Vets' Fees

[Katiebob]

I've read lots of posts recently (on here and other forums) where there is a criticism of vets' fees. I am a simple minded individual who believes that if you don't like the fees your vet is charging, you move to another vet who offers cheaper treatment. It may not be the same level of service i.e. maybe you don't get your blood results same day, or some such other thing, or they may not be able to offer you some other services without referral, but if that's what you want, that's ok.

 

I am a little peeved (and I'm not a vet nurse, or vet, or someone associated with a vet, who could have any interest). Nor are most of my animals insured!! I am, however, pretty upset that people on here and other forums are criticising vets who do a 5 or 6 year training period, work their way through an apprenticeship at a vet or vets (plural) and maybe then start their own practice. At this point, they wiill have a fair few debts . So to actually try to charge a 'fair' fee per hour, plus for their expertise, they are criticised. Plus, if it's their own practice, the costs of their premises, staff. drugs, taxation etc. I think we shoud have a level of insurance where we're not that worried about each and every bill (or the means to pay for it).

 

I am very confused - how are vets supposed to earn a living then? In general I think that vets fees reflect the level of service the practice can offer and the areas which they operate in. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm interested to know what others think?

Edited December 23, 2006 by Katiebob

[Sherlock Bones]

I met an australian vet on holiday. We compared lots of things about animals between the UK and australia. the one outstanding difference was that he was as highly trained as our vets - yet his fees and the drugs he provides were, on average, half ours.

 

so yes, I think we're offered a bum deal here... someone is ripping us off, whether it's the vet, or the tax man, I can't work out.

[Katiebob]

I met an australian vet on holiday. We compared lots of things about animals between the UK and australia. the one outstanding difference was that he was as highly trained as our vets - yet his fees and the drugs he provides were, on average, half ours.

 

so yes, I think we're offered a bum deal here... someone is ripping us off, whether it's the vet, or the tax man, I can't work out.

 

I take your point, but it wouldn't be exactly convenient to take your/our pets to him for a consultation?

[Sherlock Bones]

 

Well no.. but he has offered to provide me with all the prescription drugs i'll ever need!!

[Kathyw]

I agree that vets have to make a living and after the training they go through, it should be a good living but the ever rising costs do cause some people to put off taking their animals to the vets because of wondering if they can afford the costs even if insured you have excess.

 

Elsa is no longer insured because of her age and she will have whatever treatment she needs but there are people who would not be able to afford to give a dog like Elsa all the things she needs and then the doglet would suffer.

 

My vet does lots of 'free' stuff for animals in need so I do not mind the costs but many vets (locally) do not help local rescues in any way yet charge dearly.

[Abigailj]

I don't criticise the general cost of vet treatment. I also still buy my wormers and flea stuff from the vet rather than online.

 

I have queried a vet bill this week because my dogs have had the same treatment on the past couple of weeks (a couple of stitches) yet one bill was four times the cost of the other.

 

I have an itemised receipt and so I can refer to the cost of the actual stitches, regardless of the cost of the required drugs. One of my dogs had two stitches and I was charged £80 just for the sutures. Another dog had 4 stitches and I was charged £32 for the sutures (which are described identically on the receipts).

[Katiebob]

I can't speak for your vets but my own vets do take on animals who have no owners (strays.rtas) and not only treat them but try to find them new homes too

 

I don't criticise the general cost of vet treatment. I also still buy my wormers and flea stuff from the vet rather than online.

 

I have queried a vet bill this week because my dogs have had the same treatment on the past couple of weeks (a couple of stitches) yet one bill was four times the cost of the other.

 

I have an itemised receipt and so I can refer to the cost of the actual stitches, regardless of the cost of the required drugs. One of my dogs had two stitches and I was charged £80 just for the sutures. Another dog had 4 stitches and I was charged £32 for the sutures (which are described identically on the receipts).

 

 

I'm not criticising you - there may well be a reason for you to query your bill? I would ask though, are the circumstances identical? Were both animals admitted in general surgery hours? etc. etc.

 

Not all vets are perfect, I would agree.

Edited December 23, 2006 by Katiebob

[Abigailj]

I can't speak for your vets but my own vets do take on animals who have no owners (strays.rtas) and not only treat them but try to find them new homes too

I'm not criticising you - there may well be a reason for you to query your bill? I would ask though, are the circumstances identical? Were both animals admitted in general surgery hours? etc. etc.

 

Not all vets are perfect, I would agree.

Yes they were both in normal hours etc. Same surgery but two different vets. I think the newer vet may have made a mistake, or it could just be that someone hit the wrong button by accident. When the initial bill came in at £121 I thought it seemed a bit steep for two tiny stitches but wasn't sure whether to bother querying it. Since then my other dog has had the same done and it was a fraction of the cost so that now has me thinking that we were overcharged after all.

 

I don't feel criticised don't worry You can have a contro thread about vets fees if you want I'm sure. It is about vets fees, not me moaning about vets fees

Edited December 23, 2006 by Abigailj

[sproggie14]

Vets vary hugely in what they charge and the basic reason why they are vets.

