Operation cost...

I've just had a bill for £99 for dental treatment on one of our Jack Russells. She broke a tooth which was removed under anaesthetic and the insurance covered that because it was a fracture. I didn't ask the vet to give the rest of her teeth a clean and descale because it was done a year ago but she did it anyway and as it's 'routine treatment' it wasn't covered.

If you don't have an annual health check along with the boosters the insurers won't pay out.

They've got you by the whatsits.

And of course, once a illness or condition has been diagnosed your insurance either won't cover it when you renew or your excess/premiums will rocket up.

Insurance policies are very exclusive (?) of a number of conditions common to dogs. I'm utterly convinced vets are onto a good thing, the most our old dog cost us was for euthanasia when she was 19. That cost us just over £60 including cremation 8 years ago.

A neighbour has just been charged £280 for the same thing, no other interventions involved.

That's a ridiculous amount, Tegan, and as you say, the exclusions mean that it's almost inevitable that the insurance won't kick in when your pet most needs treatment, i.e. when he/she's getting on a bit...

I pay nearly £30 a month but I've just found an exclusion on the back of my policy which 'excludes tumours, warts, cysts, growths and abscesses'. Which pretty much excludes everything. I assumed that a 12 month insurance meant 12 months for each condition ie the fact that this is a different kind of lump lump to the one that was removed last time meant that I was covered. Thus far it has cost £1250; I know I should have read the back of the insurance certificate but I just automatically pay it by direct debit and file away any correspondence.Feeling a bit sick myself now...

Ana I pay £25 a month to insure my cat. She is 10 years old now but never been sick 8 years ago except for stomach problems rectified by diet. The annual check is very expensive now- I think that vets are pricing themselves out of business. The surgery is usually nearly empty when I go, unlike a few years ago, it was difficult to get an appointment when I wanted one.

Upwards of £500 I should think.

I always refuse the 'extras' they try and hit you with when you sign the consent form. I don't see why I should pay in advance for something that might happen because they shouldn't happen in the first place. You don't get a refund if all goes well so it's a big con.

Our Rhodesian ridgeback had pyometra when she was nine and as she wasn't insured it cost well over £1,000

The dogs we have now are both insured but with a £125 excess. Every year the vet manages to find something wrong with them - just enough for a claim.

We'd hate to be without a dog but the vet costs are ridiculous now.

I was sort of considering the possibility, but am even more unsure now!Is insurance expensive?

Hundreds without a doubt ........

Friend's little dog went to vet because she was scratching. Bill for consultation, one injection and a can of flea spray (just in case) cost £186!

Horrifying prices that have confirmed our decision not to have another dog.

She had a similar operation last year and, annoyingly I threw the bill away a couple of weeks ago [and I NEVER throw anything away] but I'm sure it was for nothing like what I've just been charged. Even follow on appointments have been charged for; in the past follow on appointments were included in the initial consultation fee.

It'll be a massive amount, I would think, Tegan. When my cat was 'hospitalised' at the vet's (and that was without any operation), it cost me over £900. That included him being put to sleep, too...