Vets advice please

[Fluffykitten23]

I wanted to post because I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable as times are financially difficult ATM. The vet I am using for my dog is not our the vet I use for my other pets as he is extremely car sick so I have to take him to the local one but not the one I'd use by choice. Basically he will always get skin infections and ear infections almost monthly as he has so many allergies. But the vet charges me for the consultation even though the dog is one and the vet has has £££££££. Also a follow up consultation which now I'm so pissed of I wouldn't even go to if I can see it's cleared. They refuse to just give him the medicine even though it has been said what it is and he will have it for life. I have now waited due to covid 19 four days for medicine while the dog suffers as wouldn't answer emergency phone number so unsure why as someone's dog could of been run over or dying. I am getting the meds tonight after waiting all day but will be charged consultation. I'm just sick of it he had it from so quickly after I got him he isn't insured for it. I love my dog but it's bankrupting me as lost job now I will have to go without so he can have the meds at all until I can find another job. I don't mind paying for the medicine but is a consultation fee the norm for this. Sorry long rant over I hate that vets but the trauma to get him elsewhere would be cruel to the dog. It's all £££££ with vets. No payment plan offered have to do bank transfer before I can even get the pills.

[Fluffykitten23]

And before it's said I know insurance is my fault I was an idiot. But I just don't know what to do now. When I've got job again will be a bit easier but I it's like 200 a month pills drops consultation follow up. It's ridiculous. That's for maybe 15 more years. Have tried cutting stuff out of different dog foods he just gets it. Plus wormer and flea meds regularly and boosters. The vet gets enough in my opinion I think it's animals like him that are just £££££ makers for them. There seems no real feeling for the animals from them.

[Justhavinganosy]

Is it vets for pets? Because they’re an absolute rip off, I use animal trust now because consultations are free and they’re cheaper, vets for pets referred my dog for a possible knee surgery knowing full well she wasn’t fully grown and charged me nearly £300 for a consultation and no surgery or medication. My dog is car sick too, you can get tablets for them to take a few hours before appointments

[Fluffykitten23]

No it's not them they r shit too though. They said my hamster had cancer when I rushed him there because he escaped night before and found him screaming.i said no he's just done that. She said no cancer just comes up like that. Gave him antibiotics. Cut healed. He lived one and a half more years. Lovely boy r.i.p. so no I don't think vet4pets no nothing either 🙂

[Fluffykitten23]

Plus the dogs already had a 300 pound ear clean ( flush) not sure what it's called TBF. I feel sick when I think the money theyve had out of me for my dog. He's allergic to everything I joke he's allergic to life 😂

[Justhavinganosy]

Have you got a Animal trust vets close to where you live? Like I say, consultations are free every time you go, and their price of treatments are cheaper, plus they might be able to change the medication you already use to see if anything else works

[Fluffykitten23]

No I don't unfortunately as I'd get alot of help ATM due to no job. Not in RSPCA catchment or any other charities have checked. Only choice is to pay private vets can't get help unfortunately. Just wondered if they should not charge me consultation all the time as I think that really takes the piss when they know what's wrong before I walk through the door. I'm just really annoyed now enough to post as the poor fucking dog is still waiting for meds and has been for four days. They shut 7 so he will have them by them but for ppl that don't care about the dog they sure care about money.

[Wolfiefan]

Have you found what the allergies are? We have a dog who had ear and skin problems. It cost more £ but we found out what the problem was and can now avoid the allergen.
Vets are expensive. But that’s the cost of the medicine and the time of someone who has studied for years and years. Thank goodness we have the NHS and don’t have to pay similar levels for human treatment.

[Justhavinganosy]

Yeah most do charge for follow ups unfortunately, I mean I guess you could mention to them that you don’t have insurance and it’s costing a fortune per month just for medication and ask if it’s necessary to have follow ups. have you done a search to see how much pet insurance would be for a dog with pre existing conditions?

[Fluffykitten23]

They've never offered that should they have? They said to only feed him chicken dog food and chicken. No other meats. When he kept getting them I tried just lamb dog food etc and tried to help that way. I would happily pay for tests it's not I don't want to help him or expect something for free. But if he is just offered same tablets again and again I think he should be allowed a perscription or just medicine. Nothing happens in the consultation other than oh yes here's meds. That why I'm annoyed and wondered if that's normal for a life long thing.

[Justhavinganosy]

If it’s the same tablets every time I’m not surprised they’re not helping, eventually they build a resistance to certain medications. Have you tried hypoallergenic food such as James well beloved or wainwright’s? Lots of dogs have problems with food containing grain

[Vanadis]

What is the medication for? I looked after a pup with allergies, they did a test to find out what the specific allergies were which meant they could be avoided. We also got from the vet a big pack of antibacterial wipes, we would then wipe her down after a walk so if she did get any skin rash from her allergies they didn’t get infected.

[Fluffykitten23]

I've mentioned it and heard crickets. They even add follow up onto first bill but when they don't I don't take him if it's gone as that's another 40 and we will be back within four weeks. I tried insurance quotes nothing came up with pre existing but tbh his history is shocking and is one years old. The insurance company would have to be a idiot to take him on he will cost thousands and thousands at this rate if he has a long life.

