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<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>Just visited the vet today with both my boys, which
relieved me of two <BR>days income what with the tests and meds! His
office visit charges <BR>are reasonable, but some of those outside
tests!-Dave</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>--We were recently discussing vet charges on one of my
Dachshund list.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>We were first discussing the prices differences for
medication and procedures even between vets</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>in the same geographical location. That
of course morphed into all the procedures and tests vets try</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>and talk their clients into on a regular basis. For
example, 12 months of heartworm meds plus twice a</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>year blood work to verify the meds are
working. Another example was an EKG on a dog before a
Dental.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>There are almost as many
procedures and drugs for dogs and their are for people Whether
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>all those procedures and drugs
are necessary is something every dog owner needs to figure out</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>for themselves. Vet clinics
are businesses with all the normal business overhead. They will try
and</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>sell their clients everything and
anything to increase their profit margin. It is up to the individual
dog owner to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>educate themselves about what
their dog really needs (or doesn't need to stay healthy). I learned the
hard way, after 3 wrong diagnoses, that vets</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>are not gods. Education is
a great shield from the guilt trip vets try and lay on unsuspecting
owners.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>Another thing to remember
is that the only mandatory procedure in most states is getting your dog
vaccinated against rabies. Everything else is discretionary.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>My Holistic vet will not
vaccinate older dogs (10+). She will run titers to satisfy the
owner. She will even titer for rabies and write a waiver for
older dogs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Baltimore color=#800000 size=4>Cathy Blatz<BR><A
href="http://www.summerhilldachshundsandbassets.com">www.summerhilldachshundsandbassets.com</A><BR><A
href="http://www.geocities.com/clubbasset/index.html">http://www.geocities.com/clubbasset/index.html</A><BR><A
href="http://www.dachshund-wpdc.org/">http://www.dachshund-wpdc.org/</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>