Are the cost of vets bills becoming a welfare issue?

[Gamebird]

Hmm but then how would my farm vet stay afloat if they were charging deflated costs all the time?

Well for a start they generally earn less! Farm vets are paid the least of any of the clinical veterinary sectors, and arguably work as hard, if not harder than vets in the other disciplines. They are much more subject to market forces. The vast majority of their clients are commercial enterprises with very tight budgets, and also there is a strong cost:benefit ratio in play which is a lot less subject to emotion than in equine work. If services increase in price then they negotiate them downwards, use another practice, or just drop the services (eg. shooting a cow rather than having a caesarian if caesarians became uneconomic). So farm professional fees are kept low because of market forces. They have less capital investment in the pricier end of equipment (I don't know many purely farm practices with a £50k x-ray machine, but most equine practices will have at least one, some one per vet). There are several other factors too.

So I guess I probably shouldn't have said they are necessarily charging deflated costs - it is a combination of market forces, lower overheads and economics that make farm vets cheaper for some services. However some of the costs are still definitely artificially deflated. Farm vets make less money. Most stay afloat, some don't - you've probably noticed a change over the last few years to much larger dedicated farm practices covering huge areas.

 

[druid]

Very few cows are undergoing full lameness work ups with digital xray, ultrasound or being scoped. All that equipment and expertise costs money.

The overheads for farm vs equine are vastly different

 

[Northern]

I’m with you on this. Like all professionals who consult, we/they exchange time and expertise for money. In veterinary services as clients we are looking for evidence based diagnostic and treatment which requires specialist tools and knowledge.

Everything is impacted by CoL - vet fees in my area have risen but less than CPI/COLA.

Where I get cranky is vet practices are not sophisticated consultants and can’t tell the difference between transactional work and custom complex, including the ability to have a conversation with profitable clients who are willing to pay. We all get lumped together which drives dissatisfaction with service delivery - hence reluctance to call vet as perception is we will get a transactional service at best. Most of them can’t even turn up close to appt time.

If you want to be paid and treated like a professional - act like one. I disagree that in AU vets are leaving in droves - attrition is no higher than in any consulting practice. The leaders of the practices need to focus on staff experience, career progression, digital skills and work life balance. Same as every corporate and govt dept is doing right now. I’m over the incessent whining coming from the Equine vet practices in AU. If they just had basic consulting skills they would be the centre of the ecosystem of providers not an alternative to allied professionals and we would see a lot more value in them.

To the original post - I would have been a massive softie and offered to pay for the vet visit. That aged pony is very sick and needs intervention. It’s tough and I hope the lady can get it resolved.

I do not disagree with you that a lot of vets have questionable "bedside manners" as it were. But I genuinely think this is because they do get stretched very thin. Stressed people don't often realise how they come across. I would support some sort of business and professional education being merged into the vet science degree, perhaps it already is? I am actively trying to improve the business efficiency of my workplace, but it requires a multi-pronged approach and collaboration which we simply do not have the time to do at the moment.

You obviously have no idea how hard it is to schedule mobile equine vet appointments to try and gain the most efficient use out of the working day. Some appointments unexpectedly take longer and sometimes we have emergencies, sometimes clients cancel with just hours notice. We try and keep our clients updated as best we can, luckily almost all our clients are understanding and appreciate the effort.

Requirements of vet board registration already include annual professional development, this ensures all practicing vets are exposed to current practices. Work life balance doesn't exist when you have to pay your staff as well and have clients calling you at all hours. Perhaps clients should be reminded about appropriate times to contact vets? I'm not sure where you are hearing incessant whining from, can you elaborate on what is being whined about? I actually happen to work in both the industry that vets are leaving, and the one they are leaving to work for. Vets are coming into government departments in droves to earn a decent wage and have a better work-life balance. Almost every single one of them tell the same story about leaving the industry. How would you explain the inability to find qualified vets in the broader veterinary community, even though the vet science courses still have waiting lists? If they aren't going into practice, where are they going?

 

[Orangehorse]

Have you considered the possibility that it is the converse, and it is artificial deflation of your farm vet fees? I'm afraid that it is generally that way round, and the equine fees are the more realistic ones.

I very much doubt it.

 

[poiuytrewq]

In regards to the original question, I think that's really sad. It sounds like the pony is going to have to hold out til 31 regardless. I don't have any problem at all with my horse vets fees. In fact I think she is really reasonable. Have animals have vets bills.

