Vet Costs

Jyllie63 · #1 02/03/12, 05:43 AM

I'm just curious as to what some of your vet's charge to come to your place. We have a vet for the alpacas, but their price seems to go up each time they come out. I called one a few weeks ago for my alpaca. I was treating him for meningeal worm. The vet agreed with my diagnosis and basically said I was doing all the right things, but the prognosis was not very good. Of course the alpaca died 2 days later. The bill came today and I was surprised at the cost. We were at $100 before he ever treated him. There is a "farm visit" fee, a mileage fee, the diagnostic fee and then all the medication charges. I should have just trusted my gut instinct and not called

.

wintrrwolf · #2 02/03/12, 06:04 AM

I only had to have a vet come out once for a horse that ripped her eyelid. Farm visit, med to knock her out, treatment, 14 day antibiotic, $236. I removed the stitches myself. When one of my goats was having problems with her udder I called told them what was going on and he left the script at the front desk, only cost was for script.

Minelson · #3 02/03/12, 06:38 AM

I had the vet out for my horses...2 of them came and did a very thorough exam of the 2 horses. Then they looked at the goats and checked their feet to make sure I was trimming them right. They were here for2 hours. Total bill was $75

prairiedog · #4 02/03/12, 07:01 AM

The one time we had a vet out for a horse the trip charge was 60.00 the distance was 30 miles.

Karenrbw · #5 02/03/12, 08:10 AM

Our herd buck got sick and I called the vet out of the hay field on a Saturday afternoon. Farm visit - $25 and antibiotics.

Had to take DD's mare in last summer. I think she stepped on a large stick and it jumped up and ripped a hole in the area between her flank and teats. And she had managed to gouge her backside. She had a rip going all they way across her right cheek down to the bone. I took her in. Antibiotics, cleaned both wounds. It was too late to stitch. Total cost - $48.

mpete · #6 02/03/12, 08:10 AM

If you can develop a relationship with one, then when you need meds, they "MAY" just give you the prescription if they know that you have an idea what you are doing. When you call them, ask them if you can get a discount for a "visit fee" so that you can continue using their expertise... I hate kissing b*** (sorry CJB

) but sometimes we have to suck it up for the greater good.

Hollowdweller · #7 02/03/12, 09:04 AM

Been a while but I think around 100 just to come out.

**mygoat** · #8 02/03/12, 09:32 AM

I've never had a vet to the farm, too expensive.

Thankfully we've always been able to load up or just call to chat then go pick up meds.

thaiblue12 · #9 02/03/12, 09:33 AM

It is $100 just to walk in the door and have a basic exam. They never come here and always ask me to go in, $35 office fee, $65 exam fee, then any meds, blood tests and etc. It is painful at times.

Donna1982 · #10 02/03/12, 10:28 AM

My vet is costly but the only reason I am sticking with him is because hes willing to learn more about goats. If he doesn't know the answer he will spend time to research it and read more. Now that being said we are going to start doing our own fecals because each one is 15.00 dollars and an office vist. So just to get that done its around 75.00 dollars. He will order meds for us but his office staff have NO GOAT no how so talking to them is a pain in the hinny. We have never had him to the farm (his office is 5 miles from us) and hopefully we wont need him it.

TroutRiver · #11 02/03/12, 11:17 AM

Yup. I fired my vet. For one, I trust my own judgement over his at this point. For another, he is a monopolizing capitalist pig, and knows he can get away with charging an arm and a leg, because he is the only livestock vet in a hundred mile radius.

Charged me well over $100 to come to my house and cut off the head of a dead goat for testing when we suspected rabies, after telling me that I couldn't even touch the dead animal, much less cut the head off myself and bring it to the office, which I offered to do. He was here for about 5 minutes, and I got a bill for over $100, after being told on the phone that I would only have to pay $35.

