To think that £400 for a night at the vets....

[dribbleface]

My cat got attacked by the dog over the road (not dogs fault my cat marched in his kitchen and dog is a avid cat hater)

Anyway after seeing vet the decided to keep him in for observation, and fluids but that was it. They don't have out of hours care so referred us to the out of hours service they contract out.

Estimated costs £400-£500 pounds, just to observe and give drip!!!!! He is insured but am I being unreasonable to think that is excessive?

Cat fine by the way

He could have stayed in the Ritz for that!

i know! Thats what my DH said, think bupa would have been cheaper!

That does sound a lot. When our dog had an op and had to stay at a specialist dog hospital (I know, we're disgusting middle class ) it cost 5k, but that was for the op itself (a hip replacement, so a biggie) plus 24/7 nursing care as she wasn't supposed to move too much, regular mini-walks, sedation and painkillers - for 5 days.

On that basis, drip for 12 hours seems overpriced at £400. Maybe they are giving him antibiotics/ painkillers as well? Any stitches?

disgustingly middle class even.

And more importantly... glad your pet is okay!!

Unfortunately vets are one of the only professions which are able to charge whatever they want, they are not governed by industry standards in terms of charges. And unfortunately they have a captive audience, not like no one will do anything about their animals is it?

I think they take advantage completely!

Nope no stitches, they suspected internal injuries (something to so with the breed of dog and crush injuries). Pain killers given at my own vets.

I wonder if its because its a contracted out service? I am going to question it with my own vets, i know i'm insured but think inflated prices are out of order, i can't help wondering if its because i'm insured the price was so much. She did ask me if i was insured before giving estimate.

I have no ideas what end cost was as after me getting upste at how i was going to find that sort of money 2 weeks before xmas they agreed to do a direct claim.

Don't get me wrong, they took very good care of him, and one member of staff was nice and helped me out with the direct claim thing but even so.

Used to drive me mad when I took our old bunny to get his abnormal teeth clipped, they charged £25 each time, £20 of that was a 'consultation fee'

They weren't fucking telling me anything, I was telling them bunnies teeth were overgrown !!

Pah, can see why people avoid taking animalsto the vets at times, bloody rip off merchants.

Go to a vet in a poorer area. They charge less in our vets than in my parents' vet in a posh middle-class area And as far as I can tell they do just as good a job.

sounds excessive. There may be a one off 'call out' charge of something outrageous though. I know when I called the out of hours vet once, it was a charge of about £250.00 for an exam, but that was inclusive of the out of hours service. We waited until the morning.

Have you paid it yet, or is your policy one where the insurance company pays directly? If you have to pay upfront and get reimbursed, call your insurers first and see what they say....

is usually a policy that i have to pay then get reimbursed but they took pity on me (well on nice guy did) and said they will claim direct.

Have a feeling the insurers might question it but there is no way i am paying it, will leave the vets and insurers to fight it out as i have not paid anything apart from excess yet.