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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
TheoriginalLEM · 29/05/2019 22:28

I do worry that part of the reason vets charge so much is because a lot of the time animals are insured so they know they can charge whatever and the insurance pays? Which puts uninsured animals at a disadvantage I guess.

We never increase charges if an animal.is insured. Insurance claims are clisely scrutinised by the insurance companies and if something is charged inappropriately we would be called out on it.

Obviously an animal being insured does afford vets and owners more freedom with investigations and treatments but these treatments are offered to everyone and payment schemes are offered.

The costs ramp up massively if an animal us reffered and very quickly exceed policy limits. It would make no economic sense to charge these prices just because one can, they are charged due to the professional fees and vets and nurses and other professionals. Equipment is expensive, there is access to mri, ct scans among other things. These things cost a minimum of six figures and they need maintained. Experts to operate them.

VampireSlayer19 · 29/05/2019 22:38

@boobirdblue why not? For some the love is similar. I can’t have children my dog is named as a dependent at my work and when the time comes. I will be given the same grief leave as required for it.

Take that aside a child of non speaking age cannot communicate their treatment need- can you realistically say some children haven’t undergone treatment that was painful and turned out unnecessary?

I personally do not judge anyone if done this as they were going by experts advice, as were anyone taking vet advice they trust, that you think they should disregard due to the animals lack of way to communicate!

Think your argument through before you make out a primary carer be it child or animal is not making the decision based purely on advice given for that animal or child’s care is by an expert they respect!

Your very naive if you believe the decisions are purely on animals being different to humans - the emotional connection to a pet is very similar.

Catgranny · 29/05/2019 22:43

One thought about vets doing tests at possible end of life is that as many people have pointed out that we and the vet can't confirm with our beloved pet how sick or how much suffering they are in. Many animals are very stoic but tests can give a much better picture of overall health and quality of life and therefore enable owners to make a very difficult decision knowing they are doing the best thing?

HolyBerry · 29/05/2019 23:06

Abs soon as you mentioned the rabbit being replaceable for £20 you lost me. You’re more bothered about the money than the animal, never mind the vet. Don’t get any more pets.

CasanovaFrankenstein · 29/05/2019 23:33

“I can get a new rabbit for £20”

That’s fucking cold.

Fbnick · 29/05/2019 23:39

If I were you I’d consider insurance before getting more pets. I have to say I wouldn’t want you to own any animals with your attitude. “ I can get another rabbit for £20.”. Utterly disgraceful pet owner. I hope the vet strikes you off their client list.

Legally the person bringing an animal to the vet is responsible for the bill, not necessarily the owner.
Dd is old enough to consent and given your rage is probably lying about the tests.

Rabbits and elderly pets are very vulnerable under general anesthesia. It is to be expected.
The beauty of the NHS means you never see the cost of tests and treatment.

Pay the bill and please don't buy more pets or get pet advice on the internet.🙈

manicmij · 29/05/2019 23:42

8 miles isn't far, usual vet for dog was 12 miles away, didn't think anything about the distance. Re DD would you consider offering 50% of bill based on misunderstanding by DD and vet not checking if person knew about situation and had authority to authorise tests.

Leighlo · 29/05/2019 23:45

I wouldn’t pay. To start £140 for blood tests is outrageous. I got my dog a blood test that was £30 so if I were paying £140 I’d expect them to give me a full breakdown of everything in her blood for that price and certainly not need a second test. Secondly I would also assume (and I’m 31) that they would need more blood. Thirdly, since they weren’t speaking to the person who pays the bills I wouldn’t be in a rush to accept any charges. If your cat is 15 I imagine there’s probably nothing that can be done anyway considering her age. I think you’re right to stand your ground. I wouldn’t pay £200 to find out if my cat may or may not need treatment. I find it disgusting they can charge so much.

EveWasShamed · 30/05/2019 00:26

Don’t buy any more pets OP.

VampirateQueen · 30/05/2019 01:06

I've not RTFT but I just want to weigh in on the rabbit comment, imo it depends on the rabbit. I had one, I loved to bits, she was my baby. She got an abscess on her gum and needed dental work (Her tooth removing), but they need a specialist to do that, it would have cost me ££££, I would have paid it and done it, except for the fact, she struggled with the anithestic after being spayed and she didn't travel very well, the specialist was over an hours drive away and knowing that she collapsed on a 20 minute drive, I knew she wouldn't survive if I took her to the specialist. So I agreed with my vet that he would give her and x-ray, which she would be asleep for and if the had gone was still good, he would clean the abscess and stitch it up, if not he would just give her more and let her go. Unfortunately the infection had rotted her jaw bone and she had to be pts, I was heartbroken.

As the OP said rabbits don't do well under anistetic, they have to eat every hour or the digestive system shuts down. It all depends on the rabbit, as to wether it would survive or not and most bets don't push for you to operate on them for that reason. I'm sure there would have been a better solution for the rabbit that didn't involve surgery.

Also on a 15 year old cat there isn't much point putting them through all the test as 9 times out of 10 they won't do anything as the cat is too old.

