To not pay the whole vet's bill

The problem has only exacerbated

It will cost a ton more now considering this is a zombie thread from 2022.

You are being reasonable.

It's clear that the real issue here is that a 15min appt + blood test absolutely does not equate to £188. You should not stand for it.

People who say, 'You agreed, so you pay, this isn't the NHS' have not got a handle on things. The veterinary industry is out of control. It is run by a handful of huge conglomerates that collude on artificial price rises as part of an oligopoly. This is why the competition watchdog is looking at them.

People in this thread are probably too thick to understand that. I am not. So take it from me, you are right to feel outraged. It is unacceptable. And we must accept it no longer.

This is why it's worth buying the insurance while pets are young. I pay £23 for my two cats. They are 7 years old now, but we had insurance since they were 2 yo. I learned my lesson when I had to pay £600 vet bill 😲

It’s ok- your post was pretty balanced compared with some of the comments previously which were quite brutal!
I do think we as vets should always have an open and honest discussion with clients about what they can afford and working out a treatment plan based on that. It might not be the ideal “gold standard” but we should be realistic about what we can do especially in these days of cost of living issues.
In most cases there are a range of treatment options but unfortunately some illnesses/injuries are so serious that there really isn’t a cheaper alternative or compromise and that’s when conversations have to be handled tactfully and with great care.

Sorry my answer looking back does look like I am saying vets are money grabbers. My current vet is amazing and I am grateful for her, you do an amazing job. It has however taken me along time to find a vets that is reasonably priced with the right care ❤️

Always ask I’m afraid. Dcat needed some bloods done (necessary but not urgent) and I was able to discuss it with the vet and time it to fit better with cash flow. (I also have access to savings I could use for emergency treatment).

As I mentioned up thread about 10% is profit after all deductions.
The profit on the OPs bill will have been no more than £20.

Vets are burning out because it’s a high pressure job where emotions are often running high especially if a beloved pet is very poorly. Often clients have a lot going on, and their pet being ill is the straw the breaks the camel’s back.
Cases can be complicated- we read up on things, we seek the advice of colleagues and specialists to try and get the best outcome within the budget we are given. It’s exhausting and emotionally draining for those of us who really care. To then have all that thrown back at us and tell us we are just money grabbers is quite the most disheartening thing.
People are leaving the profession and no one is sure when it will end.

I don't have insurance for my dog. It would be £100 a month now, and she is elderly. I would not want to put her through invasive treatments for the sake of a few months.

I'm pretty sure if vets were in it for the money, they would have done something else with their lives. Like a dentist or doctor.
Wage is shite in comparison. Some Clueless, ignorant people about.

What?! A responsible pet owner should have insurance. Would you just let our pet die if they needed thousands of pounds of treatment? Ridiculous

YABU
Have you never been to a vet before? There is always the consultation fee, then the cost of any tests/treatment added on.
Why should they not get it?
It is so easy to lose sight of what things costs because we are used to it being free on the NHS. There is no NHS for pets.
A £40 consultation fee, so 15 minutes with a vet, pays for that vet and their expertise, the nurses and other staff, the energy bills, the building etc. I could go on. A blood test means that blood gets taken away, processed and looked at. That costs money too.
Of course vets cost money. They also have a high rate of suicide compared to other careers. Maybe have a think as to why that is.

@halfsiesonapotnoodle I believe that the costs of running are very high, but I also believe they are making a high profit.

@SmartCarDriver my vets always makes it clear what the cost is, they don't just assume that the customer is always aware of how high the price is.

So knowing that, do you just not check the price?

Sorry OP you requested a service from a professional..you got that service,,you pay for that service!

The costs of running a veterinary practice are sky high. Is it ridiculous to charge to cover this and staff, insurance, training, equipment and medicines as an absolute minimum? You have no idea.

Doubt very much you can pay part of the bill. Most vets are payment at the time of treatment. That privilege used to be common, but got abused by liars insisting they'd pay later and never in fact doing so.

They should have told you the price, but I am quite surprised you didn't know the consultation doesn't cover this. They have to pay the lab to do it. You can pay just the part of bill, but you probably end up on their black list, so they won't accommodate you for any emergencies etc.

We don’t ask the cost because a) it’s irrelevant if our dog is ill and b) we have insurance.

you are right. They should have told you the blood costs. My vet always does.

It is concerning that you say you wouldn't have had the blood tests done if you had known what they cost. It is how they find out what is wrong in many cases and therefore what treatment is needed.

Paying for this type of thing when needed or having appropriate insurance is all part of being a pet owner.

I hope your dog is ok.

YANBU- vets are ridiculous prices. Hope your dog is feeling better

@Lonecatwithkitten ignore this post! I don’t think it’s at all representative of how people feel about vets.

My poor cat has just been diagnosed with cancer following removal of a lump in his mouth. It cost over £700 for his surgery and I paid extra for the pre-op bloods and post-op fluids. My vets looked after him beautifully and gave me the devastating news with compassion. I can’t imagine being a vet is easy at all, but I’m grateful we have you all to look after our furry friends!

Are they a good vet? If so, pick your battles and take this as a learning experience.
Plus, having the blood tests rules out any further issues, and just like us, it's good to pick up on anything else going on early.