Are Vets Ripping Clients Off?

[vwkittie 10]

I don't doubt their knowledge but I do question their readiness to jab an anti inflammatory in a dogs neck and prescribe a course of tablets for the slightest knock.

 

'ripping off' The jury is out on that one and it's likely that there are more factors to dictate the price beyond that of the veterinary. Insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry and certain prominently displayed pet foods are the probable real rip off merchants, vets just toe the line and take the money.

 

If it's the 'slightest knock', why would you be at the vets anyway?

 

What are they supposed to do, leave it and get sued when the animal dies of an infection? Unfortunately in our litigious society I'm not surprised they want to take such precautions.

[Glennis 15]

Thats why we go to Peak Vets , they do their own personal cover for animals, it has great advantages that they know your pet already and can give on going help. I don't find them a rip off, vets train very hard, (we deal with training vets at nottingham vets school) they can't take paid jobs to help pay debts and continually have to update their training, Courses cost from £300 to £600 per day!! and it benifits your pets in the long run. If we humans had to pay the cost would be more !! and we wouldn't like that either

 

I must admit, I have been to peak vets recently, and they are really nice people. I have been to Hunters Bar vets as well, but after a frustrating experience I will not be going there again. Peak vets also quoted £53 to have my pet operated on, as opposed to £66 at Hunters Bar.

[Daid 10]

If it's the 'slightest knock', why would you be at the vets anyway?

 

What are they supposed to do, leave it and get sued when the animal dies of an infection? Unfortunately in our litigious society I'm not surprised they want to take such precautions.

 

Good luck with suing a vet.

 

The pedestal you place the profession on is considerably higher than the one i use VWkittie.

 

Slightest knock was perhaps not the best term to use in view that things are taken quite literally on here.

My objection is that I am to accept that what I'm given will be OK, yet on reading any accompanying information there is a list of contraindications. Speaking for myself I would rather my dog limp for a few days instead of putting up with a bout of diarrohea but maybe I expect too much.

 

I tend to use the vet for advice only now making my own mind up on minor issues as to whether it's worth spending the money to put right what time and minimal exercise, even diet will do. I just don't hang on their every word.

[vwkittie 10]

Good luck with suing a vet.

 

The pedestal you place the profession on is considerably higher than the one i use VWkittie.

 

Slightest knock was perhaps not the best term to use in view that things are taken quite literally on here.

My objection is that I am to accept that what I'm given will be OK, yet on reading any accompanying information there is a list of contraindications. Speaking for myself I would rather my dog limp for a few days instead of putting up with a bout of diarrohea but maybe I expect too much.

 

I tend to use the vet for advice only now making my own mind up on minor issues as to whether it's worth spending the money to put right what time and minimal exercise, even diet will do. I just don't hang on their every word.

 

I just don't understand why you would go to the vets if you don't actually want any treatment or if you're just going to say you don't want the treatment offered (which you can always say no to of course)

 

I don't go rushing to the vet all the time either, I only go when I'm sure that some actual treatment (usually antibiotics) is necessary, so I go and get them and pay for them. What's the problem with that?

 

Most medications, for animals and humans, come with the potential for side effects like upset tummies, that's not the vets fault (haven't you ever read the leaflets that come with your own medications?)

 

I'm totally baffled by your complaint, if you don't want to give your pets anything then don't... problem solved.

 

Do you hate doctors too or do you not mind them because it's free at the point of use

[Daid 10]

I just don't understand why you would go to the vets if you don't actually want any treatment or if you're just going to say you don't want the treatment offered (which you can always say no to of course)

 

I don't go rushing to the vet all the time either, I only go when I'm sure that some actual treatment (usually antibiotics) is necessary, so I go and get them and pay for them. What's the problem with that?

 

Most medications, for animals and humans, come with the potential for side effects like upset tummies, that's not the vets fault (haven't you ever read the leaflets that come with your own medications?)

 

I'm totally baffled by your complaint, if you don't want to give your pets anything then don't... problem solved.

 

Do you hate doctors too or do you not mind them because it's free at the point of use

 

I go to check the seriousness of the injury or ailment the same as I might do with a GP not to make a point of saying no to the help offered and I'm not arguing the cost which is wholly irrelevant if the animal requires treatment. Yes I do read the information on medications but for example I have no idea what's in a needle. If there are to be side affects it's a little too late once the needle has injected and how many people do you think read the leaflet that comes with pet medicine?

