Vet prices - massive mark up

[Abandluc]

To cut a long story short my pony went to the vets today and was prescribed Metronidazole, he has to have 30 a day for 14 days which has cost me £114.08.

I have looked online and I can buy it with a vet prescription for £33.60. I paid my bill there and then, what do you think my chances are to get the vets to buy back the Metronidazole and give me a written prescription??

Pony on veteran policy so insurance won't pay in and the total bill came to over £500

 

[Stinkbomb]

WOW! Thats a big difference!! I dont think they will buy the drugs back once they have left the vets as im not sure they can? They cant use them again incase they havent been stored correctly or have been tampered with. When my old horse died i had loads of unopened drugs but the vets had to dispose of them i.e. throw them away.

 

[ELFSBELLS]

i also don't think the vets will take them back, that is a huge difference, makes you mad does'nt it.

 

[FlashHarry]

I too am very cross at being charged £88.14 for a box of danilon which is less than £40 from the online pharmacy. I use 1 box a month for my old chap. I asked for a prescription & was told it would cost over £17 & the vet would get back to me but no-one has yet. I'm not paying that again & will change vets if no-one gets back to me within a couple of weeks.

 

[Abandluc]

WOW! Thats a big difference!! I dont think they will buy the drugs back once they have left the vets as im not sure they can? They cant use them again incase they havent been stored correctly or have been tampered with. When my old horse died i had loads of unopened drugs but the vets had to dispose of them i.e. throw them away.

I wondered this, although they are human pills so in sealed boxes and individual compartments (you know, like paracetamol boxes) so they could see they have been tampered with. I suppose I can only ask.

I understand that vets have massive overheads and need to make money but this mark up is huge!
I buy my dog's drugs online and really didn't think about horse ones as I was upset at the time

 

[superted1989]

I know we have to pay for the years of training and knowledge that vets build up, but the drug mark up is shocking! Apparently, the vet shouldn't refuse a written prescription, but they can charge for writing it (ours doesn't). It would probably be wrong to take back prescribed medication, anything could have happened to it during transit, storage etc, but you could ask for just a prescription in future.

 

[Abandluc]

Your right, they have to give you a prescription, they cannot refuse. But they can charge you for the privilege! My dog's one is £10 for the first and £6 for additional BUT they are repeated 3 times so still loads loads cheaper.

I'll let you know the outcome tomorrow! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

 

[amage]

Hmmm my vets must be too honest...I paid the same as internet for Metronidazole and Vets refunded for any tabs returned once they are in those individual pop out packs. If tablets are loose they can't take them back which is understandable.

 

[virtual]

I was charged £7 for two fluorescein eye test strips (to test for corneal abraision). They cost approx £7.40 for 100 strips wholesale.

 

[daydreamer]

That's outrageous!

I had to have the vet out last Tues for the first time to my new loan horse. I was amazed at the cost, £114 to come out, do a quick prod and poke, trot up then give me some bute and a tube of antiinflammatory cream.

I also had to have the vet out on Saturday, not looking forward to that one as it was a long visit, staples, injected sedative and antibiotics, a different tube of cream, more bute and 10 sachets of antibiotics which i have heard are £5 a sachet.

I have to say I can see now why people are reluctant to call the vet out which is a shame as a few horses/animals must suffer as a result. I am not quite sure how they can justify the mark up on the drugs. Yes they have to travel etc but that should be more than covered by the call out fees, they also have a separate consultation fee which is more money and then a lot of vets will be earning from small animal surgery etc with no travelling involved and lots of appointments in a short space of time.

 

[blood_magik]

daydreamer, I had the vet out for the same thing - my bill came to over £500 (nearer £600) including 2 follow-up visits, bute, antibiotics, local anaesthetic and sedative.
saying that, I paid £320 for him to be flex tested, sedated and given painkillers and anti-inflammatory injections in his sacroiliac. needless to say, that bill was a shocker

 

[0ldmare]

I went to get some more Prascend tablets for my horse. Vet charged £260, but they are available online for £130 The insurance company gallantly paid but asked me to ask for a prescription next time. Quite right too, I had NO idea there was such a huge mark up! Felt let down that my vets were being so greedy tbh

At the end of the day, even if its paid by insurance, we are going to pay in the end through increased premiums!

 

[miss_molly]

sticking up for vets a bit here.

Just remeber everything online is much cheaper than buying from a shop / vet / service. so its not just vets who mark up products "sell" to consumers, this is beacuse their overheads are much greater than an online business.

Also online retailer probably get a bulk discount from the manufacturers, whereas vets can not afford / take the risk of buying in such large quantities and so medicines probably cost the vet more than the onine retailer to begin with.

 

[POLLDARK]

Vets are running a business to make a profit, be all, end all. Some are just worse than others. You can shop around for a Vet you know, find a practise that is good but reasonable.

 

[0ldmare]

I do understand that the vets need to make a profit but, let's say you were buying a rug - would you expect the rug to be £100 online, but £200 in your local tack shop?

 

[Kenzo]

OP - You don't get unless you ask, so just give them a ring and see, money doesn't go far these days when it comes to treating animals so it's worth asking and doing if you can.

