Let's See Your Dogs!!

Nikko hasn't seen this thread in a bit! And that's Ollie my daughter's Korgi

 

Industry standard is about $10 for a nail trim by a groomer. At a vet you pay a premium for there being a vet on site. VCA has a very cut and paste approach to vet care, and in my humble opinion they are damaging the vet care industry. Unfortunately they are buying out all the independent vets out there and forcing them to align with how VCA does things. Something that a vet can look @ and diagnose now require expensive tests to confirm rather than relying on experience to diagnose. Ringworm is a good example. It has very specific traits that can be identified pretty easily, and can be treated with any antifungal cream (lotrimin, etc) but they require it to be checked under a Woods Lamp to confirm (literally looking at it under a special light) along with a pricey prescription cream.

 

I won't disagree. In fact, I said something that I regret or at least was very awkward to explain. Our doctor is pretty good but they are not given the opportunity to use their training. I've been used to vets that do exams, look at xrays, and do labs. Over the years, they develop relationships but all that doesn't matter because your dog is this many years old and according to the symptoms, the computer says it needs these tests and treatments. Riley was & Kimo is lucky to have a vet who cares--two of them. People can get shuffled between practices too.

VCA is owned by Mars. That's right, the candy company.

 

Mars makes pet food as well - Pedigree, Royal Canin, and the brand I have used for years, Nutro. All my dogs have done well on their lamb and rice. I worked with a guy that came from one of their pet food plants, and I was surprised as well.

I'm wondering whether the rise in pet health insurance has driven some of this. We use a clinic that has a couple of locations, and we actually switched to the location a bit further away because we liked the vets there better. But they don't seem to be owned by a large corporation and push unnecessary stuff on you, and they honestly seem to care.

 

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Priceless!!

 

Because of my time in the industry I have a pretty substantial network of vets. I could honestly get my vet care for pennies on the dollar with some of the vets in my network, however I instead pay full price for the vets I use because of my trust in their abilities.

 

VCA acquired a bunch of diagnostic services companies before being acquired by Mars. They did develop the software used at all their locations and maybe they've lowered their overall cost and improved the quality of care using it? Pet food and a bunch of "science" companies in Asiapac are also part of their holdings. That they would build a soup to nuts kinda operation is not surprising.

 

I've got a video someplace of my GSD getting his teeth cleaned.....I kid you not!

 

my dog when he was a pup, trying to bury an empty water bottle.
https://youtube.com/shorts/fVGcbCin6SM?feature=share

 

Some pics from our last little adventure

 

Big fan of the snow haha

 

Beautiful dog. What kind?

 

Thanks! She's an australian shepherd

 

Ellie Bellie

 

Eevee is a year old today! Wanted to go out and get her some stuff but I be sick… I’ll have to do it sometime this week

 

Happy Birthday, Eevee!

 

Little Shady is growing up. Wasn’t long ago that we got her from the shelter. She is the sweetest…but don’t let her fool you, she is the shit starter in the bunch!

Oh and here are some pics of Hickory with his new family after several months. Check it out! What a great story it turned out to be for that pup.
They even put him in the Christmas card they made and sent out. He really fell into a home in which he is loved in everyday.
I want to thank everyone on here that had such awesome words to say about Hickory.
I miss that dog.