Vet bills - routine tests - do you always do them?

[khalloc]

My vet asks me to bring in a fecal sample once a year. I havent done it this year (or last) because my dog seems fine and healthy, no problems, etc...I think it costs in the area of $30 or so and I just think its a waste of money. I would pay it if I had a concern about her health, but I guess I figure my $30 is best spent elsewhere. AM I totally off base here? Do you do a fecal sample for your dog every year just because your vet says to?

I am getting tired of pretending I forgot the sample so I am thinking of just telling them I dont want to pay for it...

[scrooks]

Our vet doesn't do a annual fecal (but they do do blood work every year) but the vet we board her at does always require a fecal. We do it when requested otherwise we can't board her.

We do do the annual bloodwork. I do it just because I want to make sure she is healthy.

[khalloc]

The only annual bloodwork I have ever been asked to do is to check for heartworm and lyme...is that what you are talking about?

I dont skip other things(heartworm, vaccines, etc...) but it just seems crazy to pay $40 to have someone look thru a microscope at my dog's poop.

[Snow mom]

We are required to do the fecal testing for boarding. My DH is in charge of the vet but I know he has conflict with them over "senior" exams and blood work. They want to see our dogs every six months for a full examination and some pretty extensive tests. I know the last time our two dogs went they had a couple of vaxes (total, not each) and the bill was over $1200. They are by far the most expensive medical care in our family. That being said, the fecal test has found parasites we weren't aware of and $30 or $40 once a year doesn't seem outrageous compared to the $200+ in lab tests our vet orders.

[niccig]

I don't take the dog for annual exam, so no. When we had our older dog, I took her in more often as had health issues.


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[Meatball Mommie]

I do the fecal test because we need to board our dog and otherwise she would not be accepted for boarding.

Now that she's a "senior" at 9, our vet recommends annual bloodwork. I passed on it this year. She's a very healthy dog and she had bloodwork done last year. I might opt for it next year.

[trcy]

The fecal check is for intestinal parasites, which people can catch. An animal can have them and still seem perfectly fine. I wouldn't skip this test, mostly to protect your kids.


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[Kindra178]

We check heartworm every year. That's it.

[khalloc]

Thanks all. Maybe I will do it. The dog is turning 3 next week. I bring her to the vet every 12-18 months for her regular checkup. I've only boarded her a couple of times but she never needed a fecal exam for that - just kennel cough vax and another vax (maybe distemper?). I just spendt $176 on her regular checkup a couple of weeks ago and today I need to bring her back for a booster shot for a vaccine she had. They commented again on the fecal exam for her.

[StantonHyde]

I get annual blood work done--liver enzymes etc. Why? Because when I had my old dog and he aged, it was very helpful to know his history and the vet could see what was normal for him and what was not. It definitely improved his care in the last 2 years of his life.

Heart worms are not a big problem here and I have a small dog. I even forget to give him his heart worm pills (bag over the head). But he is never boarded (although he could pick up stuff from walks etc). I rarely did the fecal tests--I was focused more on the blood work. But the dog's annual exam plus heart worm meds and blood tests around $200, maybe $300. We use a higher end vet practice that is very responsive.

Investing in care while they are young and healthy is worth it when they are older. My Golden Retriever/Border Collie mix lived to 16 and had a good life.