WHAT ARE THE CHANCES…

I took a week to review my options and, against well-meaning advice, decided not to proceed with the $5,000 exam.

I’d heard great things about vet care in Mexico—especially about the cost—and I just couldn’t shake the feeling that the diagnosis wasn’t right. Kassi still had bursts of puppy energy and her bloodwork looked good. Trusting my gut is what led me to choose Mexico, so I decided to trust it again. (If you’re curious how that decision came to be, you can read about it here.) Instead, I got her updated rabies shot updated , and hoped for the best. Mexico was only a few weeks away.

After arriving, I became friends with a couple of women who recommended a vet they knew personally. He even came by to check on Kassi and talk through her symptoms and next steps. I wanted to support him—especially since my new friends had gone out of their way to connect us. But after reviewing her records, he stopped responding—no returned calls or texts for over a month. As these were still new friendships and I was learning the cultural lines between respectful and overstepping, I didn’t push. I didn’t want to appear ungrateful or inconsiderate. Eventually, one of my friends gently suggested we take her somewhere else—and honestly, I was relieved. Later, the original vet did reach out and apologize. He’d had personal things come up unexpectedly and said we’d made the right call by moving forward with the clinic we chose. That meant a lot.

The new clinic was beautiful—nicer than the one back in Atlanta. The staff was friendly and welcoming. My friend came to help translate, but they also spoke directly to me with kindness and patience. I understood most of what was said, but my grammar still needs work.

That first visit, they performed an exam, took X-rays, and gave us antibiotics. The X-rays showed that Kassi’s nose had curved downward slightly from internal pressure—something they couldn’t fully assess without further imaging. They recommended an endoscopy and a deeper exam under anesthesia, but they let me know she wouldn’t need to stay overnight—just 6-8 hours for observation to ensure she handled it well. I braced myself for the kind of price that makes your stomach drop. But for everything that day—including the medication—it was only $50 USD. I nearly cried with relief.

Then came the next step: the cost of the endoscopy. I asked, and they calmly told me it would be $250. I double-checked the conversion. They double-checked too. Yep—$250. I could manage that.

Better News Than I’d Hoped For

We dropped her off at 9 a.m. and waited. And waited. It probably wasn’t that long, but it felt like forever. Anesthesia at her age is always a risk. Around 2 p.m., we finally got the update: she’d made it through the procedure and was doing well . The relief was immediate, but short-lived. They’d found a deep infection that had spread into her nasal cavity and would require surgery.

The final diagnosis? A severe dental infection that had spread silently. No obvious signs—she’d been eating, breathing, and acting like herself. The vets believed the Ehrlichia may have triggered the flare-up. But then there was the best news of all – It wasn’t a Tumor. That sense or relief was almost overwhelming. Not only was my girl going to be ok, but I had made the right decision in opting to put my trust in Mexico.

We scheduled the surgery for the following week.

Surgery Day

On surgery day, we dropped her off around noon. When the call finally came, it was all good news — she was tired, but stable. I exhaled for the first time all day.

She ended up needing three teeth removed and stayed under their watch for post-op care recovery and medication for 4 days.

The follow-up exam was positive and was only another $25. Altogether, just under $800. That’s less than one-fifth of what I was quoted in Georgia—for just the testing.