Outrageous Vet charges

truthseeker25

I am a newbie here so, not sure of the protocols, I won't attempt to name and shame. However I do recognise that it is not just me but many people are reeling from the way the veterinary  profession has become totally concentrated on money grabbing rather than pet care. 
I live in Downham Market in Norfolk and have two similar experiences to relate. 
The first a respected local vet experienced always been happy with service in the past.
Our Standard Poodle seemed to have an irritation the groomer thought she may have an infection so we popped along to the vet. He didn't think infection but suggested wax build-up and gave us some Otoact cleaner 100ml to resolve the problem. 
we were with him for 15mins - his consultation fee was £47.50 (£190ph!!!) however he is experienced good old boy I guess this is the going rate. The Otoact was £39.47. After I got home I checked that product on Amazon £12.98 - a 300% mark-up !!! Mistake I thought, I called them and was told no mistake the charge was correct. 
So I felt outraged, and proceeded to leave the practice never to return. 
I did leave a review of this experience on their website, the Vet wrote back on the site saying 'their charges are fair and reasonable, and that they cannot buy at Amazon prices. RUBBISH. I challenged him to show his invoice for the product - my review was taken down!
So needing to find a new vet, we found another promising practice locally. Great facilities, nice people. Poodle in for booster jab and check-over this vet thought she DID have an ear infection and prescribed Canaural drops 15ml £57.16 ............you've guessed it just £11.99 on Amazon a 400% mark-up. But of course I could buy direct from Amazon - though for this product I would need a prescription --- £33
IF A VET CAN EXPLOIT YOU SO SHAMELESSLY FOR PROFIT LIKE THIS HOW CAN YOU TRUST THEM WITH YOUR PETS CARE?? FOR A SERIOUS PROBLEM WOULD THEY REALLY TRY AND KEEP IT AFFORDABLE FOR THE OWNERS MANY OF WHOM LIKE ME ARE PENSIONERS. YOU CAN BE SURE THEY THEY WILL TAKE THE MOST PROFITABLE ROUTE FORWARD.
Why is no one doing anything about this CMA were looking into some big group acquisitions to prevent monopoly situations occurring in certain areas, but really it's too late it semes they are all at it. It's just plain greed and dishonesty. I don't suppose they are too worried driving their Porsches home at the end of the day. 
  

 

_Dolly_Rocker_

Pretty sure I heard about this being taken to the House of Commons but haven't looked into it. 

I've got 2 collies and the vet I take them to in Glasgow is the same. 

Consultation £67
Prescription £35

Medications a fortune but what choice do we have when they need treatment. 

Very frustrating. 

Hope your dog is okay.

35har1old

truthseeker25 said:

I am a newbie here so, not sure of the protocols, I won't attempt to name and shame. However I do recognise that it is not just me but many people are reeling from the way the veterinary  profession has become totally concentrated on money grabbing rather than pet care. 
I live in Downham Market in Norfolk and have two similar experiences to relate. 
The first a respected local vet experienced always been happy with service in the past.
Our Standard Poodle seemed to have an irritation the groomer thought she may have an infection so we popped along to the vet. He didn't think infection but suggested wax build-up and gave us some Otoact cleaner 100ml to resolve the problem. 
we were with him for 15mins - his consultation fee was £47.50 (£190ph!!!) however he is experienced good old boy I guess this is the going rate. The Otoact was £39.47. After I got home I checked that product on Amazon £12.98 - a 300% mark-up !!! Mistake I thought, I called them and was told no mistake the charge was correct. 
So I felt outraged, and proceeded to leave the practice never to return. 
I did leave a review of this experience on their website, the Vet wrote back on the site saying 'their charges are fair and reasonable, and that they cannot buy at Amazon prices. RUBBISH. I challenged him to show his invoice for the product - my review was taken down!
So needing to find a new vet, we found another promising practice locally. Great facilities, nice people. Poodle in for booster jab and check-over this vet thought she DID have an ear infection and prescribed Canaural drops 15ml £57.16 ............you've guessed it just £11.99 on Amazon a 400% mark-up. But of course I could buy direct from Amazon - though for this product I would need a prescription --- £33
IF A VET CAN EXPLOIT YOU SO SHAMELESSLY FOR PROFIT LIKE THIS HOW CAN YOU TRUST THEM WITH YOUR PETS CARE?? FOR A SERIOUS PROBLEM WOULD THEY REALLY TRY AND KEEP IT AFFORDABLE FOR THE OWNERS MANY OF WHOM LIKE ME ARE PENSIONERS. YOU CAN BE SURE THEY THEY WILL TAKE THE MOST PROFITABLE ROUTE FORWARD.
Why is no one doing anything about this CMA were looking into some big group acquisitions to prevent monopoly situations occurring in certain areas, but really it's too late it semes they are all at it. It's just plain greed and dishonesty. I don't suppose they are too worried driving their Porsches home at the end of the day. 
  

