Pet owners...need advice

[natethehorn]

Just got an 8 week old weiner dog(Major) and we are looking into Petsmart Puppy Insurance. I know it saved my brother several thousand dollars when his puppy got Parvo. Anyone know the best route to take on this? Also, need suggestions on a good vet to make our primary vetrenarian. We live in North Austin. Thanks in advance.

 

[Brak]

What's covered on the insurance? Regular checkups? Drugs?

I have 3 dogs and none of them have ever had a bill coming close to $1,000.

 

[Woland]

Choose an office that has multiple vets. Vets tend to specialize, so you gain from having more than one vet in the office.

 

[accuratehorn]

I've never had the insurance, but my dog had a back operation a few years ago that cost over $1000-he had a spinal stenosis, like TJ Ford. Veternarians do some very advanced things on pets now, and you have to decide whether to do the procedure or have the pet euthanized. Were I getting a new dog, I would look into the health insurance.

 

[HoustonHorn]

My dog had a partially torn ACL which cost over $1,800 to repair. I did not have pet health insurance. I highly recommend pet health insurance.

 

[MilkmanDan]

My grandmother took her mini dacshund to:
Milwood Veterinary Clinic
(512) 837-1821 12400 Amherst Dr # 116

Jan Anderson was her vet, I believe.

We had to choose between a $3000 hip replacment or a $1000 femoral head ostectomy for our pup's hip dysplasia. Insurance has its place. There are other providers beyond Petsmart, so you may want to shop around.

 

[Dead Horse]

Weiner's can frequently have a lot of back issues so I would consider it. We take ours to Burnet Road Animal Clinic, Everitt Simmons and my entire extended family have used him for almost 30 years......

 

[TTUFIN]

Griffith Small Animals-Northland Drive-Dr. Griffith...Great vet!!

 

[CelisHorn]

We've never had pet insurance, and have had over ten dogs in my lifetime. Most of our dogs have never had vet bills that would have exceeded the premiums...but several have. Right now, one of my dogs visits a vet twice a month at a total of $150-250/mo for alternative treatment for her epilepsy. I guess it depends on the luck of the draw. If you do get pet insurance, I'd shop around as opposed to buying something from petsmart from the get go. Good luck.

Also, if you got your puppy from petsmart, it likely came from a shelter and will be sick. Make sure you get it to a vet asap.

 

[hook'em_horns]

Try arbor animal clinc when i was a kid we took our dogs there and i take my dogs there now. Get pet insurance.

 

[artemis21]

i don't know much about pet insurance, but weiner dogs are notoriously screwed up. its back is 95% guaranteed to blow on it one day, so the insurance might help when that happens. other than that, vaccines usually prevent the bad stuff like parvo.

i used anderson mill vet clinic. it is on north 183. they were always really nice.

 

[whickums]

I second Milwood. Both Drs. Anderson and Schroeder are very nice. Unfortunately they know TK very well.

I use Veterinary Pet Insurance for him. It's $21/mo and includes routine vaccinations and heartworm/flea & tick preventative as well as tooth cleanings and some other stuff I cant think of right now.

 

[3_yard-out]

Oh god. There's pet insurance?












Your kidding me.



I will resist the urge to do the math and just go grab another beer. Just get the insurance, that's my advice.