Re The Local Fix For Unwanted Pets Is Costly (the News, July 22):
I personally can say that I have never charged $450 for a small dog spay. My price is what it is and it is all inclusive: the presurgical examination, IV fluids, pain medication are all included.
The only thing not included may be possible difficulties requiring longer than usual anesthetic and surgical time: i.e. being in heat, pregnant, or obese. My clients are warned of a possible surcharge, ranging from $50 to $100 prior to their pet being admitted for surgery. My clients have never complained to me about my prices. They have questions about my prices occasionally, and my answers seem acceptable. But technically, I do not spay or neuter animals in Whitehorse.
We Yukoners must accept that we made a choice to live here. We accept paying more for two litres of ice cream at the Superstore than what we’d pay in Calgary or Vancouver. We accept paying more for gas. We accept paying more than what we’d pay in Calgary or Vancouver for a Subway sandwich or a McDonald’s Big Mac. I could go on.
We must ask ourselves why this is the way it is. The answer is fairly obvious. Geography, and the cost of shipping. But we also accept getting the $15-a-day northern tax credit when we do our taxes.
Health care costs money. Americans know this. Every time they go to the hospital or to the doctor, they get a bill. They know exactly what health care costs, whether they have insurance or not. They also do not question the cost of veterinary care. We Canadians are spoiled. We have no idea what our trip to the doctor or hospital costs.
It looks to me like the article focused more on SPCA and at least partially government funded clinics in BC, rather than on private clinics. As far as I am aware, Yukon veterinary clinics are not government funded. My clinic is indeed not. Perhaps we do not have the people population base, due to geography, to have the funded low-cost spay/neuter clinics that BC does.
Carolynne Fujda, DVM
Lots of Latitude Mobile Vet
Whitehorse