# vets



## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

any1 know any cheaper vet or insurance plans i have a new puppy who needs shots and every1 is tryna charge me out the butt


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## MyTank (Sep 8, 2005)

Try going through your humane society. Call them and ask them if they have any programs to do with vaccinations and spaying/neutering. Most do. 

I called my humane society and they put me thru to the animal control and then to PETA. So PETA is actually going to neuter Tank on the 22nd at my humane society. It's way cheaper! And on certain days they do rabies shots, city licenses, and spay/neutering for only $10.00!


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## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

i am sure that you can purchase pet insurance if you wanted to. to find a cheaper vet is not something i would even know how to do... i never try to find the cheapest when it comes to doctors or vets... when it comes to my health or my pets... i want the best not the bargain. remember though the most expensive doesn't necessarily mean the best. talk to other pet owners in your area and do your research to find the vet that you think will be the best in all areas of the care you need (not just shots, at some point you may need to spay or neuter, whelp etc.) good luck to you!


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

are shots all that important ? he has been sneezin and like gags for no reason hes only 9 weeks we only want shots not getting fixed so i will try that


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## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

nikki0077 said:


> are shots all that important ? he has been sneezin and like gags for no reason hes only 9 weeks we only want shots not getting fixed so i will try that


not a lecture here so don't take offense...if you are not going to vaccinate you dog please don't take it out in public. just as important as i think it is to immunize your children (some people don't) i believe it is just as important to immunize your pets. jmo...not right or wrong ...just mine


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## LocasMom (Sep 11, 2005)

Ahh Nikki you are in Largo. I am in Indian Rocks Beach.
I recommend A Loving Care on Seminole Blvd. in Largo 

or Indian Rocks Beach Hospital on Gulf Blvd. 
I have used both vets and they are very reasonably priced.

Are you coming to the chihuahua festival next weekend???


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

we plan to get his shots i was just asking if there very important i was basically wondering if goin with a well plan or puppy insurance is cheaper cause he is a puppy and will most liekyl need alot of shots


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Shots are important. So is being "fixed" Unless you plan on breeding, you should have your dog spayed or neutered. It's much better to be part of the solution, than of the problem.


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## LocasMom (Sep 11, 2005)

I am not sure. I have a completely different opinion about vaccinations. 

I would never get insurance for vaccinations, vaccinations are overdone!!!

But that is just my opinion from the research I have done.....


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

ok thnx but we are not gettin him fixed incase we breed him what do u guys do for shots and vets pay normal insurance etc


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

as a puppy hes going to get 3 sets of shots being hes 8 weeks he should have had at least one set by now...you should have recived a copy of his vacination history from his breeder. 
here in ct its aproximatly $150 PER visit! (this area is CRAZY expensive) however the shots are VERY important, just like children their immune system cannot protect against communicable disese there going to come across in the outside world,some of which being kennel cough, parvo, and many others which the vacinations will for the most part protect against, id personally rather pay $450 for the full series of shots than a couple of thousand if either of my chis were to pick up something like parvo.

in my opinion pet insurance is good for cases of emergancy, but in the general dogs life your probably goign to pay more for insurance premiums than you ever will through the life of the dog *fingers crossed, emergencies CAN happen*...
i did have pet insurance on both my babies i whent through petco and was paying out $20 a month each dog...
but reacently after seeing how things are workig out ive opend a second savings account and instead of paying some company the premiums i just put the $40 a month into the special savings...

contact your local shelter or local petco they should be able to put you intouch with a low cost vacination clinic.
also REALY REALY look into spay/neuter for around 6 months old...theres SOOO many benifits to neutering that youd be foolish not to realy, if you dont plan on showing him...dont plan on breeding him, because any person breeding properly will not breed any dog that isnt shown at least once and done well (or at the very least been judge evaluated) theres so many cancers and behavioural problems that can occur with an intact dog.
you can usually get a spay/neuter done at a low cost clinic for around $50-$100 which is alot less than the worry and heartache of your dog getting cancer or having behavioural problems, and alot cheaper than the cost of having a tumor removed, paying for extra obedience because you have a behaviourally challenged dog, or paying the bill for wounds form fights an intact dog WILL get into within a split second...

and on that note...woudl love to see pics of your little one!
hope you get all the info you need here!


