How can this be right?

[Pilib]

I have just received my most recent vets bill and I was really shocked to find I have been charged £7.67 for vet wrap! VET WRAP!

My local tack shop isn't the cheapest and sells it for £1.99. I am guessing the vets buy in bulk so pay a lot less than £1.99 a roll for it. I understand I might pay a bit more as they have to store and carry it round but £7.67!

How is this right? The vet didn't even put the blinking vet wrap on the horse! I did it myself, had I known how much it would cost I would have driven to my local shop for some (I usually have a well stocked first aid kit but the horse in question has had reoccuring accesses and I had run out!)

I know there is probably no point in challenging them but I just can't see how they can justify it? 😡😡😡😡😡

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Oh dear! That is a bit OTT! I was charged £26 for 1 knitfirm on one bill. Needless to say I did not pay for it! They had it down on the bill as Frog Supports - yes if it had been the plastic dodarey things then fine but they didn't make them small enough for said laminitic pony so a knitfirm cut in half did the job perfectly!

I know Vets, in fact all businesses have to mark up the price to make a living but £7.67 for a roll of vet wrap that they would have got for less then £1 really is taking the Mick! £2-2.50 would be far fairer and they would still be making a profit.

 

[wench]

Complain. Yes vets have to make a profit, but I'd also expect them to be looking out for the welfare of their clients as well

 

[AmyMay]

Yep, sounds about right.

 

[Pilib]

I have also been charged for an extended visit/advice and I am confused as to at what point does a call out become an extended visit as next time I will have my stop watch going! ����
Think I am going to challenge them on the vet wrap charge, it is my own fault for letting my stash get low but had. Know the price I would have popped out and grabbed one from the tack shop ��

 

[JennBags]

I'm surprised you can source it as cheaply as £1.99/roll, last time I bought it, I struggled to get it in bulk for that.

Yes, it's expensive, but vets have to purchase it and they have to stock it. They're unlikely to be getting it at the wholesale prices that a tack/supplies shop do, they're probably paying similar retail prices.

You say you'd have popped out and got one from the local shop, but by the time you add mileage into the equation, it's probably not much more.

As far as I know, a call out charge is just that, if they need to do anything they always charge extra. If we had to pay for our own health care in this country, people would realise that vets aren't just ripping them off.

 

[twiggy2]

I'm surprised you can source it as cheaply as £1.99/roll, last time I bought it, I struggled to get it in bulk for that.

Yes, it's expensive, but vets have to purchase it and they have to stock it. They're unlikely to be getting it at the wholesale prices that a tack/supplies shop do, they're probably paying similar retail prices.

You say you'd have popped out and got one from the local shop, but by the time you add mileage into the equation, it's probably not much more.

As far as I know, a call out charge is just that, if they need to do anything they always charge extra. If we had to pay for our own health care in this country, people would realise that vets aren't just ripping them off.

THIS

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Vet practice's will have business accounts with the companies that sell the things they need. They will get cheap Vet wrap. We get it for £1 a roll when ordering 100-500, 75p a roll for 500 plus in an order. Now you can't tell me Vets won't need that much!

 

[Sandstone1]

I wonder if the people sticking up for vets all work for vets? That price seems over the top to me.

 

[twiggy2]

Vet practice's will have business accounts with the companies that sell the things they need. They will get cheap Vet wrap. We get it for £1 a roll when ordering 100-500, 75p a roll for 500 plus in an order. Now you can't tell me Vets won't need that much!

I work at a vets and I can buy it cheaper at the local saddlery than the vets can get it in direct. when you buy something from the vets when they visit you will pay a premium for the convenience of not having to go and get it.
If people are that bothered about price they need to ask before they buy.

 

[Sandstone1]

I work at a vets and I can buy it cheaper at the local saddlery than the vets can get it in direct

Why don't they just go and buy a load from the tack shop?

