Shoe removal cost at vets...£160!!

twiggy2 said:
Most vets call in a farrier to remove shoes, so the farrier is called out as an emergency.
That said the vets should advise shoes off before going in, if they did not advise this then I would query cost if they sis then I think you just have to pay their fees you could have had thwm removed by your farrier before going in
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But they want the horse seen as normal for a workup so taking shoes off the day before is not a solution unless it is just going for the MRI, it is booked in and they know shoes will come off so they should not require an emergency call out, even if it was an emergency call I don't think the farrier will see much of the £160.
 
twiggy2 said:
Most vets call in a farrier to remove shoes, so the farrier is called out as an emergency.
That said the vets should advise shoes off before going in, if they did not advise this then I would query cost if they sis then I think you just have to pay their fees you could have had thwm removed by your farrier before going in
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In the practise I use they remove the shoes themselves although unless the vet needs the horse with the shoe on at first I send them in without them my farrier is shall I say neater when removing that your average vet.
 
When my boy had x-rays - after a work-up for which he needed shoes on - my vet removed both shoes and put them back on again afterwards. As far as I can remember there was no specific charge for the shoe removal/replacement, just the vet's time.
 
twiggy2 said:
Most vets call in a farrier to remove shoes, so the farrier is called out as an emergency.
That said the vets should advise shoes off before going in, if they did not advise this then I would query cost if they sis then I think you just have to pay their fees you could have had thwm removed by your farrier before going in
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No I couldn't actually as they did further nerve blocks and to remove be them before that could have created a false positive block if he was footsore from shoe removal.
 
twiggy2 said:
Most vets call in a farrier to remove shoes, so the farrier is called out as an emergency.
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Vets remove shoes routinely, if they are called out to abscesses, laminitis etc etc - never yet met one who couldn't remove. Reshoeing is different but £180 is still extortionate for that
 
annagain said:
When my boy had x-rays - after a work-up for which he needed shoes on - my vet removed both shoes and put them back on again afterwards. As far as I can remember there was no specific charge for the shoe removal/replacement, just the vet's time.
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unless the vet is a qualified farrier they should not be putting the shoes back on!! most vets around here won't take them off either.
 
ester said:
Do most vets call in a farrier? really?? I have never heard that and mine certainly don't.
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It's not unusual for a foot lameness to have the Vets arrange remedial shoeing on site. I'd expect to be asked/informed though.
And in the grand scheme of charges for that £160 would be on the cheaper end of the scale!
 
Practices do charge to remove the shoe prior to MRI but from charges I've seen it's normally around £20. I would definitely be asking them how they come to that amount.
 
Michen said:
It's made even better by the fact I didn't even want him shod �� Oh well, I'll query the removal cost. When I spoke to the farrier after he said I'd have to not ride on man made surfaces if he's barefoot. Sigh, you'd expect more from one of the leading g UK equine hospitals. Anyway everything else was top notch!
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As I said, it's a money spinning exercise and the welfare of horses around the country is suffering due to it. People believe such utter tosh too simply because it's come from the mouth of a farrier or vet.
 
PoppyAnderson said:
As I said, it's a money spinning exercise and the welfare of horses around the country is suffering due to it. People believe such utter tosh too simply because it's come from the mouth of a farrier or vet.
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Luckily I've already learnt that lesson, though the actual vet was much more sensible :)
 
Are you going to ring them and query it? Seems like you should!!! It would be interesting to hear what they have to say and I'm sure we are all interested to hear what they've got to say too!!!!
 
Lanky Loll said:
But most won't as a term at vet college on shoeing isn't the best of qualifications although yes I know they are allowed to under the law (i did actually go and re read the farrier regs after my post ;-) )
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My vet is past retirement age and very old school so it didn't surprise me that he didn't feel the need to call out a farrier.

ETA - Michen - given the cost for removal and replacement is the same (and the two jobs are very different time-wise, especially given the 'remedial trimming') the more I think about it the more I wonder if they've accidentally put it down twice?
 
Last edited:
Ouch!

Question the bill face to face.
Then ask for more detail as to why it cost so much. And then ask more questions.

If you have to pay it, make them earn it.
 
To save £160 I would remove them myself , because I am old enough to have been training when we where all expected to be able to remove a shoe .
 
Michen said:
Am I going mad or is £160 to remove all four shoes pre MRI an absolutely BONKERS charge!? It is going through insurance company but I'm nearing my max claim and my farrier would have done it for free!!!

Don't have the energy to question it to vets but wondering what others have been charged!?

Edited to say And no this doesn't include the x rays...
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Depends which vets - if it were my old vets then I would guess this was normal
 
I would ring the vets to see if it is a mistake and then if it wasn't I might post to say how extortionate the charge was. If it was a mistake then this whole post was a complete nonsense.
 
I would definitely ring and query it. That is extortionate and I'm sure if you could have had your own farrier in had they asked.
This charge will all become part of your claim total and it should you get to the top of your limit for the condition you'll be expected to pay the balance over.
 
OP, I doubt that you will get much sense out of the vet practice but I would contact the insurance company and bring it to their notice. There is no way £160 can be a justifiable charge for the service that you had.
 
JillA said:
I would suspect it should have been £16 - and even that is a bit pricey, should have included it in the general treatment costs surely
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My vet charges separately for most things, including shoe removal because you can't charge someone whose horse didn't have shoes on the same as one where they have had to take the shoes off. I think they charge about £8 though!!
 
Haven't heard back yet. I did check an old invoice for a front limb MRI for Torres, there was a £60 "MRI preparation fee" charge but no charge for shoe removal. This invoice (different vets) doesn't have an MRI preparation fee.
 
I was charged £16 prior to a previous horse going in for surgery in 1995 for shoe removal before GA. I think they have put a '0' on the end by mistake!
 
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