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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

free neuturing?

58 replies

wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 12:32

We are eligable for free neuturing so we booked our dog in for this morning.

At no point was cost mentioned. The person on the phone said yes it was free just drop him in this am and they would phone when he was ready to get picked up.

Go to pick him up and we are asked for £39.99. This then gets refunded by the dogs trust.

And an extra £10 for extra pain relief. DP didnt have his wallet so we had to come home. Decide to phone the dogs trust to check.

They then tell us that the extra pain relief is included in the £39.99 and that yes they will refund it aslong as we fill in a form and get the vet to fax it.

We are really really skint. And we only have the money which is to pay the monthly bills in two weeks. So we are going to have to use that and hope it gets refunded in time. If we had known about this we would have waited until we could afford it.

AIBU to think the vet has acted really underhanded here by not outlining it all and then trying to get another £10 out of us?

OP posts:
Narked · 12/10/2012 12:36

Yes, they should have mentioned it up front. And trying to add £10 is pushing it.

Is two weeks the limit for your mobthly bills ie when you've had the red ones?

Well done for being a responsible pet owner and I'm sorry it's causing you such trouble.

AdoraBell · 12/10/2012 12:36

Sorry you've got this unexpected bill. I've learnt over the years to ask exactly what "free" means, with a detailed break down in writing if I'm not convinced by what I'm told verbally.

Hope the refund gets sorted out in time. Maybe if you explain your situation they could speed it up a little, it might be worth a shot.

Youcanringmybell · 12/10/2012 12:39

In your situation I would tell the surgery that you do not have the money. You were not informed of having to pay the fee and claim it back. They are being very unreasonable but is happens so much these days. Do not pay until you can afford to.

bamboobutton · 12/10/2012 12:39

are you on good terms with the vet or are a regular customer? Most vets have some sort of financial thing where you can pay at a later date by arrangement, ours certainly does.

I'd give the vet a call and see if that is possible. Is there any small print you didn't notice?

Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 12:42

I know we should have looked it up before hand but DP did specifically ask on the phone if it was free.

The bills come out on the first of each month (maybe thats three weeks...not as bad as I thought) but as we are so short of money we have had to keep money from our last tax credits to pay them. Thats the only reason we even have the money to pay this at all.

If we hadnt had that money the vet would have charged £30 per night to keep the dog.

OP posts:
Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 12:44

We have just moved house so its a new vets. And they were pretty adament they werent letting the dog go until we paid.

We just want him home now so we will pay it and hope it gets refunded. He was crying when he heard DPs voice and we had to go away again so we just want to get him home :(

OP posts:
Dogsmom · 12/10/2012 12:45

I know with pet insurance you pay the bill then it gets refunded so maybe this scheme is the same? it should still have been explained to you first though.

Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 13:17

DP went back to pay. The bill was for £87 Shock

We told them we were paying the £39.99 and not a penny more.

Then they say "we havent charged you for resuscitating the dog" like they were doing us a favour.

Surely when he went in the first time the fact our dogs heart stopped on the table should have been the first thing to be said and not asking for money?

Really cross about this.

OP posts:
OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 12/10/2012 13:20

If you are that skint, you probably shouldn't have a dog. They can be expensive if they get ill. The Dogs Trust should have told you that you would have to pay up front if they are the ones that are funding this and telling you you are eligible for free treatment. The vet is just trying to run a business.

WelshMaenad · 12/10/2012 13:25

What on earth would you do if he got sick or hit by a car and needed treatment?

MumsGoToReykjavik · 12/10/2012 13:27

^^ What a thing to say.

Presumably the OP was in a better financial position when they got the dog. Now that their circumstances have changed should they get rid of their dog? I think not.

I hope your dog recovers well OP.

Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 13:27

Well Im sorry that we consider our dog a part of the family and dont want to rehome him just because DP lost his job.

We have pet insurance with a low excess for those such occassions.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 12/10/2012 13:30

Jesus that's outrageous! Shock

Charging extra for pain relief and for resuscitating your poor dog??

