Vet fees under review

[Jenko109]

It's been all over the news this morning that they are reviewing the prices that are being charged by vets.

One man indicated that he paid £20 for a packet of paracetamol.

Do you think there will be any real outcome that changes anything?

Do you think prices are out of control or a fair representation of the costs of running a veterinary practice?

I feel a bit weird about it all TBH. I don't think it is within the best interest of anyone to paint vets in a bad light.

 

[AmyMay]

My vets are more than reasonably priced. I have absolutely no complaints at all.

 

[teacups]

Pricing is a bit all over the place tbh.
I met someone out walking the other day who has a dog on librela. His vet practice charged £95 for the monthly dose. Changed vets once he discovered another vet in the area charges £50. That's over £500 saved each year.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My small animal vets are astronomical. a routine visit 'exam' fee is more than any equine one locally - £66.80 plus vat to walk in the door on a pre booked appt.

My equine vets are middle of the road in pricing, tho the callout is pricey - they moved further out last year but still cover my area, I chose to stay with them.
The more close equine vet is cheaper for call out (or can use a monthly zone day) but their 'examination' fee is high and drugs anything from 30% more than my chosen vet on like for like. Also, no chance of seeing the same vet more than once.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I'm mainly happy with my vets pricing.
I do have slight concerns about somethings, not so much for myself but things like the out of hours charges. I once, and this was years ago had to pay £250 before an out of hours vet would look at my dog, I then paid the euthanasia. I think thats a bit much and worry that many people wouldnt be able to afford that and therefore might put off emergency treatment until then following day or even worse Monday morning.
It was very much stressed on the phone to me that I had to pay that upfront and was I happy to do so, almost like they were trying to put me off going.

This wasn't my own vet, sadly they don't have out of hours service.

 

[Love]

I was shocked at the prices we were charged when Purdey had her mystery illness I have to say. Maybe it's me who is out of touch with prices but I did comment to Mr. L that I would never moan at the price of equine vets ever again (which is saying something)!

One of our visits: to have her temperature taken, a hands on exam and bloods taken it was just shy of £300.... is that normal? ETA this wasn't an emergency appointment, it was 2pm on a weekday

 

[AmyMay]

I was shocked at the prices we were charged when Purdey had her mystery illness I have to say. Maybe it's me who is out of touch with prices but I did comment to Mr. L that I would never moan at the price of equine vets ever again (which is saying something)!

One of our visits: to have her temperature taken, a hands on exam and bloods taken it was just shy of £300.... is that normal? ETA this wasn't an emergency appointment, it was 2pm on a weekday

I paid £65 for the same two weeks again.

 

[Love]

I paid £65 for the same two weeks again.

This definitely confirms my suspicions!!

 

[AmyMay]

This definitely confirms my suspicions!!

I would add that these were pretty routine ‘in house’ blood tests.

 

[Jenko109]

I paid £180 for bloods in January which was to check suitability to begin NSAIDs.

That said, I dont imagine all blood panels will be the same and command the same price?

 

[blackcob]

Pricing is a bit all over the place tbh.
I met someone out walking the other day who has a dog on librela. His vet practice charged £95 for the monthly dose. Changed vets once he discovered another vet in the area charges £50. That's over £500 saved each year.

I can’t even buy Librela from the wholesaler for £50.

 

[teacups]

I can’t even buy Librela from the wholesaler for £50.

That's weird, then. In what capacity are you buying from the wholesaler?

 

[Sandstone1]

The review is very much needed and very much overdue. There is so much variation in fees charged by different practices. £60 for paracetamol! That is disgusting. Yes vets have overheads but you can buy paracetamol for 50p at tesco. yes you are paying for the vets expertise and overheads of the building but really?
I know vets are a business but I have had the experience of being told the out of hours fees and told it must be paid before they even wanted to know what was wrong with the dog.
I blame the large vet chains ie medivet etc. The days of small independent vets have gone sadly and the big chains are only interested in money. Very hard to see the same vet twice and often you see very young inexperienced vets because they are cheaper for them to employ.
I hope the review changes things for the better.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I do have some sympathy for vets re drug pricing, I know I can get prascend cheaper online than a big vet hospital pays from wholesaler. I am lucky both my small and equine vets are independent and reasonably priced, I have no doubt the take overs by big companies are mainly responsible for the hike in consult charges etc.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We use a multi-surgery independent vet practice, which I think is probably the best balance. They have their own OOH small animal centre and run an Equine clinic at a local competition centre. I have had issues with them in the past and have refused to have a certain vet on the yard but there are enough vets there that I can make appointments with someone else.
We took the brown Lab for a check up a couple of weeks ago, which included listening to her heart ( she wasn't keen), no prescription needed. Cost £35.

