Free stuff

[Highlsnds3]

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So I was reading through the pros/cons of the schools and all the free people food (thanks dgm!) and critter food students get. Really awesome, but I seem to remember someone mentioning some of the (critter) feeding programs are being cut. Any current students want to tell us 2014-ers what goodies we might be getting at our schools?

 

[dgm]

So I was reading through the pros/cons of the schools and all the free people and critter food students get.

Free people?! Damn, I must've missed those signups, or that program got cut. I could really use some house staff to keep things running smoothly around here!

At Penn we get free Hill's and Purina food. I think there is one other brand, because I remember getting an email about ordering recently and thinking "I had no idea we could order that...", but I can't find the email now.

 

[Highlsnds3]

Thanks dgm!! I really appreciate the fact that we vet students can save a bit of $$ by not having to pay so much to feed ourselves and our pets!! What about vet services? A friend that graduated UTK a couple of years ago had a REALLY sick dog, she got some things discounted, some vets gave her drugs (one of which I remember her saying was $50 per pill and the dog needed 3 per day for MONTHS!), but the big thing was she didn't have to have her bill paid off until one year after graduation. For me this is a big perk since I have a 14 1/2 year old belgian malinois and a 25 year old horse

 

[Morganator]

Thanks dgm!! I really appreciate the fact that we vet students can save a bit of $$ by not having to pay so much to feed ourselves and our pets!! What about vet services? A friend that graduated UTK a couple of years ago had a REALLY sick dog, she got some things discounted, some vets gave her drugs (one of which I remember her saying was $50 per pill and the dog needed 3 per day for MONTHS!), but the big thing was she didn't have to have her bill paid off until one year after graduation. For me this is a big perk since I have a 14 1/2 year old belgian malinois and a 25 year old horse

WOW - $9000 for pills for a couple of months? You have to find out what that was...I've never heard of anything that expensive in vet medicine. Was it a chemo drug?

 

[gilch]

Could be blastomycosis and Itraconazole. I know how expensive those are because my dog has blasto and was in very bad shape for a while. Itraconazole is pretty awesome--he was given 50% chance a few months ago and is running around happily today! Itraconazole is the most expensive drug to treat it, it is also the safest (usually) and the most effective (usually). Costs have gone down recently and I think my drug comes from a human pharmacy in canada or something so it is not $50 a pill for us, but the first few days after diagnosis and before the drugs came by mail were super expensive, not just because he was hospitalized. I think it +$30 a pill for a few days. That is still cheaper than most online quotes.

 

[Highlsnds3]

It may have been Atopica, I know that was one of the meds the dog was getting, the 100mg (thank goodness it isn't THAT expensive now!). No one could figure out what was wrong with her, they were treating her for many different conditions hoping that something would work. Nothing did though

Cyclosporine is a great drug but oh so expensive!! I had a cat with allergies about 6 years ago that had to have it topically around her eyes. 1/2 ounce of generic cyclosporine cost me over $70!!

 

[Highlsnds3]

Could be blastomycosis and Itraconazole. I know how expensive those are because my dog has blasto and was in very bad shape for a while. Itraconazole is pretty awesome--he was given 50% chance a few months ago and is running around happily today! Itraconazole is the most expensive drug to treat it, it is also the safest (usually) and the most effective (usually). Costs have gone down recently and I think my drug comes from a human pharmacy in canada or something so it is not $50 a pill for us, but the first few days after diagnosis and before the drugs came by mail were super expensive, not just because he was hospitalized. I think it +$30 a pill for a few days. That is still cheaper than most online quotes.

Blasto is such a booger to treat!! I HATE it!! As you said though the cost for the meds have come down in the last few years. It's sad that even if people REALLY wanted to treat their dogs the cost has been so high that many would literally have to choose between paying bills and buying meds for their dog.

 

[karmapple]

I will try to remember all the free/discounted stuff we get here at Ohio State. I might forget some stuff.