I think in this particular case the owner is the welfare issue, the vet can't be blamed.

 

[Orangehorse]

Well for a start they generally earn less! Farm vets are paid the least of any of the clinical veterinary sectors, and arguably work as hard, if not harder than vets in the other disciplines. They are much more subject to market forces. The vast majority of their clients are commercial enterprises with very tight budgets, and also there is a strong cost:benefit ratio in play which is a lot less subject to emotion than in equine work. If services increase in price then they negotiate them downwards, use another practice, or just drop the services (eg. shooting a cow rather than having a caesarian if caesarians became uneconomic). So farm professional fees are kept low because of market forces. They have less capital investment in the pricier end of equipment (I don't know many purely farm practices with a £50k x-ray machine, but most equine practices will have at least one, some one per vet). There are several other factors too.

So I guess I probably shouldn't have said they are necessarily charging deflated costs - it is a combination of market forces, lower overheads and economics that make farm vets cheaper for some services. However some of the costs are still definitely artificially deflated. Farm vets make less money. Most stay afloat, some don't - you've probably noticed a change over the last few years to much larger dedicated farm practices covering huge areas.

Yes, that is true. We are with the only practice left that is a truly mixed practice, as the previous vets we used just do small animals now.

But I was waiting for a dog appointment and noticed that any call out after hours was going to be £250, and then consultation. I feel that many people simply wouldn't be able/want to call out a vet to a sick dog or cat at those prices in which case welfare could be at stake.

Reminds me of our vets scrabbling on the barn floor trying to calve a heifer on a Sunday night, I don't recall a massive bill for that.

Our vets have a large farm animal section as well as small animals (three surgeries) and do exotics.

There is also a travelling vet that only does farms, and keeps all their medicines in the van. I know they have a very large coverage and employ quite a few. But they are going to be concentrating on the large farms, the big dairy herds and sheep flocks.
I don't even know if they do TB testing.

 

[Fransurrey]

I do think this issue poses a welfare issue, and it will probably be much larger over the next few years as all the pandemic puppies (and other pets) start getting old. I think there should be help for people who are truly struggling, but also stricter punishment of those who chose not to spend money on vet attention when necessary.

It already is considerably large. Certainly in the cat rescue world. Many cats being surrendered at the moment are due to CoL increases and they're mostly young cats, bought in the pandemic. There are a surprising number of pedigrees in rescue. I'll never understand why people will pay £1000s for a pet, then refuse to pay vets to keep it well. Why are vets money grabbing, but back yard breeders not (and we're seeing more pedigree breeding females being surrendered, now, too)? Northern has a point that vets are being expected to subsidise pet ownership (like YOs are expected to subsidise some liveries' horses, I guess).

Combined with people not neutering because it was difficult to get an appointment (but still letting their cats out!), it's a welfare disaster. My branch was the one that helped clear a household of 90 something cats resulting from two that weren't neutered 3 years ago. Two of the rescues I just took on are from a household of 54, same thing.

 

[Orangina]

Well for a start they generally earn less! Farm vets are paid the least of any of the clinical veterinary sectors, and arguably work as hard, if not harder than vets in the other disciplines. They are much more subject to market forces. The vast majority of their clients are commercial enterprises with very tight budgets, and also there is a strong cost:benefit ratio in play which is a lot less subject to emotion than in equine work. If services increase in price then they negotiate them downwards, use another practice, or just drop the services (eg. shooting a cow rather than having a caesarian if caesarians became uneconomic). So farm professional fees are kept low because of market forces. They have less capital investment in the pricier end of equipment (I don't know many purely farm practices with a £50k x-ray machine, but most equine practices will have at least one, some one per vet). There are several other factors too.

So I guess I probably shouldn't have said they are necessarily charging deflated costs - it is a combination of market forces, lower overheads and economics that make farm vets cheaper for some services. However some of the costs are still definitely artificially deflated. Farm vets make less money. Most stay afloat, some don't - you've probably noticed a change over the last few years to much larger dedicated farm practices covering huge areas.

Thanks thats really interesting to read.
In our area we don't have the super large chain vets (yet!). We still have all independent practices.

 

[honetpot]

I know I am reasonably lucky, most of my equines have had long working lives with few injuries, and apart from castration and the odd colic no big bills. I pay for routine care and would be happy to pay monthly like some small animal practices do for routine care.
The equine vets I use are great, and in my area there are at least three equine hospitals, but I find their management of their booking and there billing poor, and its getting worse.
There is little choice for farm animal vets because the area is mainly arable, so they can travel from over thirty miles away, the local vet will treat them but the knowledge gap in handling and treatment is huge.

