I will point out that part of the reason that costs are so high in the US (and Japan, and Germany) is that you are dealing with multinational companies. They need to get (for example) $10/dose to be profitable. If one country says that they can only charge $5/dose for it, they have an option of not selling in that country (and possibly losing sales of something that they do make money on) and charging countries that don't cap the price 15/dose, to make up the money lost in the other country. So yes, to a certain degree some countries subsidize the losses in other countries.

Back to spaying/neutering... I know for a while there that the San Francisco SPCA paid people $5 if they got their pet fixed. They figured it would be an upfront expense, but if they put the money out then greed would make people (especially those to whom $5 is a big deal... the very poor and homeless) more likely to get their pets fixed which would mean fewer strays coming into the shelter. Having signed up for a credit card when I was young, broke college student for a free sandwich, this seems like a good strategy. (They seem to have stopped that and instituted a sliding scale from free to some unspecified number, so I'd say that either the cost got too high or else they had seen a large enough drop that the program was no longer needed.)

I think that a good home for a pet is one with lots of love!! I have seen rich people mistreat dogs too. I think that once you take on a dog you are fully responsible to take care of it and give it what it needs including vet care, but I have also been in the situation when money runs short, it can happen to the best of us.
I think that vets could be easier on those who are short on cash though. I was turned away from the vet because I couldn't pay that day, I got my pay check the day after. So I spent the time worried sick that my puppy would get worse, it turned out OK I took him the next day and he was treated. But I think that if you can pay payments on a car then they should let you pay payments on your vet bills if you are in that situation. Its not like the vet is hurting for money.
Sorry I'm really irritated when it comes to that subject

I'm of two minds about poor people and pets (and kids, cars, big screen tvs, etc.) And I speak as someone who has been poor, and not poor. To me, it's one thing if someone has a pet and becomes poor, or doesn't have a lot of money but the pet is being adequately taken care of. You work with the first person until whatever situation they are in changes for the better financially, and the second person may never be rich but doesn't need help. But I have problems with people who can objectively look at their finances, see that they are living from paycheck to paycheck, and then still decide to get a pet (or have a kid, or get a car, or whatever), "because they always wanted one and deserve to have it." No, you don't. I'm big on personal responsibility, and part of that is living within your means. If you can stretch your money to cover a pet by cutting out something else, go for it. If you can't, then you shouldn't get one. Especially something like a pet, which is a living, feeling being. If you can't afford the car, they come and repo it. Unfortunately, if you can't afford a pet, it generally shows up as a lack of food, shelter, or medical care, and that is unacceptable in my book.

I think that vet bills in North America are out of control! It's like going to a dentist! SOOO SUPER EXPENSIVE! (Canada has free health care... so this last comment is only applicable for us Canadians).

I'm not really feeling like vet care needs to be made cheaper for "poor people" so much as the cost needs to come down ALL TOGETHER.

How can we provide the best for our pets when the cost to care for them is so over the top!

I understand the family that gets A dog and off they go... w/out issue, but what about us people who go out there and adopt a LOT of dogs all in the name of RESCUE.. So many dogs need a home... and I have give them one. Why can't vets at LEAST give a decent discount for people w/ more than one dog! Not that dumb slovenly teeny tiny percentage that the vet actually thinks can be helpful, BUT A REALLLLL DISCOUNTTTTTTT!! :mad:

I feel like we OWE dogs a better quality of life... since WE created them!! They didn't ask to be here... (much like human children. They didn't ask to be here either... WE OWE IT... WE OWE THEM the rights to the best care and life).:(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SweetDee

I think that vet bills in North America are out of control! It's like going to a dentist! SOOO SUPER EXPENSIVE! (Canada has free health care...so this last comment is only applicable for us Canadians).

I'm not really feeling like vet care needs to be made cheaper for "poor people" so much as the cost needs to come down ALL TOGETHER.

How can we provide the best for our pets when the cost to care for them is so over the top!

I understand the family that gets A dog and off they go...w/out issue, but what about us people who go out there and adopt a LOT of dogs all in the name of RESCUE...! So many dogs need a home...and I have give them one. Why can't vets at LEAST give a decent discount for people w/ more than one dog! Not that dumb slovenly teeny tiny percentage that the vet actually thinks can be helpful, BUT A REALLLLL DISCOUNTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

I feel like we OWE dogs a better quality of life...since WE created them!!! They didn't ask to be here...(much like human children. They didn't ask to be here either...WE OWE IT...WE OWE THEM the rights to the best care and life).:(

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Sort of a side issue but my Vet gives a 10% discount if you have more than one dog BUT you must bring them in together. There is no way I could take 200+ pounds of dog into the Vet at the same time and pay close attention to both of them. They don't need tons of supervision but they would be in a strange place, being handled by strangers (to them) and I don't think it's a good idea.

Anyway - that's the Vet's idea of a discount.

Ya, 10% SUCKS!

Sweetdee, I do agree. I think part of the problem comes from greed, period. Most vets I've known have decided that they deserve the income of a plastic surgeon. You know the saying, "they're in it for the money?" maybe most of them went in with good intentions, but not all of them have kept them.

I think the problem extends even further, with double-booking, triple booking, and rushing through appointments. How many of you have felt that the vet didn't cover all of your questions or offer the proper solution because he/she wanted to get to the next guy? But it doesn't make the care cost any less.

