Vets bill

Am I the only person who is very cross that this couple decided to have THREE cats without being able to afford to take care of them properly? Although, apparently they can afford to go on holiday.
I would have told the vet to bill them directly and leave them to sort out a payment plan with the vet

eddiecat78

Am I the only person who is very cross that this couple decided to have THREE cats without being able to afford to take care of them properly? Although, apparently they can afford to go on holiday.
I would have told the vet to bill them directly and leave them to sort out a payment plan with the vet

I agree.

Shouldn’t have pets if you can’t afford to pay for vet bills

Irresponsible.

Is a holiday an essential? Pets’ healthcare should take priority. If you can’t afford it, don’t keep pets.
You need a conversation with him about responsibility before he acquires another cat.

Cossy

I would also ask for a monthly DD til it’s paid.

I would also, harsh as it sounds, “refuse” to look after his pets until he gets insurance. The issue here is if this is the first time he’s insuring older cats the premiums are likely to be quite high.

My son has two cats and a pup, all insured and a monthly pet plan set up at the vets directly for twice annual checkups, vaccines, flea, tic and worms treatment.

We have the same for our cocker, as does our DD for her three sausages.

People sometimes feel cats are far “cheaper” to care for than dogs, but it’s not always the case.

Good luck

The cat was only 5. They think she had been hit by something. Oxygen and medication plus overnight care was coming in at over £1,000.

Calendargirl

eddiecat78

Am I the only person who is very cross that this couple decided to have THREE cats without being able to afford to take care of them properly? Although, apparently they can afford to go on holiday.
I would have told the vet to bill them directly and leave them to sort out a payment plan with the vet

I agree.

Shouldn’t have pets if you can’t afford to pay for vet bills

Irresponsible.

They were away for one night. Maybe holiday was a bit strong. I go between this and my compassion for a young couple trying to make ends meet.

If they’re struggling that much to make ends meet, they should keep pets with all that entails.

Pets are a huge expense. My two dogs are my largest monthly outgoing. Our vet’s was taken over by a conglomerate and I’m insured, plus on the vet’s monthly pet plan so I get 10% off treatments.
Im always given options and an estimated cost, detailed invoices. My vet will recommend Amazon, or provide a prescription so I can buy drugs much more cheaply than the ones they have to sell.

If I do don’t have a work pension and some (diminishing ) savings, I could not afford to keep my dogs. I wish some breeders would be more responsible in vetting prospective puppy buyers. The dog rescues I’m in touch with are overwhelmed - pups 7-18 months old, who oddly enough behaved like puppies.
I know it’s daft for me to say there are too many dogs when at times I’ve had three, or two of my own plus a foster dog. But yes, there are too many untrained, out of control dogsb

Totally agree. We’re financially stable and would love a couple of cats but Cattery fees and Vet bills would become an increasing issue especially when one of us dies

Our vet is still an independent they are also agricultural. We have several people who stay in a cottage and bring their dogs for regular treatment as they are good and comparatively reasonably priced
Always say the vets see our pets much quicker than the NHS see their patients

Interestingly, there's far less reliance on pet insurance abroad, and the fees are considerably lower. We've found the treatment is second to none. I think they have far fewer corporate chains.

I agree MartavTaurus most vets here in rural France are independent and fees are definitely lower than UK. My daughter pays more than I do in vet fees for her cats in UK.

Vets tend to ask if you have insurance then increase the charges.
Insurance for older pets is astronomic, which is maybe why this couple’s cats weren’t covered. The Tories ran down the NHS because they intended us all to pay health insurance, which makes money for doctors, pharmaceuticals and the insurance companies. Hey, you make MONEY out of sickness!
Most vets will let you pay a big bill in instalments.

If it were me, I foot the bill but stop the £1000 birthday gift for 2 years and encourage your son and his husband to take out a pet insurance for the remaining two cats.

Right now, even the rescue centres are struggling to pay their vet bills. More pet owners are surrendering their pets because they can no longer afford to keep them. To make matters worse, cat owners do not have their cats neutered, so the rescue centres are overwhelm with unwanted litters of kittens.

