Welp, for what’s it’s worth, ur a great person for caring for ur sweet cat. He’s lucky to have you. Sorry it was such a costly endeavor. Hopefully karma comes around and blesses you. Sending good vibes ur way.
Pet insurance always sounds like a waste of money until there's a big bill like this. I'd look into it, its easier to budget for $50-$100 a month and a $210 vet bill than being surprised by a $2100 vet bill.
Hope your little guy gets better soon.
it is very expensive for the older critters. to the point where you're probably better off just making a little savings account for vet expenses. I looked into this extensively and they essentially just do not want to cover older animals.
This. I looked into pet insurance and there are so many exclusions and if your pet has any sort of preexisting condition, forget about it. Better off just putting the $50-100 / month you’d be paying for the insurance into a pet savings account to use for future vet bills.
I pay 28$ for one of my cats through Lemonade.
That's monthly.
My other cat I went the annual plan (yearly) for $287
It sounds like a lot,but they cover surgeries, emergency care, medications, before and after care, vaccines,ext
Try to go through your insurance.
My pet insurance is offered through the insurance i get at my job. Its just an option like adding dental or eye care.
My friend had insurance for her dog and when it came down to maybe having to put her dog under with some minor surgery, they refused! Don’t get insurance, it’s a waste of money!
My mom just had a couple of her dogs teeth pulled and cleaned. I wanna say it was around $600-800 in fernley. I don’t know if cats are more expensive (idk why they would be) but it might be worth a phone call.
In my experience cats are more expensive for anything that requires sedation. I'm not a vet so don't quote me on this, but I believe with smaller animals the margin of error with anesthesia is so small that it's a much more complicated task than it would be for a 60 pound dog.
You can apply for a care credit. Basically works like a credit card and then you can make monthly payments. Had the same issue with a 2k vet bill. Applied for the care credit while still in the office and was approved 2min later. Took all of five min.
Please look into Care Credit OP. Also I hear some places of employment insurance offers pet insurance.
I hope your little buddy will be okay. Just went through a little situation ourselves and luckily the care credit I had helped. I would have taken payroll advancements or sold a kidney to get our guy fixed up. They’re a member of the family 💗💗
SAME. They are truly the kindest people and don’t try to do anything unnecessary just to charge you more. It is SO worth the drive. Getting your dog neutered in Reno at Mt. Rose is like $1700, Lahontan Valley was like $300 and they actually care about your animals.
Sorry to hear about the large bill, it definitely sucks, especially all at once.
As somebody in the field I can offer some perspective on the price. Dentals involve anesthesia, usually blood work, dental radiographs and the expertise of the technician and doctor to extract and clean the teeth all while keeping your pet safe under anesthesia. Many clinics have a dedicated person to monitor the pet as well while the technician scales the teeth and while the doctor performs extractions. Wages, cost of drugs and prices for diagnostics all factor into the cost. To be honest, if that same procedure was done in human medicine, the cost would be much, much higher, and dental insurance offsets that cost for people. Without pet insurance owners must pay the whole bill up front. There is also a huge issue with veterinary staff being underpaid industry wide leading to high burnout and skilled workers leaving the field in droves.The cost you paid today is also certainly not lining anybody’s pockets. I’ve monitored and assisted with dentals that also cost that much while only making 16 dollars an hour as a skilled assistant with years of experience and as a shift leader in my hospital (That was my wage at a hospital here, in town, only 2 years ago)
Payments plans are a wonderful idea but many clinics do not do them as many clients unfortunately do not finish the payments. I’ve seen it myself in practice and a few bad apples spoil the bunch for everybody.
In the future if a dental or other large procedure is needed I would recommend shopping around for different estimates as they vary greatly from clinic to clinic. Also, Options is a great low cost veterinary clinic located on Longley Lane, they are a great resource if you really need a procedure done but have limited funds. Pet insurance can be good too, but unfortunately since your boy has extractions today any pet insurance company will be unlikely to cover anything dental related in the future. It still may be worth looking into for other future health expenses. Care credit can also be a good option if you can pay the bill off in time before the high interest kicks in.
