Vet bill query - is this normal/fair?

[Cazzah]

Got my vet bill through today and have a query on it. Vet came out for annual jabs (£30 call out). While she was there I mentioned that he had been a bit stiff the last time I'd ridden but thought he may have tweaked something in the field being a loon. Vet said she'd take a quick look as she was out so I trotted him up once. She then lifted hind legs and felt his back and said she thought he was a bit sore behind saddle. Whole 'examination' and resulting discussion took no more than 5 minutes. I believed it was just an informal check as previous vets had always given horse a quick once over when they came for jabs. So today I get my bill with an additional £35 + vat for examination.

Would you say this was reasonable or a bit OTT for 5 minutes?

 

[shortstuff99]

Probably OTT, BUT a lot of their TandC's will say that any touching/looking etc will count as an examination and charge so are within their rights. Now if I ask a vet for a quick look I ask if they will charge me!

 

[xRobyn]

Unfortunatley a lot of vets seem to have a base of £30 or so for any examination, no matter how short!

 

[HaffiesRock]

My vet is quite reasonable, she charges £15 for 15 minutes consultation time. Although when she came out to do my pony's last jab and sedate him for the dentist, she only charged the call out, jab and sedation even though she waited around for almost half an hour.

I think they are completely in their right to charge though.

 

[Cazzah]

Thanks guys. Didn't want to ring up and whinge if it is standard practice. Guess my previous vet was extra nice

Will know to ask in future - never thought anything of it as just thought she'd have a quick look whilst she was there. It's only money

 

[LovesCobs]

I've had both happen, when I get my regular vet she'll take a quick look especially for a horse she's treated (she likes to see how they're getting on) but I've also had a charge by another vet in the practise. I dont really mind as if I want them to check whilst they're there it might save me calling them out later. They have also gone out of their way to help me by writing letters for court and on other occasions disputing insurance pay outs which resulted in them paying out more, saving me over £l500!

 

[Boysy]

Not as good as my one who charged £10+vat for looking down the yard and making one comment about my mare...... serious, not a finger was touched on her, my gelding was having a rig test and I mentioned he'd been out with my mare so she looked down the yard, said 'well we'll see what this comes back as before we think about testing her' and for the privilege of that sentence she charged me.......

And another for a colic call out where I would consider a rectal exam as normal, charged me for a normal exam and then double on top for a rectal........

 

[Cazzah]

Not as good as my one who charged £10+vat for looking down the yard and making one comment about my mare...... serious, not a finger was touched on her, my gelding was having a rig test and I mentioned he'd been out with my mare so she looked down the yard, said 'well we'll see what this comes back as before we think about testing her' and for the privilege of that sentence she charged me.......

And another for a colic call out where I would consider a rectal exam as normal, charged me for a normal exam and then double on top for a rectal........

Jeez, maybe we should start a new thread about extortionate vets fees!? :O

 

[zoelouisem]

As expensive as it is for 5 mins. They have to charge, there a business at the end of the day if every client everyday asked for a quick 5 minutes for free theyd spend half there day doing freebies at the end of the day they have bills to pay too. I know there fees are alot but i suppose thats what years of training gets you. Shame i left school early and didnt train to be a vet!!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I had a vet treat one of my horses for something, I can't remember now exactly what it was but nothing very much. A few days later the same vet came out to see a different horse on the yard & after dealing with that asked me how my horse was. I said he's fine now & vet said I'll just take a quick look. She literally looked over the stable door & agreed he was fine.

When the bill arrived she'd booked the look over the door as an examination/follow up & charged for it. I was fuming. She was new to the practice & I phoned up & spoke with one of the partners & told him of the sharp practice of this new vet. He cancelled the second examination fee of the bill & I never saw that vet again. She moved from the practice within a very short period. I did hear from other people that similar excessive bills had been received by them as well following a visit from her. Wether the moving was connected to the over billing I'll never know.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Vet came to do jabs. I shared the visit so half price. She discussed an issue her colleague had been out for previously with my boy, spent a while talking about the options, no charge. I'd be horrified if she charged! Same practice, different vet charged £50 for helping to load my horse with a broken leg when he'd slapped his bum and me and the YO nearly got squished loading him! They can be very cheeky, IMO.

