On average how much does a trip to the vets cost? If I would need antibotics or a shot? I've no idea.
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On average how much does a trip to the vets cost? If I would need antibotics or a shot? I've no idea.
>>On average how much does a trip to the vets cost? If I would need antibotics or a shot? I've no idea.
I don't think there is a way to give you an average price because nationwide vets set their own prices based on what the local market will support.
Vet care where I live is very reasonable in my opinion, for example a fecal runs 10 dollars or so, the office call usually runs around $20.00, beak trimming for one of my box turtles recently cost me a whopping $7.00, the vet charges the same amount for parrot beak trimming, dirt cheap IMO.
When my dog was bitten by a rattlesnake total price for all the treatment including antivenin was about $400.00. A friend in AZ who worked for a vet at the time this happened told me that their usual price for rattlesnake bite treatment runs around $3,000.00 quite a difference to say the least.
Prices basically depend on what the local clientele is willing to pay.
About all you can do is talk to vets in your own area to get an idea of what prices they charge.
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PHRatz
I agree with some of the above poster's comments but wow, is their vet undercharging. I know it's always good to find a deal, but at the same time, show yourself some respect for the proffessional that you are!
Farm or rural vets will often be cheaper. To be honest though, the veterinary proffesion is like anything else, you get what you pay for. I've worked mainly in the city, but locumed in a farm community. I work at a emerg. vet now. From my experience, the cheaper vets are, well, adequate. If adequate is what you're looking for, and it includes a vet that is familiar with reptiles, then alls good. I can vouch though, that those "costly" clinics sure do have a higher end care. This usually includes a higher tech facility, monitoring equipment, lab equipment, more experienced personel, and a higher range of medications that may be too costly or rare for a smaller practice to carry. (like most of the herp medications)
For instance, if your routine medical case turns sour quickly, I'd much rather have my animal where I work now, as opposed to the cheapy clinic I used to be at...
Alright, I"m rambling, and I tend to do that when talking about vet med... My costs are Canadian, but I'd say $100 for a minor visit would be a good estimate, while if your animal is sick, plan for $300, or more if hospitalization is required.
Ian
>>I agree with some of the above poster's comments but wow, is their vet undercharging. I know it's always good to find a deal, but at the same time, show yourself some respect for the proffessional that you are!
I understand what you're saying & I totally agree with you, cheap medicine isn't quality medicine BUT where I live the prices I pay are not conidered dirt cheap by most... even though I DO consider them to be dirt cheap.
I don't know how I could describe it but I do live in a very...how to say it.. conservative, rodeo riding cowboy, not quite rural but not that far removed from rural area.
This vet I am talking about who treated my dog (isn't my current reptile vet) is one of the two most expensive vets in this town. That's why I say they set prices based on what the local market will allow. There is not a vet in this area who would even think of charging $3,000.00 for rattlesnake bite treatment because they know they wouldn't find a person who'd pay it.
Although I would've paid that much for my dog if I'd had to do it, but I think I fall into about a 0.1% group of people that would be willing to pay that much if they had to.
I don't live in a large city, I live in an area where the total population is about 250,000 people & that number does include the rural areas. There's a huge glut of veterinarians in this area too so the competition is fierce.
I am honestly telling you that one who did charge $400.00 for rattlesnake bite treatment is on the very high side of the pay scale where I live.
Because I am aware that many vets in larger cities often charge much much more, I do consider what I pay to be very cheap. I feel very lucky that I don't have to pay an arm & a leg for vet care.
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PHRatz
I don't need to get to a vet. I was just trying to ballpark how much one could cost.
Well to be honest-- if you don't have a vet lined up already I would start searching one out BEFORE there is a problem. This way you can see who sees reptiles in your area, if they are actually qualified to do so and what a general office visit would cost.
Here is a link. Just go to your state and see if anyone is near you. These are all reptile vets.
http://nytts.org/nytts/helpnet.htm#NY
Good point, there's a couple vet offices in and around where I live. I'll need to call and check prices. Thank you.
>This usually includes a higher tech facility, monitoring equipment, lab equipment, more experienced personel, and a higher range of medications that may be too costly or rare for a smaller practice to carry. (like most of the herp medications)
>>For instance, if your routine medical case turns sour quickly, I'd much rather have my animal where I work now, as opposed to the cheapy clinic I used to be at...
>>
Oh ok I have to respond to this & I didn't realize before I posted that you are talking about what it's like in Canada. I am far far away from there, in Texas only about 300 miles from the Mexican border.
Why I left my vet who treated the dog is because he is one of the two most expensive vets in this area but he is NOT the BEST.
My reptile vet moved here about 5 years ago & opened a huge hospital. She is the exotic vet, her husband is the farm animal vet, they treat EVERYTHING & I do mean everything, they've even treated monkeys.
They charge less money than my former vet but they actually own the most state-of-the-art veterinary equipment in this area. They are really excellent vets. I've seen really bad vets, I work in this profession too as a tech. & teacher... I know a good vet when I see one.
They are the only vets around here who do lasar surgery. She went to a CE seminar about 2 years ago, Douglas Mader was the speaker & after he showed the DVMs there the x-rays he'd taken of a seahorse on a new state of the art x-ray machine she ordered that machine.
If you could see what it's really like where I live, the culture shock would probably actually shock you. 
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PHRatz
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