Why Veterinary prices can range so much

[Sarahmoluccan]

A good article about veterinary pricing
Veterinary pricing: Costs for services and procedures vary wildly, here’s why - National | Globalnews.ca

I'm kind of fascinated by how widely veterinary care can cost depending of certain things. I truly wish there some kind of consumer watch dog organization specifically for vets. That could help people navigate costs.

I generally agree with the idea that if you can't afford the vets bills you shouldn't get a pet. My main problem with this is how can you know what you can afford when prices and circumstances can vary so much. I know of one case where dog owners paid $10,000 for surgery for their dog because their dog ate something he shouldn't have. Thankfully in this particular case the owners were financially well off. But few people I know could afford something like that.

In my own experience we paid $1000 to have the tiniest lump removed for my dog's lip. There was concerned it could have been cancerous. Thankful it wasn't. Personally I think we over paid. Considering I was quoted under $500 for Zane's wound surgery and I paid about $450 when he had surgery on his wing. Now it not comparing "apples to apples" because they are two different species. But I would have thought a bird surgery would have been more not less because of the expertise involved with exotics.

I'm curious how prices range here in AA. Now I understand some won't want to share, that's perfectly reasonable. But if you don't mind sharing what are some of your basic Veterinary cost for your bird.

I'll start for two large cockatoos and I'm in Ontario these are my basic costs

Physical exam - $88
Beak and nail trim - free with physical exam or $75 without
Blood collection fee - $35
Avian profile (bacis blood test) - $96

 

[Macawnutz]

I have a HUGE MEDICIAL BINDER with paperwork and receipts for every bird I own. Test results, exam notes and cost breakdowns.

A few years ago I started ( for craps & giggles ) to estimate the cost of Korbel... I got to about $12,000 and quit. Some things are better left unknown.

 

[Hjarta5]

I recently had some work done for Luna so I will post when I look for my receipt, but I think this is a good idea -- especially for potential pet owners who arent aware how costly it can be. A general check up will run around $300 something for me, and when I brought Wally in for an emergency appointment (I thought she choked on an avicake seed) that was only a physical, that was about $115. I live in SW Michigan and this was at the only local vet clinic that have avian-specialized vets.

One thing that I especially appreciate about my vet clinic is that they will bring me a sheet with all suggested work to be performed after the initial physical examination, and then we have a discussion as to what each item entails, what it may show or not show, and whether its something they feel is necessary at this time versus just a suggestion. In addition, I also use this forum ahead of my visits to see what others have said and suggested, depending on the symptoms. I always want to stress how important it is to ask questions -- whether for our birds or ourselves even!

 

[faislaq]

I have a HUGE MEDICIAL BINDER with paperwork and receipts for every bird I own. Test results, exam notes and cost breakdowns.
A few years ago I started ( for craps & giggles ) to estimate the cost of Korbel... I got to about $12,000 and quit. Some things are better left unknown.

Jixny dog came with a free 30-day insurance policy. She had a pelvic fusion on day 30. We decided to keep the insurance for at least another year, but with her allergies and UTIs, I'm glad we kept her covered. They require every invoice whether you think they're related or not, right down to the receipts for her heartworm meds, so now she has 2 binders already & she's not even 4 yet. (When I fax over her claims I even include the invoices for her nail trims just to be a smart aleck. ) I've started a binder for Naomi because why not & I only have 1 so far for all of the birds, but each has their own section.

In addition to her being on insurance, I still called around to every local vet I could pull up on Google & grilled them about their pricing until I found a low-cost vet in the next town. Even with dogs there's a huge difference in pricing form vet to vet.

You're right though, I'd have thought the avian fees would be higher, though I surely won't complain.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

I have a HUGE MEDICIAL BINDER with paperwork and receipts for every bird I own. Test results, exam notes and cost breakdowns.

A few years ago I started ( for craps & giggles ) to estimate the cost of Korbel... I got to about $12,000 and quit. Some things are better left unknown.

Omg!!! I don't doubt it though!! I do greatly admired your commitment to your birds!! It's not cheap I know. Zane didn't cost that much but costed enough to put a financial strain on me and my family. Of course he was worth it. It's just hard. Especially since I can't really justify getting another bird at this point. If I ever win the lottery I'm so getting more animals One can dream

 

[Clueless]

I was first quoted an extraordinary high price for all exams I "needed" for birds when I was at a bird fair. I thought at that moment that they would never be seen by an avian vet.

I then found a vet that would do a vet care "package" for a certain price. I'm thinking it was around $300 per bird but I can't recall. That vet is gone anyway (He's the one Secret bit).

I then chose to go to an experienced avian vet that had an emergency hotline. I'm still with him after several years. He doesn't do a complete blood test every year. I do take both my guys in yearly for a wellness exam and I think I get a discount because I do them the same day.

@Macawnutz @Hankmacaw for the newbies, what tests would you recommend (or what tests would you tell them to put on a back burner as not as important) for a bird that is just acquired? You two have tons of experience with vets so I tagged you.

Personally I declined one test because I heard about false positives from it. I'm a nervous worry wart as @JLcribber will testify to. I didn't need to compound my worries by suffering through that.