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Unless you know a lot about genetics and have done quite a bit of research you shouldn't be breeding. You can end up causing puppies and their owners a lot of grief over medical problems. 

Vaccinations are as important for puppies as they are for people. The health insurance for dogs that I checked into were more expensive than the shots.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

Okay... here is my two cents on this one:

If you are complaining about the price of shots, then you should definately not be breeding your pup.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

ok i didnt say i was going to breed him i just said im not sure he came from a good backround we have all his papers im not complining really just researcging being he is a pup he needs more shots so i rather find a good price


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

Unless you have experience with breeding and have researched it immensely, I would not recommend doing it either. There are so many homeless animals, and chihuahua breeders (especially in Florida). It is so much healthier to get your pup spayed or neutered. The number reason that abandon animals in shelters is because of their attitudes and bad behaviors due to having them unfixed.


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## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

office call for vaccines: $12
D-A2-P-CPV: $ 8
Kennel Cough-IN: $ 8
Rabies: $ 7
_____
$35

cheap insurance for me  and than because i am the spay/neuter advocate of the century... is your dog worth breeding? in my opinion if the owner of the dog knows it is of high enough quality to breed for the betterment of the breed than by all means do so. if it is only to put a few $$$ in the ol' wallet than leave the breeding to those who are doing it for the right reason. 
i have an afghan hound pup that is out of one of the top afghan hounds in the nation right now. last saturday she was spayed  just make sure you are breeding for the right reasons...


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

I don't have to pay for the office call when we go, just the shots.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

heres a pic of my lil baby for who said she would love to see him


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

what ibsurance do u have?


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

I don't. Just a good old fashioned country vet.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

ok well any advice or oppinions are great


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

i feel like if you cant afford to properly care for your pet, you shouldn't have one..
the standard prices for shots run about 60 dollars per set..and puppies require 3 seperate sets, one which is mandatory, you cant be sold a dog w/ out them, so those should be out of the way, then a set 3 weeks later, then a set 3 weeks after that..thats about 120..+ heart worm meds, which is about 6 dollars a pill once a month
Its a responsibility you take on when you adopt/buy a pet.


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

You *could* be sold a dog without them. There are a lot of backyard breeders out there who's bottom line is the almighty dollar. That isn't regulated in any way.


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

only breeders should breed dogs, there are plenty of puppies from breeders, shops & shelters to go around, there shouldnt be an and if or but about it. it's just the right thing to do.


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

it is illegal though.


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Yes, but sadly many people want to "try" to breed dogs. They have no business doing so and the puppies are the ones that suffer.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

i can afford it and i have not gotten any prices liek that i have gotten 150 for just a checkup not even shots so im doin some research if i couldnt afford it i wouldnt have bought the puppy hes had his 1st set of shots and i dont wanna affend any1 but i feel like i should see what other people are doin as in insurance or well plans or just normal im not trying to be cheap about it but i rather not be ripped off eather


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

im not breeding my dog he is to young but i am also not taking his man hood away i think that is cruel i wouldnt get my child fixed so i would also not get my new pup baby fixed i would never bread without the proper requierments aND without knowing everythin there is out there to know 1st


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

well i think 150 is outrageous, depending on where you live??
I went to a great vet, whom all my animals have gone to for 10 + years and was charged 60 for both their 11-12 week shots & the set after..
i'm in florida too, so they could def over-charge if they wanted.

keep looking!! there has to be a good vet with good prices out there!!


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

so no1 hhere does insurance or wellness plans?


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

nikki0077 said:


> im not breeding my dog he is to young but i am also not taking his man hood away i think that is cruel i wouldnt get my child fixed so i would also not get my new pup baby fixed i would never bread without the proper requierments aND without knowing everythin there is out there to know 1st



Keep in mind, children and dogs are not the same thing. I had my baby boys (skin boys) circumsized because it was the right thing to do for them and it would help them down the road. I'm having Elvis neutered as I know there are less chances of him having diseases and less chance of running away and less agression. 

While you're learning about requirements, your sweet pup could be out visiting the neighbors and creating a lot of unwanted puppies. 

