We just joined MC so this is a late reply. I hope your dog's problem is resolved. As you probably discovered, most veterinary hospitals charge in the neighborhood of $50 for an initial health examination. Discounts for these first visits are available online. You might check Yelp or the individual vet hospital website. For instance, our website www.santacruzveterinarian.com, has a coupon for new patients that will give you $20 off the initial visit. Once the pet is examined you get a price estimate with several options so you can decide how you would like to proceed. Care Credit payment plans are often available to make large bills more manageable. Let me know if I can help further - Dr. Donna
Links: www.santacruzveterinarian.com,