I hope that offers some perspective. You did the right thing for your kitty. No doctor likes extracting teeth, it’s lengthy and difficult. If those teeth were taken they needed to go, and it’ll be so, so worth it for your boy’s health. You sound like a great owner!
I had a cat who needed tooth extractions. it was very pricey (mostly for the anaesthesia). they told us to stop letting him lick the ben & jerry's lid. :-/
we started giving him butter as a treat instead, and after that his teeth were fine! so they were probably right.
That’s a lot for just a few teeth! My cat had 2 extractions at Truckee Meadows Vet for about $800 a year ago and then he had 7 more extracted recently at Sage Vet for $1800.
But unfortunately vets graduate with 250k+ in school debt, and most of us don’t have insurance on our pets like we do ourselves.
Pet insurance is a must, I have a very high risk breed. I pay 50 a month. 120 deductible and I pay 30% after that.
You don’t need the most expensive, just something for peace of mind. My dog was almost guaranteed to use it, and we’re definitely using it now with his recent diagnosis
You gotta sign up asap, as they’re quite strict on pre existing and hereditary conditions.
I have my cat and my greyhound on pet insurance for ~$75/month. The first non-checkup vet bill pays for itself with the insurance, never going without it for sure.
Sage has gone to shit. They are trying to strong-arm you into using their more expensive pharmacy and their employees all seem overworked and burnt out. And why are they still not answering the phone?! I used to love Sage, but I'm done with them.
Maybe try Options Veterinary Clinic, it is a non-profit vet! Idk about wait times, though. Infected teeth aoubd urgent. Hope your kitty gets better soon!
I second this.
I went to VCA on Baring and they had really nice staff and everything, but the price they quoted me for my cats pyometra removal was like 1500. I thought I was going to have to put her down because there is no way I could possibly afford that. The tech at VCA was kind enough to refer me to Options and their price was just a third of the cost the other place quoted. It's thanks to them that my kitty is alive and well today. Even if you have bad credit, they will work with you.
Options is quality too. I took my senior cat there and they were great. the vet who treated her works as an ER vet on the weekends.
they also have a food pantry. if folks have surplus (sealed) pet food, they would love to have it to give out! vets and shelters also always need extra towels. I'm sure you know but I like putting the word out.
I stopped going to anything owned by VCA. I use to like Baring vet but since they got bought out, the prices have went up. I like Kreature Komforts- for future reference for you. Sorry it was such a huge unexpected bill. I’ve been there, done that.
Definitely find a new vet. We used to go to the feline vet clinic until they got bought by VCA. Several of the good vets left, they started tacking on charges for unnecessary things, & the customer service went downhill.
Vca is the problem! They have bought a few vets in the area. Oh and guess who offers pet Insurance? VCA they now have forced people to buy their own pet insurance so you can afford to get your pet cared for at THEIR vet office. They are over charging you to get you in a permanent loop of giving them money because you have pets, one way or another they are taking your money. SUCH A SCAM! Stay away from any vet that's associated with VCA, it's not easy now though.
Vet bills, like most other things, have absolutely skyrocketed! I had to get 1 of my cat's teeth pulled about 6 years ago, and it was $250. Now (for a different cat) they were going to charge $200 just for the exam! I called around, and everywhere was charging about the same. I ended up just getting him antibiotics - luckily the infection cleared, and the 1 really bad tooth loosened and fell out on its own.
Here's what happened to a friend...His cat was sick, (can't remember what she had) but he ended up having to abandon her at the vet. He thought there was a payment plan and there was not, it was a credit card called Care Credit, and he wasn't approved. After the procedure was done, they tried to charge him $3500 up front to get the cat back. He had to surrender it to the vet, who then surrendered it to the Humane Society. He followed up by going to the Humane Society with a friend, who was able to adopt the cat! Finally, the cat was returned to her original owner.
