Riley Goes to Work, Good News, and a Mixed Bag on Happy Tuesday

Published on by Xena, Lucy and Chia

A big thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!

Riley: I got loaded in the car and forced to ride with Mom Amy. We ended up at her work church. When she let me out of the car, I stopped shaking. Then she took me into the church and I started shaking again. I’m set in my ways and I don’t like new things (unless it’s a toy). I got a bowl of water and some dried meat treats, and eventually I settled down.

A couple of people came in and the mailman came, and I greeted them like I’ve heard Lucy does…but I didn’t smile like her; I just wagged my tail. Then it was time to leave and I had to get back in that d..mn car, but instead of going home I went to my vet. That was good. I love going to my vet. I met a nice lady who pet me while we waited. A vet tech came out and weighed me, then took me to the back and stole a little of my blood, but that was ok, I’ve got plenty more.

Dad Jeff showed up with all three of my sisters and waited in the car. Later they told me they were at their vet and got blood stolen from them, too. Lucy said that Chia yelled, “Me first,” so she went first while Xena cowered under a chair.

Anyhoo, when I was done at my vet, I got in the car with them and Mom Amy took me home while Dad Jeff went to the FedEx place with all our stolen blood.

A few days later Mom Amy got an email from the lab in Canada, who had apparently run DNA heartworm tests on the blood. Everyone was “negative.” I do believe that’s a good thing, cause it made the peeps happy.

I’m happy cause I don’t have to have another DNA heartworm test for almost 6 months.

Mom Amy, however, was not happy when she looked at the bill for drawing blood from the girls. The CHAI vet place had doubled their price. She called the practice manager and was told that she had to raise the price because of all the difficult dogs that came there, and all the time it took to steal their blood, and she couldn’t make any exceptions even though all three of my sisters were in and out in a total of of 20 minutes. After Mom Amy had already told her that less than 6 months ago it was half that price, and she should have been told, the woman said she couldn’t make any exceptions. Then, when Mom Amy told her my blood draw was only $15.50 (as opposed to their $39 each), she had the stupid nerve to ask why on earth Mom Amy hadn’t taken my sisters to that place instead? Then she asked if the email address was the same and said she’d send their records over to Mom Amy so she could go to the other place. Now there are decisions to be made. I’m glad I’m not the one making them, cause I would just say, no more blood theft! Now it’s time for a good nap.

Mom Amy: I’ve recommended Chai (Chattanooga Holistic Animal Institute) to many of my grooming clients, some of whom I know read my posts here. I still recommend Dr. Colleen Smith, but if the office is going to be run like this, I don’t know if I can keep going there. Just a heads up. Be sure to ask for a cost if you decide you want to try them, because I have a feeling that blood draws aren’t the only thing that has doubled in price. I may still go for the vet visits, but will always get an estimate first. Still trying to decide for sure what to do after this extremely upsetting encounter. I have, however, already established Xena at Riley’s vet so I can take her there for the $15.50 blood draw in another 5 1/2 months. And I plan on doing the same with Chia and Lucy, too. Thanks for reading!

32 thoughts on “Riley Goes to Work, Good News, and a Mixed Bag on Happy Tuesday”

  2. Lulu: “Yikes! I have heard of inflation, but that’s ridiculous!”
    Java Bean: “Ayyy, it sure is! We should just boycott vet visits. All in favor, say ‘Aye’!”
    Charlee: “It’s too late to say ‘Aye’, Talk Like A Pirate Day was a couple of days ago.”

    Liked by 1 person

  5. We don’t get HW medicine, which is why we get the DNA HW test every 5 1/2 months. It finds even the newborn HWs, and one shot of ivermectin kills them. Did you know that HW prevention, doesn’t prevent, it just kills whatever has grown big enough to kill in the last 45 days?

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  10. And it was only a blood draw, a procedure I’ve had done twice a year for them. But you’d better bet that as I continue to use them, I’ll get a quote before I walk in the door.

