# Need Advice..



## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Hi there, I'm new to the forum. About a month ago I got a 2 year old ACD/Australian Shepherd Mix named Izzy. She is a ton of fun. Unfortunately the friends who gave her to me lied about her having been current on shots, having a chip and being spayed :wacko:. I was going to take her to a clinic in our town that spays for $75 dollars but when I talked to our veterinarian she strongly advised against taking her to a clinic because they don't get proper care. The price she quoted me is $430. Can anyone tell me if or why clinics are bad?


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

We have a low cost spay/neuter clinic where I live and I had my female spayed there and my dog and cat neutered. They did a wonderful job and it was really cheap. I brought them all home the same day of the surgery. I actually liked that since typically they are left alone overnight at the vet or clinic. Have you looked online to see if there are any reviews for the clinic? Do you know anyone who has used their services?


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I didn't think they were. We have one close to us and haven't ever heard anything bad about it. But, if you are having a chip done, and vaccinating I don't know if they do all of that or not. I think if it were me, I would call around to several vets and get prices for all you want done then compare that to the low cost clinic if they will do all of that.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I don't think low cost clinics are bad at all. All of my dogs have been done at clinics and none of them have ever had any issues from it. They get altered, nails clipped and microchipped. Its usually free, or under 100$. Although, Gunners was 250$ but that was part of his adoption fee.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Most low cost clinics like that you aren't getting pre op bloodwork or the same amount of machines monitoring during surgery so it is probably slightly more risky, any surgery can be risky though. Our HS sometimes uses a nearby spay/neuter van on adoptable and locally owned pets, it's a good option up here since a lot can't afford $200+ surgery, I don't think they have had any issues doing this and they bring down 30 or so animals every few months. There's a clinic a couple hours away that does cheaper $75 fixes for rescues and I used them for a foster once, it definitely wasn't on the level of care my vet would provide but he was fine, I personally took my male to be neutered locally who was $215 but my preferred vet wanted $350+. For $430 if it's a young healthy dog I would probably do the cheap clinic.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

I think just like ANY type of clinic, it's just going to depend on the individual place. Look up reviews and ask around. Some are great, some are not so great.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Thanks guys! I just looked up the reviews for the clinic it does look like they have some pretty bad reviews so I'll have to keep looking. https://plus.google.com/117629910962365778796/about?hl=en

This is my first dog.I want to make sure I do right by her and get her the best possible care.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Vera said:


> Thanks guys! I just looked up the reviews for the clinic it does look like they have some pretty bad reviews so I'll have to keep looking. https://plus.google.com/117629910962365778796/about?hl=en
> 
> This is my first dog.I want to make sure I do right by her and get her the best possible care.


I would agree that you might not want to go there. I'd call around and ask for prices, and then look for reviews and hopefully you can find something affordable with better reviews.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

So I just got off the phone with another animal hospital. They charge $189 for the surgery. However they don't do blood work or an IV for fluids and they don't give pain medication. The person I spoke with said that animals are resilient and they don't need pain medication. Any thoughts? The place has good reviews, But it seems strange they wouldn't give any pain meds.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

I called another animal hospital in the area. They charge $189 to do the surgery. However they don't do blood work or give any pain meds. The man I spoke with on the phone said that dogs are very resilient and they don't need any pain medication. Any thoughts? They have good reviews online but I thought it was strange they don't give any pain medication.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Now the previous owner swears up and down that he spayed the dog because he has a breeding dog. Now I'm not sure if I should believe him. I'd hate for them to cut her open for no reason though.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

I did find another place that can do the surgery for $189 but he said they don't give or recommend any pain medicine. He said that dogs are resilient and they don't need it. Any thoughts?


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

When my friends dog got spayed, she didn't get any pain meds and was fine. When I spayed my female over 2 years ago, the pain meds made her nauseous. 

Are you certain she isn't spayed? Maybe wait and see if she goes into heat before getting a surgery,,in case the guy really was telling the truth.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

The vet checked her when I took her in for shots. She said that she didn't have a scar so she most likely wasn't spayed. I'm just worried because I live with someone who has an intact male.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Oh I see. That's tough :/


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

If you're in contact with the "friends" who had her before (if they gave you a dog and lied about her medical history, I'm not sure friend is the word I'd use, but that's a different conversation), can you find out where the surgery was supposedly done, maybe even get a copy of the vet records, surgery and/or vaccinations, etc?


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

Nana, I agree, friends is not the best word choice. I asked for the papers and they said they couldn't find them. They told me they took her to a clinic in town. I was going to call the clinic tomorrow to see if there would be any way she had te surgery with no scaring. I thought the only reason she wouldn't have a scar is if it was done with a laser.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Annie's scar is pretty invisible now three years later. 
I personally would act as if she's in tact, but wait and see if she goes in heat. It is not that difficult to keep in tact animals apart during a heat, we do it several times a year. You just have to make sure that while they are not supervised they are separate. We follow a three door rule. That means three doors between in tact male and in tact female during any heat and never an issue.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

CorgiPaws, I'm glad to hear that keeping them apart is doable. They aren't ever together without being supervised anyways. I asked my vet if I could wait to see if she came into heat and she told me it was impossible. I heard some dogs don't bleed much when they are in heat are there any other signs I can look for?


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

lol. I'll do that.


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## Nana52 (Apr 28, 2012)

Your vet said it would be impossible to wait and see if she came into heat? Really? Impossible? I've personally never had an "unaltered" dog, so I shouldn't really say anything, but I've always had the impression that it was a "condition" that made itself quite evident. I will say that I've had 2 female dogs that I adopted from rescue groups, both had been spayed for a fact (first thing done by the rescue groups), and neither had a scar that I was able to see. But maybe I just have bad eyesight


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

THe male's behavior should change pretty dramatically. 
You can also look for swelling of the vulva and nipples. My girls are shorthair so it's easy to tell, but the vulva doubles (or more) in size. One of mine is a heavy bleeder, the other isn't but the swelling is the same. 
Since they aren't together unsupervised I can't imagine why there would be an issue, just be aware of what they are doing at all times.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

She told me it was impossible to keep them apart if she went into heat and I wouldn't be able to easily notice.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Vera said:


> She told me it was impossible to keep them apart if she went into heat and I wouldn't be able to easily notice.


SERIOUSLY????? I don't think she knows anything about dogs at all. My Copper went through a heat cycle before she was spayed, and we were able to keep her in the house with Aussie who was and still is unaltered. She went through her whole cycle, and never bred. It IS possible, for heavens sake. It just takes some observance on your part. 

Her vulva will be HUGE, and your male's behavior will change.


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## Vera (Nov 26, 2012)

I'm glad I'll be able to tell. I think that's a much better route then having her put under anesthesia if it's unnecessary. I think I may need to find a new vet. I told her I was planning on feeding Orijen and she told me that was a bad food because it has too much protein. She told me I should feed science diet. I told her that I'd been doing research on dog food and learned that dogs can't digest corn which is a main ingredient in science diet. She replied that dogs need vegetables too, not just meat because dogs aren't carnivores.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Vera said:


> I'm glad I'll be able to tell. I think that's a much better route then having her put under anesthesia if it's unnecessary. I think I may need to find a new vet. I told her I was planning on feeding Orijen and she told me that was a bad food because it has too much protein. She told me I should feed science diet. I told her that I'd been doing research on dog food and learned that dogs can't digest corn which is a main ingredient in science diet. She replied that dogs need vegetables too, not just meat because dogs aren't carnivores.


I'd find a new vet, for sure.


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