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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU refusing to pay this vet bill?

260 replies

NicoAndTheNiners · 28/05/2019 17:53

I have an elderly, poorly cat who I took to the vet last week. Vet did a consult and said he wanted to run blood tests which I agreed to. He never said how much they were. £140 when I got to the desk which I nearly fell over at but paid. He said he would ring with the results either that evening or the next day.

I was out when he rang back and he spoke to my teenage dd. He admits he didn't clarify who he was speaking to. He told her some of the blood results and said he'd like to "do some more tests" He said he wasn't sure what was wrong and was going to speak to someone and ring back the next day.

He rang the next day to say he thinks the cat has a terminal condition, we can do more tests to confirm. I declined as when I asked how much it will be £hundreds. Cat is 15yo.

I've been back at the vet today about something not to do with the cat and they called me over and said I need to pay £48 for the extra blood tests. I asked what they're on about and they said they'd run an FIV test after the other tests. I said I hadn't agreed to this extra and wouldn't have done.

Vet came out and said he'd spoken to someone on the phone who said ok. DD said she had no idea it was another blood test, that it would cost more money. She thought when he said he wanted to do more tests that I would need to take the cat back in for these tests and that's what he was going to ring about the next day.

I haven't paid. They've said they will knock it down to £40 and give me till next month to pay. I am close to ringing them up and saying it's not happening. There is no way I would have said yes to another £48 of tests and dd had no clue he meant to charge more or that she was actually agreeing to anything.

Problem is if I fall out with them its 8 miles to the next nearest vet. So maybe I should just pay to keep the peace. But I did that 5 years ago when my dog died during a routine dental and they billed me £300 for the dead dog. Now I just feel like they're fucking useless and taking the piss.

OP posts:

Mamabear12 · 28/05/2019 18:43

Does not sound like a very good vet if they didn't even listen to the heart...thats pretty routine isn't it for a check up?

MissConductUS · 28/05/2019 18:46

They never tell you how much anything is beforehand.

I recently had to put an eight year old cat to sleep due to a heart condition and our vet gave us a written estimate for all of the diagnostic tests he wanted to do and then updated it when we opted for euthanasia.

There really needs to be some level of trust between you and the vet. I'd settle this bill somehow (50%?) and then move on to a vet you're more comfortable with.

bigKiteFlying · 28/05/2019 18:46

Our cat can't take tablets

Do pill pockets not work?

lyralalala · 28/05/2019 18:46

Tbh if they phoned me and said "we would like to run some more tests on the cat, ok?" I could easily see me assuming they meant to bring the cat in for more tests.

lonelyinacrowd39 · 28/05/2019 18:46

My vet always try's to help me save money! if medication is cheaper online he tells me so and writes a prescription, if there are a couple of options for my pets condition he fully explains both (including the costs) and totally respects if we have to go down the route of the least expensive option due to finances. He always quotes the whole price which includes follow up appointments , so there are no surprises.
He is not my first vet! but I moved my animals till I found someone I was happy with. I think the fact that they are a village vet gives them more leeway for this type of rip off behaviour (as everyone wants to support other villagers)

I wouldn't pay this ridiculous charge either.

TixieLix · 28/05/2019 18:47

I don't have a lot of respect for vets. My dog suffers from pancreatitis. I can spot the symptoms early and take her straight to the vet to get the appropriate treatment. Every time it's "we would like to do this test and that test..." costing over £100 and needless to say the tests come back showing raised levels for pancreatitis. Now I just cut them off and say no, just treat for pancreatitis and she's usually well again within 24hrs.

Original poster

NicoAndTheNiners · 28/05/2019 18:51

If they had talked to dd and said "we need to do another test and you/your mum will have to pay £48 for it will you give us permission now to do it" and dd had agreed to that I'd have paid. I would still have been annoyed that they took consent from a teenager but I'd have paid.

It's a combination of the fact they spoke to her and were totally unclear about the expectation for more money/what she was agreeing to. Because as far as she's concerned she agreed to nothing! Apart from making affirmative noises when the vet said he wanted to do more tests while under the impression I would have to take the cat back the next day for those tests.

OP posts:

Original poster

NicoAndTheNiners · 28/05/2019 18:52

@tixielix it's feline infectious pancreatitis which the vet thinks the cat has. But I think the cat version is very different to the dog one as it's fatal in cats and they only live a few weeks.

OP posts:

JaneTheVirgin · 28/05/2019 18:52

had a rabbit years ago which they said needed £200 of eyelid surgery and I muttered that I didn't want it done as I could get a new rabbit for £20

Is this real? Wow.

HowDidItEndUpLikeThis · 28/05/2019 18:52

Vet should have:

clarified who they were speaking to
given estimate of expected cost of test
ensured they had approval to proceed from pet owner They didn’t do any of these, therefore I wouldn’t pay - they need to take this as a lesson on how to improve their processes.

Original poster

NicoAndTheNiners · 28/05/2019 18:55

had a rabbit years ago which they said needed £200 of eyelid surgery and I muttered that I didn't want it done as I could get a new rabbit for £20

Is this real? Wow.

