Feeling a little done over by my vet

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poiuytrewq

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And slightly nervous about telling my husband...
dog has fleas, I check quite often but didn't know and the vet pointed it out (major dog owner fail I know :(. )
So anyway I've paid £40 consultation which is fine and some for tablets he's on anyway. No problem with that.
Then flea treatent at £25 house spray, £33 for the bigger dog and £27 each for the smaller two.
I almost died. He's prescribed Bravecto as apparently the best but really?! So expensive surely?
I'm actually in serious trouble tonight!
 
TBH I think the only thing you didn't need was the £40 consultation? Which, if you were in for something else anyway you might have got away with. But if the fleas were the only thing you visited for I guess is fair enough? My main dog vet has a smaller minimum (despite being in a very expensive premises) but there are others I use (for geographical reasons) that will have something like that as min charge.

Sometimes doggies are expensive :-(
 
What type of spray was it? I use Indorex when the need arises and it certainly isn't that much either online or from the vet. Bravecto is meant to be pretty good though.
 
Bravecto is expensive as it lasts for 3 months. (£40 consult!?for one dog? mine charge £19.). but yep, sometimes theses things just cost you occasionally.

for future referencew you can buy Advantage online (hyperdrug) for much cheaper than the vets, ditto drontal. for when the Bravecto stops working!
 
Bravecto lasts for three months and the house spray for 12 months so it's not too bad if you look at it as cost per month (and you need at least three months of treatment to properly shift fleas, so it's worth it). The spray is probably cheaper online but there's no direct alternative to the tablets without a prescription.

Consult fee is a bit steep but I can't point fingers as ours has just gone up again. :(
 
So glad my dogs never have fleas! (or I am in blissful ignorance.... I don't want to even think about that!!!)

Consultation fee is only slightly higher than the one my vets charge :(
 
There's always the question mark over asking for a quote when it comes to veterinary work on small animals, though why it should be so, I'm not sure. My vet always advises us of the likely cost for equine work, so why do receptionists at the small animal practice look me up and down with disdain when I enquire? Should we feel guilty over the cost of veterinary treatment and should our concerns mark us down as putting costs first? Of course not.

I too think that £40 for a consultation is steep. In your shoes I'd 'phone around and find those who aren't so expensive. Bite the bullet, tell the hubby, and next time, 'ask'.

Alec.
 
The cost of the drugs and spray are pretty normal I'd say. I am in a pretty expensive practice in an expensive city, and we're a little less than £40 consult.
 
I'd be inclined to look on-line.

What I WOULD get from the vets is their flea collar; I don't get mine anywhere else and wouldn't ever do so.

Particularly avoid pour-on treatments for fleas like Bob Martin: or at least research very thoroughly before you do as they have been linked with deaths of dogs. This is why I use flea-collars not pour-on's; you can remove a collar but not a pour-on once you've done it. I remember my two terriers being very agitated and edgy when I bought them the Bob Martin collars, the behaviour of the little bitch was nothing less than frantic, that's all I can describe it. When the collar was removed she was fine. Then I read all about the Bob Martin pour-ons :(

A good flea collar (mine's last for 9 months) is a good investment IMO as it should act as a good line of first-defence and should stop the fleas coming onto the dog in the first place, then if you do get a problem indoors you can get the Indorex fairly cheaply on-line or in farm outlets.

Feeling your pain OP; this has happened to me before until I got wise to how to do things cheaper, and yes, by golly it does sting!
 
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Not sure what the problem is? You've obviously not used a flea preventative or used an ineffective one - they have diagnosed the problem and prescribed a solution - why do you feel done over?
 
What preventatives were you using?

Ps. Out consult fees for someone not on a scheme are about £42, but if booked in to check for fleas that consult is free. The pet club works out cheapest as you get all flea and worm treatment included (plus vax).
 
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
 
Clodagh said:
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
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I treat mine monthly except winter anyway as they are prone to ticks. I'm not religious about it but I know when it's late as they usually start picking them up, horrid things. They've never had fleas which is just as well as past experience tells me once they are in your house they are a ****** to get rid of completely.
 
Clodagh said:
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
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I did for a year when we moved here because we inherited a flea infestation. now I treat the cats monthly but not the dogs.
 
Clodagh said:
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
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I treat mine periodically (maybe two or three times a year) as a preventative.
 
Clodagh said:
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
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My dogs have never had fleas and, like you, I do not use a preventative for the very same reasons.
 
I pay £13 for a prescription which covers 6 months therefore two tablets and then £18 for a bravecto tablet each. This is for a 28 kgs dog, so £24.50 per large dog tablet.
 
Nope, no flea treatments here either. If I ever see fleas, easy on thin coated whippet, then they are treated. I think I've done them twice in 5yrs. I have never dont the house either, just the animals..
 
I have to ensure that I treat quite regularly due to my business, but as much for tick deterrent more than anything.
 
I only use them if needed, which has been quite infrequent at our place. I'm another one who doesn't like the thought of strong chemicals on the animals unless necessary.

I know that feeling of being drawn into buying treatments at the vets consultations, then regretting it afterwards! If some other businesses did this they would need to make you aware or at least point out the cheaper alternatives before you committed to anything pricey. I asked for a prescription for a larger size Metacam recently and the response from the receptionist was not enthusiastic. I know they are only protecting their business but the price difference is substantial when compared to the same products online.
 
rara007 said:
We're in a lung worm hotspot (it seems) so not really optional.
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Yes, and I am near you, but when I asked the vet he said unless they eat slugs or snails t was not an issue. I did treat the pup once when she went through an eating soil and moss stage.
 
I have a lab and a springer- enough said :p I've had 3 cases, 1 survived (there was complicating factors in the other 2 but still...)
 
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Aled had fleas when he came to us, so off to the vet we went, bravecto for him, and advocate for the cats. Cats are generally indoor cats now as they are old, so we just keep an eye on them all, and treat if needed.
 
Clodagh said:
Just out of interest, do you all treat your dogs for fleas even if they don't have them? I understand if you are in a high risk area but I avoid pouring unnecessary chemicals on my dog. Mine never have fleas, why would I treat them? Luckily my vet agrees, but one receptionist (you always get one who feels she is more qualified than her employer) gets quite cross.
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No, never - my dogs (for whatever reason) do not have fleas and I don't treat them for fleas
 
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