Cost of cat operation

beks

After two years of requesting an operation for our 5 (ish - was a rescue) year old cat, the vet has finally decided that she now needs to come in for an 'urgent' operation (not emergency).

The operation is to remove her anal glands, she has had to have them emptied every 8 weeks and previously the vets advised us that we (they) should continue to do this and not operate (against my better judgement, we agreed). Three weeks ago, during a routine check for her vaccinations, they told me there was a marked deterioration and there was now a fistulae which was leaking and they thought she would get worse, hence now the op is needed asap. We had to wait 3 weeks due to having her vaccinations as she would need antibiotics.

Anyway, the question is ... the cost of it is going to be more than £600 plus vat. I thought this was a little excessive but am wondering if anyone has any idea if thats a reasonable cost. I have no idea what op they are going to perform (I presume a removal of the glands) and if this is likely to cost more than usual because her condition has been left (on their advice). I am hoping to be able to claim it back on the pet insurance but am a little doubtful whether I will be able to, I will be phoning in the morning. Of course I will be paying it if that is what it costs but is it worth ringing round other vets to find out if their costs differ?



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david39

We had our dog's anal glands removed and the pet insurance paid for it.

If the pet insurance is not pepared to pay, then ring around other vets and ask for a ballpark figure. Your existing vet will have quoted a price somewhere along the line to the insurance company and that will be the price you end up paying because, once quoted, he can hardly then reduce it.

Vets have "special" expensive prices for insurance companies - if you are uninsured, they will quote you a cheaper price - usually considerably cheaper.

If you doubt this, why is the first thing they ask you before they quote a price "Is it covered by insurance?"
We actually did the experiment of ringing several vets for prices for standard treatments as insured and then uninsured clients. The vet always quoted less for the uninsured operation.

beks

david39 wrote: »

We had our dog's anal glands removed and the pet insurance paid for it.

If the pet insurance is not pepared to pay, then ring around other vets and ask for a ballpark figure. Your existing vet will have quoted a price somewhere along the line to the insurance company and that will be the price you end up paying because, once quoted, he can hardly then reduce it.

Vets have "special" expensive prices for insurance companies - if you are uninsured, they will quote you a cheaper price - usually considerably cheaper.

If you doubt this, why is the first thing they ask you before they quote a price "Is it covered by insurance?"
We actually did the experiment of ringing several vets for prices for standard treatments as insured and then uninsured clients. The vet always quoted less for the uninsured operation.

Thanks for the helpful post.
We were just given a ballpark figure by the vets, they did not mention insurance. I had to request info on costs over the phone because we didnt discuss it when there the other week. I was thinking about £400 inc vat so was well off with my estimations!! The cat is due to go in on Monday so I need to get onto the insurance tomorrow.
Thanks again, certainly reassuring to know.

rita-rabbit

why does the cat have it's anal glands emptied? Sorry I thought I would ask - one of mine has polyps on her bum but manages to `go' ok

beks

rita-rabbit wrote: »

why does the cat have it's anal glands emptied? Sorry I thought I would ask - one of mine has polyps on her bum but manages to `go' ok

:rotfl:Hmmm, nice topic!
For some reason, she is unable to empty them herself when going to the toilet (from what I have read, the faeces would normally empty the glands naturally). In our cats case, if they were not emptied then she started to leak anal gland fluid (otherwise known as stink juice;)) all over the place, and believe me, it is not a nice smell!! :eek: It also makes them very sore and can cause infection if they are left. She was put on antiobiotics a few months ago after they were emptied and she seemed to be a lot better (ie no leaking) but i think the fluid was leaking elsewhere - (although I cannot see anything wrong at her back end)!

With regards to the polyps, I would think this is a separate disorder - do you have to keep an eye on them? (I only ask this because polyps in a human bowel are generally pre cancerous but no idea if a cat is the same).

simontheiceman

david39 wrote: »

Vets have "special" expensive prices for insurance companies - if you are uninsured, they will quote you a cheaper price - usually considerably cheaper.

If you doubt this, why is the first thing they ask you before they quote a price "Is it covered by insurance?"

I've a response for this kind of troll post and its not polite, so I wont.

I have never increased the cost for an insurance company - its the same whether you're insured or not and the reason I ask "are you insured" is because I like to have some kind of idea how you are going to pay for treatment and I'm sick of this kind of attitude amongst clients.
In fact the last one to ask that type of question was shown the front door and told to go elsewhere; where, incidentally, the charges would be more expensive as I am already the cheapest in the area.

