In a recent post, YodelMa mentioned some Vet 9 urine test strips that can be purchased. This led me to wonder how much stuff I could get online (in the U.S.) as opposed to paying riduculous vet fees to check for such things as bladder infections. I have a P.O. box in the U.S. that is about a 7 minute drive away from our home.

Can any of you breeders and other knowledgeable folks tell me what I could be ordering (to keep on hand) to do a little of the easier care stuff on my own? This does not mean I wouldn't take Kipawa in to the vet when he needed it - trust me, I tend to be one of those people that take my animals in to the vet when they look at me funny. I would like to be able to do preliminary checking before running in to the vet.

The reason I am asking is my last vet bill (for our 19 year old cat) was $423.00 which included office check, urinalysis, blood, 1 xray and a shot of antibiotics. What did they find? Nothing. They suggested we keep her on a low protein food, which we have been doing for 5 years now. We were looking for an answer as to why she is peeing all over the house. I believed it was psychological (senile cat?) but wanted to make sure nothing else was going on.

Vet fees here on the west coast of Canada are ridiculous.

I don't think there is anything that you can buy to test for UTI's. And Don't know about Canada, but in California, Vets are required if asked to give you the prescription to have filled yourself, so you don't have to pay their price.

I think the urine strips that were talked about would be like the ones used for testing for spilling sugar.

I can tell you that the cost in California (Bay Area) for what you describe as being done would have been just as much.

@tanza:

I can tell you that the cost in California (Bay Area) for what you describe as being done would have been just as much.

Why am I not surprised. West coast living, be it in the U.S. or Canada is extremely costly. However, it has never stopped us from taking proper care when our animals have needed vet care. I should just remind myself that this bill was nothing compared to the bill for a sick parrot. Those can run around $1400.00, and we have had to do that a couple of times, but gladly, based on having one of the best avian vets in North America here.