Vet Fees

[oldius]

This week, I have been charged £920 by my vet for an x-ray. The explanation I was offered was that Blue was a larger dog and that she needed hospitalisation. Now, both of those explanations don't ring true - she weighs 30kg so less than a Labrador, for example, and the hospitalisation meant just staying in the vet from morning until evening, as is normal for an x-ray. This led to me looking into the issue and finding that in the last five years, many practices have increased their fees by upto 5x. As a consequence, I started a petition for a regulatory body in the industry. If you also think this is an issue, I would be grateful if you would sign and share my petition:



http://chng.it/wk6gfTJxjL

[struth]

greedy bassas.. signed..

[Stryder5]

Signed

[mad-moon]

Yep, it is absolute greed..They know fine well, that you will do almost anything for your beloved pet and best friend. One of my daughters paid £860 for an operation on one of her cats, which she was told, had to stay at the vet for 2 days, after the op...for observation...when She rang to go and collect him, they said he had to stay in an extra night and slapped another £140 on her bill....



This is Ben., coming home from the vet..The daughter says his brother Jerry., had missed him...
Petition signed..these obscene charges have to be slashed, by at least 50%.

[Filterlab]

Cheaper to buy a new pet.

[guy]

signed - they have animal owners by the balls

[oldius]

signed - they have animal owners by the balls

Thanks a lot. The more that sign and share it, the more chance we have.

[Filterlab]

Signed too. It seems like a good idea, and lots of older folk have only their pet/s as company, and generally not much cash.

[DiveDeepDog]

Everything in money orientated, last time I was at the vets an obviously well kept Shepard was brought in with broken back leg, the conversation was all about can the bill be paid, rather than the welfare of the dog. The dog wasn't looked at and I've wondered ever since what became of it...

In ordinary times the rescue centers are full of ill and broken dogs as owners just can't afford the vet bills.

[Patrick Dixon]

It's become like the US healthcare system where it is run for the benefit of the Insurance Companies and the Practitioners rather than the animals.

The Practices are all staffed with young vets who are taught to up-sell all the time. The first question is often 'Are you Insured?' because if you are there are all kinds of pointless or speculative treatments they can offer. As treatment costs go up, so do premiums and vet's profits. They then use fear to sell insurance to pet owners.

As someone with 2 horses, 3 dogs (although one has been missing for over a year now) and 6 cats we are our own insurers. When they ask me 'Are you Insured?' I just say 'No, we are doing it for love'.