Is the first question your vet asks....

silvershadow81

silvershadow81

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'are you insured?'

Seems to be mine does... and a couple of months ago I was asked this after horse went lame....

Seemed to me, every diagnosis tool was used possible (compared to a previous visit when I had said I wasnt insured and had minimal diagnostics)

Result = Massive bill

There now seems to be some complication with insurance paying up.... now really concerened the bill will be mine to settle (and I cannot afford that!)

Sorry, useless/ pointless post, just a little p1ssed off!
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im beginning to wonder that about my vets, two are insured one isnt vet doesnt know this but just had alot of work done to one of the insured ones and now uninsured has swollen knee, vet out again tomorrow so will make sure he knows one isnt insured then!
otherwise i think he'll milk it again!
 
No, I can't say it is!!!

When Bob had his lump removed in June, the question was asked during the course of the conversation - but only to determine the best route of treatment (he is insured so we went for the op to remove it).

When I was filling in the insurance claim form, the vet practice did ask who the insurance was with - for some companies they won't accept direct payment, you have to pay up front.

I was mildly surprised when the statement came, I was expecting it to cost about another £750 more than it did!
 
yeah, had a vet out recently as my girl was lame - said to bring her in for all sorts of tests... I explained that the horse was not insured anymore and his attitude changed completly! 'Here's a bit of bute, work her through it, it should be fine...'
Was quite shocked about that!!
 
I am just really confused now as to wether insurance is actually worth it??

I have never claimed before, horse had a new issue come up, which was looked into (admittadly at cost!) and now they wont pay??

I am thinking of just paying what i pay them into a seperate account, purely for vet treatment. Why should i line their pockets for them not to hold a promise.

Ohh im so annoyed! (sorry to vent on here!) xx
 
I'm ranting about vets on another post! They seem to think our horses are their own little experiments at times. Had previous horse who had fallen over and had enflamed stifle. vet spent more than 1 and a half grand on nerve blocks, x rays, scans etc etc... just to say give her another three weeks box rest and here's some bute!
 
Not the first thing vets says BUT is the first thing recepionist says when registering new horse with them.
Does make you wonder had vet to a mare I had once and wanted to look at LOU side as mare showed no signs of getting better.Vet said but she still has plenty under insurance.
Yeas its a maximum not a target!!!
oh said mare did not get any better and claimed under lou and mare now in horsey heaven
 
Having done lots of work experience with various vets a few years back it seemed to be pretty standard in both equine and small animal practice and I think it makes the difference between doing lots of investigative work prior to treatment or just trying treatments and hoping one works, which is fine if one does.

I think its a sensible question for a big issue
 
No.

Mine usually asks how we are and how it's been a long time since he last saw us
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Just the way I like it
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* touches wood *
 
No.

It is generally, "...is this ANOTHER new one?"

Insurance here is totally different from the UK, mortality only, unless the rates are horrendous. Even if it was similar, I wouldn't have any of mine insured, I have a floating population and it would be a nightmare having to change everytime I bought or sold a horse.

OP, I hope your Insurers come up to scratch. Mine in the UK were completely useless and squirmed out of everything.
 
Personally I think that insurance is there to give me as a pet / horse owner the option to go for investigation / work up if after discussion with my vet it is the best option for the individual animal. The vet/clientrelationship has to be one of trust.

I used to work in a charity vet hospital where decisions on complex treatment often had to be based on ability to pay and it's heartbreaking to have to pts if there is a reasonable course of treatment that is just unaffordable. As an owner I don't want to have to make a decision like that for one of my pets.

Having said that private vet practices end up with so many bad debts from people who ask for expensive treatment and then can't pay for it that I'm not surprised if some of them take advantage of insured clients! Not saying I agree with it, just pointing out a reason.
 
No. They know us too well
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They ask how I am though and keep telling me to take care of myself (I was kicked in the head some months ago) and the vets tend to remember me cause of that
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Nope. I love my vet, he is always very reasonable, and won't rip you off. He has never asked if I am insured, and I registered my new horse when I called them out to her!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Having done lots of work experience with various vets a few years back it seemed to be pretty standard in both equine and small animal practice and I think it makes the difference between doing lots of investigative work prior to treatment or just trying treatments and hoping one works, which is fine if one does.

I think its a sensible question for a big issue

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems like an obvoius question to ask to be honest.
When an animal is insured you know you dont have to worry about the cost of treatments(to a point) and can do a full work up to determine a definate problem
....if there not insured then economics tends to play a hugh role in how you can assess whats wrong and how you treat an animal in most cases.
So vets are more likely to advise box rest or cheaper options in the hope it helps and only investigate further if they have to...rather than check to be certain whats wrong and treat accordingly...

Its a pretty standard question over here in vet practice...
 
As we are regulars the first question is usually "what's he done now?".

While it's standard treatment doesn't get mentioned however once it gets into expensive or optional treatment then we start talking about if insured, who with and any exclusions we may want to skirt around.
 
I cant say the vets ive seen ask that as first port of call - ever! However if a horse is quite lame and it doesnt appear to be in the foot (or it requires x rays) then they will ask. The reason being, the ideal is to KNOW whats going on and why. Having insurance allows the owner to find out the exact cause of the problem (where possible) and treat it right the first time. If there is no insurance, then the wait and see (ie box and bute as someone mentioned above) route is tried first. In cases where xarying/scannig wont change the outcome, the vets wont undertake extensive investigation regardless whether the animal is insured or not.

In Irelad most horses (except fairly valuable competition horses and racehorses) arent insured. For uninsured horses, very little treatment or investigation is ever attempted. Usually box rest, bute and turn away are the protocols. Then if not sound - factory or PTS. People over here in general dont like those options - they always want more. more is expensive, if you dont want to take the above approach to your horse (ie see it as dispensable) then insure it and allow your vet to throw the book at it. you cant have it all ways. Insurance is there to allow you to do eerything possible for your horse to keep it alive/ridable.
 
No. Neither of my vets (equine and small animal seperate vets) ask if I am insured.
 
When Star had her cancer treatment, I was asked if she was insured. Luckily, she was, and NFU don't owe me a thing, because I worked out that I've claimed most of my payments back from them.
BUT - when Star still had to have surgery, and the chemo/radiation therapy/livery/transport had eaten a £3300 hole into my £5000 allotment, I asked Leahurst for a quote, and told them that I had aprox £1700 left on the insurance. The bill for the surgery/livery came to £1650.... hmmmmmm.
 
My old one did!

I changed my vet last year (after 12 years) as he had become completely money obsessed! Gone were the days of treating a cough with ventipulmin - everything had to be scoped. Lameness - bute? rest? Nope, scans and x-rays immediately please. (This was for minor lameness) His bills went up from charging for a visit (fair enough) but then charging for 'vet time' on top of the visit, plus then an 'administering injection' charge??? I appreciate they have to run a business, but it just got ridiculous.

My new vet is great. The horses get great treatment, he recently treated my horse for navicular. He said 'you can try xxx drug, but it's only successful in about 50% of cases so I would suggest rest for a few months, think about the drug and let me know'.

Vet before turned from someone who was genuinely concerned about the horses so someone who was seemingly doing it to get rich!
 
My vet's first question is usually;

Have you got the kettle on?
What's the big bloody pansy done to himself now?
What the hell have you bought that for?

Depending on the patient/situation lol
 
No,
Our vets know our horses well and we know the vets well. The best course of treatment is always the first discussion.

My horses are insured though, if only for my own peace of mind and it has served me well over the years for two nasty/expensive injuries and now a third which we are on with now. I can't say my vets take advantage of that either and will only do what is necessary for the circumstances.
 
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