Cost of vet

[Vicky the vet]

Ok, just putting in my 2 cents in. On one side, I hear complaints that vets want to have an income and so take on steady income with small animals so you can't get one out and yet vets are greedy, on the other hand you don't want them for the steady work, but only for the harder/emergency work and you wonder why either they charge a lot or you can't get one out...because you want the most money in your own pocket.

I guess I'm confused as to why I have to be at your beck and call for emergencies yet am not allowed to ensure I have financial security and time to have my own life?

I have great clients which I'll often show how to do the minor things which I don't have to do, yet will call me for work steadily throughout the year. I'm not always available for emergencies for them, since I also ensure my financial security by doing a few shifts at the small animal emergency clinic...does that make me greedy? I'm a part of my client's program, I'm there to assist them with culling, disease, nutritional and health questions, as well as the midnight calvings. I'm not a "necessary evil" as portrayed by many on the board. Perhaps the reason you can't find vets in you area rests in what you expect them to put up with/do both monetarily and attitude wise...

back to my broomstick....
Vicki

 

[dun]

Vicky, Excellent post!
I personally consider a good vet as almost a partner. I used to have a doctor that was a hunting and fishing partner, dropped into his office for a quicky answer frequently, something I now have to pay a doctor for. I pick my vets brain frequently about things and he never asks or expects (I asked him about it) for payment. But I do have him out for some pretty routine things and buy my prescription meds (for the cows) from him. Last spring he got out of a sick bed, food poisoning, and came over and pulled a calf that I couldn;t get out. Yup, he's a partner and a valuable asset.

Now I'm back to my broomstick

dun

 

[Howdyjabo]

The real problem is there isn't enough "profit" in commercial livestock production(small and medium scale) to "pay" a vet enough to give them a better livelyhood than us.
So we try and do the best we can without.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Just to keep the witches away from the door....

Have the vet out annually for herd inspection/vaccs/ivomec/pinch/dehorn/tagging etc....

Normally 30 to 50 head.

Last year I believe it was about $800 for everything. Price doesn't change too much as herd size varies, so at 30 head that is less than $27/hd.That is all meds/vaccs and ivomec included.

Vet normally brings an assistant or student. Both help with running the chute and headgate and tub. I don't normally have help so that is a big plus. Takes a couple hours usually.

Pretty much mandatory for me because I am in an audited verified production program, but I still consider it money well spent.

In the last 5 years had the vet out several times after hours for the donkey but only once for the cattle.

We have 3 dogs and a cat, between them and the donk I bet they cost almost as much as the cattle vet wise. That is the price of proper animal care.

Lots of occassions where I did just call and ask for advice. Never been charged for that.

We are lucky here, I know lots of you are not as well serviced vet wise.

 

[holly heifer]

My vet charges $25 to come to the farm and $90 and hour
for really specialized stuff, but is really cheap on routine stuff.
I do my own vacinating, castrating, minor wounds ect.
It is the prolaspes that get us! :x

 

[msscamp]

Ok, just putting in my 2 cents in. On one side, I hear complaints that vets want to have an income and so take on steady income with small animals so you can't get one out and yet vets are greedy, on the other hand you don't want them for the steady work, but only for the harder/emergency work and you wonder why either they charge a lot or you can't get one out...because you want the most money in your own pocket.

I guess I'm confused as to why I have to be at your beck and call for emergencies yet am not allowed to ensure I have financial security and time to have my own life?

I have great clients which I'll often show how to do the minor things which I don't have to do, yet will call me for work steadily throughout the year. I'm not always available for emergencies for them, since I also ensure my financial security by doing a few shifts at the small animal emergency clinic...does that make me greedy? I'm a part of my client's program, I'm there to assist them with culling, disease, nutritional and health questions, as well as the midnight calvings. I'm not a "necessary evil" as portrayed by many on the board. Perhaps the reason you can't find vets in you area rests in what you expect them to put up with/do both monetarily and attitude wise...

back to my broomstick....
Vicki

Maybe I'm missing what you're saying but, for what it's worth (please God, this is not a challenge), we've never gotten any vet out of bed or asked that they be available during off hours. If we have a heifer that needs help, we always haul her in rather than asking our vet to come out. If that heifer goes into labor during the night, we deal with it - win, lose or draw. I do not believe for one minute that vets are a 'necessary evil', or that the vast majority of them are 'greedy', however, the simple fact of the matter is that a lot of ranchers cannot afford to call the vet to administer routine vaccinations, treat hoof rot, or treat the myriad of 'routine' illnesses that occur with cattle - so they learn how to handle those problems on their own. If we have a problem that we cannot handle, our vet is the first one to know, and we do not wait until an animal is on the verge of death to call him/her, and then expect him/her to save that animal, either. Nor do we call the vet for anything and expect him to be here in an hour. I fully understand that vets are trying to make a living - I respect that, and do not begrude them that in any way, shape, or form - but, so are we. I also think you do not need a broomstick for your transportation. I have a lot of respect and admiration for you Vicky, and I thank you wholeheartedly for your contributions to this board - it is something you do not have to do, but you still do it.

PS I did not think about the vaccinations, medications, and such things, but we buy whatever we need from our vet.

 

[holly heifer]

Excellant post! I could not have said it better myself!
You are so right on! 8)