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Petsmart

2K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  WheatenDaneMom 
#1 ·
Hey guys

My name is Justin. I just recently bought a puppy off of puppyfind.com He was a 3month old Neo Mastiff. We have bought a puppy in the past and she turned out great so I didnt think there would be a problem doing so again. Upon recieveing the puppy, and getting him home. I noticed he had a herniated lump where is umbilical cord had detached under the skin. No biggy, because vet told me was easy fix. Then I noticed he had these zit like postules or bumps on his nose, some had scabbed, and a couple looked like normal nose bumps I guess. Again, I also noticed his breath smelled rotten, and found these lesions under his tongue that looked horrible. So I took him to petsmart to see a vet

Now this is where it gets crazy
Upon getting him to petsmart, I come back upon request and speak with a vet. She tells me, not to worry about the hernia at the moment, and that she was gonna give me clavamox or something, to help clear up any infection he might have. Then, outta the blue she tells me he could possibly have distemper. She starts explaining to me all the symptoms and what to expect and I stop her and ask "Does my dog have it?" and she replies with a No, but that it was a possibility. But again, Ive only had the puppy for 4 days, and I still see no signs or symptoms of distemper. But Im now paranoid as all hell because its every little thing, I go "Oh hell, is that a sign of distemper?"

Petsmart wanted to do Xrays for 170.00
Petsmart wanted someone to examine Xrays for 189.00
Petsmart wanted to do bloodwork for 139.00
Plus all the other small fees for the plan, and shots and whatever totoling 617.00
I dont have this kind of money for a first time pet visit.

What I need from these forums, what are some things I can look for in my puppy, that could be early signs of distemper. I also have a 4 month old basset hound whos up to date on her shots as well. He is on his 3rd series of shots.

Anyone have any advice
And is Petsmart the best choice?
 
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#2 ·
Well, Petsmart isn't the best place when it comes to purchases an animal such as a dog. Sadly, a lot of dogs are obtained through puppy mills where corners are cut and issues can arise more so than going through a proper breeder.

Getting past that, the vet service costs seem quite high. And the additional charge for x-ray examination seems a bit odd. Not sure how many x-rays were done, but it does seem quite inflated.

Search around for local vets, ask friends and gets referrals/references to find a vet best suited for you and your dog. Personally, I have only gone to Petsmart, Petco, and other large chain stores for toys, food, etc; never for vet services, medication or advice.

If Distemper was brought up as a possible issue with your dog, I would suggest getting it tested for ASAP regardless of what Petsmart has already told you. I don't think a simple blood test will determine exactly what's wrong, but it will tell you how everything is functioning and can at least give you a blanket diagnosis of what might be wrong (e.g., Infection). What were the results of the blood work?

I'm also concerned that Petsmart seemed fairly passive about Distemper being the issue and furthermore, not performing or referring you to someone that can do a brush border test.
 
#4 ·
My two cents on this issue would be to offer the OP the advice to get to a vet they are comfortable with.

The first of my two dogs was rehomed from an individual. The first thing I did was to take her to a vet that was recommended to me by a friend.

The second of my dogs was adopted from a nearby animal shelter. Included in the adoption fee was a visit to a vet. I am taking Count (the larger of the two dogs in my sig pic) for this visit on Thursday.

Best of luck to you in your quest to find out what is going on with your dog.
 
#5 ·
Find a better vet especilly since you've gotten a giant breed from a puppy mill site (which could cost you hugely in the long run due to high incidence of health problems in the breed).
 
#6 ·
this is just my opinion...but PetsMart/Banfield...they are mostly a veterinary "sales" outfit than an actual vet. They are the used car salesmen of the vet world IMO. Not saying they do not provide care...but ya gotta deal with the attempts to sell you a bunch of malarkey every time you take you dog there for a friggin booster shot. It is obnoxious.
 
#7 ·
I have never used Banfield. That being said I shy away from "boxed" type anything when it comes to healthcare for anyone/any animal. I want my vet to run their practice/set their own prices/be their own person so to speak. I'm okay with partners and multiple vets being in one office - it's when the office is a "chain store" that I get uncomfortable. They seem like they would be less likely to be able to work with you, less personal, just more "boxed" and less vet.
Find a vet you are comfortable with.

Good luck (genuine) - you have a large breed dog and the breed is very prone to health issues and is most likely poorly bred (adding to the likelihood of health issues) due to the source of the dog. I hope you are the exception and have no issues but I doubt it.
 
#8 ·
Some of those prices are on... some aren't... blood work and xrays aren't cheap... but you shouldn't be charged for examining them. You need to find and stick with a vet...

An average puppy visit with initial shots and exam should cost you roughly $70-220 depending on your geographic location and shots you want.
Bloodwork... an extra $60-150
Xray... an extra $65-200

If you live near a city... expect the higher end, near the rural areas... the lower end.

I wish you the best of luck with your puppy but please remember... when you buy from a website as such... you're getting a poorly fed, poorly cared for, un vaccinated, un socialized puppy that was probably taken away from her mother around 4-5 weeks - shipped off to several brokers where in became a nice fluffy cute puppy. They are held with other un vaccinated un socialized puppies... and many of them don't even make it to their final destination because they already have numerous physical and respiratory problems. As long as people keep buying, these people will keep breeding... and trust me, they make a pretty penny doing so.
 
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