How often do you take your dog to the Vet?

I take my dog for her yearly trip unless something comes up before then. Yes, vet bills are very expensive especially in that first year. I first signed up for a program at the petsmart vet (banfield) where you paid a one time fee and then a set amount a month (between $10-$30). I do not recommend this. The wait for an APPOINTMENT was never under an hour and there were always all these expenses that weren't covered with the plan. Plus the vet techs were all really rude. The SPCA here has a great vet clinic here that is very cheap if you make under $45k a year.

Mine go on an as-needed basis. I give them all their puppy shots, you can mail order them from vet supply companies and its a lot cheaper than having the vet do it. However in most states, a vet HAS to administer a rabies shot, so you can't avoid that one. Pet insurance by-and-large is probably very unnecessary. A lot of the plans do not cover congenital defects like hip replacements for dysplastic dogs . . in fact the vast majority of them only cover regular check ups. And you get the prescription discounts. They do however cover SOME emergency situations, maybe car accident injuries and some others. I'd definetly do a lot of research before getting into all that.