# Cost of CAE testing.. Oh man, you guys will love this!



## lupinfarm (Dec 2, 2009)

So to ship blood to Biotracking, if they took Canadian blood, which they don't, it would cost around $40 for the two does. And I would get results in one week by email. 

My only option? The vet... 

Our fee for a veterinarian coming to your farm:
Mobile $ 45.00
mileage 20-25 km. from Campbellford $ 13.75
CAE tests are $ 28.25 per goat
Courier fee for sending blood to British Columbia $ 35.00 

The laboratory runs the tests every 3-4 days so depending on which day they receive the blood the tests could take up to 1-1 1/2 weeks.

That comes to $150.25 for my 2 Pygmy does to have blood tests done. That is just for CAE, I highly doubt either have CL but I'll speak to the vet about it. 


Ridiculous, amiright?

I thought you guys would get a kick out of how much I have to pay, and just incase you were wondering.. the lab won't take blood unless the vet has drawn it. So no DIY blood taking.


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## Mini-M Ranch (Dec 2, 2009)

WOW...that's really a deal.  <rolls eyes and shakes head> You have pygmys, right?  Can you possibly take them TO the vet?  I've got minis and I took one of my girls to the vet IN THE FRONT SEAT OF MY CAR to save $50.00.  She didn't even get upset, because she could lay her head on my leg while we drove.

I am now feeling SO blessed to have the vets that we have so close to us.  They are pretty cheap and know what they are doing...the ultimate combination!  We haven't done any testing here yet, but I'll be interested to find out how much it costs here as a comparison.

BTW - your website looks great!


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## lupinfarm (Dec 2, 2009)

Mini-M, you're lucky... You can use Biotracking, they show you how to take blood (but you could ask your girls' breeders for help), and it's about $4 per goat plus shipping. Very cheap, but not available in Canada.

My vet won't take goats in to the office due to diseases that can be transimitted. Things like blood tests cost a fortune here, actually, everything costs a fortune lol. My dad has agreed to pay for it though, because he loves me  

BTW, for Ontario.. that is cheap. Because we live in a rural area, the cost of vet service is MUCH cheaper. In the GTA something like two blood tests might cost me $250.

Thanks!!  I need to update it, but something was wrong with my photo uploader that my dad is fixing (he's a computer specialist). I'm moving the Labradoodles on to their own website, hopefully lupinfarmdoodles.com and the goats will take their place. 

I'm still going to sell my kids if my girls are positive, but we'll have to work harder to prevent cae in our kids. I will be passing my kids along with a silly little pedigree (i don't know our girls background, but i'll know the bucks) and our own home made health records plus a "kid care pack" which is something we send home with our puppies, usually with the dogs it includes some feed, collar, health info, etc., the kid one will include a personalized halter (my mum makes goat halters LOL), some feed, health information, pedigree. 

WHEW! I can go on and on and on lol.


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## houndit (Dec 2, 2009)

I had the same problem.  Their was no way I was going through the vet.  I sent it to W.A.D.D.L.  in Washington state.  They charged me $25.00 to test my 3 goats.  Shipping was very little.  They took quite a while to notify me.  I though it was fairly reasonable to find out.  They said that I could draw it myself.  I do not know if they would except blood from Canada.


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## lupinfarm (Dec 2, 2009)

They won't take blood from Canada... biotracking is much cheaper.

I've been speaking to a few goat breeders and the likelyhood that my girls are positive is fairly low but my vet is coming out next Wed to test anyway.

I've been told depending on the day of the week the blood goes to BC, I could expect it to take about a week to a week and a half to get results. Not too bad.


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## no nonsense (Dec 3, 2009)

lupinfarm said:
			
		

> So to ship blood to Biotracking, if they took Canadian blood, which they don't, it would cost around $40 for the two does. And I would get results in one week by email.
> 
> My only option? The vet...
> 
> ...


With all due respect, I think that you're being incredibly unreasonable here.
Now at first glance, yes, $150 for CAE testing for two goats seems outragious, but broken down as you have, let's look at it:

First, last I checked the exchange rate was very close, so your dollar and mine should be almost the same. Correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Veterinary house call, $45. Are you kidding me? That is dirt cheap! Most places here, you won't even get an office visit for that. The veterinarian has the wear and tear on her vehicle, needs to stock it, or pay someone to, insurance, supplies, taxes, tuition payments, etc, etc. In her office she can see 4 or more patients in one hour, one after another. Going to your place, she only gets your $45. To put it another way, can you get a plummer, electrician, or appliance repairman to come for that price?

Mileage, what is that, about 12 miles? Just over a dollar a mile, with the price of fuel? Cheap.

28.25 each for the tests. It is what it is. Some tests can run into the hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Also cheap.

Courier fee, $35. You're dealing with perishable goods here. They can't go via regular mail. Solution? Move closer to BC, where they do the testing. That might cost you more than $35 though.