[Madvixen]

They need to allergy test him and work out what the allergen causing it is. Our gsd got terrible ear infections until we worked out he was allergic to fish. We've cut that out of his diet and it's made a massive difference.

[Vanadis]

You need the allergy test. Your dog could be allergic to chicken. The pup we looked after was allergic to all sorts such as egg and fish and house dust mites. Some dogs are allergic to grass.

[Fluffykitten23]

Have tried hypoallergenic food. He has antibiotics drops, steroid tablets and metacam as he gets really sad and warm from it. It obviously hurts alot as he's hyper as they come normally. Not sure what drops and steroids are called sorry.

[Fluffykitten23]

I think he is allergic to grass too so glad someone said that. I was beginning to think I was crazy for thinking that. He has bad skin on back from rolling in fields. Like I said allergic to this world 😂. Will take him to a different vet the next time I think as never been offered a allergy test. How much do they cost? What do they do to the dog? Feel more hopeful now at least. Still waiting on medicine don't worry dog sure they will sort it soon.

[Fluffykitten23]

Oh and been waiting since 9 am to be told I can gets meds not since start of post I'm not that unreasonable.

[Justhavinganosy]

Yeah definitely try and new vet and take the medication with you so they can see what you’ve already tried and by the looks of it from what I’ve seen online it seems that the skin test is better than the blood test

[Honeyroar]

I’ve got a very allergic doc too. We just about manage it without injections or testing for allergies (the vet st the time said they would show up
allergies to everything and you wouldn’t know which was the one bothering her. He suggested gradually removing the main offenders from her routine and seeing what happens. The worst one was grass. We rarely take her on grass, particularly from April to November. If we do we wipe her paws/belly with baby wipes and put something called udder cream on (for cows originally but has tea tree and aloe etc- acts as a barrier cream and soothes more than anything we’ve found). Second feed- we were told many dogs are allergic to chicken and red meats. Our vet suggested a grain and rice free diet in either turkey or fish flavours. We found James Wellbeloved worked well. She has a portion a day (small dog). Thirdly dust mites. Keep all (dog) beds clean, avoid red coloured blankets and fibrous materials- he suggested putting them in a old, faded duvet cover, ideally light coloured. Fourth- don’t trim coats too short, but brush regularly and bathe weekly with a sensitive skin shampoo. Our dog has long hair, and we use a tea tree conditioner for the final rinse.

It might sound hard work, it is! But it’s made a huge difference to our dog and saved big bills for tablets. Final thing - allow three weeks or so before you give up on something as it can be quite a while to see changes.

(My sympathies re your job, I’m in the same boat and trying to work out cost savings for my pets too!)

[Fluffykitten23]

@honeyroar will try suggested things thank you. Where we live it's all fields so that may be hard as him and the children love to have races but will try wiping him. Do you mean baby wipes or special wipes? Will check back later as sitting here waiting for phone call to get meds I'm sure every minute I'm getting angrier. I have kids to get to bed surely it don't take all day the receptionist could get them in a second. Will get a new vet though as I feel their is just bad feeling between us makes me irrational I feel money is more important than the animals there.

[Honeyroar]

Yes we’re very rural. We have our own small holding, so it’s a nuisance, but we have to walk her on tracks and small lanes. We’d not get away with taking her on grass more than once or twice a week, even if we wiped her. It’s worth a try for a few weeks if it might save you a couple of thousand pounds a year..

[Honeyroar]

I use sensitive skin baby wipes.

[Honeyroar]

This is the udder cream, I get it from my horse feed shop, but you’d get it online. it was designed for cows udders when they get sore, so isn’t toxic. I forgot to say, we also use Itchy Dog supplement in her feed, which was also suggested by the vet.

[Wolfiefan]

Chicken is a VERY common allergen. So feeding chicken could be partly causing it.
We did blood tests. Often not useful where it’s food allergies. And expensive. But they helped us.
An exclusion diet is the best. So we feed raw. Feed a new protein. Eg rabbit. And only that for some weeks. See what happens. Then add another protein.
If grass is an issue you may have to keep the dog off the grass for some of the year. Wash off if in grass.

[Scattyhattie]

I'd put up with potential car sickness and change vets if they aren't being helpful in trying to find a solution. Mine charge reduced follow up consults but we don't always need one if for medication (dog has long term pain meds) with condition stable so no review. You can also rinse paws/belly with just water after a walk.

I'm not sure if allergies come under dermatologist? Some normal practices have vets have personal interests in different specialism's or sometimes worth paying more for referrals specialists to try get issue sorted (obviously when funds better).

Vets4pets are a means for vets & nurses to start own practice, so much is dependent on staff there, locally they are good and open longer over weekends. I think they still have some leeway to set own pricing although know vets can't buy meds in as cheap as online pharmacy sell. Most independent vets in our area have been bought up by corporations now so things like in house out of hours is scrapped & costs go up.