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,

Frouby if the practice you use disappoints you so much wouldn't it be better to change ?
Veterinari as always gives good advice and speaks sense.
I have many years experience as a vet nurse , the cost of running a practice is astronomical , drug bills alone , most of us place a daily order £1000 + per day is normal.
Clients moan when comparing our meds prices to what they can get online, we aren't legally allowed the advantages of buying them in the same way .
We have heating/ lighting on constantly , constant washing of bedding , every pet is kept cosy and warm, i could go on and on , there are so many aspects to our jobs.
Don't get me started on the calls asking for discount / free treatment for "their new puppy as they are on a low wage / benefit ".
I agree a pet can be a joy but other than an assistance dog it is not a necessity .
Vet's so often get negativity on here , not so many threads about hair dressers charging £70 upwards for a colour !
In my experience it is a field where everyone mucks in together , where we regularly work hours extra caring for your beloved pet , you probably won't know about how much effort , time , expertise went into what we did , often the cost doesn't reflect that .
I'm not naïve of course there are rogues as in every field ,but from my experience we all work bloody hard for not enough pay and certainly from some not enough recognition .
A big thank you to all you lovely vet clients who appreciate us , it means a lot .

Having worked in private healthcare, I am amazed at how reasonable Vet fees are. As a result of having the NHS, I think as a country we grossly underestimate the cost of healthcare and become disbelieving and assume we are being 'ripped off' when the true costs are presented.

A private abdominal Ultrasound - cost of gown, sick bowl, linen, laundry, machine rental, gel, cost of staff, consultant, building costs, can easily reach £800.

I value Vets incredibly and think that they do an incredible job for often little financial return. We need to switch our thinking and value and reward healthcare more and stop placing value on disposable / shallow items.

She has been back today, seen the owning vet who has said they have mismanaged the wound.

those were the exact words were they?

If it needs to be restitched, we will pay for drugs only, not the vets time.
If. It needs to be restitched? So it may not, but if it is they won't be making you 'pay through the nose' as you unfairly assumed?

Seems I wasn't wrong after all
@NiceTwin
Where did anyone suggest you were wrong to be concerned? You asked for advice from a stranger in the internet who hasn't seen the case and gave you some general principles. I could even begin to guess if you were right or wrong about the case management of something I've not seen. I'm a vet, not a psychic.

We disagreed on the fact that you accused your vets of 'making you pay through the nose' they clearly aren't doing that if they're discounting your potential restitch.

You maligned your vets and their intentions on a public forum when it seems from your update that they've been transparent, accountable and generous. You may consider yourself to be right if it makes you feel better. It's not the same as being decent.

@Veterinari you are a funny person 😂😂😂

[quote NiceTwin]@Veterinari you are a funny person 😂😂😂[/quote]
Oh I am
I figure it beats being smug and righteous or objecting to imaginary slights.

I have sympathy for the OP tbh.

I remember having to buy medication for my dog from the vet.
When I checked the price online I had been charged almost 10 times over the price (just £14), nearly 10 (I can’t remember the true figure but it was close to 10) lots of £14 medication plus a consultation fee.
How can that kind of inflation possibly be justified?

The consultation fee is a joke!
I don’t mind paying for an actual consultation but they literally lightly run their hands over my dog, flick up her lip to expose her canines, quick look of her ears, weigh her, the end.
What am I actually paying for?
I do a more thorough body and dental check when I give her her daily grooming and teeth brushing!

I honestly do think vets are overpriced and in my experience, I appreciate its my anecdotal experience of limited surgeries, not very caring, severely lacking in ‘people skills’ and not acting in the best interests of the animal by subjecting clearly extremely ill animals to procedure to procedure before PTS.

“How can that kind of inflation possibly be justified?”

Because they’re not allowed to buy it from the cheap online places... they have to pay full price to start with.

So whatever’s added on, it isn’t added on to the online price.

Because they’re not allowed to buy it from the cheap online places... they have to pay full price to start with
So whatever’s added on, it isn’t added on to the online price
But the cheap online places surely bought it from the manufacturer?
Surely the vets also purchased from the manufacturer..?

@Snaplittledragon

Because they’re not allowed to buy it from the cheap online places... they have to pay full price to start with So whatever’s added on, it isn’t added on to the online price But the cheap online places surely bought it from the manufacturer? Surely the vets also purchased from the manufacturer..?