How many simply expect the medicines to work with no hitch. How many do you think would consider the medicine to be the cause of a further problem?

 

I don't hate the vet

 

The thread is concerned with whether or not vets are ripping us off and in a way they are because of the reverence people hold them in, partly glorified on TV most consider their word to be gospel, I don't, that's it.

[Krush 10]

To answer the (old) OP's question YES!

 

I used Springfield up until 2 years ago, when my boy had KC the costs for a consult and 2 weeks of antibiotics was just over £100.

 

I switched to Alan at Beech House just after this, when one of my foster dogs needed a complex castration (retained testes). Springfield quoted a minimum charge of £280 but could not give a capped limit, so conscious of the limited funds rescues have i called around. All the "company" vets prices were in the same region, Peak were cheaper but a little out of my way, and Alan was cheaper still and closer!

 

My puppy had a water infection this week, consult and a week of antibiotics came to less than £25, you cant see a vet for that money in these "company" places and the service isn't exactly the best either, they tend to have such a fast turnaround of staff!

[hodgepig66 10]

I'm afraid to say that yes some vets do rip off their customers..

one of my customers dog was run over,his pelvis was broken badly,the lady was so upset..

She rang me up in tears asking for advice,the vet said there was 2 options put him to sleep or try and operate,they quoted her between £2-3k...

The vet in question is on my hit list for well over charging..

I told her to get a second opinion,which she did the operation was done successfully,and was charged £600,how can they possibly justify charging that much more for doing the same thing...

[waggers2003 10]

***do not use vets4pets on Birley road. i believe they are owned by the same compant that own the PDSA*** over inflated prices. This is all. Will never go back.

[cuttsie 1,091]

I'm afraid to say that yes some vets do rip off their customers..

one of my customers dog was run over,his pelvis was broken badly,the lady was so upset..

She rang me up in tears asking for advice,the vet said there was 2 options put him to sleep or try and operate,they quoted her between £2-3k...

The vet in question is on my hit list for well over charging..

I told her to get a second opinion,which she did the operation was done successfully,and was charged £600,how can they possibly justify charging that much more for doing the same thing...

That is because they can and they know that some peoples pets mean as much to those people as any other member of family.

They are legalised gangsters who do not care about the animals at all.

[willman 10]

***do not use vets4pets on Birley road. i believe they are owned by the same compant that own the PDSA*** over inflated prices. This is all. Will never go back.

 

The PDSA aren't owned by anyone. Vets4pets are a franchise who recommend the out of hours service who operate in the PDSA building.

 

Yes they are rather expensive compared to some other vets.

[joyh 10]

Absolutely agree that some Vets are a rip off and also a liability to your pet .Of course I wouldn't name and shame BUT I have been a previous client of one that made a complete misdiagnosis of 2 of my Dachshunds and patronising about my having then 8 dogs.

I now go to Peak Vet more than happy with the care and sensitivity of the team there.

Unfortunately there is a mark up of medicines as in all the other practises, and I get a prescription and shop on- line for any long term meds.(I have over the years been to 6 different Vets before I was happy with the current and stayed)

Edited December 1, 2013 by joyh
Wrong word

[upset 10]

I said something similar the last time it came up. People need to express their views to their vets that use the service, if enough business is lost to surgeries that use their own out of hours service then surely there isn't a place for VetsNow? .

 

I am sorry if I am repeating as I haven't read the whole of the thread, but I did raise my concerns with my last vet. There was an email argument in which they told me I was rude, did not look after my dog appropriately, and they stood by their charges. (I would give my life for my dog - I disagreed he needed antibiotics one day and then when I asked for a prescription so I could source them elsewhere, they told me there was a £15 charge for the prescription and by the time I got them off the internet it would be "too late". I took exception to this and so emailed a complaint and had him seen somewhere else the next day, who did not recommend antibiotics)

 

They basically told me like it or lump it. I lumped it, and moved to a new vet. Upon registering, they could not get any history from the old vets because they say they have no record of him!!! They have destroyed / "lost" his history, which in my case is devastating because he has a lot of history that needs to be noted or he could actually die given the wrong treatment.