What vet tests are needed?
So, do all of you get a fecal every 6 months, and a blood and heart worm test every year? I feel like I should tell them I only want the immunizations since she is perfectly healthy. What do all of get at your vet visit? It really runs the bill up around $150 more to get these tests done. |
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I don't do the fecals (did them more than annually for the first two plus years though  .
Heartworm and Lyme tests at least annually - regardless of medication, its not an expensive test. Baseline blood work at around two. Twice a year blood work on my hypothyroid boy for thyroid levels and usually at least that often due to other issues a full blood panel. At age 6, a former vet advised, annual bloodwork to determine hidden issues. And you are lucky - the thyroid test alone is over $150. |
| I do fecals on most of mine every year. It is required for some as well - for their therapy dog recertifications each year. Sometimes more for individual dogs if I feel it is needed.
I do HW tests yearly too. Blood panels (senior profiles) on my dogs over 7 yr. - each year. |
kerry wrote: And you are lucky - the thyroid test alone is over $150.
$150!!! 
I just paid $110 for OFA/MSU per dog. I did three at once, so maybe vet took pity on me. Though I think I normally pay $100/MSU. Of course, I paid $12.10 on top of that for blood draw & waste disposal, but then she used that draw to run the HW test. I am NOT complaining on any of it. My vet cuts me so many breaks I'm pretty much indebted to her for life at this point. Just curious. As to the original question - sorry: with a younger dog I'd put the money into thyroid testing (in our breed) before I would do routine bloodwork, which I usually reserve for 6-7 yrs and up as well. HW testing annually. But then I don't keep them on it year round. Even if you do, I think they recommend that you have them HW tested every two years. Kristine |
| Okay. Someone told me that the vet does these tests just to get more money. I wasn't sure about them. Thanks.
I do feel glad that my baby is perfectly healthy, but I was a little shocked when I got the bill! |
ella wrote: Okay. Someone told me that the vet does these tests just to get more money. I wasn't sure about them. Thanks.
I do feel glad that my baby is perfectly healthy, but I was a little shocked when I got the bill! Well, in fairness to you, they really should inform you what they want to do and why and get your consent. I just tell my vet what I want done and that's what she does. I should probably stop now and then and ask her what she'd actually recommend. 
When I first moved to WI I went to a vet some friend's recommended and not only did she do whatever testing she saw fit without consulting me, she did the same with vaccines. I was furious. She is no longer my vet, obviously But, yes, of course you have every right to question why they're doing or recommending certain tests. You just explain that you're trying to educate yourself to the reasoning behind what they're doing. That's fair. Then you decide what is necessary or not.
Kristine |
| It can depend where you live. The vets here will really push for the fecal once a year because there are so many problems here. ...but find many others "ones you can skip." |
| Don't feel too bad guys. It was $350.00 to get thyroid done at MSU for Bella last year...and that was only the beginning of all her vet bills. All that stuff done and she basically has allergies, which is managable most of the time. The allergies cause her liver levels to be off sometimes too. (We were thinking of putting her on prozac for a while, but she is calming down a bit now) Every time we do a blood test to check the liver it's $130.00. |
ella wrote: Okay. Someone told me that the vet does these tests just to get more money. I wasn't sure about them. Thanks.
I do feel glad that my baby is perfectly healthy, but I was a little shocked when I got the bill! I am always a little shocked when I get the bill - but my Vet took the entire staff to a convention in FL in January and put in new landscaping this year. I am waiting for the thank you card from the landscaper
But honestly - of course they are trying to make money - I don't volunteer my time either. If you don't trust your vet not to add unnecessary tests and vaccines then maybe you need a new vet? Just because they have a protocol too doesn't mean they expect everyone to use it. My vet does the annual shots with his typical pet owners, becaus eat least then the dog gets a once over annually. I don't vaccinate, (oh yeah I forgot titres in my list) and I don't do annual exam visits - his choice he says he sees them often enough to know how they are doing. But I also do my research before I go - the vet and I have long discussions over the merits of this and that test, treatment, protocol etc. so much so that my husband and I had overlapping appointments (mine was an ER appointment his was planned) and the vet came out and asked me what he should do with my husband's dog by the way of vaccines and tests.  |
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