Cheaper through Biotracking? I assume they're in the US. When you're dealing with international trade, everything is more complicated. Cheaper if the lab would only accept blood directly from you? Yes, it would be nice, but as we discussed in another thread, if everyone had the skills and knowledge to do things like that, we'd all be better off. There's a reason why they have vet schools, because not everyone does. What happens when the lab gets blood in the wrong type of tubes, because some average goat owner didn't know better, but thought that she did? Does the serum need to be seperated? Do you even know what that is, or how to do it? Your vet does, and she has the machine to do it. Hint: it's not an inexpensive machine, maybe $750 or $1000 for a cheap one. Speaking of tubes, where are you going to get them? Are you going to pay for a pack of 50 or 100, when that's the only way they come? What about someone who sends contaminated blood which wasn't collected properly, giving a bad result, or doesn't package it correctly? Is the lab supposed to be out the costs for running the test because some inexperienced goat owner didn't know what to do?

There's often a lot more to things than what meets the eye.


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## lupinfarm (Dec 3, 2009)

I know how to take blood, but they won`t accept from individuals. Biotracking IS in the US, I`m only in Canada... about 2 hours from the border. It could be run like biotracking, who sell the vacutubes and syringes and provide you with all the proper documentation. www.biotracking.com

Gas is actually fairly expensive here and I did avoid a huge cost if I had had my horses vet (the practices owner) do it because he charges more for the farm visit. Fine. But my point is, why am I paying $30 per goat per test when a company like biotracking, which does have a Canadian duplicate (they don`t do the goat tests though, only cattle and horses unfortunately) only charges $4 per tube plus shipping. 

I did receive an email from biotracking today who have told me they are trying to get the ability to take Canadian blood soon. 

no nonsense, we are NOT international. We are on the same continent we share a border Canada is NOT international from the US. 

I am PERFECTLY fine buying 50 or 100 syringes or tubes. Chances are I will use them in the future anyway, especially since we have 6 dogs and currently breed. 

I can understand courier, BC is all the way across the country.

If I could go into the office and take my girls, I would, but I can`t because my vet is also a small animal vet.


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## cmjust0 (Dec 4, 2009)

no nonsense said:
			
		

> With all due respect, I think that you're being incredibly unreasonable here.
> Now *at first glance, yes, $150 for CAE testing for two goats seems outragious*, but broken down as you have, let's look at it:


Hey...Captain Condescending...she didn't say it was unfair or that all the expenses couldn't be accounted for.  The point of the post was that it's ridiculous how she's being nickel-and-dimed to the tune of $150 to have two goats tested for CAE, simply because she happens to be in Canada instead of the US.  That's not being "incredibly unreasonable"...that's just being _frustrated._ 

I'd be frustrated, too..  

But I'd be straight-up PO'd if someone basically attacked me for being frustrated and tried to justify the nickel and diming by telling me stuff like 'gas is expensive'...like maybe she somehow hadn't realized that.

I mean, c'mon..


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## no nonsense (Dec 4, 2009)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> no nonsense said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, twist it however you want CM. I was attacking no one, just pointed out how the costs involved are reasonable, and why. Sure, maybe she's frustrated, but that's not what she wrote. She wrote that the costs were ridiculous. Everything costs money. What's wrong with stating an opinion that an idea is unreasonable, *read again*, _with all due respect_, without attacking or name calling, which you seem to like to resort to?

Anyway, if someone insists that trade between two countries is not international, just because both are on the same continent, then I see that there's no use in further trying to debate with that kind of mentality. Good luck to you both.


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## cmjust0 (Dec 4, 2009)

no nonsense said:
			
		

> Well, twist it however you want CM. I was attacking no one, just pointed out how the costs involved are reasonable, and why. Sure, maybe she's frustrated, but that's not what she wrote. She wrote that the costs were ridiculous.


No, she didn't -- that's just how you're taking it, and frankly, I think you took it wrong.

Go back and take another look....she describes the whole scenario, skips a few lines, and then writes the words "Ridiculous, amiright?"

I don't take that to mean it's just the cost that she's calling ridiculous, but the entire situation.



			
				nn said:
			
		

> Everything costs money. What's wrong with stating an opinion that an idea is unreasonable, *read again*, _with all due respect_, without attacking or name calling, which you seem to like to resort to?


Because that's not what you did..  You didn't say the _idea_ was unreasonable, you said SHE IS unreasonable...._extremely_ unreasonable, actually.  You cast your opinion on her, not her idea.  

If that's not a personal attack, I dunno what is.



			
				nn said:
			
		

> Anyway, if someone insists that trade between two countries is not international, just because both are on the same continent, then I see that there's no use in further trying to debate with that kind of mentality. Good luck to you both.


That kind of "mentality," huh...again with the sideways condescencion.  Look, if you're gonna do it, you should at least be straight up about it and own it!


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## freemotion (Dec 4, 2009)

Why?


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## cmjust0 (Dec 4, 2009)

Oh phhfffffft.


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## Goatzilla (Dec 4, 2009)

This forum needs an ignore poster button, for use by the "lowly" masses who aren't on the same "level" as the "ultra-mega super smart superior" people.


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## FarmerChick (Dec 4, 2009)




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## cmjust0 (Dec 4, 2009)

Contrary to what many folks here seem to believe, people don't ignore forums because they're full of interesting debates.  They ignore them and choose to go elsewhere when the atmosphere is stifling and uptight and there's always someone on your a$$ about (gasp) having an ounce of personality.