To comment on the hamster thing, I had one that needed a hysterectomy, but the vet said because she was already at the end of her life there wasn't much point as it would be like giving a hysterectomy to a 90 year old, if she had been younger I would have done it.

GPatz · 30/05/2019 01:30

cordeliavorkosigan has exactly the right attitude - does not want to spend £500 on a pet, so does not have pets.

If you don't want to spend more than £20 on treatment for a rabbit or hamster, then they might not be the thing for you/your children.

Mymomsbetterthanyomom · 30/05/2019 01:49

@boobirdblue
Yes,you have gone completely off topic.👌

StoppinBy · 30/05/2019 01:58

I used to work as a vet nurse. They should have asked to speak to you and gained your consent for the procedure and you do have grounds to challenge them. Whether you want to though is another issue as your file will be marked as non paying unfortunately unless you can negotiate it with the practice owner/manager which I think you should do.

The bill for the dog is a separate issue, the costs of the anaesthetic are still incurred for the surgery as well as the time that they paid for the vet nurse and vet to perform the surgery so yes you are liable for those despite the unfortunate outcome.

Sasstal67 · 30/05/2019 02:31

Either I've misread something somewhere along the line or your vet did testing, including a scan, for £140?

If that's correct you'd be mad to switch vets over forty something quid. My daughter's dog has cardiac issues and is regularly scanned to check the progression of the disease, and it costs between £500 and £800 a time. We've just paid over £2,000 for inpatient care for a few days and a liver scan.

Parvuli · 30/05/2019 02:44

Don’t pay it. Vets are robbing gits.

Coyoacan · 30/05/2019 02:58

He’s definitely showing his age now. In my experience when animals like these become properly sick, the stress and trauma of the trips in the car, the tests and often the invasive treatment does more harm than good

I agree and, apart from the purse strings, the animal's pain is unnecessarily prolonged for tests that will make not one slightest bit of difference.

And I hate it when they make you feel guilty as if you were doing something cruel when, knowing the animal is in pain and will not get better, you ask for it to be pts.

Limpshade · 30/05/2019 03:31

I think there are lessons to be learned here on all sides.

THEY should be more up front with costs in the future.
YOU should ask if that information is not forthcoming.
YOUR DD shouldn't agree to anything on your behalf that she's not sure about.

Pay the 50% and chalk it up to experience. I'm not sure what digging your heels in is going to achieve. It sounds like you have form for this and it hasn't been successful so far anyway.

ALittleBitofVitriol · 30/05/2019 03:39

Far out, I would never in a million years pay hundreds of pounds for a pet rodent! What if you have a pet cat that eats rodents, do you try to save the impaled mice?

MN is a whole 'nother world sometimes...

Anthropomorphising animals and using them as emotional crutches isn't exactly stellar animal care either.

Original poster
NicoAndTheNiners · 30/05/2019 06:12

It sounds like you have form for this and it hasn't been successful so far anyway

Eh? Ive paid every vet bill in my life without quibbling it even if previously I've thought some bills were a bit over the top.

OP posts:
Limpshade · 30/05/2019 06:26

I was referring to this:

"I've been dealing with a stupid car parking firm and their attack dog of a debt collector's firm for 5 years now over an unlawfully issued ticket. I keep begging them to take me to court!"

Obviously I can understand disputing over a ticket that you didn't earn but I'm not sure why you're also digging in your heels over paying absolutely nothing for treatment that's been given to your pet when, to be fair, it was a mutual misunderstanding and you could well meet halfway. Not everything needs to be a fight!

Teacher22 · 30/05/2019 06:34

Vets have become like the mafia, ‘ Cough up or the little fellow gets it.’ My DD has a cat who had to have a new hip implant as a car injured him. Eight grand! Luckily all on the insurance. The little rascal then bruised his spine and another couple of grand had to be found for some tests and the overnight accommodation.

stayathomer · 30/05/2019 07:03

OP's DD didn't do anything wrong, the vet did.
Totally this!!! Talk about being places on the spot! At that age of have taken it as a given to agree to anything the vet asked. I'd say try not to ask your dd about it too much, must be horrible for her to be caught up in this. I'd pay myself but totally understand you not.

*I assuming that you wouldn't put this above e being able to feed your children? Some people don't have £5k and put food on the table.

£50 to someone else could be the same as £5000 to you, some people have more money some people had less. So are you saying unless you've got infinite funds you aren't a good pet owner?*

I think you're probably reading a bit much into that

ClannLir · 30/05/2019 07:06

Agreeing with your last point, ALittleBitofVitriol.

BiteyShark · 30/05/2019 07:08

For everyone complaining about the bills, why haven't you got insurance and good insurance if getting hold of thousands would be a problem? There is no NHS for pets other than for people on certain benefits.

If the NHS didn't exist then you would have to pay for insurance or pay in a similar way. If vets didn't make a profit to put back into their business in terms of training, new equipment, building maintenance etc then they would go out of business and you would have no one to treat them.

Vet care is private medical care. It's not charity or funded centrally so everything from the buildings, the needles, the medicine, the training, the expensive investigatory equipment costs.