Incidentally bilateral anal sac removal in a cat would be about £400. If you're "on benifits" its still the same as if you are "a pensioner" and the same as if you are paying with hard cash. In fact its only more if you have to be taken to court to extract it from you.

Given that at any one time I am owed some £20,000 in outstanding amounts, its the clients who need a kick in the pants and not the vets cos I bet you don't go to work for nothing.

The above is fact, not spurious trolling.

beks

simontheiceman wrote: »

Incidentally bilateral anal sac removal in a cat would be about £400. If you're "on benifits" its still the same as if you are "a pensioner" and the same as if you are paying with hard cash. In fact its only more if you have to be taken to court to extract it from you.

Thanks simontheiceman. Its nice to get info from the 'other' side and very helpful too. £400 was about the cost I was reckoning on but I am not sure if there will now be more involved due to the fact it is leaking out elsewhere.

I have made an appointment before her op to discuss this with the vet first because I don't feel I have all the info I need. I am not sure of risks etc, only what I have read up on. I spoke to the insurance today and they are sending me a claim form, I will still have to wait to see if we are entitled to it so I wont know for another 2 weeks or so and she will have had her op by then.

On a sideline to that, I have never claimed insurance before so do I pay out and get the insurance co to pay me or is it paid directly to the vet?

simontheiceman

beks wrote: »

Thanks simontheiceman. Its nice to get info from the 'other' side and very helpful too. £400 was about the cost I was reckoning on but I am not sure if there will now be more involved due to the fact it is leaking out elsewhere.

I have made an appointment before her op to discuss this with the vet first because I don't feel I have all the info I need. I am not sure of risks etc, only what I have read up on. I spoke to the insurance today and they are sending me a claim form, I will still have to wait to see if we are entitled to it so I wont know for another 2 weeks or so and she will have had her op by then.

On a sideline to that, I have never claimed insurance before so do I pay out and get the insurance co to pay me or is it paid directly to the vet?

PM posted to you, but as an aside, and I just thought of this; ask the vet when they last did an anal sacculectomy on a cat. If that gets a negative response then ask them when was the last one they did on a dog... Experience does count in this operation.
Also... bearing in mind I dont have the full details here; has anyone suggested a simple flush with extended course of antibiotics as the next step? This can often be very helpful in settling these problems.
Simon

beks

simontheiceman wrote: »

PM posted to you, but as an aside, and I just thought of this; ask the vet when they last did an anal sacculectomy on a cat. If that gets a negative response then ask them when was the last one they did on a dog... Experience does count in this operation.
Also... bearing in mind I dont have the full details here; has anyone suggested a simple flush with extended course of antibiotics as the next step? This can often be very helpful in settling these problems.
Simon

Thanks Simon,

Your advice here has been invaluable.
She has been on a course of antibiotics recently as she had an infection there (three weeks of cefalexin - nightmare to give her!) and I thought it had improved as she had stopped leaking but at her vaccinations 2 months later, the vet was somewhat shocked by what he saw (no idea what but he talked of a fistulae and getting her in asap). I do have faith in the vets but am concerned because I dont feel like I am particularly informed about the op (for our last consultation we were rushed in and out because they had booked us in at the wrong surgery - they have 3 - and had to sqeeze us inbetween others). I think a chat with the vet is necessary so I will give them a ring.

Thanks again.

lowis

beks, if you haven't had insurance in place for at least two weeks prior to the problem with the anal glands starting (i.e. two years ago) then they you won't be covered. if you don't have insurance in place then you can't just go and buy some now and claim for this condition either - or any other illness that your cat has on it's medical records already.

it's still worth getting though if you don't have ready access to thousands of pounds...cats can be very expensive...i have claimed thousands for mine over the years, and i mean thousands, probably about £20k in total over 14 years

Silveralice

I'm a vet too and completely agree with simon - we very occasionally reduce our fees for clients with unexpected bills and genuine hardship (this does not generally include people who knowingly went out and bought a new pet without a second thought as to how they were going to pay for its care), but we certainly don't EVER increase our fees when a pet is insured. The reason we ask about insurance is because we know we can then plan to treat the animal as medically indicated rather than having to prioritise and limit treatment as we might need to do with a client with limited finances.
I also agree that a) £400 ish sounds about right for anal gland removal b) it's a procedure with a considerable risk of complications so should be done by someone with experience c) it would be unusual for removal to be necessary without trying flushing the glands etc first - it is usually an operation of last resort.
Good luck.