Is this Vet bill very expensive or am I just out of touch?

One of our friends took on an elderly rescue cat who turned out to be diabetic - something which was not mentioned to her at the time and was presumably why the cat was being re-homed. He lived for several years and cost her a fortune, she had to inject the cat with insulin and buy special food. Personally I would have had the cat put to sleep, though I await the outcry from cat lovers everywhere!

Grannynannywanny

^Vets bills are astronomical. One way my daughter reduces cost is not to buy medication from the vets. She asks for the prescription and gets it on-line. Last example, an eye cream prescribed for her dog would have cost £39 at the vets and she bought the identical cream on-line for £6. Quite a mark up. Anyone without pet insurance these days is taking a huge gamble^

Will the vets willingly hand over the prescriptions Sarnia? I wish I’d thought of that today. Having said that the dog has an uncomfortable itchy ear and it might take a few days to receive an online delivery. Definitely something to consider in the future though.

no they won't. If its a prescription medication they will want to see the dog and make sure they are prescribing the right thing as they are responsible. Vets do have to provide a prescription only service for ongoing medication but can charge for the prescription. Additionally a presecribing vet MUST see the animal (or reasonable alternative, mine will do video consultation) at six monthly intervals in order to be able to continue to prescribe for the animal, its the law. At my vet a consultation costs £40, plus any meds supplied and follow ups for the same condition are a bit less. Its not the time it takes, its the knowledge and experience of the vet plus the responsibility they take (insurance is expensive), plus all the costs of keeping open the surgery.

Our dog had a bad digestion issue last year. I got better eventually but nothing the vet did helped. Ended up with bills totalling £600+ . Luckily we are insured.

Also worth shopping around before you need a vet again. There are two in our town and one charges 50% more than the other for the same treatments.

I'm very late to post on here but I do hope some get to read this. It's a plea on behalf of vets - my daughter is one and she actually had a breakdown because the job is so stressful, mainly because people complain so much about the cost and expect 100% success while refusing to pay for even basic tests such as bloods.. Some get really abusive and quite a few just don't pay. It's a stressful job with a high suicide rate: putting pets to sleep is tough, it's not particularly well paid (starting salary 27k), and most of her friends left the profession long ago. She would leave too but after 5 years study you don't have qualifications for anything else. Thank you to those who have said the price is reasonable - to those who think it's expensive, compare it to private human medicine - a consult costs from £175 to £250 - how much does your vet charge? Thanks for reading.

I always keep chloramphenicol eye drops/cream in my dogs medicine box. Really difficult to buy from some pharmacists as it’s like the Spanish Inquisition and you mustn’t say it’s for a dog. Having said that if it doesn’t work straight away it’s off to the vets as you don’t mess with eyes and, of course there might be a foreign body in the eye. When I has spaniels they often got sore eyes when they’d been on the beach and chloramphenicol sorted it out. I always use a different finger when re applying it so there’s no cross contamination and then I keep it in the fridge.

LankyDolly

I'm very late to post on here but I do hope some get to read this. It's a plea on behalf of vets - my daughter is one and she actually had a breakdown because the job is so stressful, mainly because people complain so much about the cost and expect 100% success while refusing to pay for even basic tests such as bloods.. Some get really abusive and quite a few just don't pay. It's a stressful job with a high suicide rate: putting pets to sleep is tough, it's not particularly well paid (starting salary 27k), and most of her friends left the profession long ago. She would leave too but after 5 years study you don't have qualifications for anything else. Thank you to those who have said the price is reasonable - to those who think it's expensive, compare it to private human medicine - a consult costs from £175 to £250 - how much does your vet charge? Thanks for reading.

my vets are lovely. They aren't the cheapest around here but over 30 years, I have never had a bad experience with them. They operate their own out of hours and their own hospital.The original practice owners are almost all gone now and the young newbies I saw when we first moved here are now the partners but the quality of service and care remains the same. I am lucky to be able to afford to say this (and my dog is insured) but I would not shop around based on price.

LankyDolly

I'm very late to post on here but I do hope some get to read this. It's a plea on behalf of vets - my daughter is one and she actually had a breakdown because the job is so stressful, mainly because people complain so much about the cost and expect 100% success while refusing to pay for even basic tests such as bloods.. Some get really abusive and quite a few just don't pay. It's a stressful job with a high suicide rate: putting pets to sleep is tough, it's not particularly well paid (starting salary 27k), and most of her friends left the profession long ago. She would leave too but after 5 years study you don't have qualifications for anything else. Thank you to those who have said the price is reasonable - to those who think it's expensive, compare it to private human medicine - a consult costs from £175 to £250 - how much does your vet charge? Thanks for reading.

