I moved to a small town in the last year with only one veterinary clinic.
Because it was convenient, I took my 80 pound Lab mix and 8 pound Jack Russell there for their checkups.
They received their annual vaccinations including Lyme disease prevention, heartworm tests and pills and Frontline plus flea protection (for 4 months).
When I got the bill, in the amount of $498.00, I was blown away!
I paid around $250.00 for the same services (minus the Frontline) in Minneapolis last year.
Next year, I'm making the 45 minute trip to visit my old clinic.
I'm curious about what others pay for their pet's annual exam and meds.
I read a science report about three years ago about the annual shots that dogs are recommended to get. The reports was very critical of the vet and supplies industry...it said we are over medicating our pets and in most cases harming them. It said the yearly shots should not be given but once every three years, not yearly.
I confronted my ex-vet and he just said he was following the law and that he hadn't read the report but tended to agree with it. I asked him why he wasn't campaigning to change the law if he suspected we were harming our animals...he just shrugged his shoulders. That's the last time I saw him.
My dogs get Heartgard monthly and Program (fleas) monthly. They get to the vet every three years for shots and check-ups.
Yikes. That sounds way out there expensive but I can't help you with prices because I've always given the vaccinations myself. A lot of people around here keep their dogs on heartworm meds year round...esp. smaller dogs because it's more convenient/ cost effective (don't have to do an annual check for heartworm.) About the only time I use a vet is for emergencies.
My normal vets charge around $150 for all that work, IIRC (it's been a while).
But, my dog is very very special, having constant allergies (and now, apparently, GI problems, too), so even $500 would pale in comparison to what I pay out for those special issues. Never mind all the effort involved.
My dermatologist feels guilty about the costs involved (never mind his office is inconvenient to our home) and tells me every time it's possible to check our pharmacy to see if the price is cheaper.
Not all vets are cheats. And I trust my vets not to cheat on the dog's HEALTH, either. Cheap AND trustworthy.