In your bill you will always be paying something towards drugs, staff and equipment you may never use, I suppose my only objection to this is that if you only want basic treatment you are supporting a five star service that you do not need. A long time ago a vet used to come out diagnose and treat for a set amount, and if your animal needed specialist care it went to a treatment centre, now every vet practice seems to want to have all the equipment and associated costs, now they have to upsell even if they do not know they are doing it because they have those costs to cover, and if they have the equipment why not offer a test, even if the test is only confirming what they have already diagnosed.

I had a problem getting a standing castration, because they wanted to do it in the hospital under GA, and another pony had a growth removed off its sheath, which they also wanted to do under GA, for no obvious or explained clinical reason.
The standing castration was about £350, the growth removal under local £180, after all the extras the bill was £650, if both had ended up admitted for a GA it would have been well over £1000, as they would keep the colt in over night. If we are talking about people worried about money, castration is routine care and potentaily a welfare issue.

I suppose you could say if vets were competing for business the market would stablise costs but as there no longer seems to be the one or two person practice so you could have choice, the larger practices with bigger costs are in control of the market.

 

[ester]

I don't think farm prices are really comparable when it's a totally different situation, one person with a high number of animals that have to be commercially viable and with the skills to do much of the care themselves.

Now that out of hours is now a separate entity (though sometimes in the same building) they also have to be financially viable as a stand alone, in some cases you might not get much in at all some nights, so what you do get in has to be covering having a vet and a nurse available for those 14 hours as well as building overheads.

It's worrying to find out that this owner has 6

 

[SilverLinings]

One reason that prices have gone up in practices that have been bought by large conglomerates is that previously many of those practices weren't being run successfully from a financial point of view. Vets are not businessmen/women, and as most partners also see patients daily they are also vulnerable to being emotionally swayed by the needs of their clients when it comes to pricing.

Vets are (quite rightly) overwhelmingly in the profession for the animals, not to act as business managers, and many traditional practices were not performing well to the degree that a few bad months could have seen the end of them. The outgoings of veterinary practices are huge, so to make a sustainable profit on top (which any successful business that wants to survive long-term NEEEDS to do) prices needed to be increased significantly. With the conglomerates shareholders invest in the business (by buying shares) so need to see a return on their investment, otherwise no one would invest in the first place.

As with any commercial business, as long as vet practices aren't charities or government owned they will HAVE to make a healthy profit, they can't just run at cost. So in theory, they should be charging more than the NHS (proportionally) pays for similar goods and services; at the moment most are charging less for the majority of procedures. I agree that drug pricing is sometimes ridiculous, but often it is justified as a single practice's buying power is very weak so they will not be able to purchase e.g. paracetamol for the same price as a supermarket (although I agree that the £60 quoted above seems excessive). Since Brexit drugs from the EU are also more expensive and harder to get hold of (EU countries are given market priority, this is why there are also frequent and serious shortages of human drugs now in the UK).

With regards to VAT I am unsure what the 'right' answer is: yes, vet care is essential for the animals, but owning a pet isn't an essential purchase for the human, it is a luxury. Farm animals are different as they are part of a business and essential to contribute to the countries GDP and food security. In the UK a car is more essential to most people than a pet, but we pay VAT on cars and tax on fuel.

 

[TwyfordM]

It's usually the out of hours/call out with equipment that seems to add ridiculous amounts into my vets bills!

Routine bloods for ACTH, on my area call out day, plus the meds themselves (£70) was £130ish. I didn't think that was too bad to be fair!

A bank holiday vet visit for the hedgehog, emergency surgery to remove his eye so full GA, was just under £1k - exotic animal plus emergency on bank holiday I was expecting far worse.

It's always painful, even if I have the funds available, but it's the price we pay to have these pets.

I've just spent over £100 on dog food and I haven't even bought a full months worth for 2 teeny dogs and an elderly greyhound

 

[tristars]

when i lived full time on france my farmer friend had the vet to a cow with calf stuck, he paid 12 euros, i was there at the time, the same morning i had the equine vet to visit and give an opinion of a horses leg injury it cost 200 euros and that was 20 years ago

now the equine vet is one of the best, with an international reputation so i did not mind paying

just the difference is rather er...