- Several lunch/ dinner lectures a week. Sometimes you don't have to be a member of a club to attend and sometimes you do. Technically, if you are a member, your dues go to pay for part of the meal, so I suppose those aren't as "free." I think every vet school has lots of opportunities for free food!

- Hill's food – Get 10 lb bag of cat food or 20 lb pound bag of dog food or a case of canned food for free every month. Can also order a substantial amount more at a very good discount. Example: A case of canned cat food that would cost $25 at the pet store, we can buy for $6. You can also get the Prescription Diet for free if you have a prescription from a veterinarian.

- Free bag or case of Purina shipped to your house every month. I think you can get up to a 35 lb. bag for free.

- There used to be a Natura feeding program if you were a member of the Integrative Medicine Club, but it has been discontinued.

- Oxbow has a feeding program for exotic pets. I don't know the specifics.

- Nutramax has a program where you can get three free products initially, then they are buy one at veterinary cost, get one free. Example: I got two bottles of Dasuquin for about $25.

- A year's worth of heartworm and flea prevention for two pets for free. You can choose between products from Merial, Novartis, Intervet, Pfizer, and Eli Lily.

- No exam fee and a 20% percent discount for your pets at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. You have to pay off your balance by the end of the quarter.

 

[rugbychick16]

Natura/Innova is the feeding program that was just cut this past semester. We used to be able to get one free bag of food or case of cans from them per month.

That's where I got my ferret food, so I was upset when they ended it.

 

[DVMorBust]

For vet visits, WI doesn't give you discounts as students at school but most vets in the surrounding area give discounts to students (~20%)

 

[cattycat]

What about at Western? Since they are new, do they have any of these programs in place? Any Western students care to shed some light? Thanks!

 

[twelvetigers]

I know OKSU has the Hill's program like karmapple mentioned, because I used to get the discount as a vet school employee, and now I have a petless friend in vet school who kindly gets food for Chloe.

 

[WIDVM]

I'm not sure about the vet schools, but if you get the chance to go to a national conference, especially NAVC, the free stuff rocks. Bagfuls of pet treats, greenies, shirts, etc. I used to take an unpacked bag to haul home the loot. There's always free food and drinks too. While your a vet student the rates are significantly cheaper, so if I ever get in I'm definitely going to head back at least once. ( not just for the free stuff-the labs and lectures are really good too

).

 

[kootz]

What about at Western? Since they are new, do they have any of these programs in place? Any Western students care to shed some light? Thanks!

ya what about western?

 

[GSDgirl]

Does anyone know if ISU gives a student discount for visits to the teaching hospital? (Also, I vaguely remember a student org. that had a small fee for non-hills dog/cat food... is this true? Anyone know what brands?)

 

[cuitlamiztli]

Does anyone know if ISU gives a student discount for visits to the teaching hospital? (Also, I vaguely remember a student org. that had a small fee for non-hills dog/cat food... is this true? Anyone know what brands?)

No discounts at the teaching hospital, unfortunately.

As far as food and other stuff:

Hills - we get up to 10lbs for free, and can order up to 50lbs more for a reduced cost (so your total is 60lbs) each month. Beyond that--at the end of the 2nd distribution day of the month you can buy any food that was ordered and not picked up.

Purina - we get 1 bag or 1 case of food (up to 35lbs) of PurinaOne/Purina Veterinary Diets for free each month. To my understanding the program was revamped from last year, so it may not be the same next year.

Others - members of the holistic club could put their names in a lottery to receive free Innova/Natura food, with priority given to upperclassmen; I believe it was 1 bag/1 case, but I have no idea what's going on with the program (like if it's still going on). You can also order Oxbow food/other products for pocket pets.

DermaPet - if you're quick in emailing the rep back, you can get a free product every month or so.

For heartworm, flea, and tick preventative - I believe we can get a year's worth of Novartis products for 1 pet, Bayer products for up to 2 pets, and Merial products for 1 or 2 pets (we don't know yet). Bayer and Novartis are free, and we don't know yet for Merial. As far as I know we can order from all 3 companies.

We can also order Nutramax products, under the same type of program that karmapple described (but I don't know for sure).