 

[Macawnutz]

Here are a few pages.

I never get out under $400.

 

[faislaq]

I'm a nervous worry wart as @JLcribber will testify to. I didn't need to compound my worries by suffering through that.

Ah, yes. Dr. Cribber is very thorough in his diagnosis of that particular disorder.

 

[faislaq]

Here are a few pages. I never get out under $400.

Who is Bubba?

 

[Macawnutz]

I was first quoted an extraordinary high price for all exams I "needed" for birds when I was at a bird fair. I thought at that moment that they would never be seen by an avian vet.

I then found a vet that would do a vet care "package" for a certain price. I'm thinking it was around $300 per bird but I can't recall. That vet is gone anyway (He's the one Secret bit).

I then chose to go to an experienced avian vet that had an emergency hotline. I'm still with him after several years. He doesn't do a complete blood test every year. I do take both my guys in yearly for a wellness exam and I think I get a discount because I do them the same day.

@Macawnutz @Hankmacaw for the newbies, what tests would you recommend (or what tests would you tell them to put on a back burner as not as important) for a bird that is just acquired? You two have tons of experience with vets so I tagged you.

Personally I declined one test because I heard about false positives from it. I'm a nervous worry wart as @JLcribber will testify to. I didn't need to compound my worries by suffering through that.

My last image, Cha Cha, that's my new bird exam.

 

[Macawnutz]

Who is Bubba?

OMG... lol!

Very funny story! It's Korbel.
That bill was from the emergency clinic. They told me years prior that Korbel had PDD and I should put him down. They almost demanded I put him down! Turns out he had AGY and not PDD... *censored words*!

He was sick and it was after hours with my vet, I brought him back to that clinic even though I didn't want too. I didn't want the hassle of them thinking it was the "PDD" bird so I admitted him under Bubba. Joe's pet name for him. He answers to it and it worked. They were focused on his issues and not there own naive ideas.

 

[Clueless]

I didn't want the hassle of them thinking it was the "PDD" bird so I admitted him under Bubba. Joe's pet name for him. He answers to it and it worked. They were focused on his issues and not there own naive ideas.

God Bless you for that!

 

[sunnysmom]

I'm fortunate that my vet is really reasonably priced. I don't think for any of Sunny's vet visits (including his multiple bacterial infections, stroke, etc) that my vet ever charged me more that $100 and that was with getting medicine. And if you have an annual wellness exam with him, he only charges $15 for nail trims for the rest of the year, which was well worth it for me not to have to do it myself. I'm trying to remember what he charged for Elvis's beak and nail trim- $25 maybe?

 

[Clueless]

@Macawnutz

For Cha Cha were Xrays part of a new bird exam?

And by the way, my hubby calls MC Bubba!

 

[Macawnutz]

God Bless you for that!

It turned out to be a pain. Birthday fibs and trying to not call him Korbel. Lol. He was pretty sick and they could not handle him. They gave him the doxy shot that he turned out to be allergic too. I had to transfer his records to my vet, my poor vet was confused at the name. Cultures prescriptions, xrays. His nickname is now a permanent part of his file.

 

[Macawnutz]

@Macawnutz

For Cha Cha were Xrays part of a new bird exam?

And by the way, my hubby calls MC Bubba!

Yes. I always do films. It gives me my baseline for later. Korbel says "come er Bubba" so funny.

Kailua's new bird.
I microchip on the next visit.

 

[Clueless]

Yes. I always do films. It gives me my baseline for later. Korbel says "come er Bubba" so funny.

Hmmmm

Only Secret has xrays. I can't recall price but it wasn't cheap.

The blood tests were my baseline.

 

[SandraK]

@Macawnutz

For Cha Cha were Xrays part of a new bird exam?

And by the way, my hubby calls MC Bubba!

It's a guy thing I think.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

@Macawnutz @Hankmacaw for the newbies, what tests would you recommend (or what tests would you tell them to put on a back burner as not as important) for a bird that is just acquired? You two have tons of experience with vets so I tagged you.

Personally I declined one test because I heard about false positives from it. I'm a nervous worry wart as @JLcribber will testify to. I didn't need to compound my worries by suffering through that.

Good question!! I'm no expert but I kinda think a lot of the smaller more common birds should tested for "the big 3" diseases or at least the one most associated with they are species. I don't know them off the top off my head. Especially if their history is sketchy

@JLcribber posted an article about bird fairs and diseases while ago I always think about. It's scary how common some diseases are. One day I'd like to get a Teil again but I'd want test him/her for at least the disease most common association with them. I forget what it is thou. (I know captive lovebird population has a problem with Beak and feather disease apparently)

 

[EllaMay]

Ella and the littles not so much in the reality, I feel it is in the realm of other AVN's in Indiana.

Whitney my U2 who lived until she was 34yrs I had her since she was 12 weeks old, cost me a chunk of change and then some. She had cancer, myself not giving up on her kept her alive for a bit longer but was so worth every penny I squeezed and the AVN didn't charge many times, she was very smitten with her for good reason she was character, which was a blessing.