 

[Nonjumper]

I think in answer to whether vets bills are becoming a welfare issue then the answer is an easy yes.

While I think the majority understand that vets are a business and that business needs to profit, we are all only too aware that now the majority of vets are no longer privately owned and run by the vets themselves, but by big companies who are interested in one thing only, massive and quite frankly obscene profits.

The vets themselves are helpless in the face of these companies (although they do sell out to them so not entirely blameless), and the rules they are bound by that states who they can and cannot purchase medicines and equipment from. It is ridiculous and needs a serious overhaul. If a proper public enquiry does take place one can only hope that things change for the better, both for the animals and the staff within the industry.

 

[Trickywooo]

As my husband who is from a farming background has put it, farmers simply won't pay astronomical vet fees equine and small animal vets generally charge. If a vet charged the same price to treat a sheep as they would a small animal pet, the farmer would likely just shoot it and chalk it up to a loss. That's not to say farmers don't care, but they are predominantly a business.

I do actually feel somewhat sorry for the woman in the OP. Yes ideally you would not keep animals that you cannot afford to treat, but it is likely she has had these horses for some years and vet fees, like everything have considerably increased in that time.

And yes, if she cannot afford to seek veterinary help for the pony, then pts, but as we should all know, this is not always an easy decision even when it is blatantly obvious it is the right one.

 

[ponynutz]

I have more sympathy - although vet fees and horse ownership have always been very expensive (I have had countless similar arguments with my parents about vets, saddlers, etc etc) the costs have shot up within the last 5 years. People who owned a horse before when it was perfectly fit and healthy may now have a horse that isn't - and it is also unethical to pass said horse on with difficulties. They probably didn't expect to be in this situation, and although we talk about PTS as the best option, for a lot of people the weight of making a decision like that simply because they do not have the funds for a basic vet consultation and visit is overwhelming and tricky to make.

IMO this owner is reaching out, possibly as a last chance resort, and may yet well make the PTS decision.

 

[setterlover]

I honestly do think that the best options for the pony and for her is to PTS elderly ponies can become a money pit and at 26 given she is feeding it and still it isn't gaining weight there is something very wrong and possibly a combination of things wrong probably all associated with old age and cushings is also a possibility .If worm counting worming as required by that and equine dentist ( all of which are not very expensive) don't sort the matter out then calling it a day would for me be the better option.
I'm hoping as the people she has spoken to ,( 3 others to my knowledge) have all said the same she will reflect on it worm count and dentist and if things remain the same PTS. I certainly wouldn't contemplate going into another winter.

 

[teapot]

I think a human only engaging in their right to have an animal/animals without considering their responsibilities is the bigger welfare issue.

While I get costs are increasing at stupid rates, a reassement of living within your means needs doing imho. Oh I can’t pay for the dog’s vet bill, but I’m spending x a week on other luxuries that no one needs does my head in. I’m also all for vets being paid properly!

The sooner the pet industry is regulated ownership wise the better imho.

 

[paddy555]

In your bill you will always be paying something towards drugs, staff and equipment you may never use, I suppose my only objection to this is that if you only want basic treatment you are supporting a five star service that you do not need. A long time ago a vet used to come out diagnose and treat for a set amount, and if your animal needed specialist care it went to a treatment centre, now every vet practice seems to want to have all the equipment and associated costs, now they have to upsell even if they do not know they are doing it because they have those costs to cover, and if they have the equipment why not offer a test, even if the test is only confirming what they have already diagnosed.

I had a problem getting a standing castration, because they wanted to do it in the hospital under GA, and another pony had a growth removed off its sheath, which they also wanted to do under GA, for no obvious or explained clinical reason.
The standing castration was about £350, the growth removal under local £180, after all the extras the bill was £650, if both had ended up admitted for a GA it would have been well over £1000, as they would keep the colt in over night. If we are talking about people worried about money, castration is routine care and potentaily a welfare issue.

I think there is a lot of truth in this.

There is no choice but to have the service where you are paying towards drugs/staff/equipment etc that you may never use. If the practice has it someone has to pay for it.