I told him that next time I suspect an animal of having rabies, I'm going to bury it in the compost pile and hope for the best, and that he would never hear from me again

RedSonja · #12 02/03/12, 11:32 AM

My vet charges a $65 farm call fee, *knock on wood* I've only had him out once so far, for annual Coggins on horses, float one's teeth, rabies shot for LGD, and look at the doe with an abscess to get his opinion if it was CL. All that came to about $250, but it was quite a bit in one trip so I don't think it was unreasonable.

-Sonja

where I want to · #13 02/03/12, 12:07 PM

Wellllll- there's a $79 fee for coming out- a $35 fee for an exam (how you can come out and not look?) there of course whatever treatment.
These costs have made me cautious about calling the vet out and made me more careful about taking care of the animals to avoid the need for the vet. I used to pick out the bad flakes from the hay, for example, then feed the rest of the bale- now I'm more likely to throw out the half or more of the bale. Losing a $20 hay bale is easier if I convince myself that it is better than risking a $500 vet bill.
I also rely on my own judgement more but that was because I have had a lot of experiences with the goat where there was no reasonable attempt to help the animal. I hope that as goats are becoming more a part of their practice, this will improve.

Bearfootfarm · #14 02/03/12, 12:27 PM

Last time I had one come out, it was $50 just to come.
My neighbor and I try to work it so she can see his horses and my animals at the same time, and she only charges for one "farm call"

Goat Servant · #15 02/03/12, 01:05 PM

Its 85 farm call here. Last time she was out it was $180 to staple buck's torn ear, including a shot of Excede for him which she administered. She left me the staple gun & remover to take them out myself. Of course it was included in the fee, even though she couldnt use it again.
One time I brought in a buckling with entropion. This boy was reserved. The bill was more than he was worth.

Jyllie63 · #16 02/03/12, 03:21 PM

Most of you know the trouble we had over the summer with the alpacas (lost 12). Well this guy seemed to have all the signs of meningeal worm. I treated him based on other alpaca and goat websites. He wouldn't get up at all and my dh was out of town. We decided that for our own peace of mind to have the vet come out "just to make sure". The vet got here and agreed with my diagnosis and treatment. He did give me some banamine to use (but I didn't have to use it all because the alpaca died). I'm used to seeing them die and fully expected it, but when he DIDN'T after so long that is when I called. I think it's crazy to charge a farm visit AND mileage AND an exam fee. This place was pretty reasonable when we first found them, but now they are just like the rest of them and seem to be in it only for the money. I guess I need to see if I can find another one around here that has some integrity

thaiblue12 · #17 02/03/12, 06:28 PM

You lost 12 Alpacas this past year?

Oh that is awful

Pretty much all the vets in a 25 mile radius charge the same or very close to the same prices. The one I prefer costs within $20 of the other who is closer, neither ever come her since they know I have Nigerians they expect me to bring them to the office. I think a farm charge is $50 to come out.

mekasmom · #18 02/03/12, 06:36 PM

I live about twenty miles from the vet. The house call is fifty plus whatever meds and treatments.

Jyllie63 · #19 02/03/12, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaiblue12

You lost 12 Alpacas this past year?

Oh that is awful

Pretty much all the vets in a 25 mile radius charge the same or very close to the same prices. The one I prefer costs within $20 of the other who is closer, neither ever come her since they know I have Nigerians they expect me to bring them to the office. I think a farm charge is $50 to come out.

Yes...it was HORRIBLE

.

It doesn't look like most of you get charged a mileage fee like I do. That was $30 on top of the farm visit and the exam fee

heavyrebel · #20 02/03/12, 09:21 PM

I think 100 to show up and do an exam is a fair price...the Vets have bills to pay, and traveling to farms is not cost effective...thats why most don't even do large animal anymore..

All you complainers, be thankful you HAVE a large animal vet locally...we don't. Oh we have 100o EQUINE vet wankers, but if its not a stinkin horse, they dont care. Since we cant eat a horse....