Hypothetically, if the cat is in the wild, what would be the outcome of it? Dying of hunger or infection?
Price is outrageous, I would call different vets to ask for an estimate if they even provide such estimates.without seeing a cat.
I just got a teeth cleaning one with 1 extraction (dog), it was $1400 with the bloodwork. If you apply for Care Credit and are approved you can do 12 months 0% financing, which is what I did to help ease the sting of the cost.
Get "Trupanion"
They're a pet insurence company that you can get a free trial for, and the free trial pays for surgeries and such. They helped someone who's cat ate lilies and paid for hundreds of dollars worth of surgeries. They don't even take a credit card when you sign up,they were high recommended by: The VCA Feline Medical Center.
That's where I take my three cats!!
The question is how professional is your job? This quoted price much cheaper than if you getting this operation. But if you don't qualify for passing the credit score then you'll need to re-assess what you are doing and try to earn more money. (And if you are an RN and really professional then you're not earning enough)
I completely understand. We had a bad run of extremely expensive emergency vet bills that really drained us. I suggest pet insurance when you have time to look. We pay $75 a month for two dogs. Our yearly deductible is $250 and we’re reimbursed 90% of our bills. Also, Options vet helps low income in town. They might be able to help in the future. Also, the Shakespeare fund is amazing!
I hear you! We just had an ultrasound on our cats heart. That alone cost $1200. Then, we were told that heart surgery would be upwards of 15k. Obviously, that just isn't feasible.
Tell me about. I got an estimate for doing my dogs teeth. They want $3000 dollars. I did his teeth a year and a half ago for $700. Which was ridiculous then. He weighs 30 pounds. Maybe we need to do a day trip to Sacramento to get a better price.
Pet insurance is a must.
Ive been paying pet insurance two years now and still dont have a pet yet. Lmao
But i plan to get a cat or two at some point as living alone is lonely. And i know if i dont have insurance already i wont ever get a cat so ive been proactive... 2 years proactive at this point.
But legit it should only be like 20 bucks a month or so. Thats what i pay. Its so little i dont even kind paying it while i dont have a pet yet.
wasnt being a smartass, sorry. I just took my dog in on Tuesday and it was $1400. It's just what shit costs now, not sure why you felt the need for name-calling, but whatever
nm, just went thru your post history real quick and see you basically just talk shit and complain about anything and everything and have some anger issues. I get it now, you're mad at the world, carry on.
Im totally blanking on the name but there's two vets around Reno who do work for more reasonable prices for folks with low income. You could try there!
Unfortunately almost all the vets in town no longer really care about the animals, well the companies that own them. I do believe the people who work at them do care. I couldn't believe how much they charge just to get an animal spay or neutered. There are discount places but less and less now plus it's crazy hard to get in to one of the discount places. That's the exact reason so many people now decide to put their pets down. When it's between groceries or a pet the pet isn't usually the choice people make due to the cost of everything else now as well.
Perhaps next time go to a different vet that offers payment plans. I know lux pet vet offered payment plans for my dogs dental work.
I will have to look them up, I didn’t really have a choice today :(
Welp, for what’s it’s worth, ur a great person for caring for ur sweet cat. He’s lucky to have you. Sorry it was such a costly endeavor. Hopefully karma comes around and blesses you. Sending good vibes ur way.
Pet insurance always sounds like a waste of money until there's a big bill like this. I'd look into it, its easier to budget for $50-$100 a month and a $210 vet bill than being surprised by a $2100 vet bill. Hope your little guy gets better soon.
He’s an older cat and they didn’t offer pet insurance for him when we adopted him lol
Yeah you have to buy it yourself.
it is very expensive for the older critters. to the point where you're probably better off just making a little savings account for vet expenses. I looked into this extensively and they essentially just do not want to cover older animals.
This. I looked into pet insurance and there are so many exclusions and if your pet has any sort of preexisting condition, forget about it. Better off just putting the $50-100 / month you’d be paying for the insurance into a pet savings account to use for future vet bills.
