Purebred Puppies At Low Cost Shot Clinics

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
S

Siren

Guest
Am I the only one who goes nuts when I see someone who is bragging about the adorable pomapoo they bought from the breeder, while they stand in line for low cost shots for that puppy? Its one thing to have bought a purebred a few years ago and now times are hard, money is tight. OR to adopt a purebred, like I did. But does anyone else fume when they see some well-to-do puppy or kitten owner, who can't get enough of their high prices pup, they got a diamond collar on them and carrying them in a Gucci bag, but they want to get the healthcare for cheap? If you can afford a high priced dog, then you can afford a vet visit. People like that are just cheap and it irks me. Why not donate some of that money that seems to be oozing from their ears to a rescue?

Not to mention, a puppy needs more than shots, they need a full exam. The whole point of low cost shots is to be sure those on lower incomes, have their pets vaccinated and get low cost flea and heartworm prevention. Its not there just so people can be cheap. And I worked some of those low cost shot clinics, those people expect the vets to take more time with them, just as they would at the vet office. I tell them if they want a full exam, the vet office is down the street.
 
Alli, true, its just a mutt really. But still, a high priced mutt. But that is a whole different rant all together for me.
 
Puppies don't need a check up at every shot. Why not save money if you can? Maybe these people do donate to rescues and such, you never know.
 
The majority of the time, these people are getting them their first or second set of shots...a time when they need to get a vet. They are "I just got him at the breeder last week." and the dog has yet to see a vet. Not only is that a health concern for the dog, but also it should be a financial concern. You should bring a new puppy to the vet at least through the warrenty the breeder gives. Otherwise, something the vet would have saw at 8 weeks old, isn't seen until its 6 months old and then the breeder is in the clear.
 
I have a diamond-elle collar and a fakie fake little "designer bag" for my Fifi. LOL

A lot of people that take advantage of low cost vaccinations and such like to save money. There's no shame in saving money on the shots. I like that they are taking advantage of the clinics because it helps the clinics to do it.

Of course, whenever I have gotten a new dog I will take him to the vet so that the vet can have him on record and check him out. It's important to do that and have a solid relationship with a vet that is YOURS. No one should have a dog and not have a vet that is strictly for that dog. Three of my dogs have one vet, Hoss has his own vet because he likes her the best, and Bear has his own vet because he is the vet that works the best for him in every way. Hoss gets angry when he has to go to the vet that I use for the chins because he is insane.

Anyway...before I talk about my dogs, who I can talk about for days and even weeks...moving on...

I do participate in low cost shot clinics. I like to save money on the shots because I can get three dogs vaccinated with everything for maybe $60 to $80 and get it over with. :) I'd never buy a gucci bag for my dog or any precious stones...they'd just destroy them. :)
 
I use the shot clinics too when money is tight. But I'll still bring my pets in for the wellness check, which only costs $35. I've been working in the industry long enough to know when I can remedy anything myself. Like my Sphynx, they try and get me to buy their expensive ear cleaners all the time. But she's a Sphynx, they always get dirty ears. The over the counter stuff, homeopathic ones, they work great on her.

My point being that people buy a really expensive dog and take advantage of the clinic, and DON'T bring their dog for any wellness check. Saving money is totally understandable, but not at the cost of not getting your dog checked by the vet for any problems. Sometimes if the vet on duty has time and notices a problem, he'll tell the person to take it to their regular vet and they start asking what vet they should use.
 
To give those people a little deserved credit, at least they're getting the dog *some kind* of medical care and disease prevention.

Personally what ticks me off from the kind of situation you describe is the "designer mutt as an accessory" trend. Yes, little dogs are often very cute, and I've met some that were treated like members of the family-- including being taught the rules of human interaction (no biting, no humping, no growling, etc.)-- but unfortunately, I've met SO many others that were carried around in purses, dressed in goofy clothes, and treated like a conversation piece that I generally just avoid small dogs all together now. Too many people don't bother to train an accessory dog and then think it's cute when their blinged-out chihuahua goes completely psycho toward a dog 8 times their size. That's a good way for a dog fight to break out, and with most large dogs, I know the chidoodlepomapooanese isn't going to come out top dog. :(
 
I personally see nothing wrong with using the low cost shot clinics. I give my dogs their shots (purchased from Southern States) except rabies and I usually go to the clinics and pay $8 to have their rabies done. I took one of my dogs in for a wellness check and a rabies shot at his vet and paid $165 a few years back. Whats wrong with paying $25-30 for a wellness check and $8 for a rabies shot? The vets pretty much do the same thing, one just charges more. I had all of my dogs neutered through a mobile low cost clinic. I paid $60 each for them to be neutered - not because I have low income, but because it's available to the public and my vet charges $300+. I spend thousands in vet bills a year and I'm not neglecting my animals by taking them to a clinic.
 
I agree with wellness check at your vet and keeping your "foot in the door" even if you use vaccine clinics. I work at a sometimes very busy, small animal hospital and on some days it just is not possible to see everyone calling with a sick animal. If we have someone very loyal calling with a sick animal , we will always let them customer in. Not always so with non loyal clients. It is a sad situation but there are only so much we can be stretched before patient care suffers.
 
I also got a few people who are breeding their dogs bringing them to low cost shot clinics. The female especially should be in the care of a regular vet, not getting shots and going home.