Very, sorry I don't get overly attached to rabbits or guinea pigs. I wouldn't see one suffer but I don't really see the point in spending hundreds of pounds on them. Cats and dogs are different imho. Plus rabbits don't cope with surgery/pain very well and tend to stop eating and die - as happened in my rabbit's case.

OP posts:

TheoriginalLEM · 28/05/2019 18:59

Your dd is able to, at 16, consent to procedures but not any finances so we would not have sought consent.

Did the vet assume he was speaking to you? Because as your dd is not the registered owner they are in breach of gdpr.

They should waive the cost of the further test as consent was not given.

JaneTheVirgin · 28/05/2019 18:59

@Nico

I understand not wanting to get it done because of the effect surgery can have on an rabbit.

The way that read came across as very callous though. The animals welfare was not mentioned, just that you could easily replace.

Original poster

NicoAndTheNiners · 28/05/2019 19:01

I've just checked with dd and the vet asked if it was me and she said no that it was her. She had come with me to the consult an hour earlier so he had seen her and knew that she was youngish. I would say she doesn't look her age, he might disagree and think she looks older I don't know. Regardless of age though she is not the cat's owner.

OP posts:

viccat · 28/05/2019 19:02

My vet always asks "Is that Ms Viccat?" when she calls - even though she's spoken to me dozens of times and it's my mobile, she still confirms. Your vet should have definitely asked to speak to the registered owner whose name is on the vet record i.e. you. I think just on that basis you have good grounds to dispute it.

Any other issues around vet's fees being reasonable or not don't really come to it. It's also always possible to ask for an estimate of costs before any treatment by the way. Vet's don't really make a huge profit on tests as most are sent to an external lab.

floraloctopus · 28/05/2019 19:06

I'd be reluctant to pay as the vet should have ascertained who he was talking to first. We took our pet to the vet today as they were seen on Saturday and the vet wanted them to go back today for a follow up but the vet we saw said it was too soon for the follow up so didn't charge us. Your vet practice need to be more reasonable if they want to keep your business.

TheoriginalLEM · 28/05/2019 19:09

I have seen people spend four fugure sums on rabbits. They are often house rabbits that the clients have formed a strong bond. Managed correctly, rabbit anaesthesia is doable bit there is significantly greater risk. They generally require intensive care and assisted feeding post surgery. It is always a bit heart in mouth.

Decisions around treatment plans have so many variables, not least the clients financial position.

I never judge anyone who decides to euthanize an animal sooner than i might. I reserve my judgement for those who keep animals going beyond where there is quality of life because they can't bear to lose them.

Smallfacesfan · 28/05/2019 19:10

A friend of mine took her small elderly dog into the vet because it had a small cut on its paw. The vet sedated the dog and stitched up the cut.
The final itemised bill was £438, which included the £65 they charged her for the plastic cone for its neck to stop it licking its paw.

Kedgeree · 28/05/2019 19:12

Something similar to this happened to us with our horse. Tests were done at the best of someone else, resulting in a very large, unexpected bill for us. We went to court over it, on the principle that the vet didn't discuss with the owner or obtain permission to attend the horse in the first place. We lost.

ScreamingValenta · 28/05/2019 19:12

Just to throw in my two penn'orth - I am the registered owner of our animals at the vet I use, and they always need my consent for treatment rather than my husband's - they'll ask for me on the phone if speaking with DH.

Veterinari · 28/05/2019 19:13

@tixielix it's feline infectious pancreatitis which the vet thinks the cat has. But I think the cat version is very different to the dog one as it's fatal in cats and they only live a few weeks

@NicoAndTheNiners
No the disease your vet is referring to is feline infectious peritonitis a completely different disease. It definitely can occur in elderly cat but so can many other things and without a full history and clinical exam it’s impossible to say what is most likely

wibbletooth · 28/05/2019 19:14

I would say that as they knew they were not talking to the owner but her under age dd, and that as they gave no indication of urgency, costs or that it could be done without the cat being present, you were expecting that call to be the one to arrange an appointment to take the cat in not one demanding money. Very unreasonable of them.

cricketmum84 · 28/05/2019 19:18

The way I see it is if sky (for example) phoned us, my son answered and agreed to a fancy new entertainment package at £x extra per month then that agreement and all charges would be null and void because they didn't speak to the account holder.

Exact same situation here. OP you should definitely argue this with the vets that they did not have the account holders permission to go forward with these additional tests.

As an aside I really hope your puss cat recovers

Veterinari · 28/05/2019 19:19

@Kedgeree we’re you away/unavailable and the tests done at the behest of the yard owner or similar? In such a case you would lose as you’ve passed over responsibility to another competent adult. Same situation with dogs/cats in kennels and the owner on holiday. In such cases if the owner is unavailable the vet must work with the legal keeper of the animal to ensure its health/welfare. I’ve seen surgical comics taken to theatre with no owner consent because they’re away and the vet simply can’t wait for owner permission and has to make a decision to ensure the welfare of their patient. It’s a horrible situation to be in.

It’s a completely different situation to this where a non-urgent test was done and the vet should have waited to hear back from the owner.

Veterinari · 28/05/2019 19:19

*colics

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