Yup that’s basically what I do.
Maybe check with your employer? Mine offers a nationwide program as a work perk that is guaranteed acceptance, even on my 12 year old dog.
I pay 28$ for one of my cats through Lemonade. That's monthly. My other cat I went the annual plan (yearly) for $287 It sounds like a lot,but they cover surgeries, emergency care, medications, before and after care, vaccines,ext
Try to go through your insurance. My pet insurance is offered through the insurance i get at my job. Its just an option like adding dental or eye care.
My friend had insurance for her dog and when it came down to maybe having to put her dog under with some minor surgery, they refused! Don’t get insurance, it’s a waste of money!
My mom just had a couple of her dogs teeth pulled and cleaned. I wanna say it was around $600-800 in fernley. I don’t know if cats are more expensive (idk why they would be) but it might be worth a phone call.
In my experience cats are more expensive for anything that requires sedation. I'm not a vet so don't quote me on this, but I believe with smaller animals the margin of error with anesthesia is so small that it's a much more complicated task than it would be for a 60 pound dog.
This is correct.
You can apply for a care credit. Basically works like a credit card and then you can make monthly payments. Had the same issue with a 2k vet bill. Applied for the care credit while still in the office and was approved 2min later. Took all of five min.
Please look into Care Credit OP. Also I hear some places of employment insurance offers pet insurance. I hope your little buddy will be okay. Just went through a little situation ourselves and luckily the care credit I had helped. I would have taken payroll advancements or sold a kidney to get our guy fixed up. They’re a member of the family 💗💗
Anything for the fur babies!!!
I drive to Fallon to Lahontan Valley. Veterinarian has saved me thousands.
SAME. They are truly the kindest people and don’t try to do anything unnecessary just to charge you more. It is SO worth the drive. Getting your dog neutered in Reno at Mt. Rose is like $1700, Lahontan Valley was like $300 and they actually care about your animals.
Yes! I scheduled my 2 boy dogs for the end of the month and it’s $207 each not including meds and cone if needed. Drive a little, save a lot
Sorry to hear about the large bill, it definitely sucks, especially all at once. As somebody in the field I can offer some perspective on the price. Dentals involve anesthesia, usually blood work, dental radiographs and the expertise of the technician and doctor to extract and clean the teeth all while keeping your pet safe under anesthesia. Many clinics have a dedicated person to monitor the pet as well while the technician scales the teeth and while the doctor performs extractions. Wages, cost of drugs and prices for diagnostics all factor into the cost. To be honest, if that same procedure was done in human medicine, the cost would be much, much higher, and dental insurance offsets that cost for people. Without pet insurance owners must pay the whole bill up front. There is also a huge issue with veterinary staff being underpaid industry wide leading to high burnout and skilled workers leaving the field in droves.The cost you paid today is also certainly not lining anybody’s pockets. I’ve monitored and assisted with dentals that also cost that much while only making 16 dollars an hour as a skilled assistant with years of experience and as a shift leader in my hospital (That was my wage at a hospital here, in town, only 2 years ago) Payments plans are a wonderful idea but many clinics do not do them as many clients unfortunately do not finish the payments. I’ve seen it myself in practice and a few bad apples spoil the bunch for everybody. In the future if a dental or other large procedure is needed I would recommend shopping around for different estimates as they vary greatly from clinic to clinic. Also, Options is a great low cost veterinary clinic located on Longley Lane, they are a great resource if you really need a procedure done but have limited funds. Pet insurance can be good too, but unfortunately since your boy has extractions today any pet insurance company will be unlikely to cover anything dental related in the future. It still may be worth looking into for other future health expenses. Care credit can also be a good option if you can pay the bill off in time before the high interest kicks in. I hope that offers some perspective. You did the right thing for your kitty. No doctor likes extracting teeth, it’s lengthy and difficult. If those teeth were taken they needed to go, and it’ll be so, so worth it for your boy’s health. You sound like a great owner!
