Vet charging for consultations for regular prescriptions

[meimyself]

I have 2 kittens and for monthly flea and worm medicines the vet wants me to bring them in just so they can write a prescription. This costs over a hundred pounds just for the consultation for them both. Is this normal ? I can weigh them at home and don't see the need. I'm looking to register at a different vet because of it

I'm not in the UK, so things are possibly different here. I use Moxiclear for my older cat (he won't take tablets), but it doesn't kill tapeworms so no use to you.

Same fo me. My cats go in once a year for booster jab and general health check up. Same with dogs. I just collect their prescriptions and buy it online.

I forgot to say, I'm pretty sure my vet will prescribe treatments without you taking the cat in.

My cat has medication for an overactive thyroid and I don't have to take him in every time - I just phone and pick the medication up each month until his next visit is due.

Why don’t you phone your vets and clarify the situation? £16 is relatively cheap for a prescription so silly to swap vets if it’s all a misunderstanding.

I have rang them and said this and updated their weights but they have got back to me and said they want to see them to prescribe anything. I definitely am going to change vets just wondering what to do in the meantime, if i can effectively treat them at home or not. I know they're fine with the flea and mite stuff I've got, and Panacur but it doesn't treat everything scared to try anything else after my cat's reaction to another wormer I bought over the counter

Oh no wait, that was just an automatic message, and I've misread it. I'm calling them back today after leaving a message for the vet

I pay monthly with our vets. £16. This includes flea and worming. I believe by law they have to have seen your pet recently to prescribe them but our vets off a free consultation if needed. I'm not sure on the time scale as I get vaccines and then a 6 month check up.

From what I remember my vets wanted to see them every 6 months as they were 1 year old and still gaining weight

again this and 12 months of flea and worms and the check ups was included in the £15 a month

Mine gets seen once a year still. And I only took her in the other day for this and no changes were mentioned. I would not want to be taking her in any more frequently than this as it's a nightmare process to get her in her box and she finds the whole thing really stressful. She often needs sedation and it can't be good to sedate a cat or stress her that frequently. So I would push back on that strongly as I don't think it'd be in her best interest.

I'd ring around other vets if I were you.

Typically, with routine flea and worm treatments we can prescribe as long as we have seen the pet regularly however the RCVS has recently updated their veterinary drug licensing laws!

As your cats are kittens, we typically would want to see them every month due to the fact they’re constantly growing and we need to ensure they’re the right weight for the dosage, but also it allows for a vet/nurse to see if they’re on track for their breed/growing properly. I would recommend you do speak to your practice and see if they have a pet health club - this is a monthly direct debit which covers flea/worm/vaccines and some additional things like discounts on food-toys if your practice sells them. However, if it is strictly a weight check and giving you the products to administer at home I wouldn’t necessarily deem that a full vet consultation to incur a consult fee, potentially a nurse consult fee or even just a free weight check? + the cost of treatment.

In terms of treating them at home, while you can buy over the counter products they are not as highly recommended as they are not prescribed and therefore aren’t sold regulated meaning they’re not as high dosage or as effective. It doesn’t mean they “don’t work” on a whole but it is a case by case basis, whereas veterinary licensed sold products are dosed to be significantly more effective as we know exactly who we are prescribing them to, including their weight etc. I would be wary of prescribing something you’re not sure of, if your kitten has had adverse effects previously to specific flea treatments - although all medication has it’s potential side effects if it’s over the counter you would need to be more careful as in practice a vet can check the brands are 1) correct for your kittens age and weight and 2) the active ingredient if they’ve noticed a link between the brand your pet has had reactions to previously

I'm a vet and I'm surprised your vet charges for consultations for flea/worm products. From your post title I thought you were complaining about consultations for repeat heart/arthritis/thyroid (etc.) medication and was preparing to explain that we're providing a professional service and ensuring that medication is appropriate for your dog, being used correctly, dose is correct etc, and that of course you should be paying for that professional service.

However, all practices I have worked at offer a free consultation when it's for prescribing "prescription-only" flea/worm preventatives. It's because obviously it's of benefit to the practice to sell our products, so the free consult is out of courtesy for that. Even if a written prescription is required, when it is for flea/worm products, we just charge the £23 written prescription fee (and will prescribe for 12 months). Have you definitely understood correctly?

Yes I've spoke to them again and they want the vet to see them for another appointment before they sign off for monthly prescriptions. It's still over a hundred pounds though, after paying 170 just 4 weeks ago, and I've found another vet who is cheaper

Mine doesn't. Change vets and tell them why.