It's a very large responsibility to have an unaltered dog.


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## ChiLeeLee (Oct 14, 2005)

nikki0077 said:


> any1 know any cheaper vet or insurance plans i have a new puppy who needs shots and every1 is tryna charge me out the butt


 Do you have a Petsmart Banfield near you. Thats where I went for Leya, I applied for their wellness plan, it worked out great for me at the time because instead of coming in one a month to get all the shots, he recommended for me to come each week or two weeks to get one shot at a time because she was quite small at the time.


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## ngtah00 (Jun 20, 2005)

hi nikki,
i have vpi insurance. I only got the insurance for catastrophy though. they have one for wellness, that offers money for vaccines,spay/neuter,etc.

My plan is about 19 dollars a month. and at the end of the year you have the option of renewing. 

I hope this helps. I would check with other people to see what they have. I know petsmart Bansfield has insurance plans as well, but i did a search on the hospital and it got some bad results, so I went with VPI. 

Good luck with your search


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## ngtah00 (Jun 20, 2005)

oh about the shots. I called around the vets in the area. some charged "office visit" fees of 45+ 5 dollars for being a new patient. The vet I go to now, doesn't charge the office visit fee as long as vaccines are given. 

The shots were about 20 dollars each and my first visit, I needed 3. So it was about 60 something. And the second series was just bordetella, so that was another 20 but they charged me an office fee because bordetella (kennel cough) isn't considered a "necessary" vaccine. 

I think that was all the shots she got. hope this helps.
call around and check out the animal shelter, they have vaccines/rabies clinics.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

did either of you pay an anual fee?


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

1 more question when my pup wakes up he gags is this somthing he is doin out of his personality or does any1 know hes not throwing up just like a gag


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

they have a higher risk of cancer, and other infections by NOT getting them fixed, your dog is not a human being, it is NOT cruel its preventing him from getting out one day and getting a dog pregnent who then has puppies who get hit by a car, get attacked by animals, have worms, etc. thats a lousy excuse for not spaying your pet.


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## ngtah00 (Jun 20, 2005)

no, didn't pay annual fee. Gizmo's mom is from FL, perhaps her vets will be close to yours for fees. 

Gagging could be reverse sneeze. Do a search for that. It's a common thing for chis.


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

i dont let my pup outside without me he goes everywhere i do and when he is outside i am right next to him i wouldnt let him go over to the neighbors ever cause there dogs could kill him


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

it also puts your dog in misery while they are in heat, males will even go to as far as escaping to find a mate.


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

you want your dog to get testicular cancer??


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Dogs can also get prostate cancer. Which is no fun. My husband caught that last year


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## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

nikki0077 said:


> im not breeding my dog he is to young but i am also not taking his man hood away i think that is cruel i wouldnt get my child fixed so i would also not get my new pup baby fixed i would never bread without the proper requierments aND without knowing everythin there is out there to know 1st


well, i can think of lots of men who should have been fixed... :roll: 
it is not cruel, it does make them better pets and it does reduce the risk of several health issues plus your little boy will not want to roam so less chance of him trying to escape and getting hit by a car.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

I definately think that you should have your dog neutered. It is not cruel... it will keep him from marking up your house. Also, it will keep him from impregnating another dog.

I have a wellness plan, and I pay $20 a month per dog.


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

people tend to forget that a dog is not a person, it is not taking their chance of having a happy family away, male dogs generally have no emotions torwads their pups anyways usually they must be seperated due to the agressivness they could show..
as a pet, a dog who is not spayed has a harder time at being a family pet..they get fixated on finding a mate, i think that is cruel.
your dog will be much happier, if he neutered.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

on the neuter thing...you didnt get your kids spayed no...but hopefully your child will be taught well enough to not go galavainting about getting themselves (or a young woman pregnant) dogs dont have that luxury, they have instinct the mals insitict is get to that female in heat. they will break through screans, climb fences (my grandfather had one male climb an 8ft solid slat fence to get to a neighbour hood female in heat... and travel up to 100miles for a female in heat, they also beome more agressive with other dogs (including ANY you bring in the home as he would have to be the top dog) and can become very agressive with people too. not to mention the humping and the marking and the extreem high possibilty of testicular cancer.

