Author Topic: Sick of being ripped off  (Read 5768 times)

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Offline rubyduby

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Sick of being ripped off
« on: July 27, 2017, 12:49:03 PM »
I am sick of being ripped of by vets, the costs have been inflated massively due to more people being insured, I choose not to, but am still charged the over inflated prices....it is time something was done about this blank cheque book. Today , sedation, lip fold clean and small tube of cream, she went in at 10,30 and was home by 12.30 ...£180.... Now I know why the vet didnt want to go straight to the fold surgery, why should he , if it doesnt work and it usually doesn't last , he will get the price of the surgery on top, wish more could be done about these robbing 'proffessionals'.....

Offline TheAdventuresofBarnaby

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2017, 11:55:38 AM »
I feel for you.

My mother spent quite literally a fortune at her local vets on her extremely past-end-of-quality-life yorkie.  On the times I accompanied her on visits,  I was astounded at the vetinary staff's line up of company cars... Porches,  Jags and top of the range Mercs.

It seems the animal welfare game is a very good gravy train????

Fortunately here our little CZ town things are still normal and our vets provide good service at reasonable cost.  In fact at such good prices that there is a good line of trade from German owners bringing their dogs here for treatment.

Offline Mari

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2017, 12:02:04 PM »
While I agree that veterinary bills are very expensive, especially since I am struggling to make ends meet atm, there are many things that cause these bills to be so high. Keep in mind that a vets office has a lot of expenses. Salary for highly educated employees, continued training courses to keep their knowledge up to date as medicine is an ever-changing field, diagnostic equipment and maintenance of it, professional cleaning and disinfection of the clinic space, insurances, VAT, system for keeping medical records, being stocked in materials and meds so they are prepared for "anything" at all times...

In my country veterinarians, vet nurses and assistants earn a lot less money than their colleagues in human medicine. Still as pet owners the prices seem unreasonably high. Unfortunately medical care is expensive. I would never risk not having insurance, not on my house or my car, and definitely not on my beloved pet. It is annoying that it is necessary, but that is just the way it is.

My cocker managed to steal some chocolate the other day, that mistake cost me over £100. All my dog needed was two injections. But I am paying for the time the vet and nurse spends with my dog in addition to the medicine itself. And if they don't cover the expenses of the clinic by charging costumers, then there won't be a clinic there to help our pets.

The only way to control how much vet care will cost us is insurance. I think we would be better served trying to get better deals from insurance companies than from pressuring vets to lower prices. I feel your frustration, I am currently struggling financially and the vet bills are a huge problem for me. But having seen it from the other side too I know that the money I leave at the vets will need to cover much more than just the salary of the person treating my dog.

I'm usually very honest with my vet. If money is tight I tell them. My dog is my baby and I want the best care for her, I'll scrape together the funds I need somehow. But if the medical treatment is likely to fail I would rather do the more expensive surgery and get it over with. Or if the medical treatment has a high success rate then I would prefer that option. If you have a decent vet with a solid education, then part of that education was about choosing treatments that are financially suitable to the costumer as well as securing animal welfare. Of course welfare should come first, but if a costumer indicates that money is an issue a compromise should be made when choosing an intervention (as long as it is responsible in regards to welfare).

Sorry for the long-winded reply. But I find that knowing where the money goes makes me less frustrated with the prices. I usually ask for a detailed invoice too, let's me see what the medicine costs, the treatment and how much is VAT.

Offline rubyduby

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2017, 12:09:46 PM »
Our vets seem to know less and less, and are quite happy to rip you off indefinately then suggest you see a specialist, they tell you it is 24 hr service, then you find out, they just 'pop' in...yes they have establishments to pay for , but they also have a lot more customers, plus other vets raking it in. This is why animals are suffering , people can have pets for decades and they arent ill, but blimey when they are they have a shock at how inflated the prices are. It does not reflect the knowledge (which is minimal) not the time spent with them (which is minimal) and as for medication, they charge at least double the price you can get it online, and yes online are making a profit sooo....