There is such a big difference now between the past and the present. In the past you relied upon the skill of the vet. Now it seems to be upon the equipment. I remember so many good vets in the past who just stood and looked and studied the problem. Then they detailed the problem which, from their experience they had seen so many times before. Then they suggested the best way to deal with it. That often involved rest and turning away. Both of those were very cheap but not popular now when everyone wants the vet out on Monday and the horse sound and ready to compete by the following week end.
Also most horse nursing was done at home by the owner who, with a little practise became pretty proficient. That way owners also learnt a lot more. That is the same as with farm animals, farmers do much of the nursing/care work themselves as they gain more experience. Most have learnt from a very young age so they are working with the vet rather than handing the animal over to the vet.

I have always thought castration was just routine. Most have been done young lying on the stable floor with me assisting the vet, one a little older was done standing and one who was a lot older was done knocked out in the paddock and I arranged for 2 vets to come out for the op. for safety.

As for dogs I still have on lovely older old fashioned vet who discusses everything and I suppose has the experience to help me see the way forward be it test, op or just accept and PTS idc.
The rest of the small animal vets at my practice will have it undergoing tests immediately. I suppose someone has to pay for the equipment but I would much rather have good old fashioned experience.

 

[ester]

reason for diagnostics = insurance and risk of litigation not that the current vets are shit at their job.

 

[Redders]

I am only four years out, but I am perfectly capable of making an educated guess. And that’s all it was in the past, an educated guess. Sometimes it was right, sometimes it wasn’t, sometimes it was way off the mark and the animal died. People accepted this back then as there wasn’t always a better way, and people were less likely to sue you.
With the advancements in diagnostics, I would have very little protection if I just went ahead with certain diagnoses on a hunch and experience, and not performing the industry standard tests to actually diagnose. Example being a hyperthyroid cat. I know what one looks like, I know the symptoms, I can look at one and on a good hunch declare it hyperthyroid. However. Along with that comes kidney disease, liver changes, and cancer also looks a lot like thyroid disease. If I trial treat without any tests, and they have any of these issues, the cat could die. It’s all well and good an owner saying ‘oh well I accept that risk’, I CANNOT legally sign away my responsibility as the trained expert. By basing it on a hunch with many disease processes, I am being negligent.
It’s not good old fashioned vets had experience and could sort issues for a fiver because they were better.
If a GP treated on a hunch, and missed someone’s cancer/heart disease/any other disease process, you wouldn’t accept that! People complain that GPS don’t order the tests they want because how do they know if they don’t test for stuff? Yet then people complain that vets want to do tests.
Some things need tests to accurately diagnose! There is a reason we spend time at university learning how to interpret those tests. Honestly it feels like you are damned if you do recommend tests because people complain you rely on diagnostics too much (which is a ridiculous statement tbh), and damned if you don’t because you might have missed something and that makes you a terrible vet

 

[LEC]

Hang on, how has this thread been turned into vet bashing when the issue is that owners are not taking responsibility?!?

It’s beside the point about vet costs, owners unless they have had their heads under a rock should have realised we have seen escalating rising costs across the board. It’s just medically we are protected by NHS if human. Though even that has fallen down due to escalating staff costs, medical costs and budgets out of control.

Animals are not a right they are a privilege and one we have to work at to afford and make sure they are cared for. Stories about owners with 5/6 horses and then moaning they cannot afford them is infuriating.

 

[twiggy2]

With regard to vet costs I have always been really sad that VAT is paid on veterinary bills this was a tax on luxury items and services but veterinary care is not a luxury and is essential for the well being of our animals be that domestic pets or privately owned horses this automatically adds 20% to every vets bill and this is nothing to do with the vet practices themselves. Farms and equestrian business can claim this back but the average owner can't.

Owning animals is a luxury though

 

[Sandstone1]

Owning animals is a luxury though

It is, but one that many people are being pushed out of because of rising costs, what will become of vets when only the wealthy can afford pets and horses?

 

[setterlover]

I am not sure veterinary care for an animal you already have is a luxury I have had mine for 20 years when things were a lot more affordable.
We have already decided that our 2 remaining horses will be the last I just can't justify the costs.I can afford the day to day care of these last 2 but if they were to require major interventions it would come out of what savings we have and I can't justify that as we are both on retirement pensions. They are kept at home so no charges for grazing or stabling and we make all our own haylege.
I love them both and I have promised myself and them that at 24 and 20 they aren't going anywhere.
When I get down to one the remaining one will go on retirement livery which working it out wouldn't be that expensive if you factor in everything including animal care when we want to go away.
We would sell up and downsize.
I dread having to make a choice to PTS on economic grounds but at their ages it has to be a factor and I am not sure just because you can treat something that you always should.
I had a horse with Cushings some time back I managed him on drugs etc for 4 years and it cost me a small fortune as well as the struggle just to get the tablets into him .I am certain I won't do it again.

