Country artists Brooks and Dunn have a song out called “God Must Be Busy.” In it they talk about some of the problems in the world, including “old folks can’t afford the drugs they can’t live without.”
We ran into a similar problem today when a client brought in this cute little dog
we’ve been seeing for a couple of years. She said, “I took him off his heartworm preventive 13 months ago because I couldn’t afford it.”
Fortunately, his physical examination was all normal today, and his heartworm test was negative. He will need another test in six months, as explained here before he is out of the woods. Still, we were able to restart his heartworm preventive today with a lower-cost option that does not include any flea control or flea prevention. She will be spending about $7.00 per month.
Compared to the $750.00 price tag of a heartworm treatment, it’s a pretty good bargain. That’s about what it would cost to treat him if he becomes infected with heartworms after being off heartworm preventive.
I sat down with her after the tests, examination and vaccinations were finished, and we chatted. I explained to her that our Number One Job was to care, and if she had questions, problems or decisions to make regarding her pet to please not make those unilaterally. Come talk to us and let us see how we can help her care for her pet and not make things even worse.
Your pet’s doctor wants to do the same. We all do. Ministering to people through their pets is just as much a part of our job as caring for the dogs and cats we help.
See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.
