Vets4Pets first visit beware.

bouncydog1

Our springer got injured in the back garden, because out of the blue she decided to eat the wooden fence and literally pulled several of her teeth out!!! Visit to the vet, several hundred pounds later, we were very glad we had insurance. OP not having insurance is, as you say your choice. However please don't think that 30 years of experience means things can't/won't happen to your dog because you are careful! I have been a dog owner for 50 years plus and would never fail to be amazed by what they can get into.

Benzade

As I've stated in previous posts if you feel pet insurance is a must have for you and your pet then by all means take out a policy. I have no issues with that.

By the way Bouncydog1 my father has the same number of years experience as yourself both at working dog and pet level he never insures his dogs either. A very well respected breeder who also provide working dogs for shoots in Yorkshire where he purchased his last Labrador from who have over 40 years plus experience in the field, whilst making him aware of the Kennel Clubs pet insurance plan on purchasing his puppy said they don't bother with pet insurance either and deal with problems as/if they arise.

The point I'm making here is just because someone doesn't purchase pet insurance it doesn't automatically make them a naive or bad owner.

We had already made our minds up regards pet insurance before booking Lucy in for vaccination injections with Vets4Pets but during my first consultation there I got the feeling they was out to sell me as many products as they could rather than the long term interest in my dogs well being. Now I may have got a new Vet there who was out to impress her bosses higher up the food chain and prove her worth or maybe the branch I visited has a more aggressive sales policy than others I don't know. I'm just trying to make people aware of my experience there.

Shoshannah

A vet's job is to help educate owners so that they can make informed decisions about their pet's welfare.

The OP may have 30 years' experience with dogs; the next client through the door may not. I would always try to ascertain where on the scale somebody is - the last thing I want to do is patronise someone - but sometimes it's difficult when you only have a 10-15 minute appointment to get to know a new client.

Our practice schedules longer appointments with new clients or for new pets for this purpose.

Anyway, I always recommend pet insurance. Money-grubbing? No. It's just hard for vets when they are faced with euthanasing an animal with a fixable problem because the owners could not afford to fix it - and yes, I understand it is hard for them too (been there, done that). That said, if someone else has made an INFORMED decision not to take out insurance, on the basis that they can source funds from elsewhere, and they tell me that, then fine. End of discussion, as far as I am concerned.

But you'd be surprised. When someone comes in with an unspayed !!!!!, I will always venture the question: 'are you planning on having her spayed'?

When someone says 'no', I double check that they are familiar with the symptoms of pyometra and know how to check for mammary masses. Many people are. Fine. But a number are not, and then we can discuss it, and some people end up deciding to spay after all. Others don't, but at least they know what to look out for regarding problems and the consequences of these problems.

As I say, I would hate to patronise anyone. But until you ask, you just don't know.

Benzade

Hi Shoshannah nice to get a Vets prespective on this.
Surely the easiest way to ascertain where on the scale somebody is regards experience of a particular type of animal is is to ask when they bring a new puppy or kitten into your practice for it's first consultation "Have you had dogs/cats before?" if the client whom you have not met before says "Yes I've had dogs/cats for ex amount of years..." then you can answer "That's great well you'll know about such a such..." and you can leave it there as there's no need to explain yourself for asking.
You're then happy that the client knows his/her basic stuff and the client is not stood there slowly seething but too polite to say "I already know all this I've had dogs/cats ex amount of years" and sounding like they are full of themselves.

I'm not saying vets "money grub" however for some basic treatments such as worming tablets, flea treatments, shampoos etc practices charge more than the High Street that's a fact. Now I know you will come back that you have overheads and High Street chains will buy in bulk whereas you as a small concern cannot or those that you buy over the counter are just general run of the mill medications etc etc.
But in some cases for those basic items mentioned it's like going to your GP and having them write out a perscription for a medication for say a chesty cough. You get to the Pharmacy and the Chemist points out that this brand will clear your cough up just as well as the one prescribed by your GP and is cheaper than the prescription charge or worse still it's the same item but cheaper to buy directly over the counter!

It's what's seen as over charging on basic day to day items what gives the general public the impression that Vets do "money grub" and try to cash in at times.
Take my earlier example with the cod liver oil tablets the particular Vet who did that to me was well respected in our area. My father thought the sun shone out of him and trusted his word implicitly. But because he tried embarrassing me into buying over priced tablets my first impression of him was that of a money grabber and had I had dogs of my own at that time or he was still alive and practising today I wouldn't take any of my dogs to him unless it was an emergency.

