Cats, vets, good value?

[SnowPhony]

Local vets run a scheme where you play a smidge over £12 a month which covers all wormers, flea treatments, vaccinations, microchip, annual urine test, twice yearly health check 20% off neutering and 20% off any lifetime medications. One pound discount on second cat.

Does this represent good value? Not owned a cat for years and having just got a little one that requires everything it sounds good to me but not sure!

 

[nianya]

I'd work out the cost of flea treatments (1x per 4-8wks depending on treatment) and vaccines (that's 1x per year) and yearly vet check. Microchip is a one time thing, as is neutering so whatever the cost of that is without the discount. And medications are only if the cat is sick, so by "lifetime" medications do they mean something they have to take for the rest of their lives or do they mean if cat gets sick you get a discount?

If your cat is indoor-only you don't have to flea treat nearly as often so cost goes down, certain vaccines don't matter as much in that case too. I've never had any animal get a wellness check more than once a year unless they were on medication (and that only happened when they hit senior citizen status), and what do they do an annual urine test for?

If you work out the cost of all that yearly then you should be able to compare to work out if it's a good deal or not. To me, it looks more expensive in the long-run since most the money I've spent on my cats at the vet was on bloodwork or emergency services. Not the basic wellness stuff. But maybe when you calculate it all out it works for your area.

 

[SnowPhony]

As you say, long term I'm not so sure though my friend has signed hers up and says it's great value. I'll be starting from scratch so first vaccs etc. for kittens I think it's good but not sure once they are older...

 

[ihatework]

8 drontal tabs are about £12 - that would do you a year.
Frontline about £4 a time, so approx £24 a year.

My vets charged about £60 for an annual check up and vaccination.

So in total for what I give my cats the monthly fee comes out more.

I would have no inclination to try and get urine samples, or do a 6 monthly trip for a health check.

Also if long term medication was required I'd buy in bulk off the Internet and it would likely be cheaper than vets even with a 20% discount.

 

[ihatework]

As you say, long term I'm not so sure though my friend has signed hers up and says it's great value. I'll be starting from scratch so first vaccs etc. for kittens I think it's good but not sure once they are older...

In that instance sign up for the first year, get your vacs, chip and neuter done then stop the scheme!

 

[SnowPhony]

Yeah think I may do that after I have checked how long you are tied in for

 

[brucea]

Paid the first vet bills for my cats in 6 years 3 weeks ago £98 so no probably not good value

 

[webble]

If you have an older cat that will need more regular checks it is good but if you are like me and only de flea in summer then it's expensive. My vets do a similar thing

 

[Sidesaddle]

£4 for Frontline making a cost of £24 a year? Isn't it applied monthly?

My vet must be ripping me off as I pay £36 for 6 months supply which makes £72 a year.

 

[cobgoblin]

The words 'cats', 'vets' and 'good value' in the same sentence????

 

[twiggy2]

my vets do a similar thing (i think many do), £9.99 per month for first cat £1 discount for each cat after that, includes monthly advocate, 6 monthly droncit, all vaccs, free once yearly health check with vet + one at 6 month intervl with nurse, free id chip, 10% of all professional fees, medications, food, tests ect including external lab fees, 20% of neutering, 20% of certain medications for life time conditions, if you feed royal canin every 6th bag of the same size/type is free, special offers on dentals and in house bloods too. Owners are not tied in but if the payments/policy is cancelled in the first year there would be a shortfall on the cost of the drugs to be paid.

Ihatework there is lots of known resistance to frontline that is why new products have been produced and frontline has been downgraded to a non prescription only medication but if it works for you then it is the cheaper option, also it does not treat lung worm. It should be used 4 weekly for flea and ticks cover though.

 

[Jay89]

We do this very plan at work. It works out a lot cheaper in the 1st year with microchip etc. But there still is a saving to be made for the 2nd year too.

A good prescription flea treatment such as advocate is about £7 a month. Plus your wormer, vaccs and a 6m health check.

If it's anything like the plan we do at work its well worth doing!

 

[Mad_Cow347]

I do this for my kitten, we get flea stuff, worming, microchip, 20% off neutering! monthly vet nurse checks (a although my surgery is tiny so it's actually vet checks but I don't go monthly anymore). I'm not sure I will carry it one once this year is up but think it worked out ok for this first year.

 

[numptynoelle]

My vet does something similar - and if you pay an extra £2 a month, treatment of any injuries due to accidents (covers road accidents, fights/attacks by other animals) are covered. Personally, if it was an indoor cat, I wouldn't bother, but if it were an outdoor cat, I'd certainly consider it, especially if the optional accident cover is an available option.

 

[Aru]

Its a loss leader scheme.they are operated in order to offer a discount on normal things in order to keep you as a loyal customer and client.chances are it is cheaper then it would be to buy each seperately.vets make money because not everyone makes use off all the drugs offered and because even coming in the door means you are more likely to part with your cash in the clinic on food leads etc.the urine tests etc are to catch the longterm chronic issues early.vets dot make money from a cat in full on renal failure as they die quickly, they make money maintaining and keeping the chronic issues under control with the different foods and drugs etc and the cats issues are caught early so they life a longer and generally healthier life.

most tend to be good value.dogs schemes tend to be better than cats though