I just can't believe how these people can charge their prices and justify it. Kassy (my German Shepherd) hurt a paw on Sunday running in the park. I took her to the vets last night for what looked like a sprain, charged £65 which was 39 consultation and £25 on an anti-inflamortory - £6 online!!!

 

Last night I notice a small hole in the middle of her pad/foot which turns out had pus in in it. I cleaned it all up but obviously she needed antibiotics, so off tho the vets again this morning. £112 this time which was £29 consultation, £25 to flush the hole with saline solution and then £65 for antibiotics. I asked them are they joking about the £25 for saline solution and they replied that's the price. Got home and checked the medication online and could get it for less than £30 delivered. I expect the vets to put a mark up but 2-3 times the cost is a joke!!!

 

To say I'm livid is an understatement. I don't mind paying vets vees and for anything my dog needs but to be bent over and royaly f**ked up the arse is just not on!!!!

Sorry to here about your dogs mishap fella , hope she recovers ok.

 

The best thing i ever did was take out pet insurance as vet services are not cheap as you have found out and you could spend thousands of pounds on your pet during its lifetime you should maybe look into that it may save you a lot of cash in the future!

Yep vets and Dentists, license to print money, i dislike them both.

I know a few people with pet insurance, not just because they love their pets lol, but in the long run can be the cheaper option of owning and maintaining a pet. You could realistically get your moneys worth in one visit with insurance.

Sorry but I think pet insurance is yet another rip off. I was with petplan for my first dog and they eliminate things they cover one by one, once my dog had a problem with it.

 

I insured this dog when I first got her and once the price went over £500 I thought this is a joke and stopped which I've not regretted. Touch wood she's been healthy with only the odd visit to the vets. It's the hugely inflated prices that really get to me cos they know you love your animals.

 

I just brought back some of the antibiotics and got a prescription (12 quid). So I've got antibiotics for 2 days and ordered the other 8 days worth online, saved £25 which is better than a kick in the balls.

 

I also spoke to the head nurse at the vets who tried to give me some bull about £25 for saline solution and how I have to pay for the vets time and the rent of the building. He couldn't answer when I asked what the consultation fee is for then............

 

I'm going into see the practise manager tomorrow cos I want them to justify £25 for saline solution and an explanation why their medication is 3-4 times more expensive. I'm not letting this lye and will tell them that I intend to tell pet owners I meet what the practise is like.

 

Sorry to rant, just hate being ripped off!!!!!

My dads cat broke its leg a few weeks back and upto now it has cost him about £500 and all they have done is pop a splint on abd and bandaged it up.

 

all the little bits soon mount up dont they. they charge £8 per cm of bandage. i said to dad thank fook its not a horse :shock:

and they don't tell you the extortionate price until they hand you the bill. Think it's all inflated for insurance purposes...........

Yep vets and Dentists, license to print money, i dislike them both.

I know a few people with pet insurance, not just because they love their pets lol, but in the long run can be the cheaper option of owning and maintaining a pet. You could realistically get your moneys worth in one visit with insurance.

 

My Dad was quite instrumental in introducing pet insurance to the UK many many years ago, and even he reckons its not really worth it, unless its a newborn puppy/kitten etc. Most pre existing conditions etc are not covered and often you will be asked to pay an excess on the claims etc.

 

Although saying that he has been out of the insurance game for quite some time so things/policies may have changed for the better since then.

Think it's all inflated for insurance purposes...........

 

Of course it is, they have hit the jackpot with everyone having insurance.

I agree with everything you have said...However I would not be without the insurance, my Staffy got Meningitis last year the final bill was just short of £1000 (and he died) which to me made the £11 a month insurance worth every penny.

The concept is good as you don't get any nasty large bills but it's the exclusions of conditions that annoy me.

 

Good news is that I've spoken to the practise manager and she's refunding the money back for the saline solution at £25. She started banging on about the practise costs like that justifies being ripped off.

I'm not sure it's that different with tradesmen. Whenever I call someone out to look at a washing machine or whatever, it never seems to be less than £100. And if parts are needed, I could probably get them cheaper online. And IIRC it takes a long time to train to be a vet, you're buying the services of a highly skilled indivdual.

You say its cheaper online, but you cant order online because your pet would suffer until it arrives in the post. So its irrelevant really. Everything is cheaper online including new Nissan cars and when they walk into my showroom because they bought a new car online but don't know how everything in the cabin works I kindly tell them to get ****ed

 

I think Vets should be allowed to charge a decent markup, its still no worse than what the British government does to us every day with Petrol and tax upon tax

What I did is keep 2 days worth of antibiotics and order the rest online which is being shipped out today.

 

And I am paying for their services, £40 for 20 minutes yesterday and £30 for 15 minutes today, so I'd say that was a good mark up/profit!

 

I'm not saying they shouldn't make a mark up, of course they're a business, but £25 for saline solution is taking the p**s!!!! and mark up the medication by at least 4 times is not right surely.

Vijay I understand where you are coming from

 

1 Falcon with aspergillosis cost me £750 last year I have ten birds and each one would cost me £120 per year for insurance.

 

I have never needed a vet until then so by not insuring them for the last 6 years has saved me over 5k.

 

You just cant win with vets.

3 grand on my dogs broken front legs 5 years ago ouch was not the word but 5 years on and my dog is still fine,,worth every penny to me mate as the first vet wanted to put him down as he was only 3 months old

the prices are crazed! my gfs cat had to be rushed in for a c section this week nearly 500 quid!