I would love to adopt a cat or two but have second thoughts due to our age.

I’m certain that my vets, the different vets used by other famiky members don’t increase the price when they’re aware the dog is insured. The specialist vet at the pet hospital my spaniel was referred to outlined what they thought the problem might be and h the various X-rays, blood tests, ct scans that were possible, along with estimated costs. I opted for the gold standard, I’d have done the same if she hadn’t been insured. Life saved, happy dog and owner.

I took my daughter’s dog to their vet while she was staying with me and her people on holiday. I suspected conjunctivitis but didn’t want to chance it so agreed to the vet’s suggestion they put drops in the be better able to diagnose. She told me if I bought the eye drops their conglomerate insisted they use, the drops would cost £60 ‘ I didn’t become a vet to overcharge people. Go to the chemist, buy this brand which costs about £3.00
The consultation and tests were £100.
Yes I paid, no I didn’t accept the cash my daughter offered. Mind it wasn’t £1000

What an awful society we live in when people can't afford to keep pets and are urged not to unless they're well-off enough.

Pets as luxury items - it makes me want to cry.

I think governments should be paying people to keep them, especially given the health/anxiety benefits pets can bring.

This issue highlights the growing differences between rich and poor and the 'big company' vets are not helping the situation at all.

I think governments should be paying people to keep them

It won’t be governments it’s the tax payers, i.e. ME, so no thank you.

Not a pet lover then, Calendargirl?

monthly payments i should think. to be honest be careful with pet insurance many have an age limit after which prices rocket another alternative is to put money away each month in an account just for that. my surgery also has similar savings idea so when you have to pay they will have a 'pot' ready

Cabowich, I share my life with dogs, always have. It’s my responsibility to care for them, no one elses

£2000+ is about average a vet will charge for investigation and advising a pet needs to be euthanized, it happened to my neighbour when his 15 yr old terrier was ill, there should be a law against it.

Iam64

I’m certain that my vets, the different vets used by other famiky members don’t increase the price when they’re aware the dog is insured. The specialist vet at the pet hospital my spaniel was referred to outlined what they thought the problem might be and h the various X-rays, blood tests, ct scans that were possible, along with estimated costs. I opted for the gold standard, I’d have done the same if she hadn’t been insured. Life saved, happy dog and owner.

I took my daughter’s dog to their vet while she was staying with me and her people on holiday. I suspected conjunctivitis but didn’t want to chance it so agreed to the vet’s suggestion they put drops in the be better able to diagnose. She told me if I bought the eye drops their conglomerate insisted they use, the drops would cost £60 ‘ I didn’t become a vet to overcharge people. Go to the chemist, buy this brand which costs about £3.00
The consultation and tests were £100.
Yes I paid, no I didn’t accept the cash my daughter offered. Mind it wasn’t £1000

Chemists won’t sell you antibiotic eye drops, even for yourself. I managed to buy some from a sympathetic pharmacist ages ago and carry it around with me everywhere hoping it will still work. Hasten to add that if it doesn’t work straight away it is straight to the vets as I don’t mess around with eyes.

No thanks Cabowich in which case pay those who don’t have pets as they realise they can’t afford or train them and are more responsible.
The number of people who pay dog walkers now is incredible.

When I was first married we had cats and dogs and never worried about vets bills even though our pets often needed medical treatment and we weren’t very well off. It was when people started insuring their pets that treatment costs seemed to go through the roof. Our local independent vet retired recently; he was old school and used experience and instinct.

It’s a few years back now but when my elderly cat was euthanised I didn’t pay anything That’s a ridiculous price for an ‘injection’ to put them to sleep
And NO from me, carbowich I m not paying for other peoples pets, what a daft idea

MayBee, the dog had conjunctivitis as confirmed by the expensive dye used to ensure her eye problems weren’t caused by more serious eye conditions. I bought human eye drops for conjunctivitis/ dog well, £60 saved thanks vet