Do you think a small vet surgery has the same buying power as a large online retailer?

I’m struggling to see why the pharmaceutical company would sell the same product for a higher price to vets and a lower price to online companies.
Is there any evidence anywhere to show that is the case?

Unless you mean the online company buys in bulk?
But even then, how that justify a ten fold increase?

It's a balance. I typically buy though my vets as I am happy to potentially pay a bit more than if I shopped around online to support them as they have been very good in the past and always try and get me the cheaper deal when they can.

I feel for people who can't afford it and understand why they would seek out the cheapest option but have no sympathy for those that can afford it but just want vet treatment for pittance because they don't want to pay for what is private medical treatment.

@Snaplittledragon

I’m struggling to see why the pharmaceutical company would sell the same product for a higher price to vets and a lower price to online companies. Is there any evidence anywhere to show that is the case?

All companies sell products at a lower price when they are able to sell that product in bulk.

Price per unit is often different depending on how many units you are buying and for how long you have committed to buy those units for.

Think about wormers.
A vet may buy 100 per month (I’m aware this number is not nearly correct, but is is being used for scale).
An online retailer may buy 1,000 per month.

Even with a smaller price per unit the online retailer prodvided a higher income for the wholesaler, to keep that client the wholesaler must provide a competitive price. The vet has little buying power, doesn’t provide the same level of income and doesn’t have the buying power to get lower price elsewhere, so there is less incentive to keep them as a client.

Once the wormer has been purchased the sellers have different costs.

Website
Website running costs
Storage facility
Depending on medication trained staff to check prescriptions
Wages
Insurance

The vet has
The building
Insurance
Specialist staff
Training costs
Equipment maintenance

It’s clear that the scale of running costs are must higher for the vet compared to the online retailer. To break even and make a small profit they must charge more or their business will ultimately fail.

@Snaplittledragon

I have sympathy for the OP tbh.

I remember having to buy medication for my dog from the vet.
When I checked the price online I had been charged almost 10 times over the price (just £14), nearly 10 (I can’t remember the true figure but it was close to 10) lots of £14 medication plus a consultation fee.
How can that kind of inflation possibly be justified?

The consultation fee is a joke!
I don’t mind paying for an actual consultation but they literally lightly run their hands over my dog, flick up her lip to expose her canines, quick look of her ears, weigh her, the end.
What am I actually paying for?
I do a more thorough body and dental check when I give her her daily grooming and teeth brushing!

I honestly do think vets are overpriced and in my experience, I appreciate its my anecdotal experience of limited surgeries, not very caring, severely lacking in ‘people skills’ and not acting in the best interests of the animal by subjecting clearly extremely ill animals to procedure to procedure before PTS.

@Snaplittledragon
If you actually read the thread you'll see that I've already spent considerable time explaining the legal and economic constraints that affect medication costs in vet practices.

Of course your clinical exam would take longer - that doesn't mean it's more thorough. I can tell if your pet has a circulatory issue or a lymph node enlargement in a few seconds, I can detect abdominal masses and thyroid tumours with my hands (obesity and body tension permitting) and at a glance I can evaluate their demeanour, behaviour, and recognise chronic pain signs that owners overlook. What's more I can put all of those puzzle pieces together and recommend a course of treatment that will improve your pet's health and welfare. That's what you're paying for. If you think you can do all of that without years of training and experience, you're in the wrong job.

Plus you're ignoring the fact that vets have a legal obligation to check animals are healthy and that a particular medication is suitable for them before prescribing. This means your vet will have reviewed the pet's history, checked for any contraindications or incompatible medications weighed your pet, calculated an appropriate dose, prescribed and dispensed the medication including a legally defined label, and got a second member of staff to cross check to avoid prescribing errors.

How much do you think all of that training and service is worth?

But then as you think I'm uncaring, lacking in people skills and don't have the best interests of my patients at heart, I wonder if you can explain what I'm doing here, wasting my breath on pet owners like you who can't actually be bothered to read the thread and just want to slag me off?

@Snaplittledragon

I’m struggling to see why the pharmaceutical company would sell the same product for a higher price to vets and a lower price to online companies. Is there any evidence anywhere to show that is the case?

Do you understand why your local independent corner shop charges more for a tin of beans than tesco?

It's the same principle but magnified 100x with an online retailer who provides no veterinary services and isn't operating out of a physical building.