 

[SnowandSunshine]

But people always say to vets 'while you're here can you just have a look at this?'
The examination probably took longer than the jabs, and you're asking for a professional opinion. Yes its pretty normal!

 

[Landcruiser]

My vet came to see one of my horses for lameness and while he was there I asked him what to put on an itchy dry patch on my other horse's neck - I wondered if it was a bit of sweet itch. He literally glanced at it and said "Anything moisturising, like sudocrem." I later found he'd charged for the exam, written "Examine horse regarding sweet itch" and this then got excluded on my insurance as I had to declare any vet visits apart from routine jabs. I was furious!

 

[Venevidivici]

Our vets charge the call out and the 'examination' separately on the bill. So,for a vaccination for example,you'd be billed for; callout (them getting there),examination,(listen to heart,general quick visual once-over,probably a few general questions of you'Any probs/concerns?'),then cost of actual vaccine and also,possibly in addition,the actual administering of the jab.
We've been lucky enough never to get charged for any 'Whilst you're here,can you just look at this little cut on her leg pls?' type stuff,as we've never taken the mickey with it and it's literally been seconds (I'd be happy to pay more if it was clearly another issue that needed proper attention) but I can see how people might take the mick and how it'd a) get annoying b) take up time and make them late for next appmt and c) make their day a lot longer.
I guess it can also depend on how long you've been using them&how much they value your business. Little 20second 'Oh,that's not sweet itch it's just X/Y/Z' could just been seen as good service

 

[Rose Folly]

My sympathies are with the vet on this one. It's a bit like booking an apppointment to have your wheels balanced and then asking the garage to check why the car's back door doesn't open!

I have a relation who's a vet, and she gets tired of going to do what she has been booked to do and then getting things added on. She says she doesn't mind at all if, having made the appointment for a booster, for example, a person rings and asks "While the vet is seeing my horse, could she see why she's going a little short..." or whatever. Time is money, and there will be other clients waiting.

 

[Dry Rot]

As a farmer, I am occasionally asked "Who is your vet?".

I tell them I don't have "a vet" but use several.

My vets know this and they also know I will change to another in the blink of an eye if I think I am being unfairly treated. When they visit here, there will usually be a fair bit of good natured leg pulling about that too. Last time the vet came out to castrate a colt he had a student with him. So of course I told him I would be charging for the use of the colt as a training aid....

Somehow I don't think it would do me much good to send him a bill for that and it did not stop him sending in his! But he is left in no doubt about my attitude to handing out money. It costs nothing to politely question a bill. Maybe it won't help this time but it might make them think the next time. They need us as much as we need them.

 

[Spotsrock]

Mine would charge for that but always has a look at my old girl when he comes to something else and doesn't curiosity I guess, she had a terminal illness nearly 4 years ago, he treated to buy her the summer's retirement and she's still here!

 

[Ranyhyn]

It's your right to query a bill, you wouldn't let anyone else add charges on that you felt were unfair without questioning it, so this is no different.

 

[Britestar]

Personally I think everyone should be given a printout when they use the NHS so they could actually see how much things costs ( that they don't pay for). Then I think there would be less whingeing about vet fees!

 

[ChestnutConvert]

I count myself lucky with my girls current problem there have been two occasions that my vet couldn't do what he needed to and he isn't charging me. Although i have seen vets charge for the bear minimum it is in the Small print thought maybe should change career!

 

[miss_c]

I think I am very fortunate with my vet! When she came out to do Genie's jabs I mentioned that she was reluctant to sit and collect when ridden and I wondered if her bog spavin could be contributing. She had a good look without my asking her to, said no it won't be, and no charge. Another time she was doing teeth on the yard and I asked if I could book in to have the youngster's teeth done as they were due, she went to her stable after she was done, had a look and feel in her mouth, said no need to do them for another 3 months and left it at that! I asked how much I owed her and she said 'don't be silly, I didn't do anything'. She's freelance with an amazingly good reputation and a waiting list of clients - I'm not surprised!

