Friday, September 06, 2013

Sick Puppies

Ms. Lou and I are not doing well. My sinuses have been acting up and I'm dizzy as a bee. The stamp shop has been super busy (work is good!) this week and the 103+ degree days and still 90 degrees at 11pm nights have Mabel and I working split shifts to be able to sleep in the hottest part of the day.

Then I started to notice Mabel was licking her rump... a lot. And even when she didn't lick it, a clear liquid was coming from her privates and it smelled horrible. I was washing bedding every day!  I assumed it was some old age thing until I noticed her fecals were... "different."

I took samples into my vet and they wanted to see the girl after the results came back with elevated white count in the urine and giardia in the fecal! No wonder my poor girl was licking!

Mabel managed to piss in front of the doc... my big bad rottenweiler is a really submissive girl! The doc declared it a bladder infection too!
Sorry for the 'devil dog eyes' but I had to show you proof that someone can get in bed with her steps all by herself!

And then my education began.  I was handed a bill for 240.32 (more than I made in my trunk show which I stupidly scheduled over a holiday weekend...sigh) and that was NOT including the $70 I had already paid for the fecal / urine analysis! I about fell out of my chair!

I told the vet of my financial situation and she said to go get the Amoxicillian at a local pharmacy. My vet charged 75.40 for the antibiotic but...it's on the $10 list of common drugs at most pharmacies! I paid 9.99 at RiteAid!

The vet went on to say that at a minimum, Mabel had to have the antibiotics but to get her the other stuff as soon as I could afford it. I knew I was going to go home and start researching costs. I informed the vet that Mabel will have all of it...just maybe not today!

I tried 800petmeds for the Metrnidazole and the dewormer meds and then went to Drs. Foster and Smith to double check. I have LOVED Drs. Foster and Smith for years and found their prices were around $10 bucks cheaper.  But wait... my baby is sick NOW and free shipping is lovely but... how long is that going to take to get here??? A week to 10 days! NO. FREAKING. WAY!

I checked the Drs. expedited shipping... $20 and up and it still took five days! WHAT??? I decided to pay a little more and get the two day FEDEX with 800petmeds. Only, I had issues checking out... the screen froze and I luckily ended up on the phone with them. I happened to mention that the Drs F&S website was cheaper on all my items but I needed better shipping.

The phone tech said, "Oh really? Give me their prices... we PRICE MATCH!" 

I basically spent $3 more for the same order on 800 Petmeds and got the medicine my baby needs in two days! My vet wanted $185 for all Mabel's meds and by shopping around... and waiting two days, I got them for 76.43!!!

And while I'm happy for my savings... I feel bad! I feel bad I can't support my local vet. Just like I feel awful when I order Mabel's liquid glucosamine from Liquid Health instead of buying it at my local, community owned pet shop. But they charge $34 for one bottle and I can have two bottles shipped to my door for $39!  I told my vet that if I still had a decent income, I would be happy to take the pills from her shop. But I don't and that's a lot of money to waste!

But as long as my finances are this bad... I will be using 800petmeds again!

I was not given anything for this review...it's just what happened!


9 comments:

Dexter said...

I hope you are both on the mend. My vet fills prescriptions for the dog at CVS whenever possible. Not only is it cheaper, but with my AAA card, I get an additional discount.

Mango Momma

Duly Inspired said...

I'm so sorry that both of you are not feeling well. Fingers and paws crossed that healing is rapid. xo

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Well, let's hope everyone is feeling much better very soon. Our vet will usually let us get meds at the local pharmacy if it is cheaper and on some meds they will even price match. Mom says vet bills and pup meds are way too pricey.

Have a relaxing and feel-better weekend.

Woos - Phantom, Ciara, and Lightning

Millie and Walter said...

Hope you two are feeling better soon. I think I would die in those temps. My feelings are that the vet should help you get the meds you need any way possible. They know they can't match prices on drugs with other outlets, but they should be happy that you can get the meds Mabel needs. I would hope your pets welfare is more important than a few bucks.

Cindy

The Adventures of the LLB Gang said...

Hope you are both feeling better soon!

Ruth said...

I am so sorry to hear you're both not feeling well. The heat is very difficult to deal with and I have no recommendations. I know how worrying it can be when Mabel Lou is not well. She can't really tell you how she is feeling. My good thoughts to the universe that the antibiotics arrive timely and help quickly. Best wishes.

Mollie said...

We hope you both feel better real soon and we know all about being skint :( xx00xxx

Mollie and Alfie

rottrover said...

We are so happy that you are on the mend, Miss Mabel! Giardia AND a bladder infectiion?? And still stealing my stick! You are a tough ol' broad!!

-Otto

Snowbrush said...

I didn't know that Pet Meds matched prices, but my vet does. I hate to say it, but I'm mostly enjoying being dogless, and part of that is due to the absence of vet bills, especially with my schnauzer (purebreds are often sickly). Maybe my turn with come with my cat, but he's three years old and hasn't been yet except for the checkup that came with his adoption fee.

I didn't know it was hot down there. It's supposed to be in the nineties here in Oregon next week, and that's way bad for this time of year, but nothing like what you're having.