Veterinary care for pets while in Vet School

[TCVM808]

For those students at schools with Veterinary Teaching Hospital facilities, where do you go for your pets' regular healthcare? As most VTH cases are referrals (at least that is my understanding), do you find the need to utilize an off-campus private clinic? How do VTH discounts for vet students figure in to all this?

I am just wondering because I am anticipating continuing my dog's supplement and drug therapies without the discount I currently receive. I am wondering how easy/cost efficient it will be to refill his prescriptions through the VTH and whether it ever makes sense to do it off-campus. Hrmmm, I'd be happy to put him in a blood donor program and have him earn his keep, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't meet the weight requirement.


My research into CSU's VTH discount policy has indicated that services are discounted 40% and drugs and supplies 0-25%. I am interested to know what the policy is at other schools.

What about when relatively minor things arise like, for example, a sudden case of bloody diarrhea? Is that something that is appropriate to take to the VTH?

I'm also curious to learn more about the free/discounted pet foods provided to veterinary students. Is it exclusively Iams and Science Diet products? How is it distributed, etc.?

I have read some older threads that touch on these issues, but I was hoping to revive these topics. Thank you for any input you can provide!

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[Angelo84]

For those students at schools with Veterinary Teaching Hospital facilities, where do you go for your pets' regular healthcare? As most VTH cases are referrals (at least that is my understanding), do you find the need to utilize an off-campus private clinic? How do VTH discounts for vet students figure in to all this?

I am just wondering because I am anticipating continuing my dog's supplement and drug therapies without the discount I currently receive. I am wondering how easy/cost efficient it will be to refill his prescriptions through the VTH and whether it ever makes sense to do it off-campus. Hrmmm, I'd be happy to put him in a blood donor program and have him earn his keep, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't meet the weight requirement.


My research into CSU's VTH discount policy has indicated that services are discounted 40% and drugs and supplies 0-25%. I am interested to know what the policy is at other schools.

What about when relatively minor things arise like, for example, a sudden case of bloody diarrhea? Is that something that is appropriate to take to the VTH?

I'm also curious to learn more about the free/discounted pet foods provided to veterinary students. Is it exclusively Iams and Science Diet products? How is it distributed, etc.?

I have read some older threads that touch on these issues, but I was hoping to revive these topics. Thank you for any input you can provide!

At Tufts we get free visits (so no exam charge) and some percentage off drugs I don't remember what off hand. We can get free Science Diet (once a month) or Natura you might be able to get some Royal Canin stuff cheap but I'm not sure.

I have used the hospital for diarrhea and vaccines all I paid for were the meds. There's no reason to go to an outside vet.

 

[Electrophile]

For those students at schools with Veterinary Teaching Hospital facilities, where do you go for your pets' regular healthcare? As most VTH cases are referrals (at least that is my understanding), do you find the need to utilize an off-campus private clinic? How do VTH discounts for vet students figure in to all this?

I am just wondering because I am anticipating continuing my dog's supplement and drug therapies without the discount I currently receive. I am wondering how easy/cost efficient it will be to refill his prescriptions through the VTH and whether it ever makes sense to do it off-campus. Hrmmm, I'd be happy to put him in a blood donor program and have him earn his keep, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't meet the weight requirement.


My research into CSU's VTH discount policy has indicated that services are discounted 40% and drugs and supplies 0-25%. I am interested to know what the policy is at other schools.

What about when relatively minor things arise like, for example, a sudden case of bloody diarrhea? Is that something that is appropriate to take to the VTH?

I stopped going to my primary care vet clinic in town when I started vet school. I liked the main vet I would typically see, but after knowing a bit more now, they did a few things that really aggravated me (i.e.-doing serum allergy testing for food allergies, which is totally unreliable and expensive and having one of the other vets yell at me for feeding a raw diet...yes, I'm a big girl and I can wash my hands, thanks!). I also like being able to go back in the back. Any extra behind the scenes time is a bonus for clinics.

At Mizzou, I think we get very cheap (or free, depending on who you get scheduled with) exams and procedures are like 10%, if I recall.

I'm also curious to learn more about the free/discounted pet foods provided to veterinary students. Is it exclusively Iams and Science Diet products? How is it distributed, etc.?

