Why are vets so expensive

[bevelino]

My precious dog has been treated by our local vet but is now an in-patient at a veterinary hospital. The cost so far is way more than the cost of treating a human for the same condition privately,

There's a lot of wrong misconception of NHS costs. There are different ICU day costs depending on the level of care and is usually lower than £1800 for the care equivalent to the care a dog will receive.

I too am annoyed with vet costs. I have insurance but pay for smaller intervention.

My dog got mild conjunctivitis. I checked his eye, didn't see anything in but knew that it was better to get antibiotics. Call vet practice, told that the dog had to be seen before being prescribed the drug. Fair enough.

Made an appointment during vet opening times, was made to wait 1/2 hour outside in the cold without an explanation. Dog finally went in, exactly 2mbs later got a call from vet to say no concern with the eye and will prescribe antibiotics.

Dog out 2 mns later, then handed in a bill for £80 with the drug. When I questioned the price, was told my dog had also been given a pain injection. She didn't need it, only had mild discomfort.

This is the most reputable practice in our town but I can't help but believe that it is definitely a money making machine.

Won't even mention all the info given on first appointment with puppy about joining their health scheme and signing up with that particular insurance.

You’ve not provided any figures.

I paid £48 for a 10 min consult and injection for vomiting.

That Is spot on what I’d expect for a private Gp for a similar matter.

It’s now around £200 to see a consultant privately as a human face to face. I paid Neely that for a neurology telephone consult lasting 11 mins and ending up as entirely predicted in referral for a scan.

We do not “ get “ how much it costs to run a business in health care. When the nhs has gone we will be horrified.

Won't even mention all the info given on first appointment with puppy about joining their health scheme and signing up with that particular insurance.

So if a money saving health plan (which usually come with significant savings on expected costs in the first year) and insurance WEREN'T mentioned, and you found out later, you wouldn't be annoyed about that?

I loved my years in the veterinary profession, made amazing friends, had some lovely clients with amazing patients, but I have zero regrets about getting out.

I think the issue with varying and increasing costs is because veterinary practices are becoming commercialised, and like any commercial outfit wants to squeeze the last penny from every appointment and treatment. There is no advantages to this to the animal owner or the vets or the staff that work there. It's just another corporate company. The individual staff care for your pet, your vet does, the vet nurses do. But the corporate company absolutely doesn't. Neither do the insurance companies.

No one complaining about vet costs begrudges the vet their (probably low) salary. Or the staff their pensions. I've never once quibbled a bill or withheld treatment because of cost or gone for a cheaper alternative. I won't change vet practices with the dog as advised, because she doesn't travel well and the only small practice is a few miles away and there is no guarantee it won't be bought out either.

But I do think it's a massive shame that pet ownership is a luxury due to vet and insurance costs. And I do think that the actual costs of veterinary treatment should be cheaper with a vet practice that is part of a large chain. But it's more expensive which is about profit margins being squeezed for every last penny which I think contradicts most vets I've ever met philosophy which is to make a living treating animals. No one goes to vet school aiming to make a million.

It never ceases to amaze me that people who choose to get pets do not consider the financial implications first. My two cost me £65 in insurance monthly (7k) lifetime and £50 in food, plus training, equipment, etc. Do I begrudge it? No. Do I worry about money when I have to take them to the vet? No. I know the vet will do whatever they can in the best interests of my dog. I have insurance for that precise reason.

Someone said upthread if you can't afford the insurance don't get the animal. Sensible advice.

As an aside I'm a financial advisor and work in advising on lifestyle insurances and I've spoken to lots of vets over the years. Trust me they do not earn as well as most people think they do.

Vets do an amazing job, in often very emotionally charged situations. Stop bashing them.

I'm shocked at prices too. Our local, so called low cost, vet, has recently increased their consultation fee by 50%, from £24 to £36.

I think that's an enormous and unacceptable amount to increase it by...5 or 10%, yes, but 50% in one go is just greedy.

I'm not sure how they justify it, but I guess as a private company, they don't have to.

For me vet equals someone who truly cares and loves animals

I suggest that you have another look in the dictionary. Are you suggesting that doctors are people who truly love and care for people??? Ridiculous. One would hope that they do, but actually, higher on my list is that they are well qualified, knowledgeable, and can "fix" my dog when things go wrong. And the same goes for how I select my doctors. A nice "bedside manner" is a plus, but it absolutely isn't a requirement.