females are very nucomfortable in heat males will literally be at the door scratching and whining to get in she will also get moody just like a woman during her cycle...

from your picture (i was the one who asked to see a pic) he doesnt loo to have quite the right head shape to breed, from my opinion (ive had alot of expereince with breeding and showing chis so while it might not mean much, i wanted to let you know as im sure your very responsible and wouldnt want to add to an over population problme by adding sub par pups to the world.)

also applying the "i wouldnt get my boyfrined "fixed" so im not taking my dogs manhood either" is a bad mentality. dogs dont Miss it when its gone...they dont even realize anythigns changed... 

and just so you know...I AM "SPAYED" i still enjoy an amazing personal life i have had no problems form the surgery and have even less than from when i was "intact"

on the insurance side, i was with vip i paid monthly (couldnt afford the one lump sum a year thing) and it was $19 a dog (closer to 20 ) so now i jus tput that in a savings account as it was only for acident coverange, now by saving up every month i can use it for shots, heartguard ect.


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## LocasMom (Sep 11, 2005)

Nikki, I live near you and I told you what vets were cheapest, yet good in this area. So do your research call them and ask prices of stuff you want to get done, they check the rates of your pet insurance.

Do your research.

As for the breeding thing. I do agree....many human males should be fixed.... :wink: and shouldn't be breeding.

As for your dog, it is strictly up to you. There are many good reasons to have your dog fixed. Neutered dogs live longer, healthier lives, not to mention behavior reliefs. Really breeding is a WHOLE other thing, that should really be left up to experienced people.

as far as that last comment about your dogs head not being "perfect" enough to breed is a stupid comment. I guess all PET chihuahuas need to be show quality now ....huh?


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

not having the correct head shape is considered a fault, since responsible ethical breders breed to better the breed they would NOT purposly breed a fault into their lines...so yes having the right head type is IMPORTANT to a breeder just like good health and temperment is...pet pus DONT have to be show potential, however pet pups should be just that PET pups! and a pet pup would be considered by any breeder any pup that doesnt have the correct form for the breed...it wasnt meant as a dis, but it is menat as guidance, if your going to breed, breed tru to type one should NEVER breed faults! and head being not the right shape is a fault...


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

thnx for all the posts we went and got his shots just now and my bf decided he will be nuetured i think it is very cruel but i will go along with it and his parents are show dogs so i think his head will be just fine lol


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

im glad your going with neutering...just for future knowledge just because the parents are show dogs doesnt mean the pups will be show quality, ive seen faulted pups come out of champion parents, so thats not a nessicary.
my grandfather bred chis for over 25 years, all his dogs were show dogs, he never bred a dog he hadnt shown himself and were on their way to full title if not already titled/champion, and even with those amazing pedigrees every littler had mabe 1 truly show/breedable quality dog...the rest were gorgeous, and to the untrained eye looked like perfect to standard chis, but he knew from his experience what exactly to look for. (hes also a retired UK judge), every dog that he felt were not show quality were sold on a spay/neuter contract, and those of show potential were sold with a strict screening process only to experienced breeders/showers.

i wasnt trying to say your pup is not gorgeous he is indeed too cute but the angle and slope on his head from the picture isnt quite there to have him do well showing...and your doing the right thing neutering, youll find life is sooo much easier for you (and him) and once the swelling goes down he wont even know anythings missing! 

cant wait to see more pics of him and keep us updated on how things are going.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

Your pup is very cute... but he doesn't have the correct head shape. The very best show dogs can throw a puppy with an incorrect head shape. This happens every day; there are many AKC registered "deer" headed chis as well. Just because a dog has papers, it doesn't mean that they are guaranteed to be in breed standards.

I'm glad that you decided to neuter your pup. You will see afterwards that it was for the best


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## TareG (Aug 13, 2005)

I just saw this post now, or else I would have thrown in my opinion earlier, but:

I am glad you are getting him neutered. Dogs don't have those kinds of complex emotions like humans, and they won't even realize they are missing anything. In fact, the only thing they will truly be missing are hormones that make them crazy and uncomfortable, getting hit by a car or lost while roaming desperately for a female and not finding one, getting you mad by marking with urine in your house, and cancers and other diseases of the prostates, etc.

