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PDSA and neutering

I have just become eligible to use the PDSA for my pets. One of my rabbits is due to be neutered, do the PDSA do this and if so is there a set fee or is it still done via donation? Also does anyone know if Drontal wormers and Frontline are cheaper to buy from them or is it still best to get them online?
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  • f1re_cr4cker
    f1re_cr4cker Posts: 1,443 Forumite
    my mate uses the pdsa and i believe there is a set fee for neutering and that wormers and frontline are cheaper from them but im not 100% on that.
  • Well, I actually rang the PDSA today and was told they charge £45 to neuter a male rabbit which I thought was a bit expensive considering you have to be on a low income to be eligible for their services. I am sure it didn't cost much more than that when I had my other bunnies done at my private vet a year or two ago. They are always trying to encourage people to get their animals neutered and I totally agree that they should, but at that sort of price it is not going to encourage people. I have always had my bunnies neutered but I am suffering real hardship at the moment and cannot afford £45. I also enquired about the prices of Stronghold (they don't do Frontline) and Drontal for cats and dogs and although they were a bit cheaper I am sure I have seen them cheaper online so probably will order them from there.
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956
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    The PDSA is a charity and relies on donations, it isn't subsidised by an outside body, therefore the priority is to treat sick/injured pets for those on low incomes. The income generated by (the more recent) additional provision of routine work such as neutering, vaccination and flea/worm control helps to subsidise the costs in other areas to ensure it can still provide a service to those on low incomes.

    To be honest if you can't afford to pay for routine and preventative procedures then you really should think twice about owning a pet in the first place! The PDSA isn't an alternative service to using a vet, it's there in cases of emergency for those who find themselves unable to cover the cost of treatment.
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
  • little_evo
    little_evo Posts: 384 Forumite

    To be honest if you can't afford to pay for routine and preventative procedures then you really should think twice about owning a pet in the first place!

    I think this is somewhat harsh to the OP as they said they have fallen on hard times and are simply enquiring about a question on neutering. Telling someone they should get rid of their pet is a bit too much don't you think because if they didn't care they wouldn't even be bothering about asking now would they?
  • homeworkgirl
    homeworkgirl Posts: 373 Forumite
    The PDSA is a charity and relies on donations, it isn't subsidised by an outside body, therefore the priority is to treat sick/injured pets for those on low incomes. The income generated by (the more recent) additional provision of routine work such as neutering, vaccination and flea/worm control helps to subsidise the costs in other areas to ensure it can still provide a service to those on low incomes.

    To be honest if you can't afford to pay for routine and preventative procedures then you really should think twice about owning a pet in the first place! The PDSA isn't an alternative service to using a vet, it's there in cases of emergency for those who find themselves unable to cover the cost of treatment.

    Oh thank you so much for your helpful reply! If you had read my post properly you would note that up until recently I always had my pets neutered by my private vet which again, up until recently, was able to afford! Through no fault of my own I am now one of those "who find themselves unable to cover the cost of treatment" as you put it! So sorry about that!
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956
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    little_evo wrote: »
    I think this is somewhat harsh to the OP as they said they have fallen on hard times and are simply enquiring about a question on neutering. Telling someone they should get rid of their pet is a bit too much don't you think because if they didn't care they wouldn't even be bothering about asking now would they?

    First of all I didn't "tell someone to get rid of their pet" - I simply stated the truth regarding the facilities the PDSA can offer, and why. If that comes across as harsh then so be it, nothing in this life is free!

    I respectfully suggest you actually read what I wrote before just firing off an emotive response.
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956
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    Oh thank you so much for your helpful reply! If you had read my post properly you would note that up until recently I always had my pets neutered by my private vet which again, up until recently, was able to afford! Through no fault of my own I am now one of those "who find themselves unable to cover the cost of treatment" as you put it! So sorry about that!

    I was simply providing the facts for the benefit of anyone reading. Perhaps I should have stressed that the use of the word 'you' was in generic terms and not meant personally :)
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
  • mrcol1000
    mrcol1000 Posts: 4,787
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    Oh thank you so much for your helpful reply! If you had read my post properly you would note that up until recently I always had my pets neutered by my private vet which again, up until recently, was able to afford! Through no fault of my own I am now one of those "who find themselves unable to cover the cost of treatment" as you put it! So sorry about that!


    I think the point was that you were complaing about PDSA charging £45 to neuter a rabbit. If private vets are cheaper for neuting then go to them. You should count yourself lucky there are organisations such as PDSA to step in when people can't afford vets fees.

    The only point is that if your getting this rabbit neuted you obviously haven't had it long so surely if you thought that your end up not being able to pay for vets fees yourself then it might not been such a good idea to get a rabbit?
  • homeworkgirl
    homeworkgirl Posts: 373 Forumite
    mrcol1000 wrote: »
    I think the point was that you were complaing about PDSA charging £45 to neuter a rabbit. If private vets are cheaper for neuting then go to them. You should count yourself lucky there are organisations such as PDSA to step in when people can't afford vets fees.

    The only point is that if your getting this rabbit neuted you obviously haven't had it long so surely if you thought that your end up not being able to pay for vets fees yourself then it might not been such a good idea to get a rabbit?

    The rabbit in question has been offered to us by a neighbour. One of my bonded pair died suddenly 4 weeks ago and his mate is pining so I am trying to find another mate for her. Unfortunately I just found out that none of my neighbour's rabbits have been neutered. If my partner was still alive and also I had still been working I would have had no hesitation in taking him along to the private vet I have used for years but unfortunately I am not able to do that on this occasion and having recently only become eligible for PDSA services due to low income, I just assumed that they would be a lot cheaper or that it would be done on a donation basis. I certainly didn't expect it to be that expensive that's all. If we have him we have to get him neutered because when he has visited my rabbit, although they get on well most of the time, after a while he just tries to hump her all the time.

    Chameleon, your post put my back up a bit because it came across as giving me a moral lecture. I have always been a very caring and responsible pet owner and have happily paid many years of private veterinary fees out of my earnings.

    Mrcol, of course I would use a private vet if they were cheaper. I am just trying to get the point across that if the PDSA charges that much to neuter animals, particularly a small rabbit, then they are not going to have much success with their campaign to get owners to neuter their pets are they. I adore my pets and their welfare has always been extremely high on my priority list but I have to say that I know very few people, particularly those on very low incomes, who could/would afford that sort of price just for neutering, particularly a rabbit. As it is, we seem to be the odd ones out around here because we have always had all our pets neutered and I don't see any changes happening unless there is quite a big reduction in vets fees. I know the PDSA is a charity but I can't believe they they could not lower their fees a bit if they really want to get the message across to pet owners to neuter their pets.

    Going back to getting a mate for Merry, we will have to think again. I have just seen a possible ideal mate for her in the free-ads and guess what..........it's neutered already!
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956
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    edited 14 July 2009 at 5:02PM
    If you knew exactly what was involved in neutering a rabbit you certainly wouldn't consider £45 to be expensive!

    The risk of anaesthesia is considerably higher than cats/dogs and they require a lot of extra care and monitoring not only during the operation but pre and post-op too!

    The combination of drugs used are more expensive too, so taking everything into consideration it actually costs the practice more to neuter a rabbit than it does a cat!

    ETA: If anyone reading this is struggling to afford the cost of neutering a cat/dog/rabbit and lives in the Midlands/Portsmouth/IOW areas then they might want to contact a charity called Friends Of the Animals who will substantially help with the cost.

    http://www.friendsoftheanimals.co.uk/neuter.htm
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
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