm lucky, but I've only ever had to deal with vets that cared both for my pets (parrot, dogs, rabbits, gerbils) AND my wallet.

I had to take my dog to VEG twice (a different location each time), and they were wonderful. My neighbor went to them when her dog was sick and he passed away there. She said they were very gentle and it was a good experience (as much as it could be). My dog did need emergency surgery on one of our visits, and I did walk away with an 8k bill, but we ended up getting his stomach tacked at the same time since he was going under anyway. They helped my dog a lot and I don't regret any of it.

Anonymous wrote:We knew it was you. Why did you need two threads?

Ok, don't take your pet to the vet.

I’m op of the cat thread. This is a new poster. Perhaps not shocking that other people are also frustrated with vets

i'm currently living overseas. wonderful experiences with vets make me realize what a rip off the vets in the US are.
cat was sick with an abscess, took him to the emergency after hours clinic. they drained the abscess and gave us all sorts for medication for about $150.
vet offfices are also very streamlined here. a basic office with one vet tech and the vet so no extra costs involved.

Anonymous wrote:We knew it was you. Why did you need two threads?

Ok, don't take your pet to the vet.

You must work for a money grubbing vet clinic too.

You have to try and find a vet that isn't run by private equity. They gobbled up vet clinics during the pandemic and they turn everything they touch to shit. I go to an old-school father and son outfit. The office isn't sparkly and new, but they provide very good care.

We knew it was you. Why did you need two threads?

Ok, don't take your pet to the vet.

same op same.

My experience has been the opposite. All caring and hardworking people.

I posted earlier about my $1100 bill for 2 visits for ear wax buildup for my cat. I’m done with that vet

Through my history with pups I loved like son/daughter and close family I only found maybe 3 or 4 vets who cared and were honest. When it comes to specialists or urgent care vets I would avoid and not trust most. When you go to urgent care a general DVM not an internal medicine vet takes over and works on your pet's life. Their first suggestion are hospital stays which run 8500-10000 48 hrs even then your pet might die. But they're only making guesses. I have had an eye specialist for my pet's cataracts lie and say they gave me antibiotics when they did not. My pet ended up with an eye ulcer and almost losing his eye. Running unnecessary tests or requesting a bunch of tests when your pet has no other signs or fear mongering from them is what they do to get you to consent and pay up. My regret is if my pet looks better or feels better I'd rather take him/her to an internal medicine vet instead. Just beware all. Most vets want your $$$$ and don't care about your pet's best health.