Gracie –

Gracie who recently was injured requiring stitches went back to the Vet to have her bandage changed which has to be done every 3 days.  On this visit they noticed a small infection starting, so they changed her antibiotics giving her stronger medication.

 When my husband brought her home he also brought home another vet bill.  The first bill was very expensive as they sedated her to do the stitches and we were also charged for initial antibiotics they sent home with her.  Now they are charging for the stronger medication and for every bandage change.  I cannot believe that for 3 stitches it has cost us almost double the cost it did to get the same dog spayed which is major surgery.  I could easily have done the bandaging myself had I known they were going to charge for this.  I assumed all of this was included in the first bill.  I also question why we are charged for the change in antibiotics when the vet did not give her strong enough antibiotics the first time.  At this clinic where I have been going to for years I have always felt the charges were reasonable until lately.  My vet recently returned home taking a year’s leave of absence and I chose to continue with the clinic for now.  I know the clinic has gone through many changes in the last few years but I find the charges are quite higher than in the past. 

 I feel a many vets overcharge and because we love our pets we pay the price to keep them healthy.  I know my vet was always reasonable and would allow me to provide care to my animals that she knew I was capable of.  I can’t remember her ever prescribing a medication that did not work the first time and she always recommended the less expensive methods of treatment that would work for the animal.

 I will continue to stay with the clinic especially because of Jasper’s history and medical issues and hoping that my vet returns.  If my vet chooses not to return, than I will be looking for a vet who is open to using holistic methods with current practices and who charges reasonable prices for care.

Gracie my wild one!

Gracie is my wild child, (dog), high energy, high drive, goofy and loves to play.  Last week about an hour after the dogs had been outside, just as we were getting ready for bed, I noticed Gracie limping.  I immediately checked to see what was wrong, and she had a cut on her hind leg, right down to the bone about an inch wide.  I cleaned and bandaged her for the night and she was taken in to the vets the next morning for stitches.  We believe that she had gotten under a tarp in the back yard and cut herself on a rake, as we could not find anything else that is sharp that would make such a clean cut.  Gracie whose is very fearful needed to be sedated to be stitched up by the vet.  I find Gracie takes longer than other dogs I have owned to come completely out of sedation usually she is not back to her normal crazy self till about 48 hours after the sedation.  

 She needs to be taken to the vets every 3 days to have the stitches checked and bandage changed.  I took on the weekend and when we got home some of the gauze had come out.  When I checked her an hour later she had removed the bandage, so back to the vet we went.  It seems any tape on the gauze annoys her and she bites it off.  It is funny I will tell her to leave it and she will get up and go into her crate as she feels if I can’t see her she can continue to pull it off.  This is not working but she still tries.  My husband put a sock over the bandage which has helped.  Most the time now she just gives up and goes to sleep when I tell her to “leave it” and stop chewing/licking the bandage.  I have also used toys to distract her, but we are supposed to keep her quiet which has also been a challenge.  I have been watching her and limiting her as much as I can but this is difficult with such a high energy dog. 

 Gracie will go to the vet again today to have the bandage changed and the stitches checked.  I am sure she is doing okay and will be glad when the bandages come off for good. I know she misses her play time but overall she has been good about it.