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

They shouldn't have a problem with refunding you at all! I pay £12 for my dogs prescription and make sure you use a uk based pharmacy! x price you have seems really cheap, have you made sure you have the correct strength etc x...... vets usually have a 50% markup on drugs as a general rule of thumb

 

[Little Squirrel]

I think vets are disgeaceful here. I was shocked when I moved over and had a vet come to the yard to vaccinate four horses, treat a cut and then I asked her to look at an unbroken filly as I had a feeling she had a kissing spine. The vet was in with her for no more than two minutes, proded her back and then told me she couldn't be sure and that I would have to bring her in for xrays etc. Then when I receive the bill she had charged me £50 for looking at her .... even though the bill for the other bits and bobs was over £500!!!!
It's disgusting and I can understand why people don't call out the vet as they are just so expensive.

 

[cbmcts]

I've been buying prescription meds online for my small animals for years - it's easy. There are precautions to be taken as there is fraud/conterfeits out there.

JMHO

Only buy from uk sites.
Make sure they have a physical address (not just a PO box) and a landline.
Research them, see how long they've been in business etc.
Just the usual precautions really.

Do be prepared for your vet to get the hump as many consider the (large) profit on meds as their right but when I can buy Metacam 180ml for my dog for £18.50 online compared to the vet asking £52 for 100ml - even with a prescription charge of £7.50 - it's a no brainer really

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I've been buying prescription meds online for my small animals for years - it's easy. There are precautions to be taken as there is fraud/conterfeits out there.

JMHO

Only buy from uk sites.
Make sure they have a physical address (not just a PO box) and a landline.
Research them, see how long they've been in business etc.
Just the usual precautions really.

Do be prepared for your vet to get the hump as many consider the (large) profit on meds as their right but when I can buy Metacam 180ml for my dog for £18.50 online compared to the vet asking £52 for 100ml - even with a prescription charge of £7.50 - it's a no brainer really

Who do you use? I use 365vet x

 

[threeponies]

I gave antibiotic powders back to my vet and was given a refund, the cost was taken off my vaccination bill (their next visit) a nice wee surprise. On the other hand, I was charged £9+ for a bottle of lactulose, £3 odd from local pharmacy. I would agree that you are paying for their expertise etc and they do put up with wet women like me crying at them

 

[claireandnadia]

I suppose if you call the vet for something and they prescribe a drug that needs to be used straight away then you'll have to as you might not be able to wait a week for what the vet has prescribed to come in the post from an online company.
If its a repeat prescription then of course I'd just do it online if the very gave a prescription.

 

[fatpiggy]

I buy my horse's Metacam online. I can opt for overnight delivery by courier, or the cheaper normal post which is recorded delivery. The company texts me when the item is sent out and let me know the time it is due to arrive plus I can track it all on-line. I use Vetmedsplus. The prescription from the vet costs £10 and lasts 6 months so I tick for 5 repeats whether I'll use that many or not. I can't fault them and it saves me a bomb.

 

[cbmcts]

Who do you use? I use 365vet x

Animed for the metacam but I'm a tart - I go wherever there's a special offer

In the past I've used

Petmeds
Pet Dispensary
Vetscriptions
Black Cat (Very slow though!)
Vets UK
Vetmeds4pets
Vetmedsplus

Avoid

petcaremart (not UK products and very, very slow)
medicinesfor pets (only a mobile number, PO box address - I've never used them but that worries me)

 

[Ibblebibble]

yes some vets do seem to charge the earth for every little thing, i'll never forget my disbelief at being charged for the sterile gloves used during our colts castration you'd think with how much they charge for the drugs they could let you off a pair of gloves!
I do happen to have a good vet tho who has just set up on his own, his aim is to cut the cost where ever he can, set visiting days for certain areas so if you can fit a routine visit to that day you get a discount, no callout charge if he sees 4 or more horses at the same yard. He runs it as a mobile service so he doesn't have the costs of rent etc to pass on. he used to work at the big practice where my horses are all registered, he saw my girl last year and she needed a blood test, he said normally they would suggest that she should have a second one but as he results were so clear he didn't feel the need to waste money.... then told me not to tell the head vet lol so they're not all bad, but i do agree some just see us as an easy way to get money

 

[pedilia]

Last year my youngster was prescribed steroids by my vet, the cost for a months course was over £300!!
My vet was so appalled that he went online, found the same meds for £110 and sent me a prescription, I retured the original drugs to the vets and was refunded.

 

[Abandluc]

Well I rang them today and explained what I could buy them for, the receptionist was very good, she said straight away that they would not be able to have the drugs back (which I expected) but she would speak to the vet and see if she can get me a refund.

Later on a lady in the accounts office phoned me and basically took the details of the website and another I found to see if they were a genuine site as they their supplier charges them more than 8p a tablet! She said they can not buy them back but will certainly see if they can source a cheaper supplier. As yet they haven't mentioned a refund. She did say that she is pleased I phoned and highlighted the prices.
She is ringing me back this week sometime to let me know what she found. (I'll remind her of a refund then!)
She also said that they are happy to give me a prescription for any future medication.

So all in all it worth the phone call!

 

[Wolfie]

The vet my dad uses for the stock is amazing. I am always surprised by the bill, because it is so reasonable! That made it doubly shocking when the vet who treated my horse at livery charged £100 for a bottle of insecticide and an antihistamine injection! I would always choose a "farm" vet over an equine specialist now if I had the choice.