Vets are loaded?

[joben]

Just curious..... I've been a vet for 10 years and have constantly had comments from clients about how rich i am!! I think the general public think we get paid a lot more that we do. I'm curious to know whatt you think my yearly salary would be after 10 years. Have a guess! And i'll let you know tommorow!
I'd wanted to be a vet from 11 years old. As I got older i thought it would be a good career move- earns lots of money and pay for my eventing habit. How wrong could i have been- not that much money and ridiculously long hours which allows no time for any hobbies- let alone keeping a horse.

 

[Madam_max]

About £22,000 - £25,000

 

[GTs]

Not enough for dealing with some of the knucklehead owners you have to put up with.......

 

[ihatework]

I think its a common misconception that vet's are well paid !! I desperately wanted to be a vet through all my school years but just missed the A level grades required. I have since gone on to do a science degree, have a job in the pharma industry and earn enough to keep myself and horses with sufficient time to see them too!! I'm glad I ended up going the route I did, although I'm sure I'd have enjoyed my job being a vet more!
Salary I know is 20-25 starting, after 10 years I'd guess 35-40.

 

[Claireg9]

not enough i expect... around £25k?

 

[Madam_max]

Do equine and large animal vets get paid more than small animals?

 

[horsegirl]

Well my cat had a swollen ear and was given 1 injection, the whole appointment took 5 mins an cost me £129!!!

AND

I was charged £175 for vetting a horse, which took a couple of hours MAX and was no more than 5 miles journey from Vets office.

So my guess would be the practice makes (per vet) £200,000 a year, how much of that they actually pay each vet, who knows?

 

[Sooty]

I was under the impression that the only rich vets are those with their own practice. The average doctor makes a lot more straight after training that a vet does.

 

[joben]

[ QUOTE ]
Well my cat had a swollen ear and was given 1 injection, the whole appointment took 5 mins an cost me £129!!!

If that's all they did- just a consultation and 1 injection, then I would suggest you find another vet- unless this was in the middle of the night in which case OK- you wouldn't get a plumber/locksmith etc up in the middle of the night for any less!

 

[miamibear]

I would have said around £30k. Employed vets make just the salary, often no overtime paid aswell i would guess!!

Its the partners in the practice that make all the money, they get the remainder after all the overheads have been taken off, a fair packet i would say!!

 

[Vix1978]

My OH's sister is a small animal vet - absolutely works all the hours god sends and IMO doesn't get the financial reward. I would say after 10 yrs, salarywise would be on £30-35k.
On the plus side, she did manage to do some locum'ing (sp?) when she was travelling around Australia for a year and is the only person I know who came back from travelling with more money than they went out with......

 

[ihatework]

I agree,
My cat just had an anaesthetic, dental work incl. 2 teeth removed and a course of antibiotics for £130

Change your vet!!!

 

[horsegirl]

No, It was a Saturday morning but still they were open anyway.

 

[PapaFrita]

I think people in the UK assume vets are loaded because of how much it costs to get a vet out (especially in an emergency), etc. Of course you're quite right to point out that the same could be said of locksmiths, plumbers, etc.
Vets here must be starving because fees are so much lower and they don't charge for call out!! (or at least mine doesn't!) Apparently here they don't actually make any money from treating animals, but from selling feed, drugs etc, which I suppose would or could lead to some rather unscrupulous practices...

 

[matthew]

£35-40 depending on area i suppose and do large animal vets earn more than small animal???

 

[OWLIE185]

First of all congratulations on becoming a vet. It must be a very rewarding and enjoyable job if slightly frustrating because of the demands of some of your clients.

You have not told us if you are a smal animal practice, large animal, equine or mixed?

Small animal vets seem to earn the most but on the assumption that you are an equine vet with ten years experience and are good at your job then before tax and deductions I would hope you are earning £55K for a 5 day week and two evenings per week on call.

Clients seem to forget how much drugs cost and also the time wasted travelling to clients. Not only do you have the fixed overheads of the practice and equipment but also the expense of running the vehicles.

 

[cheeky girl]

I've no idea but I was thinking this the other day and I guessed at least 50k. I was shocked that someone suggested 25k
Sorry I would be under the caterogy of thinking all vets are loaded

 

[Jo C]

I would have said newly qualified around £14k - the only ones who make lots of money are the partners.

 

[Claireg9]

i put £25k, not because i think thats what they should earn but because thats what im guessing there earning. Especially as she has already said shes skint.
Anyhow do we get to find out im intregued??

 

[ClareMc]

[ QUOTE ]
Do equine and large animal vets get paid more than small animals?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know, how much do cats get paid these days?

Sorry could'nt resist

 

[henryhorn]

Around £27000 which is why I attempted to persuade one of my sons not to be one.. It's more a dedication type career than a money spinner unless you specialise and get a name.
He's now going to be a jumbo pilot at £60-£80000 instead.
I am quietly a bit sad as perhaps I would have got a discount if he had followed his vet career (then again knowing him and his money making schemes, more likely a higher price!)
I think it gives a comfortable but not mega rich life style, and lots of job satisfaction which counts for more than money in my book..

 

[MillionDollar]

I think the misconception comes from the really high fees, but as people have said its prehaps the partners who make the money.

I'm going to say £28,000?

Also well done for becoming a vet, i wish i was clever enough to be one, and you must work very very hard.

 

[Ferdinase514]

Well...depends on whether you are a partner or not?

If not I guess £50K? Same as a junior doctor.

 

[Sooty]

That is exceptionally good money for a pilot, so a clever career move. There are generally more pilots than jobs available, a friend of ours who left the RAF had difficulty finding work and flies a lot of freight. It surprises me that airlines still train their own pilots, but then some of them charge a fortune for the privilege!

 

[0]

do you have your own practice and if yes how big is it?? makes a huge difference whether you practice at someone else's practice or its yours!!

 

[joben]

Thanks for all your comments. I've been working as a small animal vet for 10 years. Generally SA vets get paid more than equine/farm vets but there is no set rule.
New graduates( who have spent 5 years at uni and have racked up £15k+ debts) will start on 17-24k. After 10 years an assistant will be earning from 28-40k a year. Partners generally earn more but depends on how sucesful the practice is- an average equine partner would be taking home 60-80k per year. A top quality SA practice owner could be making 80-120k.

It is an extremely rewarding and interesting job and you constantly need to use your brain- no two days are the same. On the downside you work long hours- I'm currently working 9am to 7pm M to F and 9-1pm Sat. The on call is horrible and some clients are truly horrendous!

The perfect solution would be to go part time!

 

[fmay]

Joben - thanks for the reply - friend of ours is going to try for veterinary as a second degree so won't even qualify until age 26/27! - will try to persuade them to do medicine or dentistry!

 

[barkinghorse]

Hmm, i would assume that you would be on a basic plus commision, say 15k basic plus perhaps £10 per call out and then maybe a bonus scheme on what the practise acheives yearly?
Probably completely wrong but having been in sales for 15 yrs previously i think everything is sales motivated... 25-30k a year?
Jo xx

 

[showjump2003]

I'm just filling out my applications for vet school at the moment.. lol with my parents trying to push me towards dentistry instead! lol

 

[barkinghorse]

Ok so how much then? you said you would let us know today!!!