Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I called a local ver that does reptiles and they want #65 for an exam and a fecal. Is this expensive? I am getting the exam for my mellers.

That does seem a little high to me. My vet charges $35 for the first exam, and then it's $25 per visit. Fecals are $10. But I always do my own fecals.
I guess it may depend a lot on where you live. The cost of living can vary greatly between two states. I live in NC. That could be a good price in your area.
Hope this helps,
Cricket

As already stated, the cost of living varies so much by geography that is impossible to compare veterinary prices. For example, one person cited average prices lower than yours; in my area (metro New York City), an exam for exotic animals is around $105 and a simple fecal analysis is about $60. Honestly, finding a vet that is even willing to see a chameleon and has some idea of what to treat and when, is in my opinion, priceless. The real question is not what does it cost to take you pet to the vet; it is what is your pet worth to you.

~Kerry, LVT VTS(ECC)
Licensed Vet Tech, Emergency and Critical Care specialist

As has already been mentioned before, it all depends on location and area. If the vet has even some reptile experience however, it would be worthwhile. Yes, there are some veterinarians out there who may have little to know reptile experience, let alone chameleons, who will tell you to bring your pet it in. BUT the majority are not doing it because they want to make money off of you, but they want to help your pet.
Vets are a special group of professionals. For those of you out there who may not know too much about the profession, it entails at least 7-8 years of education after high school. The cost of education for a veterinarian is comparable to that of human doctors. Vet students learn all that a human doctor learns, but also how to care for patients of numerous species. Yet, the average salary of a veterinarian is trivial compared to that of an MD. Why would someone pursue a career in which the debt you accumulate far outweighs the earning potential of the job? Because we are devoted to the care of animals, and people for that matter. All vets have had some sort of training in exotic medicine. Moreover, many of the disease processes that affect reptiles affect all animals, and the presenting signs are often very similar. Therefore, any vet you take your animal to can potentially provide you with info about the situation you weren't previously aware of. Not to mention, if the problem is serious, your vet will undoubtedly know of an "expert" on chameleons close to you that he/she can consult with, and/or refer you to.
Time and time again on this forum, you see people posting questions regarding chameleon health issues that are extremely serious to say the least. Yet, they look for answers on an online forum, where the delay time to receiving a knowledgable response could potentially be lethal to the animal. Why aren't these animals being taken to a vet immediately? If your pet dog or cat was lying on the floor, unable to move its limbs, with it's eyes closed and tongue hanging out - would you think twice to call a veterinarian? Or would you post a question on a forum, waiting for someone to tell you that you should seek help from an expert?
I apologize for my rant. I mean no offense to this thread. And to answer the question, no I don't believe $65 to be unreasonable for an exam and a fecal. It is your responsibility as a pet owner to provide the best care for your animal, and if it means spending $65, then so be it. (By the way, in case you couldn't tell, I am a Vet student)

I totally agree with you 100%. And yes, it upsets me that people wait until their pet is near death before seeking help. However, Anthonyd was only inquiring about vet pricing. He's doing the right thing & getting his cham examined & a fecal done. Many people won't even go through the trouble or expense.
I don't feel like he deserved the treatment he received. I understand your point, but give the guy some credit. Hat's off to him!!!
Cricket

Cricket,
I applaud Anthony for getting his Mellers care. And as I mentioned, I was not directing any comments towards him. I apologize if it came off as I was attacking him in any way.
Instead, I had just read a few of the previous posts, and when I read this one, it seemed an approprate place to voice my comments.
Again Anthony - No comments were directed towards you, and if I came off like an @## or arrogant, I apologize.

Its ok, no harm done. But thanks for all of your info. I just scheduled the appointment for next friday. I have mostly heard horror stories about mellers, so I don't want to screw it up. If taken care of properly I heard mellers can be the most enjoyable chameleon to keep, and I believe it. They are absolutly beautiful giants and have very intersting personalities. I am getting a female (Atleast that is what the breeder said), which I will have to make another vet trip, in about 3 weeks so I want to have the animals healthy and happy asap. I heard breeding can be difficult but I am up for the challenge. But thanks again for your help.

Yeah, I've seen the other posts. It strongly aggravates me that other people aren't more like Anthonyd. Perhaps we wouldn't be seeing posts like "Help, my chameleon is dying."
While I sympathize with owners with sick pets, it's only fair to say that most often(but not always), a lot of the problems could have been prevented with regular check-ups, fecals, & proper care.
I'm a professional breeder with over 5 years experience, but even I cannot properly diagnose & treat someone else's chameleons. I don't understand why some people confuse people like me, with certified true vets. I'll admit sometimes it is stress, housing, temps, etc. But most of the time the chameleons are in real trouble before the owner even realizes that there is a problem. Internal parasites have quite a knack for doing that.
Cricket