help with vets bill

what_a_smartie22

hi everyone, wonderd if any one could help, i have a greyhond dog in-need of her teeth doing, im a mature student, and have no in-come at all at the moment,[get grant in sept]
but i really cant afford the 200 quid im being quoted to get her teeth seeing to, .
the vets really take the !!!! as i had her spayed in January, and wanted them done then and was told its another 140.00 plus the spay costs of 135.00 i just couldnt stretch to that.
can anyone surgest any thing please
:beer::cool::rolleyes::rolleyes:

UKTigerlily

Sorry but the Vet's aren't taking the !!!!, Dogs cost money & need things doing just like we do, why should a Vet do it for free?! You can try the PDSA if you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit or both, or The Blue Cross. Isn't she insured?

supersaver66

If you are getting housing benefit or council tax then give your local PDSA a call.

How bad are her teeth? Cos they will only help if its neccessary to the dogs health.

MrsTinks

Phone around local vets and see if anyone will do it any cheaper. Ultimately they have to pay for the anestetics and the vets time and the equipment needed to clean her teeth - I think it sounds like fairly resonable amount if they need doing I'm afraid.
Pets cost money... it's just the way it is. If the teeth need doing then the only solutions are if the PDSA cover your area and you qualify, or maybe the vet will allow you to pay them in installments? some vets will, some won't.

McKneff

Help yourself first by buying some doggie toothpaste and a doggie tooth brush.

Give him a couple of biscuiits first, brush his teeth by holding him over his head with your left hand, and opening his mouth. Do it gently and thoroughly, then give him another couple of biscuits for being a good boy. Do thi severy night for a fortnight, then see how he is. then do it regularly on a weekly basis.
Dogs teeth need personal care as well as ours you know.

UKTigerlily

Just got back from visiting the Rescue I got mine from! Was gonna say, £200 is a bargin, my Cat had hers done in March & it was way over that, though she did have 1 tooth out too. Try these places for help:

http://www.tailwaggersclubtrust.com/

http://www.bluecross.org.uk/web/site/AboutUs/Veterinary/Veterinary_Care_Fund.asp

what_a_smartie22

thanks for the replys, first after a traumatizing day trying to arrange for the p.d.s.a to see dog [not on any benifits im a mature student]
the red tape and the hassle this caused should be usd as a word of warning to others, my mother is diabled[not house bound thou] so because i live there we quilifed to bring the dog, had to bring in usual i.d benfits claim, bus pass[mothers]
this was monday was offered an appointment after 3 pm that day, got home mother had hospital appointment, at that time, phoned them back different recepist said to come in at 9.30 am .?
could i bring mom up to register? take her to hospital[had to be left having heart monitor fitted] and bring the dog?p[yes theres a dog involved in all of this something that this chairty seems to have forgot/]
no she has to come in each time dog comes and bring paper work,oh ok i need to arrange different transport [because car not big enough to bring me, mom, and a helper for dog, its illeagle anyway to travel a dog without some kind of restraint on while traveling?] i asked my sister i arranged it then phoned back tuesday morning got told "you cant bring the dog till after 3 pm your transport problums are nothing to do with us"[caring for a chairty DONT YOU THINK] "cant i sit and wait" no
OH AND THE DOG last but not least now had problums walking she weighs 30kg not a one person job if she needed picking up, by now im in tears steam coming out of my ears not being helped by un-helpfull staff who at one told me to go to a privite vet?
[great Why did i ring them???????? i couldnt afford the bill]
so i talked to a friend insisted on me phoning CAVEN VETS i did and they told me to come right up
they even stayed open till i arrived dog got looked at straight away she got given some mediecation [shes inproved now] thanks to the caring staff and vet there however i have probley just put a plaster over a bigger problum, so im now trying to put my old car up as a log book loan to otain the money to have her back xrayed, and her teeth done.
[i did get the impression with the pdsa there attitude may have been due to the fact shes a greyhound, and people that hAVE these dogs are all tared with the same brush!]
the cost of the treatment was 33.quid something i would have given either way, i was just living in fear of being told she needed putting to sleep, the cost of which is 80.00 plus and i couldnt afford that.
so i tried to use a chairty and came off the wrong side of un helpful staff, and at one point also got told that just because the dog was going off its legs thats not an emegency they should be ashamed of themselves.

BindyB

The only reason you're worried about your dog being PTS is because you can't afford the bill?!?! Wow, that's nice.

Your poor dog. :rolleyes:

Bubbles911

I am sorry but where is your concern for your dog? All you are talking about is money and how unhelpful you perceived the staff to be. Where is the "omg my dog is ill and I am scared and would be lost without him/her"?

Seriously, if my dog needed medical treatment I would beg steal and borrow, I would sell everything I owned and live on beans if I had to as that is the responsibility I took on when I decided to get him.

I understand for you money is tight, it is for most of us but have some conpassion towards your poor animal.

foreign_correspondent

Why is your dog having problems walking? Does she have some other problems in addition to her teeth?

I am sorry you are struggling, and it sounds like you have a lot on, but if anything I think the PDSA would be more symathetic towards people who have taken on a retured greyhound rather than less, as you seem to feel.

They have proceedures and paperwork, as with any charity, they need to make sure their money goes to help the right people and their animals, not those who would use the benefits and ID of a relative without having any real financial need... I am sure this is a pain, but I think its necessary.

Also, they have to prioritise cases, and a dog going off its legs due to a sprain, or arthritis, or an injury, may have to come after a dog who has swallowed rat poison, or glass (as my dog did at the weekend!) or has bloat, which could kill in hours. I can understand this would be distressing for you and the dog though.

How is your dog now?

nanokitten

I disagree, If your mother is disabled than the PSDA has an obligation under the DDA to make a reasonable adjustment to allow her to access the service. now in my book that reasonable adjustment would be to allow a relative to come and act as her agent in this matter. OP has already stated that PDSA said the dog was entitled as she lived with the disabled mother although not strictly ownned by her.
It is utterly ridiculous that some who is ill should be dragged out of the house just to provide ID.
I'm afraid you often need to have experienced the kind of treatment sometimes received by disabled people to realise that apartheid still exists in this country.
I would ring the charity, ask to speak to whoever is in charge of DDA compliance and then politely explain that you do not feel they have made a reasonable adjustment as required by law.