 

I worked as a vet nurse briefly - I left after three months cos I hated it. My dream was to work with animals so it wasn't a decision I took lightly but I couldn't work for that place anymore. His entire drive was making money. While I was there I witnessed him euthanase a dog who was incontinent as her owners had just gotten new carpets and didn't want them ruined, agree to declaw a cat and confine his own dogs to permanent residence in one hospital kennel rather than let his ex wife has access to them.

 

When I first got involved with keeping rats I called round about having a rat neutered and was quoted between £80 and £100. The vet I now use is excellent, same training as any other, nice surgery with all the mod cons - £23.50. When a dog was hit by a car near their surgery they treated and rehomed it at their own cost.

 

So I have the upmost respect for vets and their training and expertise and feel they have every right to a good living, but some definitely do it for the wrong reasons and some definitely charge more than they should.

[Wendbert]

I have to say I have always been very happy with my vets. The service is excellent and they have specialists who have helped enormously. They have a 24 hour service and there are staff on-site during the night at the hospital itself, which is very reassuring when one of my lot have had to stay in overnight.

 

I don't feel that they charge unfairly and I know the costs do vary depending on where you are in the country, but I guess a lot of that is relative to cost of premesis, rates, staff salaries etc. Because they know me well and know that I am probably (without sounding big headed) a better informed client, they are happy to dispense drugs without me taking whichever dog it is for in for a consultation.

 

They have accounts setup for any fosters and bill direct to the rescue. They are happy to claim from the insurer direct too. When I've taken one of the dogs in for something not on insurance, they are fine if I can't pay all at once.

 

I really do feel I am lucky to have such a great veterinary practise here

[phoebejo]

I'm lucky in that I've got a great vet (also an Australian) who doesn't charge me full whack for a consultation, usually because more often than not I'll turn up and be able to tell him exactly what's wrong and the treatment required. If he was more expensive than other vets I'd still pay because I think he's a great vet, I trust him completely and money cannot buy complete faith in your vet.

 

Where I used to live there was a veterinary hospital, full of the latest gadgets and equipment with high prices to pay for it. However most of the vets were terrible and I wouldn't go near them with a barge pole now. All the equipment was useless in the hands of an inexperienced vet who was left in charge over the weekend when one of my cats was hit by a car. Being a hospital I expected Griffin to receive the best care on earth, similar in standard to what I would receive in a private hospital if I were injured, that's what I was paying for. As it happens she didn't have a clue what to do, was rushed off her feet, didn't bother to operate on him and my poor darling Griffin died alone and in pain in the early hours of the morning. I expected better for him. I will never let the same thing happen again.

[akitas]

I changed vets several time, the first one gave antibiotics for everything. The secone one totally disregarded alternative treatmet and suprsied me with sudden costs.

The vet I am with at the moment is probably not perfect either, but he has special neutering prices, to motivate people to neuter their pets.

He sometimes just charges me for one dog, even though 2 are treated.

 

I can imagine that vet's have high costs, not only the sudies they have to go through, but to buy all the equipment, the staff etc....

 

Nevertheless, if the prices put people off going to the vet's that cannot be right either.

 

Here in the South east, I don't think prices vary that much. I find the prices of the drugs just surprsingly high sometimes.

[LurcherGirl]

I've got no problem with my vet's charges. He is the best one around and yet one of the cheapest. He is also always involved if there are rescue animals that need help (neutering schemes, work for rescue centres, help in larger rescue cases etc.). I have also known them to not charge me for consultations.

 

I would use him even if he was more expensive. Yes, my animals cost me a fortune (as I have around 30 at the moment) and that's partly down to vet fees, but I know that with every new pet that joins our family.

 

I for one am happy to pay the vet fees and can't really say that they are over the top.

 

Vera

[Kathyw]

My vet does all the neutering for local cat feeders free of charge, he is always full in the summer with mothers and kittens needing homes.

 

Years ago there was a chap who used to beg outside Sainsburys with his much loved dog. I said to him one day 'Do you know there are places you can go and get free vet treatment for your dog?.

He said 'I have a local vet who treats my dog whenever he needs something and he never charges me, not for meds,tests the bill is always zero.

I knew who he was talking about before he said the name, my vet.

He is a one man practise and so other than the few times he is away from the surgery, I always see him which I prefer to seeing different vets however compedent they are.

I had to see a different vet with Elsa last week as Dale was away and although he was very good I didn't feel the same as I feel with Dale - it's a trust built up over the many years I have known him.

[GSDFan]

If I'm not happy with the treatment my animals get at a Vet's I'm quite happy to move until I find a practice I'm happy with.

 

The one thing that will NOT make me move is prices. If the Vets are good I don't care how expensive they are, saving a few quid really isn't that important.

 

I tend to compare what I pay for a Vet ( who is trained to treat multi species ) against what I would pay for similar treatment as a human if I 'went private'. I think if you do that it usually makes the Vet fees seem cheap.