I have both private health insurance and insurance for my dog. I can tell you now that neither the insurance nor the treatment costs for the dog are higher than mine. I do have some sympathy with those who have pointed out that the costs mitigate against poorer families being able to have pets / afford treatment, but that is not the fault of vets, any more than it is the fault of BUPA that there are huge waiting lists and poor clinical facilities and resources in parts of the NHS. We do have charities that support poorer people with veterinary services, but these are now overwhelmed. Again, that is not the fault of vets, is it?

I appreciate that, especially when beloved pets are ill, people lash out, just as they would if a beloved human was ill. But the tone of many on this thread is nasty. If you want free or cheap services, whether it is for you, your pet, your car or your home, have at it. But you get what you pay for. And if you don't want to pay for it, expect the consequences of that decision. The fact that caring for a pet is expensive is not a well kept secret, and if people decide to take on a pet, then they should do so in an informed manner and with due regard to the "running costs" - just like any other commitment people make.

@Veterinari I say paying through the nose because I have already paid once and now I have to repay to have the same thing done again.
There are a few vets in the practice, some better than others. I may ask to see the better one if this carries on.

This vets have form for charging wildly.
I have an elderly dog that needed a dental. They sold it to me that it is X amount for anaesthetic, X amount to have so many teeth out, more than it that is goes to X amount but it will never cost more that £550.
Go to pick the boy up, they shamelessly and without missing a beat say that's £973 please
I rang to discuss with the practice manager but she never bothered ringing me back and every time I rang she wasn't available.
I gave up in the end.

I know I should probably take them to the other vet they are registered with but my mate is head vet nurse there, so I know they will be cared for. The old lad I have is an absolute shit but she has known him since a puppy and takes no messing from him.

Most U.K. vets nowadays have been bought out by big chains who are basically a business and push for profit.

@Veterinari I am so sorry for the bashing you seem to be getting on this thread. I know vets and they get paid a fraction of what other professions do, and they're better qualified.

When we end up with private healthcare in this country people are going to get a huge shock about how much things costs.

Agree with posters above re. insurance. My animals are insured so I don't need to worry about medical bills for them. Being able to afford insurance was part of my calculation of whether I could afford a pet.

ds was referred to a dermatologist and we used my company private health care. The cost they had to pay was was £140 for a 15 mins consult. The last vet consult I went to in January was £56 and included a prescription for a months supply of steroid tablets.

We are totally oblivious of the cost of what the NHS provides us with. Be thankful you don't need to make a decision on seeing a Dr due to cost. If you can't afford a vet don't get a pet.

www.gocompare.com/health-insurance/the-bill-of-health/

Link for NHS costs in 2017/18

@Frouby

I think the issue with varying and increasing costs is because veterinary practices are becoming commercialised, and like any commercial outfit wants to squeeze the last penny from every appointment and treatment. There is no advantages to this to the animal owner or the vets or the staff that work there. It's just another corporate company. The individual staff care for your pet, your vet does, the vet nurses do. But the corporate company absolutely doesn't. Neither do the insurance companies.

No one complaining about vet costs begrudges the vet their (probably low) salary. Or the staff their pensions. I've never once quibbled a bill or withheld treatment because of cost or gone for a cheaper alternative. I won't change vet practices with the dog as advised, because she doesn't travel well and the only small practice is a few miles away and there is no guarantee it won't be bought out either.

But I do think it's a massive shame that pet ownership is a luxury due to vet and insurance costs. And I do think that the actual costs of veterinary treatment should be cheaper with a vet practice that is part of a large chain. But it's more expensive which is about profit margins being squeezed for every last penny which I think contradicts most vets I've ever met philosophy which is to make a living treating animals. No one goes to vet school aiming to make a million.

Definitely no advantages working for a veterinary chain ....it’s true ,the staff care about the animals but the owners couldn’t give a toss it’s all about £££££

I'm shocked at prices too. Our local, so called low cost, vet, has recently increased their consultation fee by 50%, from £24 to £36.

That is cheap, it is barely the cost of a cut and blow dry!

Also worth remembering, vets often treat wildlife (at no cost to themselves?) I wasn't charged when I brought a sick hedgehog to a local vet in the summer.

People will have a big shock when faced with the actual cost of private human care (maybe sooner than we think )

[quote NiceTwin]@Veterinari I say paying through the nose because I have already paid once and now I have to repay to have the same thing done again.
There are a few vets in the practice, some better than others. I may ask to see the better one if this carries on.