 

[Sandstone1]

Vets fees are very high, First they charge to come out, then examination, then drugs, then administering the drugs, then syringe, needle, cotton wool etc etc.

I dont mind paying for professional services and Im fully aware of all the years of training they go through BUT does it really cost £30+ for a ten minuite journey? or £35 to watch a horse trot up?

The mark up on drugs etc is huge too. I know they are a business and not a charity but some of them really do take the mick where fees are concerned.

 

[Horseymumma]

In most small animal practices, it's normal to give the animal a health check before you administer a vaccine, it's Included. This is partly due to the fact that you wouldn't give a vaccine if the animal's immune system was compromised in any way.... I've always wondered why it's not standard practice to do the same for horses.

My vets have "zone" days which is where you get a cheaper call out fee instead of the full amount due to them being in the area that day. I called in the morning to book them in as my horse had cut his leg, when the bill came through I was charged the full amount. They told me it was because I needed to call up at least the day before, otherwise it doesn't count!

I was quite annoyed, considering the vet turned up, had no hibiscrub or bandaging materials with him and spent no more than 5 minutes there. He basically told me to clean it and bandage it, then left. I even had to drive back to thd practice to collect antibiotics and bute which is 40 minutes away as he'd forgotten to bring any! It cost me £200 for his words of wisdom that day....

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I think it is right to charge but I would prefer it if there was a 15 minute segment, I think the minimum 30 min based charge they use is too high when many consultations last a minute or less. Also I think if it is taking literally one minute and they aren't touching the horse then it should not be charged for and regarded as customer service!

But in principle, anything that takes over 60 seconds and/or involves touching the horse can properly be charged for. It's just not welcome as vets are so expensive (I know, mine is coming out on Monday and I havent had the last one yet when they came out at a weekend for the sheep...)

 

[pippixox]

they are obviously very highly trained professionals and they have to charge accordingly, but it does seem to really vary. our highly qualified dentist charges £55, came to see 8, but could only fully do 2 of them, my girl was too naughty and needed back tooth done and my friends 5 all were going to need sedating, so she did these checks of all of them for free and only charged when she came back another day when vet was there to sedate. she only charged for the 2 she did a fully treatment on, when really she was within her rights completely to charge something for an examination, as she took a while. the vet came, told no call out as over 5 horses, but they ended up costing much more that the dentist who did all the work. it was £25 to 'calculate the appropriate amount of bute and sedation' (we phoned to ask what the charge was for), £25 to basically sit there, per horse, while the dentist worked, plus the cost of bute and sedation. so it was over £70 for the vet to sedate and sit there!
however, they are not your friend, if you ask their advice they will charge, it is a business, they know we are all broke but they cant help it!

 

[Murphy88]

Vets fees are very high, First they charge to come out, then examination, then drugs, then administering the drugs, then syringe, needle, cotton wool etc etc.

I dont mind paying for professional services and Im fully aware of all the years of training they go through BUT does it really cost £30+ for a ten minuite journey? or £35 to watch a horse trot up?

The mark up on drugs etc is huge too. I know they are a business and not a charity but some of them really do take the mick where fees are concerned.

Yes, but these fees are what pay for the running of the practice. At my practice, the equine unit alone has 3 vets, 2 nurses, 3 cars, x-ray machine, endoscope, 2 scanners, not to mention general facilities of stocks, stables, hard and soft lunging pens, indoor and outdoor trot up, work up area, knock down box, operating theatre. Also not including the 8 other vets and around 20 nurse/reception staff working in the rest of the practice.