That one really depends on the school. With our school, there is free Purina and discounted Science Diet. There's no way I'd feed either of them. I'm working on getting a Natura program here (they make Innova EVO and a couple of the other holistic diets). There are student reps that will let you know when and where the distributions/sales will be. As far as preventatives (heart worm, flea/tick stuff), there are student reps for those too. We get free Revolution if we want it. I'll probably end up donating some to the humane society as I only give Heartgard during the winter (no flea/tick stuff). We also have a "vet product day" where vendors come in and give you free junk. I got a bunch of different ear washes that way (none have helped with my one dog, d'oh!).

 

[pressmom]

For those students at schools with Veterinary Teaching Hospital facilities, where do you go for your pets' regular healthcare? As most VTH cases are referrals (at least that is my understanding), do you find the need to utilize an off-campus private clinic? How do VTH discounts for vet students figure in to all this?

Here at Tennessee, exams are free. The rest you get a discount (I believe 20%) on. I take my dogs to the VTH for everything--from vaccines to scintigraphy. (And both those have come up this year!) I'm really pleased with the quality of care I've received--in fact I'm afraid I might get spoiled to it! One of my dogs was just in today for a UA and urine culture. He's been having issue.

I am just wondering because I am anticipating continuing my dog's supplement and drug therapies without the discount I currently receive. I am wondering how easy/cost efficient it will be to refill his prescriptions through the VTH and whether it ever makes sense to do it off-campus. Hrmmm, I'd be happy to put him in a blood donor program and have him earn his keep, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't meet the weight requirement.

I also get my drugs there. Sometimes we get free stuff, other times we don't. I know we get free then discounted Cosequin/Dasequin and they had no problem giving me a script for my dog to get his prozac at another pharmacy when they didn't have it. Also, I've gotten free ear cleaner and shampoo.

My research into CSU's VTH discount policy has indicated that services are discounted 40% and drugs and supplies 0-25%. I am interested to know what the policy is at other schools.

What about when relatively minor things arise like, for example, a sudden case of bloody diarrhea? Is that something that is appropriate to take to the VTH?

Like I said, my dogs go there for everything. Very good care here.

I'm also curious to learn more about the free/discounted pet foods provided to veterinary students. Is it exclusively Iams and Science Diet products? How is it distributed, etc.?

Distribution and cost varies school to school. Here at Tennessee, we get 20 lbs or 2 cases of Science Diet (Rx or Reg) dog food or 10 lbs or 1 case of cat food (Rx or Reg) free and can have up to 80 lbs per month paid. Purina I only get treats from, so I can speak to sizes but I get 6 big boxes of dental chews every month. We're starting on Natura too, and I'm thinking about switching my duck and potato dog to 95% duck Natura.

 

[dyachei]

we get 40lb bags of dog food from Purina free monthly as well or a bag of cat food (it usually amounts to just 1 product or a case of products).

We get our drugs discounted too, not counting the free stuff we get from companies trying to get us to use their products. And that counts for everything including heartworm prophylaxis and topical flea/tick solutions.

Pressmom, are you going to the Natura meeting tomorrow night?

 

[StealthDog]

At Minnesota, the hospital isn't referral only, but since you only get a 20% discount, it still ends up being more expensive than going to a local clinic for routine things.

Our SCAVMA chapter sells Hills products as a fundraiser (so, the school gets it for free and SCAVMA sells it for cheap). We can also get Purina and Natura foods. Iams used to have a free feeding program, but I don't think they ever got a rep this year, so they haven't been doing distributions. I think a Royal Canin feeding program is in the works.

 

[Electrophile]

Distribution and cost varies school to school. Here at Tennessee, we get 20 lbs or 2 cases of Science Diet (Rx or Reg) dog food or 10 lbs or 1 case of cat food (Rx or Reg) free and can have up to 80 lbs per month paid. Purina I only get treats from, so I can speak to sizes but I get 6 big boxes of dental chews every month. We're starting on Natura too, and I'm thinking about switching my duck and potato dog to 95% duck Natura.