Offline Londongirl

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2017, 12:18:57 PM »
I wonder if vets' bills seem so high because we are not exposed to the true cost of healthcare for ourselves.
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Offline ips

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2017, 12:21:35 PM »
Interesting observation  👍
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Mari

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2017, 12:35:30 PM »
I wonder if vets' bills seem so high because we are not exposed to the true cost of healthcare for ourselves.

I think you are on to something. That's the case in Norway at least. Not only does the state pay for much of our own healthcare so the bill we get to see is only a part of the actual cost, but the veterinary bill has a 25% VAT on top that the vet can't help. So compared to my lovely sponsored medical bill my dogs' vet bill looks crazy. But my vet earns less money than my doctor, yet my vet is the one people call greedy while my doctor is the hero that helps people...Perception is everything...I think they are both worth it :)
Not saying there aren't some incompetent or greedy vets out there, but it's much more complicated than people think when all they see is the final bill ;)

Offline Darwin

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2017, 03:40:07 PM »
I wonder if vets' bills seem so high because we are not exposed to the true cost of healthcare for ourselves.

We lived in the US back in 2000/2001 and where covered by comprehensive healthcare, but paid $10 cash per visit to the doctors.  Our son was a toddler so loads of visits to the doctors. - vaccinations, ear infections and  general child hood illnesses, but nothing major.  When we retuned to the UK I was forwarded a copy of all the invoices.  So the cost for one year for our son was over $15000 and that was 16 years ago!!

Offline aliceandlouis

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2017, 04:32:54 PM »
I wonder if vets' bills seem so high because we are not exposed to the true cost of healthcare for ourselves.

Totally agree with you Londongirl  :D - I have been saying this for years!!!! - and Mari, until you mentioned VAT it had completely passed me by that it would be charged - silly me!

Offline ollie nathan's mum

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2017, 04:35:48 PM »
Interesting observation  👍

I couldn't agree more
Ollie D.O.B 29/03/2010

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2017, 04:53:35 PM »
 When  I read what some of you pay in UK compared to what I pay here in Germany, it makes my hair stand on end. My vet also has a modern practice, has staff to pay etc but pet insurance is not quite so common here, I've only ever been referred to a specialist once and that was for my first dog who needed eye surgery and we went to a university vet clinic, they used the operation for teaching purposes andmwe weren't charged anything at all. I do believe its the pet insurance industry that is the cause of a lot of unnecessary tests etc.
As for the US Health system, - we received huge bills when my son was there for 6 months, they had a birthday when he produced his health insurance certificate and thought they could charge whatbthey liked. Fortunately the insurance company were aware of the amounts they were allowed to charge and what they were trying to charge and there was a huge difference!!! Our GP was amazed that they were charging $500 for a test which he was only allowd to charge 40€ for!
I imagine the pet insurance is very similar. It would be interesting to compare what I pay for certain things here with UK prices.
Removal of grass seed from ear with anasthaetic , infusion and antibiotic injection, incl. removal of tooth plaque (good opportunity while he was under sedation) and a tube of ear cream was €129.
Rabies shot - 25 euros, ultrasound to detect his missing testical (ca. 20 minutes) €30.

Offline Jaysmumagain

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2017, 05:49:11 PM »
I could have posted this before :shades:, but a work mate dogs was on thyroid medication, and she would get 3 months supply at a time, she went for a repeat and was horrified that they wanted around £30 for one months supply, she came into work in a state of shock, working at a medical center with a pharmacy we were able get the actually cost for thyroid tablets for us humans, armed with this she phoned the vets.

She explained that she could understand an increase but this was to excess,  the pharmacy knowledge costing was also relayed - vet said he would look into the price, later the lady vet who prescribed the medication for the dog phoned and apologised and said a refund and two months medication was waiting for her to collect.