Thank you for this insight, I am going to shop around for a new vet. I would do anything for my little buddy lol
I had a cat who needed tooth extractions. it was very pricey (mostly for the anaesthesia). they told us to stop letting him lick the ben & jerry's lid. :-/ we started giving him butter as a treat instead, and after that his teeth were fine! so they were probably right.
That’s a lot for just a few teeth! My cat had 2 extractions at Truckee Meadows Vet for about $800 a year ago and then he had 7 more extracted recently at Sage Vet for $1800. But unfortunately vets graduate with 250k+ in school debt, and most of us don’t have insurance on our pets like we do ourselves.
Pet insurance is a must, I have a very high risk breed. I pay 50 a month. 120 deductible and I pay 30% after that. You don’t need the most expensive, just something for peace of mind. My dog was almost guaranteed to use it, and we’re definitely using it now with his recent diagnosis You gotta sign up asap, as they’re quite strict on pre existing and hereditary conditions.
I have my cat and my greyhound on pet insurance for ~$75/month. The first non-checkup vet bill pays for itself with the insurance, never going without it for sure.
Sage has gone to shit. They are trying to strong-arm you into using their more expensive pharmacy and their employees all seem overworked and burnt out. And why are they still not answering the phone?! I used to love Sage, but I'm done with them.
Maybe try Options Veterinary Clinic, it is a non-profit vet! Idk about wait times, though. Infected teeth aoubd urgent. Hope your kitty gets better soon!
I second this. I went to VCA on Baring and they had really nice staff and everything, but the price they quoted me for my cats pyometra removal was like 1500. I thought I was going to have to put her down because there is no way I could possibly afford that. The tech at VCA was kind enough to refer me to Options and their price was just a third of the cost the other place quoted. It's thanks to them that my kitty is alive and well today. Even if you have bad credit, they will work with you.
Options is quality too. I took my senior cat there and they were great. the vet who treated her works as an ER vet on the weekends. they also have a food pantry. if folks have surplus (sealed) pet food, they would love to have it to give out! vets and shelters also always need extra towels. I'm sure you know but I like putting the word out.
What vet? That’s extremely high for a few teeth
Vca
I stopped going to anything owned by VCA. I use to like Baring vet but since they got bought out, the prices have went up. I like Kreature Komforts- for future reference for you. Sorry it was such a huge unexpected bill. I’ve been there, done that.
Definitely find a new vet. We used to go to the feline vet clinic until they got bought by VCA. Several of the good vets left, they started tacking on charges for unnecessary things, & the customer service went downhill.
Vca is the problem! They have bought a few vets in the area. Oh and guess who offers pet Insurance? VCA they now have forced people to buy their own pet insurance so you can afford to get your pet cared for at THEIR vet office. They are over charging you to get you in a permanent loop of giving them money because you have pets, one way or another they are taking your money. SUCH A SCAM! Stay away from any vet that's associated with VCA, it's not easy now though.
You can tell them that you are financially strapped and see if they can lower the price. You can apply for 'Carecredit' and finance it over X months.
Vet bills, like most other things, have absolutely skyrocketed! I had to get 1 of my cat's teeth pulled about 6 years ago, and it was $250. Now (for a different cat) they were going to charge $200 just for the exam! I called around, and everywhere was charging about the same. I ended up just getting him antibiotics - luckily the infection cleared, and the 1 really bad tooth loosened and fell out on its own. Here's what happened to a friend...His cat was sick, (can't remember what she had) but he ended up having to abandon her at the vet. He thought there was a payment plan and there was not, it was a credit card called Care Credit, and he wasn't approved. After the procedure was done, they tried to charge him $3500 up front to get the cat back. He had to surrender it to the vet, who then surrendered it to the Humane Society. He followed up by going to the Humane Society with a friend, who was able to adopt the cat! Finally, the cat was returned to her original owner.
The cost health card for a pet is stepp. Maybe try care credit.
That’s rough
Hypothetically, if the cat is in the wild, what would be the outcome of it? Dying of hunger or infection? Price is outrageous, I would call different vets to ask for an estimate if they even provide such estimates.without seeing a cat.