And if you haven't noticed...there's a fricken ECHO in this place lately.  Forums are like sharks...they must constantly move in order to live.  If they stop, even briefly, they die.

Y'all can blame me for running people off if you want, but before you do, take a good hard look at the threads that are moving today...ask yourself why you felt compelled to post on this thread and not the others.  

Now...if y'all could see fit to stop whining long enough to realize that no-nonsense and I aren't exactly hurting one another's feelings, you might actually find our reciprocated idiocy mildly amusing.

I mean...lawd jebus...somebody's gotta do SOMETHING around here!


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## lupinfarm (Dec 4, 2009)

Oh my LOL I was gone for ONE day guys!

... I wasn't saying it's unreasonable, I was saying it was a little insane that a test that would cost $4 only TWO HOURS away from me (I'm 2 hours from the border crossing at Ganonoque) and yet I'm paying $28. 

Whats more frustrating is that BC is not the only lab in Canada, there are many labs per province but only one that tests for CAE... Why? I would think that there would be contamination/loss risks with your sample travelling 4 provinces away.


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## lupinfarm (Dec 23, 2009)

Well the test results came back today, my vet called to tell me...






Both girls are  CAE NEGATIVE 





Thats the good part of the week LOLOL


Mylie is lame on her left hind (swollen ankle, I think she hit it on the fence so I'll just keep an eye on it, she's cooling it in the snow anyway), and my truck is at carstar after I was hit by our rural mail delivery car on Monday. Oh, but Luna is doing great on the Cortaflex pellets!


My poor truck...


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## KinderKorner (Dec 23, 2009)

We are having the same problem. 

The vet charges $35 to come out and visit. And $10 per goat to draw.

So that comes to $175 for my 14 goats.

PLUS. He would charge $10-$20 per goat to actually do the test. So we ship the blood to the neighboring states Vet school. They do each one for $5.

We tried drawing on our own this year. We only had to pay 50 cents for each tube.. And some goats it's easy, some it is hard.

There is a vet about an hour away that will come down and draw only for us for $190. But she is an expert in goats. So I think next year we will just suck it up and pay her to come out and do it.

Then still send it to MO vet school. Bringing the total to $260. Plus shipping cost.

Oh and that is only if the vet stays for an hour or less. If she takes longer it's $110 extra. 

I live in prime farm country. And there is hardly any vets around here that do anything but small pets. Sheeh people. This is livestock area. And no livestock vets.

If you need animal help around here, you find a nice expert breeder.  They are so much better at medicine and treatment then the vets.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

Sorry to see your truck accident. That looks bad.

I just had my Boer goat tested. The vet charges $32 farm call, $10 blood draw per animal. Then I mailed out the blood. The overnight was $27.50. I had CAE, CL and Johnes done so it was $15 for the testing. That part of it was cheap!

I have one more Nigerian Dwarf to come home and then I will do all the Nigerian Dwarfs. That will add up but at least the overnight mail shouldn't be much more.

I should be getting the test results on Saturday. I'm hoping she is clear of all diseases.

Glad to hear your girls are negative.


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## helmstead (Dec 23, 2009)

Karen are you using WADDL?


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

I sent the blood to Pan American Vet Labs in Texas. I'm not sure what they use.

I just looked at their website and they do ELISA. Is that bad?


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## helmstead (Dec 23, 2009)

Ok...well I only mention WADDL because you can use their FedEx shipping # which saves a ton, testing might be higher, though, and you have to pay an out of state accession fee.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

I don't mind paying to make sure I'm getting the right testing done. Pan American Vet Lab was the only one I could find on the internet that did all 3 tests with blood serum. That was why I shipped it there. If there is a better place to send it, would you give me the name and email address? Thanks!


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## helmstead (Dec 23, 2009)

ELISA is perfect...here is WADDLs info

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/immunoDX.aspx#Ovine

The bioscreen is the package for new animals...


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

Great thanks! Now I will have 2 places to send blood.

My vet was going to send it to the state lab until she found out that they only test pus for CL. So there was no sense in sending the blood 2 different places.

Merry Christmas!


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## helmstead (Dec 23, 2009)

I would avoid getting in bed with the state labs, anyway...

Also, when you only need CAE, you can use BioTracking...great savings there...only $4 per sample and you can have preg checks at the same time.


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## lupinfarm (Dec 23, 2009)

I haven't tested for CL yet, but I'm highly doubting they'd be positive. They were from a closed herd situation, I'll probabaly test in a month or so. Give them a break from th vet LOL. I don't know where tests for it here though, so *shrugs*


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

Suprisingly the state lab in Ohio is good. At least they seem to be. When we had the outbreak of Emac (coccidia on steroids) in alpacas, the only place that seemed to get the fecal tests right was the state lab. But then again, the state does know what you have on your farm.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 23, 2009)

I called Pan American today and got my test results. My Boer goat is negative for all three!


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## helmstead (Dec 23, 2009)




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## lilhill (Dec 24, 2009)

It's always a relief when the results come back clean.


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