I know we have in the past, in this echo talked about Vet costs. I had   
   expressed a theory that due to the economy, many people are not going to   
   the vets as often as they used to. The 2 vets I have gone to, in the   
   past, You would go in and there sometimes might be standing room only   
   to get Your animal seen. Now when I go to vets, there is rarely more   
   than one patient in the office at the same time I am there. Maybe one   
   being seen and You and another, on busy day. Most of the time I find   
   myself being the only one there at my timeslot. Anyway, this seems to   
   causing what I call the Chiropractor syndrome amongst vets. I find   
   myself being charged excessively and for stuff I don't think my dogs   
   need. They are snuck into bill before one knows what hits them. I found   
   myself having had this happen several times, the last time, this week, I   
   finally had to speak up. It was unpleasant, because I understand if they   
   are getting fewer customers, they have to pay the bills too, but so do   
   we and doing us dirty may cause us not to come in, or go to another vet   
   ( though I think most of them are in the same boat at this point ) Here   
   is what I experienced.   
      
   My two dogs had to go in for their annual checkup, OK.... So we have   
   fecal exam etc. OK.... Normal for an annual. oops we have both dogs with   
   ear infections... Got to do a cytology test to see what the infection   
   is. Let me take them to the back for this. ok... If You gotta, You   
   gotta. Dogs come back, and I get, well while we were back there, we gave   
   them both this shot and that shot etc. ( I can't remember off the top of   
   my head ) Oh??? I noticed a little bit of inflammation on Lo Cis' nose,   
   so I also did a cytology on that. We are waiting for the results. Be   
   right back. She comes back.. Okay, yes we have a yeast infection in the   
   ears of both dogs. Don't worry about the nose. They must come Back in 10   
   days to be rechecked. Oh??? Never had to before, Pugs do get ear   
   infections and sometimes in the folds of the nose. I have had this   
   before and never had to return. But it is said to be important that I do   
   this time, as they are not sure exactly what it is.. Hmmmm, You just   
   said yeast infection. So it was set up to come back in 10 days, and I   
   after thinking it would be as it normally would be for my dogs, about   
   200 a piece for their annuals and some meds. already in my head added in   
   the fecal exam etc. I am handed the bill for over 700 bucks. Honestly   
   some of You make think poorly of me, but I about died.. I charged it,   
   and left and did the prescribed treatment on their noses.   
      
   I brought them back after the 10 days, I though after the 700 this would   
   be an uncharged follow up.. Boy was I wrong. I knew Simons ears were   
   fine, Clean, white, nothing in them. Loci still had a problem. I also   
   knew that. Still pulling the waxy discharge out every time I clean his   
   ears. So I know what the Doc is going to say, NOT!! but at least she can   
   see for herself. I waited an hour, Only 1 other dog came in. Why the   
   wait? So she comes in, puts one at a time on the table, She says simon   
   looks Great.. Loci, still looks a bit infected. I replied I knew that   
   was the case. She said, OK, a tech will be back in a minute and I will   
   be back to see You later. The tech came in and did not say too much.   
   Just asked how the ears were, and I told her, she nonchalantly said,   
   let me take a look. I thought that was odd as Doc had already. She says   
   oh yeah, a bit in loci's ears. She grabs a swab and seemingly cleans out   
   his ears, Then she oddly does this for Simon, who had no more infection,   
   but slyly says, He seems fine. She said, the Doctor will be right back   
   to see you. I noticed as she left, she took the swabs with her, but did   
   not think too much of it. I did not see a waste can in the room oddly   
   enough, so thought she was going to through them away.   
      
   Doc came back in and said, she did a cytology on Loci and he still has   
   an infection. I said, wait doc, we already knew that. Why the cytology   
   again. Well, just to make sure she said... I will prescribe more   
   medicine and bring him back in 2 weeks. OK... But will admit to being a   
   bit miffed about a 2nd cytology test when I already knew as a layman and   
   the doc confirmed he still had infection, by checking visually.   
      
   The final whack was at checkout when I got the bill. It was not a free   
   follow up. Ok, I can get that. Then I see where she again charged me for   
   Loci to have cytology done on ears. It was done slyly, but I could   
   accept it, I guess.. Then there is also a charge for Simons ears, which   
   were already declared clean as a whistle. WTF?? I lost it. Another   
   170.00 bill as the meds are over 40 bucks for a small bottle. I said I   
   wanted to speak to the Doc. I told her in no uncertain terms that I felt   
   I was being taken advantage of. I told her about the fact that I   
   understand her need to pay bills and pay her employees, but taking   
   advantage of customers, in the end, was going to make matters worse. We   
   are talking near 900.00 to get an annual exam and meds for a minor ear   
   infection. That is 450+ dollars an animal. for a total of about 15   
   minutes work, including checkup, shots and printing out my bill. I   
   expressed my concern about tests and shots being given without my   
   permission, at least explain what shots and what they are for, don't   
   take them to the back room and then return telling me You gave them to   
   them ( not that I don't trust her, but in reality, who is to say she   
   did, I did not physically see her do it. ) Then to do either dog with   
   another cytology test, I consider unnecessary, and again, why wasn't I   
   asked instead of the tech coming in and acting like she just wants to   
   see and clean his ears. Simons shouldn't have been done at all and I   
   don't see why Loci had to either as we have already determined on the   
   last visit what it was. I said, this really hurts my confidence in   
   coming here. I feel taken advantage of, and I feel I am probably not the   
   only one. But padding the bill like this, I think You are making things   
   worse. People are already not coming due to economy as the normally   
   would have in years gone by, and then to be charged what I have for what   
   was a simple annual, on healthy dogs except for the minor ear infection.   
   That is bound to hurt business. I know I can't afford these kind of   
   bills every time I come here. I made it clear, the normal everyday Joe   
   Schmoe, find bills like this staggering for such little and what   
   sometimes seems unnecessary services. By the time I pay this bill off, It   
   will be time for their next annual exam. I just want to speak my mind   
   and let You know this kind of thing is a big sacrifice, and the way it   
   was done is unappreciated. I have been coming here for years, but if   
   this continues in this manner, I will have no other choice than to go   
   elsewhere. They claimed they understood, but I don't know if things   
   will change.. Was I wrong? Doesn't it seem like too much was done   
   without actually telling me it was going to be done? Anyway it is the   
   way I felt, and I am just being honest. A $900 bill for something so   
   simple is a bit much for my pocketbook. What am I going to do as they   
   get older? The costs are obviously going to go up. If this simple   
   procedure was so expensive, what is the future like. I just feel costs   
   could have been kept more reasonable had not all these redundant things   
   been done on the sly and without foreknowledge.   
      
   Mike   
      
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