My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

Any vets on here

10 replies

princessTiasmum · 10/01/2020 12:29

I am just wanting to know if different vets can charge different prices for treatment,or consultations
I took a cat for a dental just before Christmas, and charged £130
I have taken another cat in this morning, different vet £170,
Exactly the same treatment, teeth cleaned
Also different prices for Consultation, one vet £28, another £32. and my daughter paid £38 for a consultation, same vet practice

OP posts:
Report
bunnygeek · 10/01/2020 12:49

Yep, vets can charge a huge range of prices for the same treatments. It will entirely depend on their own overheads, there's no real set price for anything.

One practice also may vary vet to vet, maybe depending on whether you see an in house vet, locum vet or vet nurse for a procedure. Some treatments may also vary depending on the size of an animal, for example a large breed dog would have higher vet costs than a small breed dog for certain procedures.

Report
DogInATent · 10/01/2020 14:41

Why not ask the vet for their price list?

Report
tabulahrasa · 10/01/2020 14:44

It’s dead normal for the same procedure to be a different price - because things like dentals aren’t exactly the same, they’re different for different animals, things like size affect dosages but also one could have taken a bit longer than the other, different drugs might have been needed - things like that.

Report
cheeseislife8 · 10/01/2020 14:44

Yes, different vets can and do charge different prices. Plus for a dental, it also depends on the state of the teeth and how many were removed, how long it took, which drugs were used etc.

Report
Aquilla · 10/01/2020 14:51

It depends on the area in my experience.

Report
adaline · 10/01/2020 14:56

Well, in your example (two cats, same practise, different costs) there are plenty of variables to consider:

  • size/weight of the cat. The heavier they are, the more anaesthetic and painkillers they'll need.
  • condition of the teeth. The worse the condition, the longer the treatment will take.
  • if the cats were put to sleep, one might take longer to come round than the other.


I have two cats. One is only 2kg but the other is nearly 10kg. Any treatment for the larger one is much costlier than it is for the smaller, just due to his size (he's a Maine Coon cross).
Report
princessTiasmum · 10/01/2020 15:38

Following on from last post, rang to see how the cat was and when yo pick up.
The bill has gone up to £234 now, because she had to have 1 tooth out
I'm afraid that bill will be paid in instalments,
The cat is insured but it doesn't cover dentals
Insurers aren't stupid are they? as most cats need dentals at some point

OP posts:
Report
princessTiasmum · 10/01/2020 15:53

Both cats are about the same size, not very big, about the size of a normal size domestic cat
The first one didn't have a tooth out,both just needed a clean
I have noticed that the vet who only charged me £28 for consultation does seem to charge less, so will be going to him in future, but i think different prices for consultation seems wrong
I do realise of course the size of the animal makes a difference re; how much anaesthetic etc they need,or bigger animal might need a larger dose of drugs
All vets in this area charge roughly around £30 -£32, I have 3 cats and all are insured, he asked if she was insured, but he should know dentals aren't covered

OP posts:
Report
threemilesupthreemilesdown · 10/01/2020 18:10

Dentals are lengthy, dirty procedures with many variables which may affect the price - frankly, £234 is cheap. And some insurance companies do cover dental treatment.

The vet that charges you £28 is probably charging you a repeat consultation fee instead of an initial consultation and will get a bollocking from his practice manager if it's spotted.

Report
princessTiasmum · 10/01/2020 18:56

I think there is only 1 insurance company that cover dentals, maybe petplan do, but the prices are very high, and at least mine are covered if they have a long term or ongoing illness,
My dog died from Dementia last August nd luckily she was insured too, for her tablets which kept her going for almost a year
Went to collect the cat, and the vet who treated her knocked me £35 off,so they can do if they want to,
It was very kind of him though, he knows i only have my pension, not all pensioners are well off,
Also i do use them a lot having 3 elderly cats
Still doesn't explain whyd my daughter was charged £38 consultation for her cat, and then she didn't find a cut on the cats tongue, probably caught it on something outside

OP posts:
Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.