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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think vets charge too much **title edited by MNHQ on OP's request**

317 replies

Looobyloo · 10/09/2019 19:24

I took my 10 yr old cat to the vets earlier for a check up as she has seemed a little lethargic. Vet examines her and says she has a little arthritis in her hip and needs these tablets, one a day. I ask how much, she says £9 a tablet! Everyday for the next, however long she lives. £63 a week!

She gives me a free sample and says if they work she'll give me a prescription So I can get them online. I checked online, 49p a tablet.

We don't have insurance as we've never been able to get her to the vets for injections etc as she's very stroppy (she attacked the vet today)

I know people say don't have an animal if you can't afford and we do have a private cat fund where we put £60 a month into. But even then £63 a week! I'd be torn if it was life and death as much as I hate to admit to it.

Are vets just taking the piss nowadays?

OP posts:
wallowinwater · 10/09/2019 19:25

You will also have to pay for a prescription- about £30.

herculepoirot2 · 10/09/2019 19:27

She gives me a free sample and says if they work she'll give me a prescription So I can get them online. I checked online, 49p a tablet.

Sounds like she was trying to help you, not rob you.

Twooter · 10/09/2019 19:27

What tablets are they? Are you sure the £63 didn’t include a consult fee?

Shakirasma · 10/09/2019 19:28

She gave you a free sample and says she will do a prescription for you to buy them online at 49p each rather than you pay £9 each from them. How is that being a robbing bastard?

leckford · 10/09/2019 19:29

Vets are highly trained and have to spend huge amounts on equipment, staff, insurance and rent, etc. There is no NHS for pets, this is the kind of money human medications cost but you get it ‘free’ on the NHS.

I am not a vet but have a very self harming horse!

MrsElizabethShelby · 10/09/2019 19:29

Take the expense of the vets, triple it and you have the NHS after Brexit.

Vets bills are the least of your worries

ifoundthebread · 10/09/2019 19:30

My vet charged me £8 for a stronger flea treatment as the one id used hadn't had any effect. Went online, pets at home offer the same treatment delivered to my door at £9 for 2 dogs 😒

Raylas · 10/09/2019 19:30

Yep. Mine have changed so to get flea treatment you have to have a full consultation with the vet for £26. Per cat. Literally all they do is weigh them to see if they need small or large cat drops. Have to do it as pet shop stuff just doesnt work. Used to just see a vet nurse.

Also gave me medication recently which was £95, online the same size bottle was £40. Their house flea spray they sell for £29.99, online it's £8. They tried to say my 14 year old cat needed £800 dental work, there was nothing wrong it was just starting to get brown so it was to prevent problems down the road. Every single time I go there's some extra cost.

They used to be a small practice now there's 3 under the brand which you think would create slightly better buying power but instead prices have just gone up.

TrendyNorthLondonTeen · 10/09/2019 19:30

If she was a robbing bastard she wouldn't have told you to buy them online 🙄

FVFrog · 10/09/2019 19:30

Nope, medical care is very expensive animal or human. We are sheltered from the real costs of medical care due to the NHS. If you have ever seen a private health care human bill you wouldn’t be at all surprised at the vet bill.

Hwory · 10/09/2019 19:33

That greedy money grabbing bitch giving you two price and convenience options including a free sample!!

Sparrowlegs248 · 10/09/2019 19:33

're the flea treatments, sone are prescription only , such as Advocat. So if the vet hasn't seen your cat in the past 6 months, they are not able to prescribe it. I can take my cat for a free health check, in order to get the flea stuff or prescription to buy it online.

thebear1 · 10/09/2019 19:34

Medical care is expensive but due to the NHS we are sheltered from it. As with all professions some vets will not be as good as others at looking to not over stretch the owner.

Original poster
Looobyloo · 10/09/2019 19:35

I just meant that she did say the tablets are £9 each then said but I can give you a free sample for 10 days, then mentioned the prescription. How can they say they charge £9 but online they're 50p? And they're out of date Grin
£30 for a prescription!

I could have cried when I left the vets as I had no idea how much they'd be online so was very relieved when I found out.

It also cost me £40 for a 10 min consultation.

God we're so lucky to have the NHS!

OP posts:
MrMeSeeks · 10/09/2019 19:40

Shes given you free tablets if your cat gets on with them you can have a prescription to get them cheaper, how is that robbing you?
She didn't have to give you free anything!
You can buy most medication online ( and it will differ in cost per website).

Original poster
Looobyloo · 10/09/2019 19:40

I have seen physios private so I guess I shouldn't be so shocked. Also a few years back I spent £800 trying to save one of my cats.

I think I was just in shock at having to spend £63 a week on my cat, I love her but £63! And she could live to be 18.

I suppose that I'm kicking myself for not forcing her to the vets and getting insurance.

OP posts:
thenettyprofessor · 10/09/2019 19:43

What are the tablets?

LilyandAnnie90 · 10/09/2019 19:44

Yanbu. That’s so much money

mineofuselessinformation · 10/09/2019 19:44

I once paid a total of £80 to be told my cat had a sore throat.....

Waveymaevey · 10/09/2019 19:45

What are the tablets. Are you sure there aren’t dispensing fees etc included in that £9

Also you don’t have to take a cat to the vet to get insurance - if you choose not to vaccinate - which is a bad idea you just aren’t covered for diseases that you can vaccinate against!

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/09/2019 19:47

Your vet has a similar buying capacity as you do as an individual.

In other words they can only buy small quantities of drugs, and store small amounts of stock, from a limited number of suppliers.

They also have fairly high overheads and generally offer some services at a bit of a loss, but recoup that on meds and products, so the every day routine stuff is cheaper for the majority and ensures clients do keep coming back for the routine stuff.

The online pet drug pharmacies have HUGE buying power, and can store HUGE amounts of stock.
They are not limited to who they buy from, they can import, they have the required licences.

They also have (comparatively) very low overheads as they are running a website and warehouse, they are not running a veterinary surgery, maintaining expensive kit etc etc.

So that is why your vet sells you a pill for £9, and your online pharmacy sells you the same pill for 49p.

Its rather like how a bag of pasta in tesco could be 49p and a bag of pasta in the corner shop is £1.50.

There is no scam or fiddle there, its economics.

Get a prescription, its about £12 ish. Buy online.

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/09/2019 19:48

Though of course the more people buy with a prescription from online places, the less revenue the vets get, the harder it is to stock drugs the higher the mark up is to them, and they pass that to you...

Babyroobs · 10/09/2019 19:49

Yes it's shocking what they charge. My dog gets an upset tummy a couple of times a year. I took her to the vet as the weather was so hot and she had been vomiting . £135 vets bill for consultation and a couple of injections.

HilaryBriss · 10/09/2019 19:52

You don't need to take your cat to the vet's to get insurance Confused

My boy hadn't had any vaccinations for 10 years but was insured, they just wouldn't pay out if he got any condition thay could have been prevented with the vaccinations. His cancer couldn't have been and they paid out thousands for that.

FabLaura · 10/09/2019 19:52

I totally agree with you, some vets are well aware we will pay because we love our pet. Our one takes the piss so much that we won't see a particular vet. For example, one of our cats is old, barely leaves his bed and we were well judged for not having him wormed. I think I might have even cried once on our way home cause I was made to feel such a crap 'parent'. Don't even get me started on flea treatment costs!