 

[twiggy2]

because then someone has to leave the premises to go and collect it

 

[be positive]

I have also been charged for an extended visit/advice and I am confused as to at what point does a call out become an extended visit as next time I will have my stop watch going! ����
Think I am going to challenge them on the vet wrap charge, it is my own fault for letting my stash get low but had. Know the price I would have popped out and grabbed one from the tack shop ��

We found out with one vet about extended visits, he charged, at the time, £36 for the consultation which was 10 mins, call out and vat on top, one day he stayed chatting having a cup of coffee while the physio treated the horse he had just assessed, the bill that followed was an extended visit charged at another £36 plus vat for 10 mins, needless to say he never got offered coffee again, sometimes they really do take the p***.

When I had one come home from hospital with a supply of dressings including vetwrap I remember being surprised they were not more expensive although while there some of the charges were unbelievable.

 

[ester]

because then someone has to leave the premises to go and collect it

I'd be asking the tack shop who they get it from!

 

[Pilib]

I'm surprised you can source it as cheaply as £1.99/roll, last time I bought it, I struggled to get it in bulk for that.

Yes, it's expensive, but vets have to purchase it and they have to stock it. They're unlikely to be getting it at the wholesale prices that a tack/supplies shop do, they're probably paying similar retail prices.

You say you'd have popped out and got one from the local shop, but by the time you add mileage into the equation, it's probably not much more.

As far as I know, a call out charge is just that, if they need to do anything they always charge extra. If we had to pay for our own health care in this country, people would realise that vets aren't just ripping them off.

Sorry but even in my very thirsty discovery it wouldn't have cost me £5 to get to the tack shop and back! It really was my own fault for not keeping my kit stocked up I had used the last roll that morning and only took one from the vet to tide me over!
Even if they were paying retail prices and charged say an extra £1 on top or even £2 I wouldn't have been so bothered but almost £8 is just taking advantage!
I think I will ring a few other local practices and find out their charges, as it may just be standard vet prices.

 

[AmieeT]

At my yard we each keep things like that in or first aid boxes- the vets use our supplies then and we don't get charged.

 

[Ella19]

Vets don't have storage so will only buy in a box at a time. They have daily deliveries to deal with this. I Used to work for vets as pharmacy manager, we only had a select few suppliers to go through and then they add delivery charges. I had items at cost plus vat yet it was still cheaper for me to buy most my drugs and supplies online. Things like vetwrap are often sold at a loss by big companies in order to bring in other business. I do think £8 is extreme though!

 

[Arzada]

because then someone has to leave the premises to go and collect it

20 Vetrap from Hyperdrug are 1.99 each. Spend £49 and it's free delivery.

 

[ycbm]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=321998979006&alt=web


They'd have to send someone to the shop? Really?

Less than£1 each, free delivery, good quality I've used them.

 

[Boulty]

Unless they're a huge practice they probably buy one or two boxes of about 10 at a time so won't get a very good deal on it. Obv they then put markup on it as if they don't make a profit they'll go out of business (and if they don't charge for consumables it'll throw the stock level on the computer system out, potentially causing the supply to run out, leading to an angry stock manager!). Different places charge in different ways; some will charge a "dressing fee" on top of the vetwrap etc whereas some will include it in the markup. Tbh I can't get any DECENT vetwrap for less than about £3 anywhere near me. A lot of the cheap stuff is rubbish and poor quality or doesn't have a much as the roll so most vets won't use it and will only buy the more expensive branded ones as they know what they're getting (Obv there are some genuine special offers about online) Could be worth asking if they'll let you buy your own supplies and just pay them to apply it?

 

[ycbm]

You cross posted with me. See the ebay listing in my post above. Fine quality for less than £1 a roll delivered 12 rolls to the box.

When my horse was in hospital for a nasty infection on a cut one inch long on a hock, the fee for bandaging him up was EIGHTY pounds a time, it was completely outrageous.

AFTER I got the bill they told me I could have brought my own bandages.

