Vets query

bezza56

Hi just joined tonight and I'm after some advice regarding a visit to the vets today.
I took my cat misty as she has a sore tail and also having trouble using her litter tray. When she had been checked over the vet came out to have a word with me. He told me she had to have a blood test and a thyroid test and told me the price. Then he mentioned about a phone call I had made a out 3 months ago(i spoke to a vet which i had forgotten about)regarding my other cat and said he had to add that phone consultation to the price. I just said yes ok, but I've been thinking about it and I'm not happy because the bill was expensive enough already, plus i hadn't been told that I'd have to pay at the time. Anyway they told me to phone and pay when I got home. So I rang when I got home only to be told that my bill was now nearly 40.00 more, so I said no that's not right I've got the invoice here and told her how much it said so she went and spoke to the vet and he came on the line. He gave the test results and said my cat needed medication as her thyroid result was quite high. Then told me if I wanted he could do me a prescription for 14.00 so I could order it online cheaper. So I said I'll do that then and said I would pop in tomorrow for the prescription. I'm really not happy that he added the medication on without consulting me first. I suffer with really bad anxiety and my stress levels went up drastically. The nurse came back on and said the medication had been taken off then she told what I owed and it was nearly £10 more than the invoice. I queried it and she said it was for the medication the vet had given me for her sore tail which was already accounted for. By this time I was so stressed that I said I would ring back and pay in the morning, said goodbye and hung up. The advice I need is should I have to pay for that phone consultation even though I wasnt told about it, and did the vet act unprofessional when he billed me for medication without asking me first. 

Thank you.
Bezza

KimBaumgart

Hi! I don't know if they issued to your result but I would pick up the results of blood work and book a consultation to another vet. I think it is quite unprofessional not to explain to the owner the pathology and just prescribe drugs. 

sheramber

A phone call 3 months ago was during lockdown and vet were doing phone consultations.
As you spoke to the vet then yes, you need to pay the same as if you had gone into the surgery.
  Usually when commencing a treatment the vet will issue  a small amount of medicine to check if it is working as it should. He would normally provide that at the time so that the animal got the treatment as soon as possible.
You asked for a prescription so he has taken the cost of the bill and  will bill you for providing the prescription. Have you checked the cost online It is not always cheaper overall adding the cost of the prescription to the cost of the medicine.

And , of course,  there will be a delay in your cat getting treatment as you will have to wait for it to be sent to you.

bezza56

It want a phone consultation. I was speaking to the receptionist and she went to ask the vet for advice then the vet came on the line and at no time during the conversation did she say I had to pay or I would of payed willingly at the time.

Savvy_Sue

Someone made a mistake. You would have paid willingly at the time, does their mistake mean you shouldn't have to pay? 

bezza56

It wasnt actually a pre booked consultation so I shouldn't of had to pay anyway!!

sheramber

It doesn't matter if it is pre booked or not. You got advice from the vet. He spent time talking to you and using his expertis to answer your question. You are due to pay for that.
Pre booking has nothing to do with it.   
 An emergency visit is not pre booked but you still have to pay

bezza56

So basically your saying everytime you speak to a vet your charged for it? I spoke to him 3 times at the appointment does that mean I should pay for that too!!

donnac2558

You are missing the point OP.

If there was no lockdown you would I hope have taken the other cat to the vet who would have to check it out and you would have been charged for that.   But you spoke to the vet over the phone and got what doctors are also doing, speaking to you over the phone and deciding if you needed to come in or not. 

If I had to phone the vet in normal times I spoke to the receptionist who passed me to the vet nurse and I explained they told me to wait or bring my cat in.   Other times the vet has phoned me back and if needed just left a prescription or told me to bring my cat in.

You spoke to a professional for advice and they gave you hopefully set your mind at rest.   The same as example you phoned a solicitor for advice you really think they just give free advice over the phone as well, no they will charge you for their time and expertise.

sheramber

No, if you spoke to him three times during the same  appointment then it would be one consultation charge. but if you had three appointment then you would have  three charges.
You spoke to the vet  once during the phone call-( a substitute  for an appointment due to lockdown) so you pay one charg for that.
if you phoned back the next day and spoke to him again you would get another charge.
 Vets are  professionals who charge for their time whether on the phone or in person.

Savvy_Sue

OP, you have clearly lost confidence in your vet practice. I'd start phoning round a few others and asking whether they charge for phone consultations. (But I still think you need to pay what they are asking!)