Vet prices

[ElusiveEd]

Can anybody advise on this....

 

A cat of ours went missing 2 months ago, 2 nights ago Medivet in Birstall (Over 25 miles away) emailed me to say he'd been found (locally to where we live) injured and had been taken there as it was a 24hr surgery.

 

I contacted them to be told he needed surgery for a serious injury so shot over there to discuss.

 

I spoke to one of the vets (maybe she was a veterinary nurse) and It was put to me that euthanasia would not be contested if chosen because of the condition he was in and it was almost recommended.

 

I asked about the costs of the surgery needed and, after she checked the computer systems, I was told lower £2000, Once I saw him I said just do the surgery as I wanted to give him every chance and the costs seemed reasonable for what needed doing. They also said they could castrate him at the same time to save him going thro another op and to help stop him roaming again so I expected a slightly higher cost.

 

 I was asked to pay 50% up front and leave him with them which I did, £1000.

 

The op for the injury was done yesterday but the vet surgeon said he didn't see the notes about castrating him so didn't do it. FFS!

 

I had a call earlier regarding the cats progress and it was mentioned the costs are £3300. I'm shocked and ****ing angry and have emailed them to say so, asking how and why they could be so wide of the mark and that it's completely unacceptable and had I been told the true cost I would probably have taken a different course of action and try to live with myself for doing so.

 

 I want answers and an explanation and I also want the costs brought back to somewhere I was quoted along with an explanation as to why they have ****ed up the castration which will mean another general anaesthetic op for him in the future, albeit elsewhere.

 

Where does anyone think I stand with this? It really feels like they are making the costs up as they go along now, testing the water as to my reaction when they tell me to see if they can push it further.

 

Jeez, I'm getting angrier just typing this! How can they get to this number from what I was told it would be?

 

Anyone else have experience of these chancers? 

[Parafox]

27 minutes ago, ElusiveEd said:

Can anybody advise on this....

 

A cat of ours went missing 2 months ago, 2 nights ago Medivet in Birstall (Over 25 miles away) emailed me to say he'd been found (locally to where we live) injured and had been taken there as it was a 24hr surgery.

 

I contacted them to be told he needed surgery for a serious injury so shot over there to discuss.

 

I spoke to one of the vets (maybe she was a veterinary nurse) and It was put to me that euthanasia would not be contested if chosen because of the condition he was in and it was almost recommended.

 

I asked about the costs of the surgery needed and, after she checked the computer systems, I was told lower £2000, Once I saw him I said just do the surgery as I wanted to give him every chance and the costs seemed reasonable for what needed doing. They also said they could castrate him at the same time to save him going thro another op and to help stop him roaming again so I expected a slightly higher cost.

 

 I was asked to pay 50% up front and leave him with them which I did, £1000.

 

The op for the injury was done yesterday but the vet surgeon said he didn't see the notes about castrating him so didn't do it. FFS!

 

I had a call earlier regarding the cats progress and it was mentioned the costs are £3300. I'm shocked and ****ing angry and have emailed them to say so, asking how and why they could be so wide of the mark and that it's completely unacceptable and had I been told the true cost I would probably have taken a different course of action and try to live with myself for doing so.

 

 I want answers and an explanation and I also want the costs brought back to somewhere I was quoted along with an explanation as to why they have ****ed up the castration which will mean another general anaesthetic op for him in the future, albeit elsewhere.

 

Where does anyone think I stand with this? It really feels like they are making the costs up as they go along now, testing the water as to my reaction when they tell me to see if they can push it further.

 

Jeez, I'm getting angrier just typing this! How can they get to this number from what I was told it would be?

 

Anyone else have experience of these chancers? 

 

Our cat had to have 2 teeth removed due to infection. One fell out during the examination but we got charged for a double extraction.

 

Medivet in Hinckley charged us in total, £1,200 for one Xray, anaesthetic, post-op recovery(?) anti-biotics and then recommended a further follow-up Xray and examination in 3 months at a further cost of £80 which we declined.

 

They also said the cat needed vaccinations as his previous vac had expired. £105 including 2nd vaccine, health check (heart rate, breath sounds and respiratory rate. Check for fleas, temperature. 

 

We went elsewhere £65 including a second dose of vaccine and a check over. 

 

When it was Fairfield vet practice it was always reasonable. Since it has joined the Medivet franchise, it's become unaffordable and we now go to a privately run non-franchised practice.

 

Also, avoid the vet's at Pets at Home. They are also franchised and are very expensive.

Edited 7 March by Parafox

[ElusiveEd]

Cheers for that Parafox.

 

The only reason I let them do the op is it was too much extra stress to take the cat my local vets where he's registered and are reasonable.

 

Absolute charlatans! 

 

[Silebyfox_89]

On 12/01/2024 at 09:22, Lako42 said:

Active ingredient is totally ineffective. People don't realise that the stuff you get over the counter at the vets is totally different to the snake oil stuff in supermarkets. 

 

I'm not saying it to be argumentative, it's very different stuff.  

Fibrotec is good stuff. Use it on the cat n dog after the vets gave us some a few years ago.

 

You can buy it on Amazon.

[BKLFox]

CMA to open investigation into veterinary industry pricing, tiz about time!

 

 https://amp.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/12/uk-vet-pricing-competition-and-markets-authority-cma

[BKLFox]

@Parafox as you mentioned Medivet the practice we are signed up with for our dog has become part of the franchise in the last year or so, we had a health plan with old vets which has rolled into Medivets plan which gets you the years flea/worming, annual vaccinations, urine screening, 2 check ups per year, discount in vet and dentist costs (although the costs are probably loaded anyway) & some one off perks micro chipping, neutering for instance this has just gone up from £13 to £16 pmth so £192 annual cost.

It probably works out a little bit of a saving v if all purchased separately.

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

On 07/03/2024 at 19:52, ElusiveEd said:

Cheers for that Parafox.

 

The only reason I let them do the op is it was too much extra stress to take the cat my local vets where he's registered and are reasonable.

 

Absolute charlatans! 

 

Have you used your local vets regularly? Might be worth asking them their opinion - they might have heard more stories like this.

[ElusiveEd]

1 minute ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Have you used your local vets regularly? Might be worth asking them their opinion - they might have heard more stories like this.

He’s registered at our local vets but it was deemed not a good idea to transport him over and just let Medivet do the surgery. He’s had a rear leg amputated which looking at the invoice breakdown was £1000 for the surgery. 
 It’s all the add ons and meds that’s brought it up to £3300, exactly what that recent news report has highlighted. 
 They need to be more transparent about costs as it feels like they can just pick a number out of the sky and charge you. I have 2 A4 size papers of all the add ons. 

 To answer your question, I took him for a check-up on Monday as he had a very brief seizure on Sunday and he’s doing unbelievably well and coping with it and mentioned the costs at Medivet showing concern for the amount of adhoc charges. I did get an eye roll as if to give an acknowledgement of their practices, etc but nothing really said. 
 He has to go back on Friday so I’ll take the Medivet invoice and ask if it’s about right. 
  Tbf, I think in this day and age £3300 for that surgery isn’t too bad but when it’s £1000 on the invoice and you’ve been quoted £2000 and it turns out it’s £3300 really ain’t sitting right with me. 
 Looking at the kitten now with the love and vulnerability in his eyes as he tries to adapt is worth every penny, it’s just the way Medivet have gone about it that leaves a bad taste. They have you over a barrel once the surgery has been done.