 

[be positive]

Genuine vetwrap at £1.98 free delivery in packs of 10, I cannot believe most vets don't have a manager who can source this type of product in minutes just as we can.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-3M-Vet...y-Bandage-Tape-10cm-x-4-5m-/321978106615?var=

 

[Pedantic]

I was charged about £32.00 to remove a shoe before xray, I wouldn't have minded, but it must have took all of 30 seconds, as my farrier said they couldn't have even straightened the nails out judging by the mess of his foot, I do think they take the p*** sometimes.

 

[shergar]

If you are any where near a home and bargain shop they sell co adhesive bandages for £1 same as vet wrap about 8 inches less length on the roll ideal for foot poultice ect. My friend sent her mum to buy some and she asked for vet wrap the women in the shop said she had never heard of them ,so be sure to ask for co adhesive bandage .

 

[popsdosh]

Genuine vetwrap at £1.98 free delivery in packs of 10, I cannot believe most vets don't have a manager who can source this type of product in minutes just as we can.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-3M-Vet...y-Bandage-Tape-10cm-x-4-5m-/321978106615?var=

Most equine vets work on 300/400% markup on all drugs etc . Having said that some of the veterinary suppliers charge them over the odds.
All my cattle vet meds are bought online fron another part of the group they belong too as I can buy them cheaper than they supply to their own vets within the group.
THe reasoning is when we place the order we have to pay for them there and then if they supply on account its unpredictable at best when they get paid need I say more! To be fair any drugs they stock that go out of date are also a total lose for them.
My equine vets dont like it when I make them use syringes and needles that I supply. I also keep a supply of common equine drugs that are also used in cattle ie Buscopan, Flunixin and local

 

[Pilib]

Unless they're a huge practice they probably buy one or two boxes of about 10 at a time so won't get a very good deal on it. Obv they then put markup on it as if they don't make a profit they'll go out of business (and if they don't charge for consumables it'll throw the stock level on the computer system out, potentially causing the supply to run out, leading to an angry stock manager!). Different places charge in different ways; some will charge a "dressing fee" on top of the vetwrap etc whereas some will include it in the markup. Tbh I can't get any DECENT vetwrap for less than about £3 anywhere near me. A lot of the cheap stuff is rubbish and poor quality or doesn't have a much as the roll so most vets won't use it and will only buy the more expensive branded ones as they know what they're getting (Obv there are some genuine special offers about online) Could be worth asking if they'll let you buy your own supplies and just pay them to apply it?

The vet didn't apply it! I did. X

 

[TandD]

I feel your pain!
Not quite the same but once my mare cut her leg open and required stitches. Result was of course a big bandage, many layers and lots of roles of cotton/fleece/stretchy/sticky stuff. 6 hours later and the horse wouldn't put her leg on the floor (was weight baring before). So same vet came out again cut all bandage off, nothing wrong could be seen, so an identical but new big bandage went back on. Another 6 hours later horse turning its self inside out of off it went to the vets. Got to the practice and a very experienced vet took one look and said that the first vet had put on the WRONG bandage TWICE. So all 'new' big bandage stuff got cut off once more and a 3rd bandage went on.
Of course we were changed for the first 2 bandages even though they were totally wasted due to a rather young vets love of very big, inappropriate bandaging. I do believe he did get a lesson on wound dressing however :*)
It was an expensive day :/.

 

[wench]

Still seems expensive to me!

 

[popsdosh]

I was charged about £32.00 to remove a shoe before xray, I wouldn't have minded, but it must have took all of 30 seconds, as my farrier said they couldn't have even straightened the nails out judging by the mess of his foot, I do think they take the p*** sometimes.

Yes indeed I had a friend had a horse shod with a surgical shoe quoted £75 + Vat. Said why farrier there can you get the other3 done with normal shoes. Bill £300+ VAT

Our vet charges £200 for carcase disposal post PTS the hunt pick them up from there and charge £100

 

[OldNag]

Mine charges me less than the local tack shop - which I was pretty amazed about as I expected a big mark up.