Vetinary Fees

sophieschoice

Pets are expensive and I think when compulsory micro chipping comes in then compulsory insurance should follow.
My vet is absolutely lovely and I've seen him up ladders painting the outside of his tiny surgery to save money.
On my way to work today I noticed him hauling boxes to the premises he's moving into nearby as he needs more space.
I had to phone my pet insurance company today for a claim form and I commented that we always buy insurance in the hope we won't need it.

kara7758

I recently had to have dental treatment for my old cat. He also had other problems that needed meds.

I was quoted £409 by my vet for extractions etc and could not afford this ( pet insurance does not cover for dental treatment in older cat). That was on top of the £148 I'd already paid for tests and meds.

I thought I would have to have him put to sleep because I simply did not have the money. Thanks to members on this forum they helped me see clearly and I shopped around.

I found a vet close by who did the same treatment for £192.34. This included after care phone calls x 2 and an after care visit plus free samples of dry food to try with him.

My previous vets has never made after care phone calls or offered free samples of anything

Same maintenance of equipment costs, salaries to be paid rent etc etc. Go figure...................

chris_n_tj

I know we are very, very lucky. We have the best Vet in the UK, I kid you not. I wish we could clone him and and put him in every village.

He is one in a million, he doesnt overcharge even if its through the insurance. He puts the amimal first, in fact I think he likes the animals better than their owners.

He has a wonderful bunch of staff, and I have the upmost respect for them all.

They open 24/7 and there isa Vet on call at all times. Yes he has a living to make, and staff to pay. But not all Vets are just in it for the " money"

So even though I dont think my Vet will ever see this.

Steve Arundell of Arundell Vets in Doncaster. You are one in a million, the world be a better place if there were more like you in it.

Chris x

Person_one

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Really? You're living on the poverty line so decide to add to your costs by getting an animal....

Brilliant budgeting

Um, I have two dogs and a low income.

The benefits of pets are pretty well proven, they shouldn't be something that only the well off can have access to. I have a plan for if they ever need expensive vet care but it wouldn't be easy.

Some of the poorest people are the most caring owners, look at the bond between some homeless people and their dogs.

Person_one

sophieschoice wrote: »

Pets are expensive and I think when compulsory micro chipping comes in then compulsory insurance should follow.

Absolutely not!

You only need to read some of the stories about insurance companies and their practices on here to realise why that's a terrible idea.

Even Martin Lewis advocates self insuring if you can.

Spirit_2

Person_one wrote: »

Um, I have two dogs and a low income.

The benefits of pets are pretty well proven, they shouldn't be something that only the well off can have access to. I have a plan for if they ever need expensive vet care but it wouldn't be easy.

Some of the poorest people are the most caring owners, look at the bond between some homeless people and their dogs.

There would be many more demands on the NHS but for companion animals.

People make all sorts of decisions that can have 'unexpected' costs years down the line. Marry unsuitable people and divorce, 'choose' to be less educated and reduce their own life chances, pick employers who go then downsize and make them redundant. The list is endless.

I would love to see pet ownership beyond the reach of the !!!!less and those who get bored with them quickly, but do not see it as something you only make an economc decison about.
To give an animal a worthwhile home rather than life in a rescue centre will usually be better all round. It will be madness if it becomes a rare thing for an elderly pensioner to 'afford' a cat.

Where it is more tricky is when owners want to give their pets the best available treatments and they cannot afford it and do not have insurance. Sadly then their own economic situation should inform their decisions. It is not the vets fault.

We also have to rationalise what is needed. Scale and polishing for cats is quite a recent offering.

As to whether the cost is reasonable then people can only benchmark costs as suggested in the posts above to test the market with other practices and online drugs.

3v3

Person_one wrote: »

....
Even Martin Lewis advocates self insuring if you can.

And, thanks to following his advice, I ended up with an enormous vets bill

His advice is given based on averages. It does not take into consideration the unexpected or exceptions to the norm.

While I have a high regard for much of his advice, on this particular issue, his advice is .... ill advised!!

Toothsmith

3v3 wrote: »

And, thanks to following his advice, I ended up with an enormous vets bill

His advice is given based on averages. It does not take into consideration the unexpected or exceptions to the norm.

While I have a high regard for much of his advice, on this particular issue, his advice is .... ill advised!!

I'd agree.

Might get away with it if you'd just sold a website for £87m, but in the real world, pet insurance should be a must for anyone with a pet.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

It's so refreshing to read comments by non-judgmental people.

Soubrette

Toothsmith wrote: »

I'd agree.

Might get away with it if you'd just sold a website for £87m, but in the real world, pet insurance should be a must for anyone with a pet.

I absolutely disagree with this. I self insure and somehow my vets (closest because Dog is elderly and can't walk far any more) can always offer cheaper options when they find out I'm not insured.

When I say self insure, I don't mean ignore the chances that my dog will need treatment I mean put money aside to cover it and starting with a lump sum already. I don't have to subsidise people who will put their animals through treatments because because they can't face life without them, I don't have to subsidise owners who have ill trained dogs or are escape artists and more likely to involved in accidents. I don't have to worry that my dogs condition may not be covered or if I have exceeded any limits on treatment and I don't have to worry about finding money for his routine treatments as so much is not covered by insurance or how much the excess will be. I don't have to cover overheads and profits for any insurance company with my premiums. If my elderly dog ever needs on going treatment or an operation then I'll shop around.

If I had no accessible cash then I would definitely insure, if I had a good size pot of emergency money then I would never insure.

I don't do dental insurance either