This vets have form for charging wildly.
I have an elderly dog that needed a dental. They sold it to me that it is X amount for anaesthetic, X amount to have so many teeth out, more than it that is goes to X amount but it will never cost more that £550.
Go to pick the boy up, they shamelessly and without missing a beat say that's £973 please
I rang to discuss with the practice manager but she never bothered ringing me back and every time I rang she wasn't available.
I gave up in the end.

I know I should probably take them to the other vet they are registered with but my mate is head vet nurse there, so I know they will be cared for. The old lad I have is an absolute shit but she has known him since a puppy and takes no messing from him.[/quote]
Right so you feel perfectly entitled to ask me for free advice but to slag off my progression for making you pay for a valid surgical service.
Your dog got a deep and serious injury to a part of its body that is very difficult to surgically close.

There is a risk of wound breakdown with any surgery, never mind a deep tendon injury to the distal limb with poor blood supply and significant skin tension. Who do you think should cover the cost of your pets healthcare if not you?

Regarding the dental - yes that sounds like poor communication - did you query it at the time? I'd expect that as your friend works there she could advise on the costs.

@Hurtandupset2

I'm shocked at prices too. Our local, so called low cost, vet, has recently increased their consultation fee by 50%, from £24 to £36.

I think that's an enormous and unacceptable amount to increase it by...5 or 10%, yes, but 50% in one go is just greedy.

What you aren't recognising is that they've likely been undercharging for years

@BrigitsBigKnickers

If you need medication then it's far far cheaper to get the vet to write a prescription and you can buy them online. My dog needs 3 different medications and including the frankly ludicrous £38 charge for the bit of paper from the vet, the medication has cost £130 for a three month supply. Getting it from the vet would have been over £500.

Yep because weirdly enough enormous online pharmacies have significantly more buying power than your vet practice.

It's economy of scale.
Vet practices cannot buy drugs at cost for the price that internet pharmacies sell at.

So you remove an income stream from the practice when you buy drugs elsewhere and then expect that same practice to employ professionally trained staff to review your pets medical records, check for drug interactions, ensure recent health checks/blood tests have been done to ensure no adverse effects, calculate a dose and write a legal document. But you don't expect to pay for that service @BrigitsBigKnickers ?

Yeah totally reasonable

I’ve just checked out of mindless curiosity... the average vet earns about £48K, which seems to me very low for a job that involves years of training.

I guess people go into the profession because they ‘truly care and love animals’.

@Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies

I’ve just checked out of mindless curiosity... the average vet earns about £48K, which seems to me very low for a job that involves years of training.

I guess people go into the profession because they ‘truly care and love animals’.

It's not even that good

Yes vets earn a lot less than people think and work very hard. My vets are very good. Always been fair. They know me pretty well after years of horses and dogs, and know we don’t insure. They will often discount medicines for me so they’re as close to the online pharmacies as possible (I have a lot of elderly animals on long term meds). They know wherever possible I will buy from them. I’d rather pay a little bit extra at the vets than online - our vets is still independent.

Healthcare is expensive.

Vets are not rolling in money and most are doing a very hard job under increasingly difficult circumstances. Some are then coming on mn and offering medical advice, for free. I myself have been on the receiving end of such a gesture, receiving advice on here from a vet that turned out to be scarily accurate and described perfectly the way we eventually solved a massive health issue with the help of a specialist.

A quick look at organisations like www.nomv.org/ will show why those in this profession need (deserve) better. The profession has it flaws, all professions do, but does not deserve the shit that gets thrown at it - including on here.

I imagine quite a lot of the money you pay for vet treatment will have to cover the running costs and equipment maintenance in the practice, insurances and so on. Also the salaries of the ancillary staff will have to be covered. It's not that you pay your vet £30 for a consultation and that £30 goes straight into their wage packet.

@SirSniffsAlot

Healthcare is expensive.

Vets are not rolling in money and most are doing a very hard job under increasingly difficult circumstances. Some are then coming on mn and offering medical advice, for free. I myself have been on the receiving end of such a gesture, receiving advice on here from a vet that turned out to be scarily accurate and described perfectly the way we eventually solved a massive health issue with the help of a specialist.

A quick look at organisations like www.nomv.org/ will show why those in this profession need (deserve) better. The profession has it flaws, all professions do, but does not deserve the shit that gets thrown at it - including on here.

Thank you

In the UK, www.vetlife.org.uk/our-mission-and-vision/ is an incredibly important charity for the profession.

There have been lots of kind words in this thread from lots of posters. It is very much appreciated