🐕🦺 Michele Forbes DVM 🐈⬛
Region: US
Monday 29 June 2026 19:31:14 GMT
43407
5287
334
752
Music
Download
Comments
Inflamatori29 :
I work for a veterinary internist/oncology office and we hardly send anything but routine CBC/chems to idexx anymore. Everything else goes directly to the university lab. The mark up idexx puts on their stuff is insane and then add the markup corporate has us put on labs on top of it? Absolutely cost prohibitive, even for a population of clients prepared to pay specialist prices.
2026-07-15 10:44:47
1
BP86247 :
Yes. IDEXX is the “middleman” charging the exorbitant prices. It’s been a bit since I worked in vet med, but we used to take 2 sets of slides at the initial encounter incase we need to submit the slides directly for additional testing. Vs. having patient come back in for another needle aspirate.
2026-06-29 19:41:21
285
Kell :
Yep! We send direct to msu etc because it’s so expensive to have idexx as the middle man
2026-06-29 19:52:54
158
Betty :
The problem is that idexx comes and picks up the sample/slides whatever and deals with the shipping. You sending it directly to CSU means you’re responsible for having a separate account with CSU, create a new submission, make sure you have a clinic FedEx or ups account to log in and create an overnight order. You have to pay for expedited overnight shipping with cold packs. You have to depend on whatever shipping company to arrive as expected for pickup or you have to drive it to shipping drop off. My clinic absolutely does all of this ourselves whenever possible, I just did a rabies tiger to Kansas state last week and instead of being $500 through idexx we charged the owner $300. Yes the actual test from KSU was like $88 but the shipping was super expensive, fed ex does not reliably pickup from our hospital on time so my doctor had to drive 30 minutes across town to drop the package off himself. The time it took to create the account, submission etc was well over $100 in employee time. Please don’t lead owners to think the clinic should only be charging $53 for that send out. Sure you could do it significantly less than what idexx charges but it’s not going to be $53 after your markup, shipping and time.
2026-06-30 11:22:43
40
🆘🇺🇸jaxthegoofygolden🇺🇸🆘 :
Note to self: if ever my pup needs a biopsy, ask the vet to get TWO slides and keep one in case more testing is needed. IDEXX has an unreasonable grip on the market
2026-06-29 21:28:42
98
maura :
As a pet owner, how can I request this from my veterinarian?
2026-07-10 23:12:28
9
samj.am :
A similar situation happened to me last year. My vet suspected that my senior standard poodle had degenerative myelopathy & recommended DNA testing which was quoted at $595 through IDEXX. Because it wouldn't affect any treatment options, I was putting it off & did a bit of research on my own... was able to take my own DNA sample and send it to UC Davis for $55 USD.
2026-07-05 16:56:06
7
whattawaste :
No disrespect to you because this obviously doesn’t apply to you, but my puppy needed blood tests and I called 2 Emergency Vets in Ann Arbor for costs because it was an emergency and we needed results asap. 1 ER Vet gave me an itemized estimate of $1,100. The 2nd ER vet gave me an itemized estimate of $458. I couldn’t believe the difference. It’s so necessary to shop around. Again, no disrespect.
2026-06-30 15:06:23
7
Dr Crocker - Pet Vet :
Unfortunately none of this shocked me. This is why I send so many tests directly to specialized labs. Saved so much money.
2026-06-30 05:22:58
9
charliesangerinterpreter :
I can send Blood straight to MSU for thyroid for $125 with shipping. Idexx does their version of a thyroid panel which is not as advanced as MSU and it’s $350.
2026-06-29 20:21:22
52
shadyoaksridgebacks :
Same with OFA thyroid. My vet started drawing and spinning the blood for me and I ship it. If my vet sends it to IDDEX it costs over $600. If I send it to MSU the test is about $75 plus shipping.
2026-06-30 13:09:48
9
Rose Adler :
I wish I was surprised anymore 😭
2026-06-29 19:59:53
31
Dakota26 :
I'll bet there are similar situations with human tests. The healthcare industry is completely out of control.
2026-06-30 23:57:08
37
jynnantonik :
Urolith (bladder stone) analysis is similar; I believe MSU may still be processing them for free.
2026-06-30 04:32:08
9
Jen❌ :
I work for the largest veterinary corporation. I also work in specialty medicine. We ship direct to all the university labs because our contract with the other corporate lab we have to use charges us an exorbitant price and it doesn’t allow clients to get the diagnostics recommended by the doctor. However, to bypass the system. We just shipped direct.
2026-06-30 14:47:00
24
steinmanak :
This breaks my heart. So many pet owners are so limited by the costs of treatment and a $703.19 unnecessary charge can literally be the difference between life and death. Thank you for sharing this important info with us.
2026-06-30 17:04:59
12
Dana Coover :
This is why I don’t use IDEXX reference labs
2026-07-01 11:50:07
5
C Stewart :
That’s why you see a specialist. We send it out the cheapest way due to costs that we don’t want to pass down and these tests sent to CSU, TAMU
2026-06-30 09:12:30
10
karl :
So the point of your video is that all vets should bypass IDEXX and go straight to CSU so pet parents can afford the testing?
2026-06-29 20:31:05
51
Weavil 💙🦋 :
We livestock farmers draw out own and send it directly to the lab. My CAE tests are a couple hundred not including a farm call/office visit to have my vet do it, if I send it in it’s under $10. Can pet owners have the vet draw and send themselves? I mean it takes a little homework on how/where to send but we’re talking hundreds saved.
2026-06-29 20:41:53
9
Jen815 :
The markup in vet med is wild. A corporate chain bought a previously local vet office near me, and they now want $585 to neuter a male cat. Other local offices were around $200-$300, but $585 is absurd for a neuter. All in the name of corporate profits. 🙃
2026-06-30 04:18:38
6
cm :
that IS CRAZY.
2026-06-29 19:35:42
17
Lauren James :
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-judge-dismisses-most-consumer-lawsuit-over-veterinary-service-prices-2025-03-31/
2026-06-29 21:43:43
22
Renegator :
my vet just saved me hundreds of dollars by doing this. IDEX wasn't even doing any of the testing on the blood. they were just the middleman. absolutely insane.
2026-06-29 20:39:29
5
Sadie Mae Hem on the Farm :
Yep, we sent G.I. panels directly to TAMU for the same reason
2026-06-29 20:05:45
7
To see more videos from user @drforbeez, please go to the Tikwm
homepage.
