Vet prices...!!

zaksmum

Took my dog Lucy to the vet today as she's struggling at times with mobility. She's a Golden Retriever cross weighing 40kg, nearly 12 years old.

Vet put her on Metacam which I'm happy with. I heard it can be really helpful in cases like Lucy's.

The vet charged £30 for consultation and £65.91 for 180ml Metacam - a total of £95.91:eek: I looked online when I got home and Vet UK sells the same size for £19!

Obviously the vet has to make his profit - as do Vet UK - but that's just ridiculous.

Fortunately Lucy's insured, but I still have to pay £70 + 20% of the remainder of the cost as excess, so it'll cost me £75 anyway. Of course there'll only be the one £70 excess per condition as she will need to take metacam for life if it works for her.

Seems like a massive rip off though and very expensive for anyone whose dog isn't insured.

gettingtheresometime

I've often said that I can't work out whether the fact that the number of people who now insure their pets have resulted in higher vets prices or whether vets prices have meant that people have to insure their pets

pawsies

Try joint aid for dogs too.

Can get a 20 day free sample when you contact them- if it is gonna work it'll be within that period. Also miles cheaper than Metacam!

krlyr

Compare vet costs to private GP bills and we get a bargain with our pets IMO.

I work somewhere that buys in pet meds, and we can't buy it in for less than places like Animed sells it. They must get pretty good discounts for bulk buying to sell at what they do and still make a profit. A veteterinary surgery is a much different business model to an online pharmacy, it's like comparing apples and oranges. My OH also worked for a company that did contracts to supply & service equipment to vets, and told me it's not cheap - all costs need to be covered by all areas of their work if they want to turn a profit and remain in business.

I know you get some vets who may well be rip-off merchants, as you do in any business, but many of the costs are justified IMO.

hmc

That is a lot
The metacam mines just had after his op was only £40
Another colie we had got on better with the cheaper rimidil ( not sure how you spell it)

teddysmum

There was a newspaper article, about a year ago, in which it was concluded that insurance is the reason for rising costs. As costs are covered, owners demand more expensive, intricate procedures, but the vet practices then have to invest in special equipment, services and training, so increase their charges to cover.

gettingready

zaksmum wrote: »

Of course there'll only be the one £70 excess per condition as she will need to take metacam for life if it works for her.
.

I guess you will find that you will pay the £70.00 excess per condition per year so every year there will be new excess.

Zara is on Onsior which costs around £70.00 per month if bought at the vets. I ask the vets for a 6 months prescription, pay about £11.0 for the prescription, upload it to www.animeddidrect.co.uk and order from them at a cost of £21.30 per month - I claim both cost of the tablets and cost of prescription from my insurance.

harrys_nan

As gettingready says,
ask your vet for a prescription and buy online ask for a 6 months scrip

zaksmum

gettingready wrote: »

I guess you will find that you will pay the £70.00 excess per condition per year so every year there will be new excess.

Zara is on Onsior which costs around £70.00 per month if bought at the vets. I ask the vets for a 6 months prescription, pay about £11.0 for the prescription, upload it to www.animeddidrect.co.uk and order from them at a cost of £21.30 per month - I claim both cost of the tablets and cost of prescription from my insurance.

I don't see the advantage for the owner to buy online with a prescription from the vet. Surely once the excess is reached, it costs the owner nothing more? Apart from the 20% of the remainder of the vet fees? So buying online only saves money for the insurance company?

mtbbuxton

If it's a long term medication, some Insurers will dictate that you must get a prescription from your Vet and use their approved supplier.

I'm aware you didn't have an issue with them zaksmum and I'm not directing this at you, but regarding Consultation costs, the wages of the Vet Nurse and Reception Staff have to be factored in too, as well as the day to day running costs of the Building and Practice. I know if I'd spent as long studying as Vets do I wouldn't want to work for £10 an hour
I was also told that Vets are restricted as to where they can purchase drugs from, so can't benefit from the lower prices available via the Internet.
For various reasons my pets are cared for at two different Practices and the prices at each of them vary dramatically.

M x

Rev

I do think some vets will bump prices up if they know your pet is insured.

I went to a vet once and the first thing out of his mouth wasn't what's the problem or how is your dog it was 'is your dog insured'. I lost confidence instantly that he was interested in my dogs welfare before he was interested in money. I never went back.


I realise vets are expensive and at the end of the day they're a business. But if I think for one second the vet is more interested in getting as much cash as possible than they are in my animals well being. Then they can consider me an ex customer.