When my puppy had a vaccination reaction, I fed him a lot of 95% Innova EVO duck to get him back up to speed. It's a good one. I've just now inquired about getting the Natura program started here. I personally won't probably have time to be a rep, but I know someone looking for a job who would like to do it. I'll be talking to the person in charge of the program soon, but is it free or discounted for you all?

 

[ri23]

When my puppy had a vaccination reaction, I fed him a lot of 95% Innova EVO duck to get him back up to speed. It's a good one. I've just now inquired about getting the Natura program started here. I personally won't probably have time to be a rep, but I know someone looking for a job who would like to do it. I'll be talking to the person in charge of the program soon, but is it free or discounted for you all?

For us it is $10 dues/year for one free bag a month.

 

[Electrophile]

I can live with that! I pay about $70 a month in dog and ferret food (mostly Innova Evo) from the local pet food store. Do they do cans too or just kibble?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

It's a Natura takeover! I'm also working on getting a feeding program here, plus a student chapter of the AHVMA.

 

[StealthDog]

You can get anything- one bag of kibble (any size), a case of cans (little or big), or Mother Nature treats (as small as a little bag, or as large as a 20 lb box!). You can even get the fancy-shmancy organic Karma.

 

[soxbox]

i luckily (knock on wood) have not had to bring my cats into the hospital yet at CSU... but a lot of my classmates still use other vets (for minor emergency type things) as even with the 40% discount it usually works out cheaper... I think we get pretty cheap vaccines and heartworm testing (plus super cheap/maybe free heartgard).... A nice plus when I worked at Tufts was the super deal both student and employees had for exams/vaccines!!!

We do get one bag/case of Science Diet each month free (not the prescription diets... those are priced cheap though!!)... One bag/case of Purina free (delivered right to your door!!!)... if you joined the Holistic club for 10 bucks for the year you get a coupon for a free bag/case of Natura food (so worth the 10 dollar investment!!!)... so our pets will definitely never go hungry! Oh yeah... there is also some sort of program for free grain if you have horses... but I dont know too much about that....

So far this year we have also gotten 2 years worth of Advantage and one year worth of Promeris for free...

We can also get discounted Cosequin and whatever other supplements are made by Nutramax labs...

I will take all the free perks I can for my OOS tuition

 

[TCVM808]

i luckily (knock on wood) have not had to bring my cats into the hospital yet at CSU... but a lot of my classmates still use other vets (for minor emergency type things) as even with the 40% discount it usually works out cheaper...

Ahh, good to know. Thanks for all the great info so far, everyone!

 

[QTkitty]

i luckily (knock on wood) have not had to bring my cats into the hospital yet at CSU... but a lot of my classmates still use other vets (for minor emergency type things) as even with the 40% discount it usually works out cheaper...

I took my pup to the VTH for a spay and I think they ended up giving me more than 40% off and it still worked out to almost $300... At the time she was maybe 25lbs and in great health but with all of the blood work, pain management and 2 day stay it amounted to quite a lot. I don't think I'll be taking her back there unless it's for something special...

 

[Electrophile]

Wow! Not that I would mind doing pre-surgery blood work and all that, especially if the owners specifically request it, but that price is going to be prohibitively expensive to the majority of pet owners. I've fostered quite a few animals for the human society that got spayed/neutered that day and I've never had a complication arise at home. If you don't have a 24 hour clinic (I realize that vet teaching hospitals would generally be 24 hours), why charge the client for an overnight in a highly stressful environment where no one checks in on them until the morning? Seems just for a spay/neuter, it'd be better to send them home where they will be watched and have them call and come in if there's an emergency.

I'll likely do it as close to cost as possible and no overnights. I'd rather have an owner call me at 3 AM because a spay suture came out and I sent them home that day than I would be called at 3 AM because of a need for an emergency C-section from an accidental litter because the owners were turned off by a $300+ spay or neuter.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

300$?? Holy moly. Students generally qualify for low-cost spay neuter (if there is a place that does it in your area) as long as you bring proof of enrollment or a tax form. I got my cat spayed for $40.00 plus $5.00 for pain medication, and they did a superb job.

 

[wivet2011]

At Minnesota, the hospital isn't referral only, but since you only get a 20% discount, it still ends up being more expensive than going to a local clinic for routine things.