Yes. I heard that the suicide rate is very high. They also have to do work in abattoir’s etc along with often having to euthanise unwanted animals etc. Terribly stressful for someone that chose the profession because they love animals.

I honestly cannot understand why anybody continues to allow their animals to have an annual 'booster'. I urge anybody putting their dog through this every year to do some serious research. Google 'Canine Health Concern' and 'Catherine O'Driscoll' to learn about what the Vets don't tell you.
Over the last 40 years my dogs have mixed with thousands of other dogs every single weekend at dog shows and none of them have ever had a 'booster' in their lives. None of them have ever developed distemper, canine hepatitis, or leptospirosis, etc. What they have developed is their own strong immune systems. Just a thought, folks!

Lewie

I honestly cannot understand why anybody continues to allow their animals to have an annual 'booster'. I urge anybody putting their dog through this every year to do some serious research. Google 'Canine Health Concern' and 'Catherine O'Driscoll' to learn about what the Vets don't tell you.
Over the last 40 years my dogs have mixed with thousands of other dogs every single weekend at dog shows and none of them have ever had a 'booster' in their lives. None of them have ever developed distemper, canine hepatitis, or leptospirosis, etc. What they have developed is their own strong immune systems. Just a thought, folks!

I've always understood that pet insurance is only valid if the animal does have an annual booster?

That sounds fairly standard to be honest. I pay £69 every 6 weeks for blood tests for my cat who has an overactive thyroid plus £37 every 3 weeks for medication. I have 2 little rescue dogs as well, one of whom is being treated for an under active thyroid, insurance is almost £150 month for the two dogs and cat. On top of all that are vaccinations, grooming for the dogs and kennels/ boarding when going on holiday and of course food. It’s a very expensive business owning pets, I ve had dogs and cats all my life but can’t afford to get any more after my current pets reach the end of the line sadly, but that’s still some time away hopefully

Lewie

I honestly cannot understand why anybody continues to allow their animals to have an annual 'booster'. I urge anybody putting their dog through this every year to do some serious research. Google 'Canine Health Concern' and 'Catherine O'Driscoll' to learn about what the Vets don't tell you.
Over the last 40 years my dogs have mixed with thousands of other dogs every single weekend at dog shows and none of them have ever had a 'booster' in their lives. None of them have ever developed distemper, canine hepatitis, or leptospirosis, etc. What they have developed is their own strong immune systems. Just a thought, folks!

Yes. I have heard that and it’s worth having a titre test done to check your dogs immunity level. I thought they couldn’t develop immunity to leptospirosis, though? What I do is wait 12 weeks after the date the booster is due before I have it done and that reduces the number of times my dog has a booster. And maybe non vaccinated dogs don’t catch diseases because all the other dogs are being vaccinated which gives them herd immunity? So if everyone stopped vaccinating their dogs the diseases would be more common again?

Lewie I agrée with you that dogs and cats don’t necessarily need annual boosters but if we want to travel, and I do enjoy travelling once or twice a year, then I cannot board or kennel my animals without them being fully vaccinated, wormed etc. and boarding itself is very expensive. I travelled away a few years ago for a week staying with family in Greece and the kennelling cost was £200 more than my holiday had cost!!

MayBee70 I agree - titre tests are definitely worth doing, as are worm counts, before bombarding your dogs with even more chemicals. Dogs can and do, develop immunity to Leptospirosis. Titre testing can be most illuminating. The results for one of my females came back that, apart from the expected usual results, she also had antibodies for parvo, when to my knowledge she had never even had parvo!

And maybe non vaccinated dogs don’t catch diseases because all the other dogs are being vaccinated which gives them herd immunity? So if everyone stopped vaccinating their dogs the diseases would be more common again?
Yes, I've heard that argument many times before - but I don't know a single show breeder who allows their dogs to be given 'boosters' - so no, I don't agree with that statement.

Just paid £47 for my dog to have a check up. Nothing wrong but wanted to make sure she was in good health.
Had vet for a house visit when my other dog had puppies a few years ago as one was stuck. 2 injections a thorough examination and returned to check everything an hour later. £140 Which I thought was good value as it saved their lived.
My dogs are both insured and I also have money saved for emergency treatment which I never spend. That's for my dogs treatment only.
Most vets charge consultation fee around £35-£45 plus cost of medication and any bloodtests or xrays etc.
In America my son paid $100 just to see a doctor and another $85 for one item of medication. Prices for private treatment are high for people and animals.