Assume we charged only the cost of petrol, and small mark up on drugs, where exactly are staff wages coming from? And what about when your horse needs an x-ray, maybe if we charged a few hundred per x-ray plate we might have a chance of actually ever paying off the cost of the machine (hundreds of thousands!) before new technology comes out and it needs replacing. Likewise the endoscope, 10s of thousands of pounds, maybe around £500 a scope would just about cover costs for that over a few years. And maybe we could just work from our cars, but then what happens when your horse needs AI, or hospitalisation for fluids, or its hernia repairing? And what about if its lame but you have no where to trot it up, where do we do the lameness exam? We have to refer you somewhere where it costs a few hundred for the initial exam. You pay extra for the basic things to allow us to charge you reasonably for those things that should actually cost a fortune, and to allow us to provide a good service. As already mentioned, people have no grasp as to what healthcare actually costs. People don't complain half as much about vets bills in America because they know how much healthcare costs!

As for the OP, unfortunately if every client asked for 5 minutes extra I would never get anything done. I rely on my vaccines being quick, I listen to heart/lungs and will ask if there is any issues and for the most part am happy to have a quick look and chat about any concerns the owner has. however you would be suprised how often i turn up to do a couple of vacinations, and the horse is lame and the owner wants it examining, or her other horse is coughing, could I look at that while I'm there. I try to be reasonable with my charging, i am struggling to find the money to pay my own vet bill off even with staff discount, so I understand where everyone is coming from. I had someone argue a bill for exactly the same reason as OP a few weeks ago, because I charged an exam on top of a blood sample despite the fact I spent a good 10 minutes flexing and palpating legs, trotting up and discussing my thoughts. If its just trotting the horse up and down a couple of times I won't charge, but if I start doing flexions or more in depth examinations then I do. None of the money comes back to me anyway, as an assistant I earn crap money and work crap hours (it works out as £2.90 an hour my wage) so it's not like I'm doing it for my own benefit, I'm doing it because I like working at a practice with good facilities and equipment, and more than that I appreciate our excellent nurses, and to have this the practice needs to earn money!

 

[Booboos]

Sorry but I am with the vet on this one. You asked for her (his?) professional opinion and she examined the horse and gave it to you. If it was all so easy that there was no need to charge for it, why didn't you decide what was wrong with the horse by yourself?

The 30 quid fee doesn't just cover direct costs, overheads and a living wage for the vet, it has to account for the fact that it took years and great effort to train as a vet and that is it a tough profession which requires you to be on call at all hours and work in some hazardous conditions.

 

[Sandstone1]

I understand that vets have overheads, and all the training etc etc BUT have you ever seen a poor vet? Im talking about partners here not jnr vets. Also without clients what would you do?

I already use differant vets for differant things, If vets were a little bit more understanding and reasonable with their fees, they would have more respect from clients and keep regular clients more easily.

I was charged £10 for a roll of duct tape to fix a poltice once!

 

[Llanali]

Would you want to see a poor vet? I want my vets comfortable thank you! A) poorly treated staff eventually lose the positive attitude they may have had and b) I want to know my vet is earning money- if they weren't I'd wonder why no one was using them!!

Murphy88 is spot on- a bit of descretion but it is still a business. This is why big yards often pay for a sort of retainer type service.

 

[Janette]

I recently had the vet out to see my girl. I KNEW she had blown a tendon, and I had made the decision to PTS. (The tendon was the latest in a long catalogue of serious injuries, including cancer, and two lots of surgery....)
The vet said ' let me scan her, just to confirm....' But when the tendon is bowed, the leg is hot, and the mare can't weight bear on it to have the opposite foot picked out, and is very lame in walk,, (trot was literally impossible - she just couldn't!)......
I was very clear - do not scan the leg! I've made my decision.

The vet turned up to have a look and leave a shed load of Bute so that Stars last few days were not in pain and she scanned the leg. Without my permission. And then charged me £86 for the privilege! Fair enough, if she scanned it to satisfy her professional curiosity, but to charge me when no permission had been given. It wouldn't have helped Star in anyway, shape of form!

I have had a conversation with the practice and the item is coming off the bill.