 

[paddy555]

It is, but one that many people are being pushed out of because of rising costs, what will become of vets when only the wealthy can afford pets and horses?

very simply vet fees will increase and be covered by insurance. People will have to insure as a matter of course (except for the extremely wealthy who don't really come into this) Insurance premiums will increase to take into account increased vet fees. The insurance companies aren't going to lose out and neither are the vets owned by large corporations.
animal keeping will be restricted to either those who can afford the insurance or those who aren't too bothered and will compromise on welfare.

 

[ycbm]

very simply vet fees will increase and be covered by insurance. People will have to insure as a matter of course (except for the extremely wealthy who don't really come into this) Insurance premiums will increase to take into account increased vet fees. The insurance companies aren't going to lose out and neither are the vets owned by large corporations.
animal keeping will be restricted to either those who can afford the insurance or those who aren't too bothered and will compromise on welfare.

All true. And there will be huge welfare issues when people who thought insurance would cover the bills realise that exclusions, time limits and premium increases for lifetime treatments present them with bills they have no money to pay.
.

 

[Gamebird]

I am only four years out, but I am perfectly capable of making an educated guess. And that’s all it was in the past, an educated guess. Sometimes it was right, sometimes it wasn’t, sometimes it was way off the mark and the animal died. People accepted this back then as there wasn’t always a better way, and people were less likely to sue you.
With the advancements in diagnostics, I would have very little protection if I just went ahead with certain diagnoses on a hunch and experience, and not performing the industry standard tests to actually diagnose. Example being a hyperthyroid cat. I know what one looks like, I know the symptoms, I can look at one and on a good hunch declare it hyperthyroid. However. Along with that comes kidney disease, liver changes, and cancer also looks a lot like thyroid disease. If I trial treat without any tests, and they have any of these issues, the cat could die. It’s all well and good an owner saying ‘oh well I accept that risk’, I CANNOT legally sign away my responsibility as the trained expert. By basing it on a hunch with many disease processes, I am being negligent.
It’s not good old fashioned vets had experience and could sort issues for a fiver because they were better.
If a GP treated on a hunch, and missed someone’s cancer/heart disease/any other disease process, you wouldn’t accept that! People complain that GPS don’t order the tests they want because how do they know if they don’t test for stuff? Yet then people complain that vets want to do tests.
Some things need tests to accurately diagnose! There is a reason we spend time at university learning how to interpret those tests. Honestly it feels like you are damned if you do recommend tests because people complain you rely on diagnostics too much (which is a ridiculous statement tbh), and damned if you don’t because you might have missed something and that makes you a terrible vet

All of this, but also how, exactly do people propose vets work off their experience if they don't have that experience yet?

I am 25 years out. I can almost always diagnose a pelvic flexure impaction over a stable door. To be honest I can often diagnose one over the phone. But I still do a rectal exam every single time. And usually a blood lactate. And sometimes also a belly tap. Because the one time out of however that I am wrong and it's actually a slightly unusual peritonitis, or nephrosplenic entrapment, then the treatment is totally different. And your horse could die because I relied on my skills and experience.

 

[Wishfilly]

I will be honest, I do think this is more the owner's issue than an issue with vet costs- especially as she has 6 horses. To me, 6 is a huge number- bar commercial enterprises, I don't know anyone who has 6 horses! Even with your own land etc, of course it's expensive to afford vaccines, dental etc for 6, and unless you are hugely wealthy it is likely that you will have to make compromises somewhere.

A dental is hardly an expensive treatment from most vets, so if she can't afford/won't pay for that, it is concerning, and also makes me wonder how she would afford PTS when the time comes- even with the knackerman, I don't think it would cost less than a dentist visit.

Sometimes people do have to take a bit of personal responsibility, and not expect private businesses to subsidise their hobby!

I would also say that yes vet's fees (and a lot of other things) have obviously gone up a lot in the last couple of years, but it's not like fees were affordable yesterday and suddenly unaffordable today- she must have been aware that a situation like this would eventually arise- so plan for it? Are any of the other 6 sellable, or even rehomeable? Being blunt, that would free up some funds.

 

[paddy555]

To me, 6 is a huge number- bar commercial enterprises, I don't know anyone who has 6 horses!

oh dear, I have 8. Down from 12 now