So we found a vet! SUCH a relief! Leigh Ellen set up the appointment and everything. Our goal was to go and interview the vet and get to know him and see if we liked him or not. Well we did! The place was very nice too. It didnt have that whole sterilized feeling to it. It felt more like a cabin to me, but that made it more comfortable.
The Vet's name is Ted and while we were waiting on him, one of his assistants came over and met Carter and we were able to ask her a lot of questions. We asked about insurance, how much yearly shots and a check up are, about Carter's itching, and just a bunch of other stuff.
As for insurance, her advice to us was to only get something that covered emergencies. She told us to not worry about getting an insurance that covers routine care because we would end up spending more on insurance than we would if we paid out of pocket. She said that shots, de-wormer, and routine check up once a year was about $220. I am still going to ask around and see if that's a fair price, but it didnt sound too unreasonable to me. Plus, since we know the price, it will be easier to budget for. She also recommended either Trupanion Pet Insurance or VPI. So we will be looking into that for emergencies. She also told us to see if they cover preexisting conditions. I'll let you know what I find!
When Ted came over, he ended up doing a check up of Carter. Since we really liked the place, we figured "why not". It's easier than scheduling another appointment soon, especially if we are just going to get in the car and say we both like him. Ted got down on the floor with Carter and played with him some and then checked everything out. He said his heart was good, his hips were good, and overall all he seemed like a really healthy puppy. Ted does think that Carter is a bit younger than we thought. He said that based off of how many adult teeth he has (5 total now) that he is probably about 2 weeks younger than we think. However, that amount of time doesnt really make much of a difference and we are going to keep his birthday the same. lol.
We also had Ted look at all the spots Carter has on him that are causing him to itch. Ted did a test for mites and we found out it wasnt that. Unfortunately, nobody really knows what it is and we have been told to wait it out. We are going to check the floor cleaner that is used on our floors as that may be what is irritating his skin. We are also going to start wiping down his underside when we come in from playing in the grass. Ted thinks something is biting him too, so we have to start watching where he is laying and see if there are any bugs. It was also suggested that we start bathing his underside 3-4 times a week with antibacterial shampoo as that may help get rid of whatever is causing the itching. Hopefully something works soon or he grows out of it quick. I HATE watching him itch all the time!
Anyway, towards the end of the visit the Vet told us his philosophy of feeding dogs. He feeds his dogs a strictly raw diet. It was very interesting listening to him explain it all and I think if we had more money and actually cooked, that John and I would seriously consider that type of diet. Ted did say that other dog foods are just fine too though, it's just more natural to feed them raw food. I think we will supplement what we feed him with some raw food when we are able. Especially this summer when the dining hall is closed and I cook a lot.
Lastly, we asked Ted about emergency care. I really liked his answer. We call the office if there is an emergency and it goes to his personal cell phone. We are supposed to leave a message and then Ted will call us back with what we should do. He said he may not come in at 4am, but he would direct us to the location we should take him OR tell us that it can wait or it's not a big deal at all. I like that Ted will be the one to give us his opinion, especially since he knows Carter.
John and I really liked Ted. He seems to be a bit hippy (doesnt like to give dogs medicine, raw diet, etc), but I really like his reasoning for things and once explained his ideas really make a lot of sense. He also took a lot of time to get to know us and Carter. I am relieved that we liked him! haha I dont like shopping for doctor's, etc. It's such a pain. So THANK YOU LEIGH ELLEN! :D
On the downside, since we went ahead and had a check up and the mite skin test, it cost us $72!!! GEEZ! Carter is expensive! At least we dont have to be back for another year. We will have to do some adjusting to our budget though. lol.
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