24 replies to this topic

[sunni_olsen]

Do any of you use a vet in TJ for your pets? One of my dentists in TJ has five cats and she takes them to San Diego for vet visits, but I'm not sure why.

Thanks,
Pat
:roll:

[Scooby]

Do any of you use a vet in TJ for your pets? One of my dentists in TJ has five cats and she takes them to San Diego for vet visits, but I'm not sure why.

Thanks,
Pat
:roll:

That's interseting why the dentist would go to SD for that. Maybe specialty treatment of sorts. I've two cats that I got them shots once for worms and a flea treatment which worked fine. Also, one of the kitties needed a growth removed which cost me about $100. That went okay 5 years ago - the old boy is still with me.

One good reason for going to SD for roving vet clinics that provide various discounted services. Also, neutering and spading services are often provided in US cities for humane purposes of population control. TJ I've heard has something like that one weekend a month at the Universidad Tecnologico in Otay. I wanted to use for my neighbors dog who didn't seem to care how often the sweet dog got pregnant. I could never get the contact info right. I learned of this from the owner of a granero in Col. Francisco Villa. One could go to her and ask about the free Otay school services. She also allows people to bring there baby pets there on Sunday mornings to donate them for purposes of finding them a new home. There is no money involved.

[Scooby]

The following is a heads up or warning of a particular TJ business.

The other day I took my sick kitty to this vet place for a diagnosis costing 150 pesos. The vet suggested an xray costing 350. I decided okay. Then Mr. Vet said I needed to leave my cat with him for one to two hours.

After returning, the vet explained his diagnosis and suggested that it would be a good idea to leave kitty with him for a few days in order to monitor him. I seriously thought about it since this cat is like "my boy" and I was really quite worried. I decided not to after I asked the cost. Mr. Vet said it would be 1500 pesos per day (including the nighttime stay-over. I was sure glad I had asked first. Knowing that I'd investigate further for other veterinarians as soon as I could, I pleaded poverty with Mr. Vet so I could pay and leave.

When I went to pay the 500 pesos in front at the counter, I was informed that 800 pesos was owed. The 300 more pesos were owed for the 3 shots supposedly administered to my cat while I was gone waiting only for the xray to be done. I realise that it isn't uncommon for businesses to try and get customers to purchase further services beyond what we originally intended to buy. Sadly, it's also common that they sometimes do this without explicitely asking the client beforehand. Okay, so I paid him. I would probably have even agreed to it ahead of time (for poor kitty's sake) had I not known of his 1500 peso a day rate for observation stay-overs, but not likely after having learned this.

Shopping around the next day to compare vet rates, I learned of roughly 4 or 5 others that provide observation stay-overs. All of them charged between 120 and 300 pesos per stay-over. The guy I saw wanted to charge me 5 to 12 times what the other vets wanted. That's crazy ! His place of business may sit in Cacho, but it certainly isn't anything fancy. Does he conduct his business this way with all folks or only me (a gringo) ? The reason I went to this guy in the first place without checking around was that his office was the only one I was able to reach at 7:30 pm - the time I returned home to find my boy's condition having worsened. Whether or not the vet behaved this way was because I'm a gringo, I don't really know. Anyone know this place ?


:arrow: WARNING - this is the business:

Veterinaria California
Av. Jalisco No. 2411
(across from the PEMEX @ Blvd. Agua Caliente)
Colonia Cacho
Tijuana, B.C.

Owner:
Blanca Estela Ceballos Medina

Veterinarian:
Dr. Alejandro Noé Rojas Zolozábal

[sunni_olsen]

How is your kitty?
I don't mind paying more for vet care as long as the vet is good and treats my pet well. Unfortunately most vets think that is asking too much!

Hope all is well with you and your baby!

[George Costanza]

I'm glad you posted this info!
I hate businesses in TJ that try to rip gringos off!
I hope your kitty is ok

[Scooby]

Thanks fellas. I should have and actually intended (but forgot) to state the upside of the situation.
That was that my boy appears to have improved somewhat, but clearly he hasn't yet returned to his "Mr. Personality" self -- i.e. responsive, energetic, talkative, etc ...

I really don't know if the rip-off price was only towards gringos or to everyone. It was in Cacho after all ....

As much as I love my boy, I'm not going to allow any medical industry to milk me of all I've got, just because I might be very emotionally attached.
Interesting (and low down) how some businesses pray on that sort of thing.
Maybe I chould get Michael Moore to make a movie . . .. . :mrgreen:

[libertythor]

That was a rip off, but it could be because of its location.