I hope he's ok Sad

The whole thing sounds mad...they should have clear literature on the payment policy.

SchrodingersMew · 12/10/2012 13:33

Did they mention they had resuscitated the dog when you first went?

I think you should phone the Dogs Trust again, something sounds fishy here. Why not tell you it was £87 when you originally went, how can they give you a lower bill then? Hmm

WelshMaenad · 12/10/2012 13:33

But you still have to pay up front and claim back from the pet insurance, and a £75 excess is fairly standard.

Fwiw, £39.99 is extraordinarily good value for a dog neuter. I've paid in excess of £80 for a lumpectomy on a rat before now. Given that there were complications, and the staff/anaesthetic/equipment costs the vet probably made a loss on the procedure. Only to fave you grimp over paying for it!

Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 13:35

Hes still very groggy. They have given DP advice on what to do if his heart stops again. Thats pretty scary tbh.

He has never been ill so its awful seeing him like this.

OP posts:
SchrodingersMew · 12/10/2012 13:36

Welsh I don't think she is moaning about the price, just that they were never told they would have to pay it now.

FWIW, 1 of my cats was neutered with CP under a similar scheme and we didn't have to pay anything, it went straight to the vet.

Original poster
wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/10/2012 13:39

No. No mention of his heart stopping until we had paid.

Im not saying its not good value. And ofcourse the vet is running a business. But when someone says free that doesnt usually mean £39.99.

Yes Im confused about the lesser bill too. Its here in black and white £87 but we only paid £39.99. I assume the dogs trust pays it all. I really dont know.

OP posts:
musicmadness · 12/10/2012 13:39

Not that it is particularly relevant but some insurance policies do not make you pay up front, the vet claims it from the insurance company, and you just pay them the excess. My dog used to be on a policy like this! The only downside of these policies is they tend to be more expensive monthly.

OP if I were you I would be looking for another vet. Something sounds really wrong here. If your dog needed resuscitating that should of been the first thing you were told and they would have told you the price upfront. It sounds like they are pulling a fast one. Pain relief should not be extra either as it is pretty much vital after an operation. I'm not sure exactly what you can do in the short term though as I'm sure you just want to get your dog home.

Phone dogs trust again, maybe they can do something?

WorraLiberty · 12/10/2012 13:40

Well I wish him better OP Sad Thanks

And yes I would definitely contact the DT again and let them know what's happened.

fuzzysnout · 12/10/2012 13:40

Sounds like the vets are trying it on somewhat. They should have mentioned the dog's problems on your first visit. As they didn't give you correct informationabout how payment would be sorted then YWNBU to tell them they will have to wait for the money. Clearly they are con merchants as evidenced by them trying to get extra for painkillers which should have been included.
Hope your poor dog is OK.

musicmadness · 12/10/2012 13:42

^^ My dog was extremely groggy after his operation, it is horrible seeing them like that. With mine I ended up sleeping downstairs with him overnight because he needed help standing and walking to get water etc but he was fine the next morning, just a bit sore from the stitches. Hopefully your dog is the same :)

SchrodingersMew · 12/10/2012 13:42

Music That's MoreThan, mine are insured with them for that reason. It's £50 +10% of price. The rest of treatment is covered by them for up to a year.

I hope he gets better soon, must be scary having them tell you about his heart. :(

impty · 12/10/2012 13:44

I'm sorry but if you have that little money you shouldn't have a dog. I have 2 cats and 2 dogs, and it costs me a fortune! BUT we can afford it. £87 is not an expensive vet bill.

I hate to worry you but there can be complications after any operation and you will be liable for the vet costs of those as well.

You are being responsible in having the dog neutered, but I'm not sure how responsible it is to own an animal you can't really afford.

AdoraBell · 12/10/2012 13:45

I hope your dog is okay OP. Could you use a different vet in future. I know they are running a business, but there are ways to run a business and ways not to run a business. This sounds like the later to me.

They should at least have explained the possibility of complications etc and that there may be the chance of additional costs.