 

Your forgetting numerous overheads a vet has
Does Amazon prescribe what is required? I think not
I assume he has numerous receptionist and nurses and someone to look after the accounts 
Then there's the building housing the practice upkeep of all equipment and the chair you likely sat on so £190 per hr  doesn’t cover it.
As to Amazon they may be cheaper for some goods but if they charge more for other goods are they ripping you of

sheramber

vets are required to buy from approved suppliers only. They cannot buy from places like Amazon or online chemists.

Medication has a limited shelf life so a vet cannot buy large amounts to get discounts as online suppliers  , with larger sales, can.   

Think Tesco prices and the corner shop. The corner shop cannot buy in bulk to get discounts as a supermarket can.

My husband had a retail specialist shop. A rivall who could buy in quantity could sell the same item cheaper  than my husband could buy it from the wholesaler, such was the discount the rival got.

The cost of your medication includes the prescription charge you are charged  if you want to buy elsewhere.

My vet actually advised me that I could buy an item cheaper online with a prescription than buy from her.

Online suppliers do not have to pay for surgery upkeep, staff wages,  ongoing training that is mandatory, all the equipment  to buy, maintain and update such as xray machines, aneasthetic equipment, etc.

who do you think pays for all that if not the clients?

You cannot go down to Amazon or an online chemist to get your pet  diagnosed, xrayed, operated on,.

You rely on your vet's training and expertise for that and have to pay for it.

If  vets  close due to lack of income where will you go?

Having a pet is not compulsory, it is a lifetime choice that comes at cost.


Unfortunately, many vets are opting to join large companies that take a share of the profits so prices need to rise to cover these as well as staff wages.

This has recently happened iwith my vet.

Finding an independent vet is not possible in some areas.

I am a pensioner too.

Robin9

truthseeker25 said:

...........................
we were with him for 15mins - his consultation fee was £47.50 (£190ph!!!) however he is experienced good old boy I guess this is the going rate......................
  

 

While I there last week there was a nurse in attendance (trying to keep my feline wrapped in  a towel) and two receptionists .   No idea what his energy, insurance, building and training costs. 

teaselMay

How much did you pay the groomer and the breeder?

You had a choice, you could have not gone to the vet, not had the benefit of their years of training and experience and tried simple things first, perhaps including ear drops from Amazon or the supermarket. But you chose to seek the opinion of a professional, training and working as a vet is an expensive, highly regulated, business.

swingaloo

The OP is not alone in thinking they can rip you off as they please. I know they have overheads, doesn't every business.

My vet told me that my dog needed surgery on his leg and would need investigative work done first. I paid £780 for x-rays which he then 'lost' but told me he still had them on his phone. He then told me that the x-rays showed a problem and that he would need to bring in a 'specialist' orthopaedic surgeon which would incur extra costs 'but he would cover a percentage of those' and also told me that he 'could not guarantee that what he proposed would work'.  That was 2 years ago, we decided not to put our dog through a procedure which he sounded so doubtful would work and we had no fait in the vet.  2 years on we have moved house, got a new vet who says there are no x-rays on our dogs records and he has no problems at all.

Emmia

I think you're also considering it a rip off because the NHS doesn't really directly charge at the point of use, and prescription charges (if you pay them) are also fixed.

If you had to pay the actual cost of your doctor visits, regular medication, surgeries etc. then perhaps the vet charges would seem reasonable.

Edit: for example a private clinic offering menopause services charges £290 for a 45min Doctor Consultation or £190 for a nurse. (With up to two follow up emails)

More email is £30 per email 

Prescriptions are between £9 and £35 a month depending on what is prescribed - one example is a tube of cream which is  £80 for 50g

Blood tests are £35.- £159 depending on the test.

comeandgo

I would never buy drugs or potions from Amazon, too many fakes.

elsien

The consultation fee is a set price regardless of how long you are there for. so your description of £190 an hour is misleading because it would never have been that.

Mnoee

The solution to avoiding large vets bills is insurance from day 1. There's an option out there already for those who would prefer to pay a smaller amount every month over larger fees as and when.

There's also free or cheap vet care offered by some charities - pensioners income and assets vary massively, so I'm not aware of any who offer it to all pensioners, just those receiving means tested benefits. The RSPCA, PDSA, and the blue cross all have similar schemes.