Like I said, read the thread. Even the NHS folks on here don't understand how vets can offer private medical services so cheaply. You only think it's expensive because you're comparing two entirely different business models

But then as you think I'm uncaring, lacking in people skills and don't have the best interests of my patients at heart, I wonder if you can explain what I'm doing here, wasting my breath on pet owners like you who can't actually be bothered to read the thread and just want to slag me off?
Showing the lack of people skills I mentioned there...
As I said, my experience is based on my personal experience of a small number of surgeries.
I have found them rude, uncaring etc.
I won’t reveal the name as it would reveal my location but a google search of my first vet brings up a huge amount of negative reviews detailing how rude, aggressive, nasty, unsympathetic and downright horrid that particular vet was (the surgery was actually forced to get rid of her due to complaints)
I would absolutely love to have a friendly, professional vet I really trusted and liked actually.
As it is, I haven’t yet met one.
I avoid vets like the plague only going if one of my animals develops something that doesn’t resolve or has an injury or similar that would need professional care.

But I do have to thank you at least for explaining the cost of the medication.

Showing the lack of people skills I mentioned there...

Because you think that me pointing out that you've criticised and attacked me and my fellow professionals when all I've done is politely answer your questions demonstrates a lack of people skills?
Do you think vets are professionally obliged to accept all the personal insults a random stranger on the internet throws at them? What a weird attitude.

@Snaplittledragon it's interesting that you think you're think you're so well placed to judge and criticise the personal characteristics of posters who have done nothing but politely respond to your queries. You might want to rethink your own people skills.

@Snaplittledragon

I’m struggling to see why the pharmaceutical company would sell the same product for a higher price to vets and a lower price to online companies. Is there any evidence anywhere to show that is the case?

Bloody hell - economics isn't your strong point, is it?

Why does a massive retailer like Amazon with a huge market and billions of buying power get a better deal than a tiny practice? It's a total mystery isn't it?

If this is the level of customer fuckwittery that vets are dealing with, they have my total sympathy.

If this is the level of customer fuckwittery that vets are dealing with, they have my total sympathy.

Oh trust me - this is novice level fuckwittery
In real life there are expert level-pet-owning fuckwits

Fortunately though, also lots of utterly lovely and brilliant pet owners - thank goodness

@Veterinari I said that in my experience the vets I have known have been rude, lacking in people skills etc.
That is a true statement for the vets I’ve known.
I never referred to you specifically, or even vets as a whole.
I clearly stated it was my anecdotal experience of a limited number of surgeries.

I didn’t find the bit of your post I quoted ‘polite’, if I did I wouldn’t have specifically mentioned it as an example of the rude attitude I encounter from vets.

I didn’t understand about the reason for the tenfold increase in medication and I appreciate you explaining it.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow I have Dyscalculia so no, economics isn’t my strong point.

Do you think people with Dyslexia are stupid too or is it only those that struggle with numbers?

@Veterinari

If this is the level of customer fuckwittery that vets are dealing with, they have my total sympathy.

Oh trust me - this is novice level fuckwittery
In real life there are expert level-pet-owning fuckwits

Fortunately though, also lots of utterly lovely and brilliant pet owners - thank goodness

I feel that, if you're in the midst of hectoring vets about their charges, it's not the optimal moment to reveal your total ignorance of pricing.

So maybe you're right - novice level .

Oh trust me - this is novice level fuckwittery
In real life there are expert level-pet-owning fuckwits shock
Fortunately though, also lots of utterly lovely and brilliant pet owners - thank goodness smile
YEp. There it is again.
I am a perfectly lovely and brilliant pet owner thanks.
My animals are in fantastic health and well looked after.

Lots of people struggle to understand how vets justify their prices but it’s nice to know it will be politely explained to us

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow I have Dyscalculia so no, economics isn’t my strong point. Do you think people with Dyslexia are stupid too or is it only those that struggle with numbers?

Oh nice try. So you are good enough with numbers to say confidently that vets over-charge, but you are unfortunately unable to take responsibility for saying something immensely stupid?

Could you explain to me how dyscalculia prevents you understanding that Amazon has greater buying power than a small veterinary practice?

Online pharmacies are going to be cheaper. They aren't responsible for looking after your pet, diagnosing conditions, performing surgery etc. They get a prescription and dispense it.

Your vet practice on the other hand does everything for your pet and has to operate at a profit to grow she invest whilst having bigger overheads to an online pharmacy.