Vet prices

rorostortoise · Jan 16, 2024

Is this normal for anyone else? I took my RF tort to the vet a few months back and the bill for a visit and fecal test was $400. I ended up spending $240 more on his dewormer and fecal retest. There are no other exotics vets near me, but is the price worth a trip to Carson or possibly Sacramento for something cheaper? It was a solid 45 minutes to get to Mountianview Vetrinary, if that tells any other Washoe Valley folks how far I am from Carson/California. I want to get him a blood test and treatment for herpes, but the blood test would be an additional $500 and idk how much the treatment would be. I'm not financially unstable, but for Christ's sake, it costs less for me to go to the dr.

Tim Carlisle · Jan 16, 2024

rorostortoise said:
Is this normal for anyone else? I took my RF tort to the vet a few months back and the bill for a visit and fecal test was $400. I ended up spending $240 more on his dewormer and fecal retest. There are no other exotics vets near me, but is the price worth a trip to Carson or possibly Sacramento for something cheaper? It was a solid 45 minutes to get to Mountianview Vetrinary, if that tells any other Washoe Valley folks how far I am from Carson/California. I want to get him a blood test and treatment for herpes, but the blood test would be an additional $500 and idk how much the treatment would be. I'm not financially unstable, but for Christ's sake, it costs less for me to go to the dr.

Wow. Mine was only $85 for the exam.

ZEROPILOT · Jan 16, 2024

I rarely take any of my tortoises to my vet.
It's simply usually not needed.
Xrays are about $80 each. And my visits are generally between 3 and 5 hundred dollars. And have been over 3 thousand dollars.
De worming is usually not necessary.
I have no experience with tortoises having herpes.
My vet is very good about giving me help so that I can do many minor medical things myself.
(Since I have so many animals)

Ink · Jan 16, 2024

I didn't spend more than $100.00 on my tortoises or turtle's fecal test. My rescue was the only one that had worms. ❤️My veterinarian.

Tom · Jan 16, 2024

rorostortoise said:
Is this normal for anyone else? I took my RF tort to the vet a few months back and the bill for a visit and fecal test was $400. I ended up spending $240 more on his dewormer and fecal retest. There are no other exotics vets near me, but is the price worth a trip to Carson or possibly Sacramento for something cheaper? It was a solid 45 minutes to get to Mountianview Vetrinary, if that tells any other Washoe Valley folks how far I am from Carson/California. I want to get him a blood test and treatment for herpes, but the blood test would be an additional $500 and idk how much the treatment would be. I'm not financially unstable, but for Christ's sake, it costs less for me to go to the dr.

Prices for everything have gone up, but $400 for an office visit and fecal exam is excessive by any standard.

dd33 · Jan 16, 2024

Was the fecal test just peformed via microscopy or was it sent out to a lab for more advanced tests? $400 could either be very low, or very high depending on the type of tests peformed.

ZEROPILOT · Jan 16, 2024

I suppose the real pain would be giving your hard earned money to a vet that has no idea what they're doing.
You pay them to learn on your tortoise.
At least with a trusted, knowledgeable tortoise vet, you're more likely to get what you actually needed. And not sold a load of BS

ZEROPILOT · Jan 16, 2024

Ink said:
I didn't spend more than $100.00 on my tortoises or turtle's fecal test. My rescue was the only one that had worms. ❤️My veterinarian.

That's very good. And very important

TammyJ · Jan 17, 2024

No vet exists here in Jamaica that I would trust with any of my reptiles. I know more by far than any of them. I just can't get the antibiotics if needed because I would need a prescription!

Maggie3fan · Jan 17, 2024

For Mary Knobbins, 6 months ago I hadda take Mary for an exam to see if she was healthy enuf to get anesthesia for a beak trim...that was $200...then for the actual trim.it was $75 for the visit and $175 for the actua work...that's just too much...for me...so how did I know it was 6 months ago?...the f'ing Vet is calling and harassing me to bring Mary in for another trim...I know it necessary, but holy ****...another $450??? I'm sure in the previous 6 months her health or ability to handle anesthesia hasn't declined so why can't she just simply do the work? grrr

Maggie3fan · Jan 17, 2024

Maggie3fan said:
For Mary Knobbins, 6 months ago I hadda take Mary for an exam to see if she was healthy enuf to get anesthesia for a beak trim...that was $200...then for the actual trim.it was $75 for the visit and $175 for the actua work...that's just too much...for me...so how did I know it was 6 months ago?...the f'ing Vet is calling and harassing me to bring Mary in for another trim...I know it necessary, but holy ****...another $450??? I'm sure in the previous 6 months her health or ability to handle anesthesia hasn't declined so why can't she just simply do the work? grrr View attachment 365364

This photo was taken of her trim 6 months ago...I know it's bad, so her main diet since then has been anything hard and horse pasture hay, and that did indeed split off some of it...I usta be able to afford this kinda ****...but retirement ain't been to good financially...

rorostortoise · Jan 17, 2024

dd33 said:
Was the fecal test just peformed via microscopy or was it sent out to a lab for more advanced tests? $400 could either be very low, or very high depending on the type of tests peformed.

they sent it somewhere else for microscopy, no advanced tests. I think what they do is charge high prices because they have reptile vets monopolized as there is only one.

Yossarian · Jan 17, 2024

I agree with Zeropilot, torts dont really need vets unless there is an emergency. Be wary of vets and torts, they dont tend to know much about them so a lot of guesswork happens imo. That leads to unnecessary treatments in many cases, like anti-biotics, and also to unnecessary testing. If you provide the correct environment and diet for your species it is pretty unlikely to ever need to see a vet. If you do have to go, do your best to educate yourself first, you vet is likely to rely a lot on what you tell them, make sure you understand both what you do know and what you do not know.

TammyJ · Jan 17, 2024

Yossarian said:
I agree with Zeropilot, torts dont really need vets unless there is an emergency. Be wary of vets and torts, they dont tend to know much about them so a lot of guesswork happens imo. That leads to unnecessary treatments in many cases, like anti-biotics, and also to unnecessary testing. If you provide the correct environment and diet for your species it is pretty unlikely to ever need to see a vet. If you do have to go, do your best to educate yourself first, you vet is likely to rely a lot on what you tell them, make sure you understand both what you do know and what you do not know.

Totally agree. Some years ago a friend of mine's boa was doomed by a vet by a diagnosis of cryptosporidium, without any tests being done. I did not agree with this, and I took the snake and worked with it for months, tube feeding and all. That boa is now all grown up, over 12 years old and in beautiful health. I have never taken any turtle or tortoise to a vet and I believe that is definitely due to good husbandry.

Vet prices

rorostortoise

Member

Tim Carlisle

Well-Known Member

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER

Ink

Well-Known Member

Tom

The Dog Trainer

dd33

Well-Known Member

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER

TammyJ

Well-Known Member

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member

rorostortoise

Member

Yossarian

Well-Known Member

TammyJ

Well-Known Member

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