And please get all the shots on schedule. Even if you chi is always with you, other dogs leave their mark everywhere, and if your dog even touches the ground in a particular spot he is running the risk of contracting someting (not trying to make you paranoid, just cautious).

Parvo is especially deadly, and you want to get that series done ASAP.


And btw - why are shots so expensive for some of you? Just curious, all of ours runs at 18 dollars, except for Rabies which is 12.
And sometimes, if it is the first visit or if the dog needs an exam, there is an exam fee of 28 dollars.


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## Kari (May 13, 2004)

I'm very glad to hear that he has gotten his shots. :wave: He is adorable! :wink:


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

You're doing the best thing for your little pup, he's so cute


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Glad he got his shots! Wow that vet was open late! What a find for you


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## LocasMom (Sep 11, 2005)

Rabies is $8.00 here for the one year and $20.00 for the three year. Almost all shots except bordetella is three year now, which is good.

I still don't by the hole head thing. I think every chihuahua is PERFECT in their own way!


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

A responsible breeder makes sure that the dogs they breed are up to breed standards. That's HOW breed standards come to be. If one starts breeding willy nilly you could have dogs that don't even resemble dogs as they should be. 

We love our pets and believe they're perfect. Truth is, a lot of our perfect pets aren't. They couldn't be shown, so they should'n't be be bred.


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## dlambertz (Nov 13, 2005)

Blue Velvet Elvis said:


> We love our pets and believe they're perfect. Truth is, a lot of our perfect pets aren't. They couldn't be shown, so they should'n't be be bred.


how very nicely put my girls are great looking pets ... one is going to hit the show ring but not big time (4-H) she is spayed!


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

thats all i was trying to say, like i said the pups gorgeous, so is every pup on this board, but there are many on the board that shouldnt be bred, my parents cockerspaniel is PERFECT to me hes goregouse sweet, even tempered and looks absolutly beuatiful...can he be shown?! no his nose is slightly too long and he doesnt have the correct angle between his nose and his forehead, his coat isnt the right texture either...hes AKC registered, and both his parents were showers (his father bein a champion) but hes not standard, cannot be shown therfore should not be bred and was neutered at 6 months old...id love to see little charlie spaniels running round...but i advised my mother to get him neutred because we dont want to add to the population of none standard dogs.

i think every dog is perfect in its own way, not only chis...but thats not always the case...

and still, we love them all anyway! Perfections AND faults!


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## nikki0077 (Feb 3, 2006)

well i have heard every1 but the people on this forum say my puppy is perfect u guys have ur own opinions and i respect that he is gonna get fixed even tho im against it its what the vet and my bf wants cause of cancer so im just done arguing about it as far as his head goes ive seen alot of the pups on here with the same head he is 9 weeks and his looks will change but i honestly know theres nothing wrong with his head but that is my opinion and some other peoples and u have urs so i respect that


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## rach (Jan 12, 2006)

I think your puppy is so cute. would love to see more pics of him :wave:


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

There is nothing wrong with his head, and yes, a lot of people have chis with that head shape... but... it is not to the AKC breed standards. That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with him... he is a perfect pet, and a little cutie.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

:banghead:


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

foxywench said:


> :banghead:


 :lol:


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

lol it just seemed to just say it all at that point...sometimes theres no getting through that big ole wall!


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## lalaNlucky (Jan 10, 2006)

unfortunately we don't determine how perfect our dogs are for being show dogs, if they don't fit with the akc standard which is SO STRICT, it doesn't matter..
it's not a bad thing unless you wanted a show dog.

you can have the most beautiful dog in the world, but if the nose shape is a little off, that doesn't matter to the AKC people.

its not a bad thing @ all what so ever!! their standards don't mean whats gorgeous & whats ugly, its just criteria they have set for what every dog needs to look like so there is a fair competition.

i think my dog sam, who is the mutt of all mutts is the best looking thing alive haha, but it doesn't mean he can be a show dog, you know?


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## LocasMom (Sep 11, 2005)

Thank You Lala! I completely agree.


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