My dog Billie turns twelve this December and from my perspective, there would be no reason to take her to the vet for shots this spring.
All she does in lay around all day and from some information I read on the internet, she had been so pumped full of rabies vaccine and heartworm medicine over the years there was enough in her system to last her till she croaks.
Considering her spring visit to the vet last year cost me $278.00 it was easy to get my head around the argument from several sources that there is no need for dogs to get shots every year and especially not necessary when they reach their senior years.
I simply wasn't going to get sucked in this year.
Nothing against the veterinarian, he's a nice man and he's got to make a living just like anyone else, but after a $278.00 bill I was going to stand firm this year, relieve Billie of the stress and save my self close to three hundred bucks.
Then my wife Delyse got involved. She saw the letter for the vet reminding us that Billie was due for her shots and it was highly recommended that she have a heartworm blood test this year.
The letter came in early May but I ignored it because I may look like a dummy, but I wasn't going to be one this year. Not to the tune of $278.00.
But Delyse argued that "you never know" and we go up north all the time and what if something bit Billie - anything from a mosquito to a racoon.
Delyse insisted that I call the vet because if anything ever did happen, I'd feel like shit and the kids would never forgive me.
So I caved in. But just a bit. I said I'd take the dog to the vet but I would set the ground rules.
There would be no blood tests, no stool samples, and no heartworm crap.
I'd take the dog to the vet and she'd have a quick check-up and maybe a rabies vaccine - Jesus Christ, when I was a kid you could take your dog to the pound and they'd give her a shot for five bucks and it was over. There was none of this high falootin' bullshit they have nowadays.
As I walked into the vets office he noticed that Billie had a bit of a limp and asked me about it. I said she was up north on the weekend and was chasing chipmunks and from time to time she limps.
He then explained the hip displacement problems labs can have, and although we don't necessarily know it, dogs can be experiencing arthritic pain just like humans.
I told him not to worry; I had read on the internet that you can give dogs aspirin and that's what I planned to do.
He said that was a good idea but told me to make sure I get the aspirin that's easy on their stomachs because it can cause internal bleeding if they're on it too long.
No problem I said.
Then the doctor recommended a medicine that is easy on the stomach, and works differently than aspirin. Aspirin doesn't go right to the problem area, but "Apo Meloxicam" does, and you only have to use it once a day and it works out to just slightly more the price of aspirin and the results will be quicker and more dramatic.
I bought some.
And then the doctor noticed Billie's gums. They appeared to be red and inflamed and aloud he wondered why.
I offered that maybe it was because she's twelve years old, which translates to about 72 human years and not too often you see old bastards with nice teeth unless they're fake.
He countered that maybe it was a bacteria build up somewhere else in her body and it was manifesting in her gums. This is common and could mean kidney or liver problems.
He recommended a geriatric blood screening. And I agreed.
At this point I was getting a little concerned about my beautiful girl. Bad hips and a bacteria build up didn't sound too good, but the vet made me feel better when he told me Billie wouldn't need a rabies vaccine because he had given her a two year jobbie in 2006.
"What about heartworm." I said
"I'll give you the medicine." He said.
"But is it really necessary?" I questioned.
"If you're going up north every weekend where there are lots of mosquitoes, I highly recommend it."
He went on to say that the incidences of heartworm were actually growing and not only did he recommend heartworm medicine, he thought I should use the new topical kind that you spray on their necks - it's slightly more expensive, but way more protective.
I told him to give me some.
At that point, the doctor told me he was finished. Billie's examination was over, and for the most part, she was doing pretty well for a twelve-year-old dog.
At that point, I felt pretty good about myself. I had come into the office adamant that I wasn't going to pay for both heartworm treatment and a rabies vaccine and as it turned out I didn't have to pay for the rabies vaccine.
I had won half the battle, so it was no problem paying the bill.
Fred, I have the same dilemma with Billie's best friend Jo. I try to make the decisions myself but as the saying goes, "if she's happy, you're happy". oh, what the heck is high falootin'?? Some sort of tin palace'n gobble-d-gook??
You got sucked in Freddie. These days vets are like chiropractors and holistic medicine fanatics. They only want your money. Next time use your common sense approach.
If I were a dog person, I'd want a golden too. A beautiful breed, and Fred, worth every penny no matter how old she is. Pets are only with us a short time...
Take my word for it, If you love your animals, and I see that you do, don't skip the exam. Every year and be thorough. Question the Vet and do some research yourself. Hip displasia is very common in labs, it hurts them very much and animals will rarely indicate that they have a problem. Keep on your Vet about their medications and make sure you understand why they need something.
Every time you "wonder" about something they do, there is something there, check it out, quickly. In most animals by the time you notice something, it's been there a while.
I know this, we are treating our cat for cancer right now. I can tell you all about the price of love, I just spent the better part of today at the VEC in Toronto.
Billie looks like a lovely lass and I hope she sees 15 or more with no pain.
Freddie, you are very lucky to have her for all these years. Take good care of her, she is a doll.
From a guy who, over 2 years later, still mourns the loss of his best friend of 11 years, a golden retriever named Shawny.
BKR problemen? Nu Geld lenen zonder BKR toetsing? Op zoek naar betrouwbare aanbieders? Wij vergelijken banken die u toch kunnen helpen aan een betrouwbare
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This year was going to be different.
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