Shirls52000 I understand exactly your dilemma. Maybe look at home boarding instead, where those restrictions are not mandatory? Similarly, with pet insurance companies, I had heard a while ago that Tesco would insure dogs for everything except for the diseases covered by a 'booster' jab if that wasn't given. In any case, I would have thought that old dogs would have met most health problems during their lifetimes and have developed natural immunity to all.

And this is why avoiding our beloved NHS getting sold off to US Healthcare companies is so important.

Seems a very reasonable price.
As said above, you aren't just paying for the vet to examine and treat your pet. What they earn needs to cover their overheads, such as building rent, electricity, water, business rates, insurance, their staff costs - receptionists, pharmacists and vet nurses. Their PPE, equipment, consumables etc. Their 5-7 years of university to qualify, and their costs to be licensed. It isn't cheap to run a practice.
When it comes to the mark-up on their drugs, it's important to remember that they have to keep a large stock of a huge range of drugs, so that in those emergency situations your pet can be treated immediately. This of course means that a certain amount of drugs will then go out of date on their shelves - they get no refunds from the drug companies for this, but still have to dispose of them - and pay for their disposal.
It's a massively stressful career, and, along with farming, has the highest suicide rate. The majority go into veterinary school as they are animal lovers who want to make a difference. A huge part of their job is euthanasing animals, or treating exceedingly sick ones, where owners have put off visiting as they'd rather try their own home remedies, to save money, and the animals then only come in when it really is too late. The vets then get blamed for being 'useless' for not saving the animal, and charging 'a fortune'.
No, like most, I don't want to pay large sums out for anything, but how many of you would question the hourly rate of a solicitor, a mechanic, even the cost of a haircut?
Pet ownership isn't something to be undertaken lightly, and the costs should be looked into beforehand. If you value your pet, then you will pay what is needed to keep them well, when it is needed.
Vets are just amazing.

Sounds reasonable to me and meds are always very expensive

License to print money!! Shocking.

I have dogs and can’t get over how expensive vets bills are - hoping my kids and grandkids marry vets!! ?

Ps some years ago on a US cruise ship I was charged £75 for eyedrops plus £150 for an unwanted/unnecessary pulse and BP check when I visited ships doctor for some soot in my eye!

I rarely get out of the vets for my dog with a bill less than £70, and most often in 3 figures. I now ask if given a long term drug for a prescription and fill it online - often 40-60% cheaper

Sounds about right to me.

I haven't owned a dog for many years, and am shocked at how much it costs to keep a pet, these days. We had many pets when the children were young. All strays or puppies/kittens rehomed from friends' and neighbours' unwanted litters, and all 'mongrels'. I don't remember ever having to take even one of them to the vet, except for a last, sad journey when they grew old.
I know that there were nasty illnesses, such as distemper, but animals seemed to be much healthier and tougher years ago.
Could all the selective breeding, which has created quite a few genetic problems, especially in pedigree dogs, have also made animals more susceptible to medical problems?

Step through the vets door and your virtually bankrupt!!
I do appreciate they have longer training to get through and the drugs are incredibly expensive. I know that a prescription for human ibropen costs the NHS £10, that's why I buy from a supermarket!! So imagine what antibiotics cost!! Unfortunately we can't do this so much for our pets. My rescue dog was ill last year and it cost me £500, thankfully she's insured and I got £400 back.
So many animals could be rehomed, but the vet bills put people off, such a shame!

Lewie

I honestly cannot understand why anybody continues to allow their animals to have an annual 'booster'. I urge anybody putting their dog through this every year to do some serious research. Google 'Canine Health Concern' and 'Catherine O'Driscoll' to learn about what the Vets don't tell you.
Over the last 40 years my dogs have mixed with thousands of other dogs every single weekend at dog shows and none of them have ever had a 'booster' in their lives. None of them have ever developed distemper, canine hepatitis, or leptospirosis, etc. What they have developed is their own strong immune systems. Just a thought, folks!

Thank you very much for your brave post. I say brave because many professional dog exhibitors and judges have said the same thing to me but the average pet owner of one or two will disagree. My dear dog friend passed away last year at 93 and she had more than 70 years experience breeding, showing and judging dogs. Her passion was soundness first, confirmation second, real food and nil medications. I learned so much from her - RIP I.C.