For the sake of a getting a few pounds more out of me that day he risked losing a potential client for life and have me negatively publicising his pratice to my family and friends. Now to me that doesn't make sense.

gettingready

Sorry but it is quite irresponsible to say insurance is not needed and that one can avoid problems by keeping the dog away from "danagerous situations".

My dog is 6.5 now and the insurace paid out over 15k in total for her double hip replacement and related tests/xrays/MRI.

You just never know.

Benzade

gettingready wrote: »

Sorry but it is quite irresponsible to say insurance is not needed and that one can avoid problems by keeping the dog away from "danagerous situations".

My dog is 6.5 now and the insurace paid out over 15k in total for her double hip replacement and related tests/xrays/MRI.

You just never know.

At no point have I stated pet insurance is not needed. I have said that by being responsible you can REDUCE the risk of injury to your dog through accidents and fights with other dogs which is where the majority of non scheduled vets trips arise from if your animal is otherwise healthy.

Indeed I have said if you feel pet insurance is right for you and your pet by all means take out a policy.
What I would recomend is you shop around and don't accept the first policy pushed in front of you and fully understand the T&Cs of any policy you finally decide on just incase you need to make a claim at a later date.

Once again I will state that at present for me and my wife we are in a position to be able to afford veterniary care should our pet need it so pet insurance at present is not for us.

What irked me regarding the subject of pet insurance during my first consultation with Vets4Pets was the condesending tone and horrified look the Vet took with us then lecturing us on pet insurance even though my wife had clearly stated if Lucy our dog was ill we could afford the bills involved without pet insurance and we would gladly pay it unless the suffering of Lucy outweighed the actual benefit from the treatment or she had little chance of survival to enjoy the benefits of any treatment and it would mean more suffering for her..

People are jumping on snippits of my posts and commenting on them rather than the subject of Vets4Pets trying to claw back elsewhere the money they are losing on their vaccination for life promotion by selling you other gubbins during your first consultation with them.

krlyr

Maybe because they understand that vets are businesses - they need to sell things to make money. My vet tries to sell me things, e.g. I get the odd letter about offers on their monthly care plans, or offers on flea treatments, etc. It doesn't affect their veterinary skills, it just helps them make a profit which helps them to keep running and to also invest in new or better equipment and staff to provide a better service - so I'm all for it, I can choose for myself whether to purchase or sign up for any of their additional services.

~Chameleon~

RevolvingDoor wrote: »

I would agree with this. I don't like Pets at Home for this reason. My current vets is a small company and much better but even they tried to sell me some of their "quality" dog food but I had already researched the best brands and that wasn't one of them. It's much cheaper to buy online, Zooplus are great or just Amazon.

Pets At Home is a pet store, it's their job to sell you pet products :rotfl:

~Chameleon~

Benzade wrote: »

But in some cases for those basic items mentioned it's like going to your GP and having them write out a perscription for a medication for say a chesty cough. You get to the Pharmacy and the Chemist points out that this brand will clear your cough up just as well as the one prescribed by your GP and is cheaper than the prescription charge or worse still it's the same item but cheaper to buy directly over the counter!

Just to be pedantic, you do realise cough medicine doesn't actually work?! Therefore you'll rarely find a GP prescribing it, unless of course it's to placate a stroppy client. You know the type, the ones who insist on a prescription for antibiotics to treat a cold

PS why did you bother going to a corporate practice to utilise their "special offer" if you're so well-heeled you can afford to spend thousands on veterinary treatment? Surely a smaller private practice would be more up your street? Although, to be honest, I wouldn't want you as a client as you appear to be so far up your own backside I'm surprised you can see where you're going

Benzade

Thanks for taking the time to reply and chip in with such an informative and useful reply Chameleon.

It was my experience Vets4Pets did try to sell me other products (Pet Insurance being one of them). My warning is mainly for those not as wordly wise as Krlyr and other pet owners who have posted on here and are virgin pet owners for want of a better phrase.
I felt sorry for the young family I wittnessed leaving Vets4Pets laden with things and a lighter wallet that day, some of which they didn't really need and others they could certainly have purchased at a pet store or supermarket chain for considerably less which were just as good. Ok they left happy and none the wiser probably thinking they was doing the best for their little new arrival. But was it right to fleece them?

Why did I sign up to the Vaccination for life scheme? Well I like a good deal the same as anyone but I don't like nickel and diming which Vets4Pets are good at if you're not on the ball.

Caveat Emptor