Our SCAVMA chapter sells Hills products as a fundraiser (so, the school gets it for free and SCAVMA sells it for cheap). We can also get Purina and Natura foods. Iams used to have a free feeding program, but I don't think they ever got a rep this year, so they haven't been doing distributions. I think a Royal Canin feeding program is in the works.

Don't count on the Royal Canin program. WI been trying to get one started for a 2-3 years. The current rep. said that he just got an email from them saying that at this time, they simply can't. Something about being a young company and not having all their products in one warehouse. Personally, if I were running a "young" company, I'd jump at the chance to start a program with a vet school! But, what do I know?

I would be interested to hear though if you guys succeed with setting something up with them!

 

[ri23]

Here are the feeding problems we have:

Science Diet: One free 20 lb dog food bag a month OR
One free 10 lb cat food bag a month
Purina: One 37.5 lb bag of food (delivered right to your doorstep)
Natura: One free bag of food/case of cans a month (if you join Integrative Medicine Club for $10/year)
Iams: Usually you get free food, but this year now that P&G bought them they are revamping their program, it should be back next year. We are the only school that has a discount on Iams however.

Edit: I didn't read Soxbox's post, apparently their programs are the same as ours

 

[wivet2011]

WI has programs with Science Diet (80#/order max I think), Natura, Purina, and Oxbow (slightly discounted food for small animals). We also had Iams, but like ri23 said, they are changing their program, so as of right now, we aren't able to get any except whatever might be left in the food room from earlier. We don't get free food (SCAVMA uses it as a fundraiser), but it's all VERY cheap... makes up for the extra rent I have to pay to have my kitten with me!

 

[pressmom]

we get 40lb bags of dog food from Purina free monthly as well or a bag of cat food (it usually amounts to just 1 product or a case of products).

We get our drugs discounted too, not counting the free stuff we get from companies trying to get us to use their products. And that counts for everything including heartworm prophylaxis and topical flea/tick solutions.

Pressmom, are you going to the Natura meeting tomorrow night?

Crap I totally forgot about it. It was on my calendar and everything. Darn ABLEs week and getting out early!

 

[catlover]

i luckily (knock on wood) have not had to bring my cats into the hospital yet at CSU... but a lot of my classmates still use other vets (for minor emergency type things) as even with the 40% discount it usually works out cheaper... I think we get pretty cheap vaccines and heartworm testing (plus super cheap/maybe free heartgard)....

CSU has a community practice department at the VTH. I took my cat in for a well-kitty check and distemper vaccine and it was a total of $30 (with the discount).

 

[Starwrecker]

Iowa State doesn't offer a discount for students. "Because we are a state facility" is the reason I was given. I take my cats there because it is convenient for me and for the routine work I've had done hasn't been any more expensive than any of the local clinics. ISU VTH isn't a referral only clinic...they have a community practice so they see routine exams all day long.

As far as feeding programs:

we can enroll in Purina's online program that gives you 1 credit per month and delivers the food to your door

we can get 10lbs of Hill's free each month and order up to 50 additional pounds (60 total) for $0.30/lb

Iams didn't have a program this year

Members of the holistic club can order Natura and Innova (I believe)

And we have an Oxbow program for the small critter needs.

 

[TCVM808]

CSU has a community practice department at the VTH. I took my cat in for a well-kitty check and distemper vaccine and it was a total of $30 (with the discount).

Great to know that such a service is available for the routine stuff. Thanks!

 

[CanadianGolden]

Sorry to dredge this back up, but does anyone know what programs like this are available at Penn?

 

[Biomajir]

Speaking of dredging lol, what about Oklahoma State?

 

[PAThbrd]

Sorry to dredge this back up, but does anyone know what programs like this are available at Penn?

free hills food (first 20# free per month and then up to a total of 80# at $4/10#) and purina coupons for free food, there used to be free iams.

in the hospitals, i think its 50% student discount now... they just changed it so im not sure. but when i took my dog in in the fall to get microchipped and a dental consult (she had a fractured incisor) it was dirt cheap. I chose not to pursue Sx so I don't know what that would have been.

 

[CanadianGolden]

Darn, I was hoping for Natura. Maybe I can start a Natura program??

