# Shots at petco vs. the vet - price difference?



## Papa Deuce (Mar 26, 2007)

Long story short, I adopted a 7 year old dog that had not been to a vet in 3 years. She need ALL shots. I was in Petco and i stooped in to ask about grooming. They gave me the rates and also handed me a sheet for a shot clinic they have....

The Super Dog Pack includes: ( from the flier )

Rabies shot
6 in 1 (DH4LP + Parvo )
Corona ( have no idea what that is if it isn't a beer  )
Bordatella
Heartworm Test

all for $65... The lady who gave me the flier said that this would probably cost $175 - $200 at a vet's office. 

Are the shots the same as at a vet? If so, I'll go to Petco.


----------



## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Overvaccinating isn't a good thing. Corona is a useless vaccination, dogs over 8 weeks just don't get it. Bordetella vaccine isn't necessary unless you'll be boarding her somewhere that requires it. 

At my vet, it would only cost around $25 for each thing. So about $75 for rabies shot, combo shot, and heartworm test. And my vet charges less than most vets, especially those in more expensive areas. So that's not a bad price. I'd just ask them to skip the bordetella (unless you think you have to board her soon) and corona. They are the same vaccines, and, since rabies vaccine can only be given by a vet, or at least in the presence of a vet, there will definitely be a vet around during the shot clinic. 

Some dogs do have bad reactions to getting more than one vaccine at the same time. I'd hope they'd have emergency supplies on hand but you might want to ask first.


----------



## MoosMom (Sep 15, 2009)

I would say that since the dog hasn't seen a vet in 3 years it's probably not a bad Idea to just go to vet. Better to have a full exam and vacs. It wouldn't be so good to just get vacs and no exam, especially since its been so long.


----------



## grab (Sep 26, 2009)

If they're giving Rabies vaccines, then a licensed vet has to be giving the vaccines at Petco. I'd imagine they give them an exam at the same time.


----------



## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

The exam part will be extremely minimal, especially if the line is long. And I wouldn't get a combo shot with L=lepto, it is the most common one to cause a vaccination reaction...unless you live in an area where lepto is common. You can skip the corona and bordatella too. After you have the heartworm test done you will still need to purchase preventative meds.

I vote for a good exam at a regular vet office so that you can establish a relationship. Eventually you will need a vet anyway.


----------



## yappypappymom (Oct 22, 2009)

My personal experience with this more "practical route", was, that, in the end, it turned out to be the most UNpractial route of all ...I did Leifs first 2 sessions at the Petco, BUT, for the 3rd, & final set, they DID NOT tell me/send a post card as to when they would be back again for the final series...I called the store being concerned, only to find out that I had missed the bus by like 3 days..I had to then go through the vet, which; I SHOULD have done in the FIRST PLACE, & got all his shots in one fell swoop, along w/rabies..(we DID forego the Lepto shots again though)...with the new pup, I went straight to the vet after having learned a valuable lesson....AVOID THOSE "CLINICS" at all costs!!...sure, it did cost more for the initial visit & all, BUT...man, there is nothing better than having an assigned vet to your pet when you have questions or need advice!...those "pet clinics" know you only by a #, &, in the long run, will have NO lasting impact to you, nor your pet anyhow...I vote for "PICK A VET" 100%!!


----------