And the people I am mostly talking about...I know. Not like my personal friends. But I know these people are doing it only because they are cheap. These are the same people who call ME or get a friend of mine to call me and ask me to come over and treat their pet. I've done a few small things for people...the owner cut the nail too short, its bleeding, the flour and cornstarch isn't working, I come over with some styptic powder. The cyst on his back opened and I went over and cleaned it up. And suddenly, I am getting called for stuff like when my sister called me, because our cousin called her, because my neighbor called her (still with me), because their dog had puppies and "the intestines" are hanging out of the vagina...hi, that's the afterbirth. Mind you, these are the same people, I see getting their dogs their shots, but no vet care...maybe if they saw a regular vet to discuss the pregnancy and birth, they would have known, it was afterbirth. :banghead:

And yes, I am glad they are at least doing that. Like I said, its not the fact they are trying to save money, its the fact they HAVE the money and are going the cheap way when the dogs need to see a vet for a checkup. We can't do fecal exams for instance. We can deworm a pup, sure, but that's it.

Another thing to consider...if you get your dog a shot there and never bring it to a vet and a few hours later, it gets a full blown allergic reaction...don't think the nearest vet is gonna cut you a break or deal. Least if you do have a regular vet, they are more likely to work with you, either not charge you or charge you less.

And I'm not talking about the spay/neuter clinics. Rich, poor, if you aren't breeding your dog or cat, get it neutered by any qualified vet at any cost.

But they still need a regular vet. A pet owner and a pet should have a relationship with a regular vet. They are more likely to notice a problem than a shot clinic vet.
 
Last edited:
You're right, there is no substitute for adequate veterinary care.

One time I took Hoss into a shot clinic and the vet really let me have it about his weight. They didn't listen to me, they just went off. Hoss has a metabolism problem, he is chubby BUT he gets tons of exercise and he eats a balanced diet. As a young dog he was not fed properly and it really screwed him up. I tried to explain this to them and instead was treated like I was doing something wrong. I didn't appreciate that at all...and if they do it again I will never go back to the Humane Society for shots. I donate a lot of money to them and try to be as involved as I can...and then I get screamed at for my little 8 lb chihuahua being a pound or two too heavy in their opinion. (He's clean, he's healthy, his nails are clipped...geez.)

I don't know where that came from. LOL Anyway, can't substitute shot clinics for vet care!
 
I take all 4 of my dogs to a low cost clinic for shots. I just took 2 kittens to get spayed at a low cost clinic cost $50.00 ea. My regular vet wanted $225 ea. The vet seemed pretty nice and a lot closer to my house 10 minutes away compared to the 45 minute drive one way. The dogs still see a regular vet for regular check ups.
 
But I'll still bring my pets in for the wellness check, which only costs $35.

Not all places have $35 vet visits, around here any visit is automatically $50 or more. After hours add $75, Shots... $25 per shot, $35 for rabies.

I don't take my dogs in for regular checks, after working as a vet tech I'll probably catch something here before a vet does anyway. I have a dog who I've had to watch for kidney problems she goes in for blood work, but I don't do "regular check ups". If that makes me a bad owner then there are tons of people who shouldn't even have dogs. I do shots at home, except rabies which much be done by a vet.

I don't consider someone a bad owner for not taking their pets in for regular check-ups, but I do if they don't take them in when they obviously need care.

As for puppies from breeders, some breeders, even of mutts ( which I don't support ) do have vet checks done before selling puppies.
 
I will say that much about the regular cost of vet care; I'm bloody lucky that we have very reasonable vets in this area. Recently I took in two horribly neglected kittens and have been fostering them since 8/21. To get their flea and worm medication, blood tests for FIV/FeLeuk etc., distemper, rabies and FeLeuk vaccinations at the "best" clinic in the neighborhood--- $235/animal. $75 of that is just office fee for walking in the door with an animal. The office I regularly go to, however, doesn't do blood tests. (The vet is over 70 and has a hand tremor, so he tries not to cut any more.) It would only be $50 each there for vaccinations and fecal, though I'd have to have another vet do the blood tests. So, option #3 is another older, very good vet a little ways out of town, and even with paying someone for gas to get me out there to Dr. U, it's still only $95 each to get these guys ready to be adopted (not counting speuters).

I love good vets and I have no problem paying whatever I'm asked to get proper care for the animals I take in, but if an office has so much overhead they need to charge $75 for walking in the door whether they treat an animal or not, I can understand using the lower cost option for some things.

The saddest thing about pet ownership, besides the fact that they always head to the bridge sooner than we'd like, is that it's a constant game of balancing between loving and doing what's right for the animal, and paying for the privilege of letting one live with you.
 
I wish they had clinics like that in Canada. To have my guys shots. and examined every year is almost 300$. Just for rabies is 25 and then 52 for Dapp. and 70 just to walk through the door to see the vet. If I could take advantage of those clinics I sure would. That's what they are there for. I know alot of people that dont get shots for their pets because of the cost even if they have the money or not.
 
I wasn't saying about the puppies from breeders. In most states, a puppy MUST have a health certificate before its sold and only a vet can do that. I was saying the soon to be pregnant or already pregnant mother is not being seen by a vet. If someone doesn't have the money to get the mother adequate vet care, then they shouldn't be breeding in the first place. Just like humans, they need prenatal care.
 
Back
Top