How about extending that discount idea to more than one pet in general? Dogs, cats and rabbits included. People with rescues should also get a better deal.

Giraffe, any vet who can turn down emergency care for an animal in need deserves to have his license revoked.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by giraffemsh

i think that a good home for a pet is one with lots of love!!! i have seen rich people mistreat dogs too. i think that once you take on a dog you are fully responsible to take care of it and give it what it needs including vet care, but i have also been in the situation when money runs short, it can happen to the best of us.
i think that vets could be easier on those who are short on cash though. i was turned away from the vet because i couldnt pay that day, i got my pay check the day after. so i spent the time worried sick that my puppy would get worse, it turned out ok i took him the next day and he was treated. but i think that if you can pay payments on a car then they should let you pay payments on your vet bills if you are in that situation. its not like the vet is hurting for money.
sorry im really irritated when it comes to that subject

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In my area the Vets have banded together and DO offer financing for care. You can also have a sort of bank account where you put money away (I don't know why you'd do that with the Vet instead of the bank, but people do) toward future care.

There is a also a pet emergency fund which helps people pay for treatment.

I did once take my dog into the Vet emergency care facility and had a problem because I hadn't even grabbed my purse and had no proof I was going to pay - it got a little dicey but they did treat the dog while I ran home and got my credit card. I hardly looked homeless - again, in the eyes of the beholder! - but that's their policy.

I don't agree the Vets aren't hurting for money - hurting is in the eye of the beholder and at the moment it's more difficult to get into Vet school than Med school and the cost of prohibitive, to say nothing of the cost of starting up and operating a practice.

Maybe some Vets are doing very well and others are not - I supposed every profession is like that.

My "old" Vet (who has since retired) also provided services free to several rescue groups. I was in rescue at the time he really donated a lot of time and product.

I don't know what the answer is. My local newspaper is full of complaints about this summer's free rabies shot program. I guess it was poorly run, poorly managed, insufficient staffing, every problem under the sun.

I just think that being a vet now is more about the "business" side of it and making $$$$$$$ then it is about animal care...

My dogs are well taken care of. I found a very good vet that works w/ the people who own the vet place, (they're vets too) and I can FINALLY feel like the doc is truly "there" for my dogs... (and I have 5 now). I used to really hate the vet care in this town. We have like 3 places to choose from, all of them were worked like a business so much so that it was recognizable. This young vet that I now plege too (.. lol!), goes above and beyond to help make my dog experience as affordable and as well tended to as possible. She's young and unjaded so far... hope that lasts a life time for her.

I just feel that vet/animal care needs to be affordable ACROSS THE BOARD and not only for rescued dogs, (I have 3 rescues.. ). I think that the more popular it is to be a dog owner the more expensive things become.

We need better discounts for dogs.. not only vet care but accessories too, (never mind the junk you can buy at the doller store:()

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SweetDee

I just think that being a vet now is more about the "business" side of it and making $$$$$$$ then it is about animal care...

My dogs are well taken care of. I found a very good vet that works w/ the people who own the vet place, (they're vets too) and I can FINALLY feel like the doc is truly "there" for my dogs...(and I have 5 now). I used to really hate the vet care in this town. We have like 3 places to choose from, all of them were worked like a business so much so that it was recognizable. This young vet that I now plege too (..lol!), goes above and beyond to help make my dog experience as affordable and as well tended to as possible. She's young and unjaded so far...hope that lasts a life time for her.

I just feel that vet/animal care needs to be affordable ACROSS THE BOARD and not only for rescued dogs, (I have 3 rescues..). I think that the more popular it is to be a dog owner the more expensive things become.

We need better discounts for dogs..not only vet care but accessories too, (never mind the junk you can buy at the doller store:()

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Maybe after you're in the business a while you get, well, jaded or you see everyone making more money and you wonder why you aren't. I don't know.

I think professionals have some duty to give back, volunteer, but maybe it's hard to know where that stops and starts.

I agree w/ you Judykaytee.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SweetDee

Here's a question that I'll ask in it's most simple form: How do we all feel about poor people owning dogs?

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Dog(s) as in plural? I'm against that. I realise what an exceptional comfort having A pet can be to someone in times of stress, and in life in general and I have no problem with someone owning A pet, provided they love it and care for it, y'know, indoors, as a part of the family and honestly do their best to provide food, clean water, and vet care and purposefully seek out low cost clinics and means that are... well, within their means. What burns my chops is when "poor" people have 2 or 8 dogs that are left on chains and forgotten, or when someone who's poor has multiple animals when they aren't capable of caring for themselves and their family and as such the animals go without vet care and the necessities of life, it's been my experience that these people also neglect children and themselves which might be a sign of some mental illness but still - how can ANYONE deny vet care to their pet when they know they need it? When they have multiple dogs and know that routine care is mandatory? Like vet bills are some sort of magically appearing surprise. Dogs, like everything else in life take some thought and planning. So, I feel strongly against thoughtless people, not poor ones.

I thought I was done with this thread, but then I came upon a new thread "based" on opinions expressed here. Personally, I found its arguments surprising.

If you're interested, you can find it here:
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/h...ke-269761.html