Another thing is also (at the moment) you can get generic medication which is made to EU regs - which is exported and then imported back at lower prices, so unless it is still under licences to the main manufacturer(who invented it) it's can be pennies.
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Offline PennyB

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2017, 11:55:50 PM »
My vets (who I am friends with too so know they are telling me the truth) tell me they have to buy at higher prices than we can buy for some of products you get online. Some of stuff I buy re cat food I can get online at the price my vets can only buy it at too even though htye use the same warehousing/suppliers as the online ones. In the case of my practice its quite small too so they can't buy lots of stock particularly of items than have a short sell by date, e.g. vaccinations.

And yes it didn't help when VAT went up too

Plus vets are actually obliged to use vet meds 1st and then human meds if no vet meds exist - I have spoken to numerous vets about this from different practices and rules have changed more so of late I believe. Vets are regulated by their own body and thus have to abide by them. I often chat to various vets I see (either practices I have to go to with my fosters or if my dogs are referred to other vets) as am often curious so ask lots of questions when I see them
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Offline rubyduby

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2017, 08:51:51 AM »
Regardless of whether we compare with doctors (and I for one would not pay GPs in washers) the prices are high, our vet charges £33 for a 10 min consultation and £55 for 20 min. Since seeing my most recent vet (long story) all he has done is listen to me and produce meds, he as not contributed anything in knowledge at all, for all his training and high bills. it is a gravy train....This is similar to previous vets. the even class themselves as '1st stop' vets, the inference being that they have minimal knowledge and will pass you on to  a specialist , usually once they have rung you dry. The take money for meds/ treatment for decades for animals with on going conditions, but when the animal dies they don't offer free euthanasia ......When you leave them at the vets you get a bill with a string of meds provided, half of which I am pretty sure the animal never gets, and some of the information that goes on behind the scenes is pretty dire. Vets here are well known for their conning of pet owners, and it is a disgrace and should be dealt with. I have used vets for 40 yrs now and have yet to come across one who has not shoved inappropriate and downright useless meds at me.... for no other purpose than to asure their wages

Offline aliceandlouis

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Re: Sick of being ripped off
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2017, 09:20:16 AM »
Regardless of whether we compare with doctors (and I for one would not pay GPs in washers) the prices are high, our vet charges £33 for a 10 min consultation and £55 for 20 min. Since seeing my most recent vet (long story) all he has done is listen to me and produce meds, he as not contributed anything in knowledge at all, for all his training and high bills. it is a gravy train....This is similar to previous vets. the even class themselves as '1st stop' vets, the inference being that they have minimal knowledge and will pass you on to  a specialist , usually once they have rung you dry. The take money for meds/ treatment for decades for animals with on going conditions, but when the animal dies they don't offer free euthanasia ......When you leave them at the vets you get a bill with a string of meds provided, half of which I am pretty sure the animal never gets, and some of the information that goes on behind the scenes is pretty dire. Vets here are well known for their conning of pet owners, and it is a disgrace and should be dealt with. I have used vets for 40 yrs now and have yet to come across one who has not shoved inappropriate and downright useless meds at me.... for no other purpose than to asure their wages

Rubyduby you have clearly been having huge problems over the years finding a vet (and GP) whose opinion you respect and trust, which is sad given that you are clearly a longstanding and caring pet owner.  I wonder if maybe you live somewhere where there is limited choice (i.e. somewhere remote or with only a very few options?) - under those circumstances I can understand how you might feel 'stuck' with what's available.  I feel very fortunate in comparison and have never had any complaints with vet, GP or hospital services - all seems so unfair and a bit of a lottery it would appear.  I know that you don't want to compare with doctors, but as a matter of interest I have just googled a local private GP service here in Hampshire (the nearest equivalent to a vet in terms of employment/payment) and they charge £75 for a 20min appointment - which I think makes an interesting comparison.