Dog Hip Replacement - cost and shopping around?

lawtz04

Hi all

I didnt know where to post this so family seemed like the best place.
Our 2 year old springer poodle needs a hip replacement operation and I was hoping for advice from people who may have been through the same thing.

We have been quoted by (our very good) vet £4,500.

Our insurance covers upto £2000 a year so we will have to find the rest of the money. My question is, does this price sound ok? Can you 'shop around?' Clearly I dont want to save money at the expense of a good surgery but wanted to check. Can you check up on surgeons to see how good they are?! Thanks all!

Pollycat

Sorry, can't help with your question but I'd ask a mod to move your thread to here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=143

lawtz04

If a mod could do that it would be great? Thanks!

Dizzy_Ditzy

Hi

Your thread may get more responses from the Pets board so I'll move it across for you

mac.d

That sounds reasonable. My dog's hip op cost £3500-4000 and that was a few years ago now, and I'd heard of others paying around £5000 at that time.

As for shopping around, I think it probably depends whereabouts in the country you are, its a specialist op, and usually your own vet refers you to an orthopaedic vet.

Might be worth posting your query in a specialist pet forum (try petforums.co.uk) for more feedback.

LusciousLuce

I'd say the price is fine - I've seen claims from practices charging more than that. It really depends whereabouts you are and if there are other referral practices in the area.

If your practice is referring you they probably have experience of other pets they've referred there for the same procedure and other operations, so they should have confidence in the referral practice. Speak to them about it and ask if there are other options in the area.

Also, when you go for the initial referral consultation you're not committed to anything. The surgeon will talk through the procedure and the plan with you and if you're not happy with him/her or the hospital you can go elsewhere. Your insurance might not cover you for additional consults at other referral practices though. And once you've made the decision, your insurance company might offer the option of a pre-authorisation assessment of the potential claim before you go ahead. Then you'll know you're covered (although you'll still have to find the rest of the cost due to your policy limit).

gettingready

Zara's came to over 7k each (including all the bits and pieces follow ups etc etc) , 3 years ago but she is a 40kg dog and hers were done at the "TV star vet"

sheramber

You can ask the vet how many such operations he has done and what was the outcome.

questionss

Sounds about right. Does she need both doing? You may (almost definitely will) find your insurers treat both as the same condition too...

no1catman

First question is 'quality' how good are they? Then if you have a choice between places that are equally good, decide via price. No point, in going via price first - the dog suffers, and you may have to do it again.

gettingready

Was the 4500 quote per hip? Remember, this is just a quote and final bill may be very different.

Is your insurance 2k per year for life or is it per condition? If per condition - you will have min 7k to pay yourself as both hips will be treated as same condition by the insurers.

You do not say where you are?

This is where Zara had her hips replacement, she had both done, 6 months apart

Fitzpatrick Referrals

Some Info

Poor dog to need to have it done at just 2 years