My dog's getting a little along. She's a 12 yr old Australian Shepherd. Now don't get me wrong, she still gets out and gets after it, romping like a puppy through streams and woods etc. I love this dog more than I love just about anybody else, but I need some advice navigating her older age, and some of the medical bills that come along with it.
I have a bit of a cynical view of mainstream veterinary practice, by which I mean this: veterinarians are great, and I'm glad to have had some good ones over the years. However, I understand their business model to be based entirely on up-selling services. The $60 just to see my pet doesn't really pay the bills, it's running a battery of tests. Now, the vet that I go to now in Chicago is INCREDIBLY clean and friendly and professional, but I can't help but feel when we've gone there that they're constantly suggesting all these things my dog should get done just in case. And when I'm a bit squeamish about dropping $500 for this or that, I feel like I get the "You do love your dog, don't you?" sort of guilt, like I shouldn't dare take any chance with her.
Now is where I'd like the B&B community's opinion...just what does an aged dog need when she goes to the vet? Her standard vaccines, as she's out and about, I understand. But does she need a parasite screen every year? Wouldn't that be something to wait until she manifests some kind of symptoms? A heartworm screening every year, even though she's taken heartworm medication since her last visit? Or X-rays.....for some reason?
I need help drawing the line on what kind of expensive tests/measures are actually warranted in a pretty darn healthy but pretty old dog, and if I'm really a scum bag for not wanting to feel taken advantage of for things that don't seem necessary. Love to hear fro folks who have gone through the same.
I have a bit of a cynical view of mainstream veterinary practice, by which I mean this: veterinarians are great, and I'm glad to have had some good ones over the years. However, I understand their business model to be based entirely on up-selling services. The $60 just to see my pet doesn't really pay the bills, it's running a battery of tests. Now, the vet that I go to now in Chicago is INCREDIBLY clean and friendly and professional, but I can't help but feel when we've gone there that they're constantly suggesting all these things my dog should get done just in case. And when I'm a bit squeamish about dropping $500 for this or that, I feel like I get the "You do love your dog, don't you?" sort of guilt, like I shouldn't dare take any chance with her.
Now is where I'd like the B&B community's opinion...just what does an aged dog need when she goes to the vet? Her standard vaccines, as she's out and about, I understand. But does she need a parasite screen every year? Wouldn't that be something to wait until she manifests some kind of symptoms? A heartworm screening every year, even though she's taken heartworm medication since her last visit? Or X-rays.....for some reason?
I need help drawing the line on what kind of expensive tests/measures are actually warranted in a pretty darn healthy but pretty old dog, and if I'm really a scum bag for not wanting to feel taken advantage of for things that don't seem necessary. Love to hear fro folks who have gone through the same.