vets fees

sheshegabore

When is somebody going to get the Government to create a Vetenary Obusman to regulate the ridiculous price of vet fees?

elsien

Even if there was one, it’s not an ombudsman’s role to regulate fees. 

marcia_

 Why should vets not charge for their expertise of several years of university? You can also shop around some charge less than others. 

Mnoee

My vet offers monthly payment plans for the annual vaccinations/check up, there's insurance for anything unexpected. If you can't afford a large cost in one go, there's options other than 'hope nothing happens'. They're paried with a charity and offer very cheap neuter and chip appointments for people on low incomes. 

We're largely shielded from the cost of human medicine thanks to the NHS - with long term health conditions and friends in the USA I'm well aware of just how expensive some are. A quick Google shows they're spending about £1300 per year for one of my medications. I take a fair few cheaper ones too on top of that expensive one and pay £0 - thanks NHS! 

As well as routine appointments, most vets provide or are paired with a 24/7 service - and I'm happy to pay a little extra for my expected midweek appointments to subsidise the fact that someone will also be there day and night this bank holiday if I need them. 

Lastly, when I Google 'average cost of cat vaccination uk', moneysupermarket tells me the recent boosters my moggies had should cost about £49.55 - and mine charged £39, around 20% less than the average. For entirely selfish reasons, I don't want regulation if it means I'm paying more! 

sheramber

No different to Harrods charging more than Tesco.

Vets are  private businesses like any other private business. They are nothing to do with the Government.

Running costa vary depending on the cost of premises, what equipment the surgery has and the servicing costs.

My vet in a rural area of the highlands was cheaper then the city vet I now use. The cost of buying premises in the rural area is much cheaper then the cost of the city premises.

Vets spend years  at a great cost to qualify and are entitled  to  receive remuneration to reflect that.

I remember when my vet had ono xray machine on the premises. no veterinary nurses, no facility to do blood tests on the premises so they had to be sent away to a lab, meaning days delay until you got the result.

Murphybear

Mnoee said:

My vet offers monthly payment plans for the annual vaccinations/check up, there's insurance for anything unexpected. If you can't afford a large cost in one go, there's options other than 'hope nothing happens'. They're paried with a charity and offer very cheap neuter and chip appointments for people on low incomes. 

We're largely shielded from the cost of human medicine thanks to the NHS - with long term health conditions and friends in the USA I'm well aware of just how expensive some are. A quick Google shows they're spending about £1300 per year for one of my medications. I take a fair few cheaper ones too on top of that expensive one and pay £0 - thanks NHS! 

As well as routine appointments, most vets provide or are paired with a 24/7 service - and I'm happy to pay a little extra for my expected midweek appointments to subsidise the fact that someone will also be there day and night this bank holiday if I need them. 

Lastly, when I Google 'average cost of cat vaccination uk', moneysupermarket tells me the recent boosters my moggies had should cost about £49.55 - and mine charged £39, around 20% less than the average. For entirely selfish reasons, I don't want regulation if it means I'm paying more! 

When people complain about the cost of prescriptions they don’t often realise just how expensive many drugs are.  See the following, it will make your eyes water


“The revolutionary gene therapy, known by its brand name Libmeldy®, has a list price of £2.8 million and was the most expensive drug in the world when NHS England negotiated a significant confidential discount last year to make the treatment available to NHS patients – it remains the most expensive drug licensed in Europe 15 Feb 2023”

I have an American cousin who is a vet.  I don’t know how much he charges but, judging from his house and car, it’s a lot 

Joyful

Having just had a dog put to sleep, I have been happy with my insurers. I feel unhappy though that once a dog passes 7 the premiums go up, even if never claimed.  As I was left with his sister who had no issues at all I looked in case I could bring her premiums down. As she is 10 I could only get £3000 cover for one occasion, not ongoing,so instead I'm stuck with a premium double that. At least it covers for a higher amount plus ongoing treatment. Mind you, I will be paying his 20% excess off for a while.

baser999

Our old cat is nearly 17 and suffers with renal issues and we can no longer get insurance cover for him, so every routine check-up can be expensive; we just take a deep intake of breath and pay up. As for any medication, unless it’s immediate, we order this on line which proves way cheaper than buying from the vet, even taking account of their fee for the prescription.
I don’t begrudge the vets fees as much as I do the vast uplift on their medication costs. We pay around half of what the vet’s looking to charge us 

sheramber

OnlinE chemists are like supermarkets, They can bulk buy and get big discounts.

Vets are restricted to who they can buy from, they cannot buy in bulk as the medication could go out of date before it is needed.  So they pay more  for the medication than the online chemist does. 

sheramber

Joyful said:

Having just had a dog put to sleep, I have been happy with my insurers. I feel unhappy though that once a dog passes 7 the premiums go up, even if never claimed.  As I was left with his sister who had no issues at all I looked in case I could bring her premiums down. As she is 10 I could only get £3000 cover for one occasion, not ongoing,so instead I'm stuck with a premium double that. At least it covers for a higher amount plus ongoing treatment. Mind you, I will be paying his 20% excess off for a while.

Older dogs are more likely to need treatment , including ongoing claims such as kidney disease or diabetes or  arthritis o costa are more likely.

Increasing the excess keeps the annual premium lower.so those who do not need to claim benefit.

.I insured my 10 year old dog for £7000 of cover with Tesco. Morethan were also prepared to cover him for £7000 

MalMonroe

sheshegabore said:

When is somebody going to get the Government to create a Veterinary Ombudsman to regulate the ridiculous price of vet fees?

Well it's not a public service like the NHS, so the government would probably ask you to contact the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons since they regulate the veterinary profession in the UK in accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act, 1966.

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/im-an-animal-owner-and-i-want-to-raise-a-concern/

People considering adopting pets are usually advised to think about the costs of pet owning before adopting. It is not something to be undertaken lightly because - as we know - costs can spiral. I've usually owned cats but haven't been able to think about taking on another pet since my last lovely cat died last year. The emotional cost for me has been more devastating than the actual cost.

If you can't afford to own, then maybe fostering is something to consider? Expenses are paid to fosterers but they still have the lovely experience of caring for an animal. I am considering fostering but not quite ready yet.

Oh and P.S. Some vets offer a discount for those of us who are pensioners - it's not enormous but it's a help.