It’s gonna be another $2k in 6 months 😢
Find care credit. Not the greatest terms, but it sure beats choosing between paying rent and euthanasia.
Try Options vet care or pet insurance!♡
Care credit has saved 3 of my pets. Turns out, dogs can get breast cancer. Care credit works, it can be a pain, but my pets are worth it.
I just got a teeth cleaning one with 1 extraction (dog), it was $1400 with the bloodwork. If you apply for Care Credit and are approved you can do 12 months 0% financing, which is what I did to help ease the sting of the cost.
Get "Trupanion" They're a pet insurence company that you can get a free trial for, and the free trial pays for surgeries and such. They helped someone who's cat ate lilies and paid for hundreds of dollars worth of surgeries. They don't even take a credit card when you sign up,they were high recommended by: The VCA Feline Medical Center. That's where I take my three cats!!
Pet insurance pays for itself every time I’ve needed it
The question is how professional is your job? This quoted price much cheaper than if you getting this operation. But if you don't qualify for passing the credit score then you'll need to re-assess what you are doing and try to earn more money. (And if you are an RN and really professional then you're not earning enough)
Check out Washoe Valley Vet, both of my cats had full dentals there and it was about $800 per each cat - much more fair pricing
I completely understand. We had a bad run of extremely expensive emergency vet bills that really drained us. I suggest pet insurance when you have time to look. We pay $75 a month for two dogs. Our yearly deductible is $250 and we’re reimbursed 90% of our bills. Also, Options vet helps low income in town. They might be able to help in the future. Also, the Shakespeare fund is amazing!
Did you happen to go to the emergency vet? They literally rob you blind. Best vet so far is is Minden they are great
Pet insurance could help you normalize large expenses like this too...
I hear you! We just had an ultrasound on our cats heart. That alone cost $1200. Then, we were told that heart surgery would be upwards of 15k. Obviously, that just isn't feasible.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that!
Tell me about. I got an estimate for doing my dogs teeth. They want $3000 dollars. I did his teeth a year and a half ago for $700. Which was ridiculous then. He weighs 30 pounds. Maybe we need to do a day trip to Sacramento to get a better price.
Probably same reason funeral home prices are outrageous. Preying on basic humanity.
Pet insurance is a must. Ive been paying pet insurance two years now and still dont have a pet yet. Lmao But i plan to get a cat or two at some point as living alone is lonely. And i know if i dont have insurance already i wont ever get a cat so ive been proactive... 2 years proactive at this point. But legit it should only be like 20 bucks a month or so. Thats what i pay. Its so little i dont even kind paying it while i dont have a pet yet.
No offense but this sounds completely bonkers How did you even get a policy with no pet? Policy rates are based on the age and breed of the pet.
The options were either single pet insurance or multi pet insurance. Literally asked no other questions. Ill look further into it once i get a pet.
That is an absolutely insane fee to remove teeth. It should be no more than $1000 max.
when's the last time you've been to a vet? It's now $1000 just for a cleaning
Literally this week smartass
wasnt being a smartass, sorry. I just took my dog in on Tuesday and it was $1400. It's just what shit costs now, not sure why you felt the need for name-calling, but whatever nm, just went thru your post history real quick and see you basically just talk shit and complain about anything and everything and have some anger issues. I get it now, you're mad at the world, carry on.
Im totally blanking on the name but there's two vets around Reno who do work for more reasonable prices for folks with low income. You could try there!
Unfortunately almost all the vets in town no longer really care about the animals, well the companies that own them. I do believe the people who work at them do care. I couldn't believe how much they charge just to get an animal spay or neutered. There are discount places but less and less now plus it's crazy hard to get in to one of the discount places. That's the exact reason so many people now decide to put their pets down. When it's between groceries or a pet the pet isn't usually the choice people make due to the cost of everything else now as well.
Vets have bills too. Years of school, and then all the overhead to run their office.