Vet's charges

[winkywinkola]

My lab had a weepy eye. Went to vet. Got drops. Suspected allergic reaction. £47 all in for five minutes and a wee bottle of drops. What i expected. Come back in a week, said the vet.

Today I go back. I'm in there literally 90 seconds. Vet checks eyes, all fine, bye. And they want another £21.50.

Am I being naive to feel conned by this further charge?

[EasyToEatTiger]

That sounds like the consultation charge. It may be worth checking your invoice. Vet prices can vary pretty hugely.

[winkywinkola]

Well, I think it's grabby. Especially for a such a short visit. Grabby and greedy.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I always say I'm not making an appointment if the treatment has worked unless it's for one of my insured pets. It's not necessary.

[winkywinkola]

Good tip. I will remember that.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Surely follow ups are free?

When my rabbits had their op I didn't have to pay for the consult to
Check their wounds were healed.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

And when they are vaccinated I only pay for the jabs there's no consult and check over fee either.

[winkywinkola]

Nope. There is a follow up fee. I wouldn't have minded if she'd needed a thorough examination and consultation. It was just a quick look at her eyes and done.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

That's a rip off then tbh. I've never paid one for my animals if they just needed checking like that. The vets I used you don't even always pay for the consultation if you've spent out on medication and tests etc

Next time don't bother as im sure your capable of seeing if the eyes better or not.

[Booboostoo]

You are paying for the vet's expertise. Had you gone to vet school for 5-6 years and practiced for a few more you would have been able to tell if the eye was OK or not, but since, presumably, you haven't, you have to rely on the vet. Eye problems can escallate very quickly and I am sure you would not have been happy if the vet had skipped the check up appointment but your dog had gotten a massive infection and huge vet bill at the possible cost of his eye.

[2whippetsnobed]

At our vets the check up was free (or included in the initial price). Last month my dog cut his leg and had to have it stitched. I paid after the stitching and then about £4.00 at the check up for the new bandages/dressing. Second check up was no charge as everything was healing and they took the stitches out then too.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

That's what I'd have expected whippet

I've always been charged for the treatment but often have had claws cut or something at no extra cost.

I had my rabbits checked over for something and was only charged the consult fee and not for the equipment she used (just a lamp)

And any follow up checks I've not paid fore as it was either included in the package or took so little time they didn't bother.

[Rikalaily]

At our vets you pay for the initial consultation and treatment then followup concerning that treatment is free if it's something like stitches removed/quick checkover etc. If there is further treatment needed or more tests done you pay another consultation but it is reduced in price.

[Scuttlebutter]

You are not being conned. Around £20 is absolutely standard for a consultation. You are paying a a highly qualified professional for her/his time, for running a surgery, for employing receptionist and trained nurses. On this occasion, it sounds thankfully like a minor problem but eyes can be serious and tricky and can escalate quickly into major problems.

They do vary about charging for follow ups - we are not usually charged for a post op check but I would expect to be charged for ongoing appointments to monitor a longer standing problem.

Our vet provides itemised, detailed bills and is always happy to explain or clarify anything on the bill - as we have a foster dog that is funded by a charity, I often ask for this. It has never been a problem.

[cathpip]

All appointments after first initial consultation and diagnosis are free at my vets, you only have to pay for extra materials/antibiotics needed. Very cheeky IMO and when one of my cats had a corneal skin graft all 6 further check ups to make sure it was healing properly were free, the same for my dog when he had his knee surgery.......

[winkywinkola]

£21.50 for 90 seconds? A fair price? Really?

[Snugglepiggy]

It's easy to simplify and say that's seems a lot for s very short consultation ,but I'm afraid I agree with Scuttle.You are being seen by a highly qualified professional who would no doubt need much longer for the same amount should the condition be more complicated ,and they have to factor this in.Our vets is a large group practice but every one of the vets is lovely and we feel very experienced.I often hear people complain about their charges and wonder how much they expect a consultation to be.Running my own business know only too well people sometimes query my prices - which are very fair - forgetting all the overheads I have to pay.
I feel our vets is the same.They have premises to maintain,heat ,insure.All the ancillary staff from reception ,nurses,cleaners etc.Plus the equipment for XRays and operations.Probably we could find a cheaper vets,but after years of feeling our pets are safe in their hands I wouldn't go elsewhere.And after the hourly rate we were quoted for some legal paperwork to be drawn up recently by a solicitors they seem a bargain.

[Aked]

I second what Booboo and scuttle said.

Saw www.catthevet.com/vet-wont-give-credit/THIS on facebook this week, which sums it up quite nicely. I realise you aren't complaining about paying a large bill for a lot of treatment, but it basically boils down to the same thing.

[Aked]

Whoops! Try again....

Here

[Gileswithachainsaw]

The op isn't complaining as such about the cost of the consult. £21 is around standard price. Pretty reasonable. Had the op gone in for an appointment and left without needing medication just instructions to do x y and z then of course there would be no question about paying.

But you can see surely that the rest of us on this thread have not paid a consult fee when we have been asked to bring pets back for a follow up after ops/treatment We paid for any extra medication needed or dressings. But not a separate consult fee after the vet requested we go back.

[Aked]

Generally post OPERATIVE care, stitches out, wound checks etc aren't charged for, no. They are probably already factored into the initial bill though. Follow up care for ongoing medical treatment and assessment is in most cases, always charged for.

[Aked]

We have a fist consult fee, a second consult fee, and then a third consult fee (ongoing) until the animal is signed off. I think thats pretty standard.

[Aked]

*First! Doing well today:)

[Primrose123]

I agree with the people who are saying that you are paying for their expertise.

I think people sometimes resent paying for healthcare for pets (don't mean you OP!) because we are so used to everything being available for us on the NHS. We don't pay to see a doctor or nurse, unless we go privately, and then it is really expensive. So, it makes sense that a vet should charge similar prices. Before the NHS many people couldn't afford to see a doctor.

My DF is a retired vet and ran his own business. He was on call 24 hours a day for many years. He would work all day, and very often have to go on calls during the night. The costs to run the business were very high, he had to pay for staff, premises, training, insurance, computer systems, x-ray machines etc. He also had to pay for liability insurance, and was worried about being sued if one of his staff was bitten by a dog or something like that.

[winkywinkola]

But it was a follow up appointment. No more care or anything required.

[Primrose123]

Oh and my DF didn't charge a consultation fee, he only charged if he had to give treatment or drugs.