Dog Community

Is my Vet trying to rip me off?

Posted : 11/17/2006 12:23:49 AM

My vet claims only one of my puppy's testicles have dropped and quoted me a price of $600 for getting him neutered. I tried checking for his testicles myself and I swear I can feel two. One isn't as low as the other and is more difficult to feel. Does that mean it hasn't dropped? The vet said she couldn't find it after feeling around for a few minutes. What do I do?

i got a cat and a dog

Posted : 11/17/2006 12:48:31 AM

i don't know about all that medical stuff, but $600 sounds steep to me. both of my dog's balls hadn't dropped and they still got em for about $150. well, see my post in this forum and let me say, i think they got em both [8|]

Xerxes

Posted : 11/17/2006 7:52:05 PM

How old is your pup? What breed? I'm not a fan of early spay/neuter procedures in large breed. If your pup is over 6-7 months old and both testicles haven't dropped, then ultrasound and surgery is the only option, and that can be very expensive.

FYI: When I priced a neuter at my vet the bill would have been around $400. Of course everything is over priced in this area.

Steve Rohman

Posted : 11/17/2006 10:21:49 PM

My puppy is a Sheltie just over 5 months old. I asked if it was okay to wait a couple more months to wait and see if his testicles drop and she told me I should get him neutered before six months.

I am pretty sure his testicles have dropped. I assume I wouldn't be able to find the second one if it hadn't.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 11/17/2006 11:12:59 PM

Also, consider the fact that the vet has a little more experience feeling dog testicles than you do (just a guess, really! If you have lots of doggy-testicle experience, please excuse my comments

and dog anatomies are quite different from human anatomies. Dogs have a part of their penis that swells, when they're aroused/excited/stimulated. It looks and feels very much like testicles, especially to the untrained eye/hand.

That is just my line of thought. Of course, you could also get a second opinion, or you can choose to wait. Just be warned to not wait too long. Undescended testicles can become cancerous, without anyone noticing before it's too late.

dvet

Posted : 11/17/2006 11:54:12 PM

it is also possible that you may be feedling a lymph gland...I also think 600 is pretty steep but this may vary in the area...I suspect if you get another opinion it should be no more than an office call to find out what the other lump is...worth a try

inne

Posted : 11/18/2006 12:20:06 AM

Contact other vets in your area and see what they think.

Amber Murphy

Posted : 11/18/2006 9:17:36 AM

I too think that's a little expensive. And you don't have to worry about waiting. Breeders want their non show puppies to be fixed BY 6 months, meaning it doesn't have to be done before. My Shepherd mix still isn't fixed and he's 8 months old, that being because I couldn't afford to get him done but will be soon, see post on low cost neutering.

Even being so, my previous pup, who was also a large breed, my vet quoted me over 200. So I know Rio(Shepherd mix) will be over 200 and because of other doggy issues I couldn't afford that. Only reason I didn't try to get them to let me make payments is our other dogs are fixed already and he doesn't run loose.

But, again, I think that is a little much. Can I ask where you live, what state I mean?

Shiva

Steve Rohman

Posted : 11/18/2006 10:22:59 AM

I live in Portland, OR. The quote wasn't just for neutering. It also included a rabies shot and microchip.

dvet

Posted : 11/18/2006 6:11:12 PM

I still think that is kinda high

marynh

Posted : 11/18/2006 9:35:49 PM

I'd get a second opinion....but is it possible this vet is quoting a worse case scenario price?
I say this cause I have a friend whose dog had an undescended testicle and his surgery ended up being pretty intense. And I talked to the vet about it - I share the same vet and during one of Molly's visits I mentioned Tyler's neuter and she said his neuter ended up being nearly a spay due to where his testicle was located.
His neuter ended up being extremely involved and they waited until he was a year old to give the testicle an opportunity to drop.

Steve Rohman

Posted : 11/20/2006 3:14:48 PM

I called up my vet and told them I felt two testicles so they told me to bring him back and they had a tech check him and found both his testicles. They ended up dropping the bill down from $600 to $265. They are charging me $135 for general anesthetic. Is that normal or does that seem high?

rwbeagles

Posted : 11/21/2006 2:05:55 PM

Erm...my 5y/o bitch was spayed for $125. She was C SECTIONED for $499...lol. She weighed 25lbs or so at the time. I am in Texas.

Dog neuters at my vets are around $75-100 total dependant on size.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 11/21/2006 11:37:55 PM

It's a lot more, here, Gina. It's $175 for a bitch under 15 pounds. Of course, it seems like most things are more expensive on the East coast.

Stacita

Posted : 11/22/2006 8:42:16 AM

$265 seems to be on the high end for a dog this size even with rabies and chip. I think I'd pay it if I really liked and trusted the vet though? Does this include pre-op blood work? Intubation?