 

[meleeka]

My vets charge on average almost double what I can buy online for. They will price match the equine drugs if you ask, but you shouldn’t have to I don’t think. It means I’m paying nearly £1 less for a Prascend tablet than my friend up the road because she didn’t know to ask.

I use the same practice for small and equine and small animal is definitely all over the place. My vet is a corporate and it definitely feels like money grabbing these days.

 

[blackcob]

That's weird, then. In what capacity are you buying from the wholesaler?

I work in a veterinary practice, products and stock control is (partially) under my remit. It’s possible the practice in your example has chosen to make it a loss leader.

 

[Indy]

Bandit's just been in for hip xrays and they cost £735 - he was in the whole day. I think that was reasonable.

 

[Cortez]

Bandit's just been in for hip xrays and they cost £735 - he was in the whole day. I think that was reasonable.

You do? Wow

 

[meleeka]

Bandit's just been in for hip xrays and they cost £735 - he was in the whole day. I think that was reasonable.

Was that bill itemised? I imagine it’s not very reasonable for those on low incomes. My friend has just been quoted well over £1k for dental work on a small older dog. Another friend £2.5k for cataract surgery. Both dogs are older so they are now probably facing pts for something perfectly treatable. In both cases it’s over a month’s income for the owners.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We use a multi-surgery independent vet practice, which I think is probably the best balance. They have their own OOH small animal centre and run an Equine clinic at a local competition centre. I have had issues with them in the past and have refused to have a certain vet on the yard but there are enough vets there that I can make appointments with someone else.
We took the brown Lab for a check up a couple of weeks ago, which included listening to her heart ( she wasn't keen), no prescription needed. Cost £35.

Just checked actual cost was £48.28, memory is obviously failing

 

[Jenko109]

A few years back, you used to be able to get dental offers at certain points in the year.

£99 for a dental including anaesthetic etc. More if teeth needed removing.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Bandit's just been in for hip xrays and they cost £735 - he was in the whole day. I think that was reasonable.

I don’t ! I paid just under £400 for hips and elbows including submission to Bva for scoring . She was in for about 30 minutes .

 

[Pippity]

I'm happy with my (small animal) vet's pricing. I pay a monthly fee of a little over £10, for which I get all my flea/worm medication, 10% discount on any other medication, and my first appointment for any issue is free.

For a lumpectomy with associated checks of the lump, and removal of three teeth, I was charged a little over £400, which I think was very reasonable. They didn't even charge danger money which, when it comes to my cat, would be fully justified! (I did take a large box of chocolates in with her, just to apologise in advance.)

That said, they're a huge corporate, with all that entails - rarely see the same vet twice, and they're mostly young and inexperienced. However, I can't say I've had any issues with their abilities.

 

[Indy]

You do? Wow

Is it not? I've never had to have x rays done so I don't know what's the going rate

 

[Indy]

Was that bill itemised? I imagine it’s not very reasonable for those on low incomes. My friend has just been quoted well over £1k for dental work on a small older dog. Another friend £2.5k for cataract surgery. Both dogs are older so they are now probably facing pts for something perfectly treatable. In both cases it’s over a month’s income for the owners.

He's insured but yes if I'd had to have paid for it it would be different

 

[Indy]

I don’t ! I paid just under £400 for hips and elbows including submission to Bva for scoring . She was in for about 30 minutes .

Bandit had his elbows done separately. I've never needed to have xrays done before so I just thought that was how much they are.

 

[nagblagger]

I have just changed vets as they have gone corporate, press a button and the cost comes up on the screen, I remember the days where they measured the drugs used and you only paid for that amount, not generalised average costs. What scared me was I couldn't guarantee who would be suturing my dog and, as there are now a couple employed that i would refuse to let near my dogs, I can't take the risk. It is good to shop around for drugs, i have got a prescription from the vets and used the hospital pharmacy to supply - just a thought.

I have now registered them at a private vets who was recommended, the senior vet replied personally to my email of questions/interrogation including admitting they might not be the cheapest around. If the service is good and veterinary care excellent I will pay.,

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Bandit's just been in for hip xrays and they cost £735 - he was in the whole day. I think that was reasonable.

Wow I think that’s expensive! For reference I’m taking my dog to have his hips and elbows X-ray (for BVA scoring) at a specialist and it’s about £425 inc the £120 ish to send to BVA

 

[Tiddlypom]

My equine vets are a small and fiercely independent specialist equine practice with a horsepital and OOH cover.

On 15th Feb ‘24 my first choice equine vet came out, complete with vet nurse, to x Ray my senior mare’s feet here at my yard. (Older mare who I prefer not to travel in to clinic). That’s about a 50 minute round trip from the practice.

The whole shebang including general health evaluation, a lameness check, 4 x Ray plates, a blood pull + Liphook lab fees for ACTH assay, plus a can of Engemycin blue spray cost £379.14.

That is phenomenal value compared to small animal vet’s fees since the corporates got involved.