 

[PAThbrd]

Someone is trying to start a program with them I think. Not sure how its going though.

 

[hoodle]

what about UC-Davis?

 

[Electrophile]

Darn, I was hoping for Natura. Maybe I can start a Natura program??

If they haven't tried yet, let me know. I've got the contact info to do so (thanks to StealthDog) and I'm meeting with the associate dean tomorrow to discuss setting it up. I'm pretty excited. At first I wasn't so sure about doing it (I'm kind of a free spirit, hehe), but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...

 

[StealthDog]

Electrophile- yeah, I felt a little weird helping to start up a program when I'd been so vocal about how ridiculous it was that Hills/Iams/et al were trying to buy us off with free food. But it makes me feel SO GOOD to see people carrying Evo lunchbags next to their Hills backpacks.... mwah!

I'm terrible.

 

[Electrophile]

It's alright, I know exactly what you mean. If you can't beat 'em...

But yay, our meeting yesterday went well! Looks like we'll probably have to do a coupon distribution with a local store as our vet school has no storage space for any food except Hill's, as they were there first. But the store that sells Natura stuff is only like 2.5 miles from school, so not real inconvenient. Are you going to make it out to the tour facility in California in late July? Sounds pretty cool! I'd also love to get an externship with them too. The AHVMA is also having their food conference in mid October out in Reno. I wonder if I can get any funds from Natura to go along with SCAVMA funds.

 

[kate_g]

what about UC-Davis?

Hill's (Science Diet and prescriptions): One bag of dry food (usually 40 lbs. for dogs and 20 lbs. for cats) *or* one flat of cans for free per month. Distributed at the school.
Purina (ProPlan and prescriptions): Same as Hill's, one bag of dry or one flat of cans per month, free. Currently distributed at the school but they're moving to home delivery.
Natura: Some amount for free. I don't know the details on this one, but I think you get a coupon and then take it to a retailer to pick up the food.
Advantage/Advantix: A year's supply free for a single pet, distributed at the school.

...Plus there have been distributions for other products that I haven't paid much attention to - Heartgard I think, and something in a tube maybe for horses, and possibly some other anti-parasite stuff for dogs. And we had a discount Avid microchip clinic, $15/chip including database registration.

None of our food/product distributions have the option to order extra at a discount, you can only get whatever you get for free. But if you've got a lot of pets you can sign up to help with food distributions and usually get extra bags of free food. Plus SCAVMA sells off any food that people order but don't pick up, at something like $4 per 20 lbs., but of course you're limited to whatever they happen to have. Oh, and SCAVMA just started selling some of the more popular varieties of Science Diet through the vet school bookstore, but I'm not sure what the prices are there.

As for medical care, I don't know what the exact breakdown is but I paid about half price on a fairly extensive workup for my corn snake including sedation/pain meds, radiographs, a minor procedure, and take-home antibiotics. Woulda been $500 and I paid $200-250. I took him to the VMTH because I was frustrated with the local exotics vet I'd been seeing, so I don't know how my cost compares to what I would have paid for private practice. I know that exams, procedures, diagnostics, and meds/supplies are all discounted differently but I don't know the breakdown. So it might be worthwhile only if you need a procedure and not for "regular" office visits.

Edit: To get the "free" Natura food you have to pay $25/year for membership in the Holistic Med club. But that's still super cheap for 9 months worth of food. Oh, and they're moving to distribution at the school rather than the coupon thing they had in the past.

 

[StealthDog]

Electrophile- I'm not our school's rep (just the Holistic Club president), so I haven't officially gotten an invite to go on a tour yet. Hopefully when Antonette comes to visit I can weasel my way into the tour...

Definitely try to make it to Reno if you can! AHVMA this year was great, and everyone is so nice to students and excited to talk to you. The pet food conference should be really interesting. AHVMA did a great deal for us this year- if you can get a group of 5 students together who are willing to do some volunteer work at the conference, AHVMA pays for your hotel, registration fees, and some of your meals. All we had to pay for was the plane ticket out there and back.

 

[laurafinn]

At Massey, we have no free food programs, although I think there may be a discount for Hill's. Comped visits to the vet if it's a learning experience Receive a discount on vaccines, medicines and supplies used during vet visits.