My cat came down really sick, and I thought it was going to die. I took it to to a neighborhood granero/veterinario. The initial consult was 8 dollars and he charged another 8 dollars for an antibiotic shot. (Diagnosis: Severe Respiratory Infection)

Took the cat in the next day for a followup....another 8 dollar shot, and he didn´t charge me the consult.

Then two days later the cat´s condition had improved drastically, so he sold me a 10 day antibiotic pill course for 15 dollars. (He didn´t do this before because the cat´s condition was so grave.)

Kitty is better now for a total cost of 39 dollars. Now I have heard of some clinics that are cheaper on the medications and the shots. (5 dollar shots) but charge 10 dollar consults.

I don´t know if you got Gringo taxed, but it is common in Mexico for people to have this mentality that high-end areas have to have high end prices (ridiculously) for many things. Now I would have gladly paid 100 bucks total for the attention he gave the cat. (It was a thorough examination.) But in a high end area one might derisively call you "codo" if you cringe (like most people ought to) at having a sizey bill like yours rung up.

[Chiquito]

Cats. I found a kitten in my apartments garbage. Was with a girl on a first date. Took the cat home to show how nice I was :twisted: . The girl disappeared but the cat stuck around a couple years. Then the girl came back and I married her. So the cat ran away. Yada yada yada.

[zunigan]

Last month on a week day some people came around to give shots to the dogs that live around that area. They did not charge them, we asked what they were doing and they said they do this every other month to make sure the dogs and cats get the shots they need. Never heard of anything like this.

[drchoi]

check with city hall or local vet store why they are doing this..

most likely to control spread of dieses..

[Scooby]

. . .. .most likely to control spread of dieses..

What would be nicer is offering free or cheap fixing of these animal's reproductive capacities.

That was a rip off, but it could be because of its location . . .. .

Can you share with us where are some of these more affordable places ?
Diseases may be a problem, but so are pets that are un-wanted or un-loved pets, over-populating, starving, etc ....

Of course, quality service isn't for sure at these costless type of places, but then again, neither is it for those who pay more . . .. .

[drchoi]

i dont think it has anything to do with reprodutive mensures..

[BajaGringo]

There are plenty of very good and caring vets in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach. I have received many referrals from friends here who absolutely love their vets and the care they get. I have one I use in Rosarito - he is very good, very busy and very fair priced. He is not real touchy-feely with your pets but that is probably because he is so busy. There is always 3-4 people waiting to have him see their pet.

Look for one of your neighbors in Tijuana that is very attached to their pet(s) and ask for a good vet referral. They are out there and it shouldn't cost too much...

[zunigan]

I need to follow up and have shots for our puppy. I was planning on bringing him back here to the us but its just to much. I have no where to keep him when I work. We live in Otay Mesa off of Blvd Diaz Ordaz and need a vet so he can finish his shots. we have asked some of the people who live near us but no one seems to take their pets to anyone! I know there has to be a vet somewhere around there but where????

[George Costanza]

There is a very good Vet in Otay Mesa its off the main road. I will get an exact address for the weekend.

[zunigan]

Thanks, I am going on saturday morning if you have it by Friday night. If not I can call my husband and let him know where it is. He is getting good at finding places!!!

[George Costanza]

Hopefully this is not too late.

The place is called Pro-vet it is located off 2 main roads on Lopez Portillo a block north of the big blue Church on the left side.

A few locals I know swear by this guy I think his name is Jose. Great rates and great service.

[libertythor]

Since there are tons of veterinarians in Tijuana it is always best to ask the neighbors that own pets. There is a lot of competition, so prices will more than likely vary in your area, unless you are in one of the prestigous colonias.

The one that George Costanza mentioned would more than likely be the best one to go to out of the many that are in that area. Reputation and non-paid testimonials speak a lot here.

There is a large farm supply store farther down the road on Diaz Ordaz in Los Pinos. It is just before the Gigante to the right on the way to La Presa. I have never gotten veterinary services for my pets there, but the lower prices for their poultry might indicate the same for most other things. Many people from the ranches go there.

The veterinarians out on the outskirts are good to check out too because they deal with a good deal of poultry and sometimes livestock. Farm vets tend to be less expensive than most urban vets anywhere you go.

There is one downtown on Niños Heroes and 4th that was promoting 6 dollar vaccinations a year ago. So even in the urbanized areas there are inexpensive places. Shopping around is the key.



For flea and tick control products one is better off getting that stuff at the Wal-Mart in the US because it will cost a lot less.

[zunigan]

Can anyone give me a little more direction?? I am still trying to find my way around Otay. Thanks

[Scooby]

Mario did a good job by bringing my cat back from the dead.
He showed me how to give kitty home injections as needed.
I hardly have to force feed him anymore.
Also, his enema days appear to be over for him after we discovered metamucil