What do you think - vets fees?

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NellieElle

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I felt obliged to login and post today, (normally just browse) after receiveing my vet bill. I have been very fortunate that very rarely other than injections have had the need for the vet.
Anyway to cut a long story short one of my horses has been very unhappy on one rein in canter. No signs of any lameness. Had horses back plus all other routines things checked. Wanting to get to the bottom of it so made an appointment for vet to come out. Vet saw horse been ridden and lunged and agreed no lameness but coudn't come up with an explanation. So at the end of it, was realy no better off. Vet suggested try horse on but to see if any difference and if it's pain related. The bill was £100+, £50 alone for insepection. Do you think this is too steep? Or am i just out of touch with not normally needing the vets. I know some peoples bills are alot higher but i think for a call out and inspection that's high!!!!! Wouldn't have minded if i'd have got an answer at the end.
Maybe i'm just behind the times, your views . . .
(post also in competition riders)
 
I paid £50 for a vet to come out and take 5 stitches out!! If they hadn't been on her eyelid I'd have taken them out myself at that price. Everything seems to have increased in price- the call out and consultation, never mind what they actually do to the horse while they are there
 
Is your vet one of those that charges for the actual time they spend with you? Friend has a vet that does, and her bills tend to be high, especially when vet keeps walking to car and back!!
crazy.gif

If this is the case, you may want to find a vet that charges for the job, not the time.
 
Donklet - i am unsure. I shall enquire. Interesting as it was raining the vet said shall we stay inside until it eases a bit before lunging. Which we did for at least 10 mins!
 
Often depends how far from the vets you are? If your close to the vets then lower call out charge if your quite a way out then higher call our charge. Have to say it seems about right if they had to examine the horse stand about and watch it's all time. I didn't know some vets do it by the job donklet?
 
not that far from the vets, 20mins car drive. Vet watched 5 mins lunging, 5 mins working under saddle, set us off in trot before we'd warmed up.

i am obviously out of touch
 
So does the bill include bute? or is the £100 purely consultation & visit? Sounds about right to me if includes bute. At least if the horse is the same on bute, you will then know it's not pain related and is a schooling issue.

If horses could talk, we'd save a fortune!!!
 
Sound about right to me. In fact £50 for the uration he spent examining your horse (I assume flexions, palpation etc were also done?) would be very reasonable. You are paying for your vets time and professional OPINION. Even with the most extensive work-ups it is not always possible to find the exact problem. Thats the nature of horses. Its lucky for you that further examination wasnt warranted if you are raning about a £100 bill!

If you compare the average vet to any other profession they charge far far less fo their time!!

ETS -vets usually charge the majority of the work they do by job (eg horse examine, vaccine, castrate, etc) and things that dont fit into those brackets (or are more tedious/drawn out and hence warrant a higher cost than that whih the practice have officially afixed to the procedure) are charged by time. In farm animal this tends to happen even moreso.
 
Flexionxs, palpation were not done no.
I am not ranting about the price of the bill, i was merely enquiring if this was about right, as i said before i have not had any other reason for vets visits for a long time and am out of touch with prices. I completely respect their professional opinion.

ETS - there will be further examination taking place
 
Cool. Yeah, well Id say they were in line then yes. Loss of performance cases without lameness are difficult and frustrating to work up - just as they are frustrating for the owner! Hope you find an answer.
 
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