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  11. Wow, how mean spirited that you were not informed of the price change. As if you were made out of $$. Like another said, you should maybe speak to the vet herself…if the office manager sets the prices, etc, maybe she has no idea.

    Having spewed that, its good at least that there is NO heartworm detected.

    What I hate, is that we use heartworm medicine all the year long, and they still want to do yearly checks. What?? Does that mean that the medicine is not doing what its supposed to do?? Bah Humbug!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. I’m sorry they did that. It drives me nuts when vets raise their prices and just don’t tell you. You get to find out when you see the bill. I know everything is going up in cost these days, but it would still be the considerate thing to do to inform your frequent fliers….

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  14. HURRAH!!!! No ucky Heartwermss to wurry about Riley an Xena an Chia an Lucy!!!!
    BOO!!! **HISS** at THE Vet dubblin their pricess…what a load of Bull S….Bo-lone-ee!!!!
    Any xcuse to make mroe $money$ an rip wunderfull Peepss off!
    This iss so unfair Miss Amy!!! Want mee to go pee on sumone’ss shoess?
    Riley well dun beein a Church Poochie! You are ockin it….
    ***nose bopss*** an ❤ BellaDharma an {{{huggiess}}} BellaSita Mum

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  22. The vets here are crowded, too. And you got a full occult HW test for 90 cents more than we paid for a simple blood draw. I send the blood off to Canada to a DNA Hw test. So there was the added cost of the test and the $125 shipping. (But the shipping is for all the dogs, total)

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  24. OMDs they stole your blood and charged you twice as much. Well Dang that is just rude and unfair.
    Maybe next time if you have to pay the price for bad dogs you should act BAD!!
    Hugs Cecilia

    Liked by 1 person

  25. That was a rude way of introducing the price increase. Yikes. My vet gives Mom an estimate on the iPad before doing anything with me at my visits. Usually Mom wants to fall off her chair when she sees it, but we stay. I am an only dog, so it’s bad enough for just me. If I had a brother or a sister, we’d climb out the window and leave.

    Love and licks,
    Cupcake

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  26. Having a pet has become very expensive. i would love to have a companion for Buddy, but the vet costs for 2 dogs would be prohibitive for me.
    Riley you were a good dog. My Buddy does not like the car either.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. You’re so right-they should tell clients of the increase in prices in advance or at least post a sign letting folks know of the price increase. Sheesh. So sorry but glad for the positive blood results. So how can it be positive if the results are negative? Hmm.
    Your fur-iend,
    Elsa 🐾

    Liked by 1 person

  28. I’m glad all the tests were negative, but I would have been upset with the doubling of prices. They should tell you that up front. Just saying.

    Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. Scritches to the pups. ♥

    Liked by 1 person

  29. The prices of all pet care have gone up, but the attitude of the office manager is deplorable. They must have more clients than they can handle so are eager to lose some. Our vet has been bought out buy one of those conglomerates so everything is higher priced.

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  30. Dear Riley, I forgot to say what a good boy you were, you looks soooo handsome. did the pastor pet you? sorry for all the shaking going on.. love you Riley

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  31. this is crazy, they must have too many patients that they are that willing to send all your sweeties somewhere else. I am thinking Doctor Colleen needs a phone call from you to discuss the way you were treated. I bet she doesn’t know anything about it at all and if you like her, you should let her know. is the person you spoke to new?
    I just checked to see what I was charged for the same test and it was 39.90. Beau gets his annually at his Oct Annual check up, LOTS of money for all things done. this is not just heartworm though, it is a full blood lab because of his meds, to make sure his kidneys are not being harmed by the RX… we are at the mercy here because all the vets are very much overcrowded

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  32. Well I think it’s only right that businesses inform their clients (and patients!) of price increases so that informed decisions about where to go for care can be made. After all – we aren’t made of $$$$$ and while we want the BEST for our pets it doesn’t mean we have to spend more at one place than another place that does the same work for less. So there! I have spoken!

    Hugs, Pam (and Teddy)

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