peejay Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 At least she gave you a heads though chap, her practice couldn't do them cheaper but she tipped you the wink, she sounds like a diamond. yes, i couldnt afford her 1st operation so i have to pay a standing order monthly direct to them, guess she didnt want my bill running up more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 my oldest springer has water problems. been told she needs water tablets for the forseen future. she charged me £18 for a 14 days course.. but told me that i may get them cheaper on internet with a perscription that she can provide.. went home and had a look.. i can get 1000 of these tablets on internet for £4.08!!! bloody license to rip people off are vets! Why dont you spend 7 years re-training and then you can rip us off too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Get insurance for your dog, it's worth the money and if you ever need anything serious you'll soon realise how expensive vets can be. It's the worst thing in the world to take a pet to the vets and have to make decisions on a financial basis. One of our cats was recently had by a fox, after two short visits and £360 worth of bills I had to call it a day as it was not looking good, if I was insured the vets could have tried other things even though the outcome was probably going to be the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Oops, sorry!. Was going to ask why doesn't she go to the doctor but re-read your post and noticed, "for the beagle"! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 There are plenty of vets out there if you are not happy with the service move vets. We all make mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Vets are a business, just like any other. Their sole aim is to maximise profit. Treating large animals does not provide the sort of margins they like, hence the proliferation of small animal only practices where they can maximise profits and charge excessively for their treatment. Of course they ask if you are insured, if the customer is not paying he is much more likely to agree to excessive charges and questionable treatment. I regularly ring round and compare charges for treatment and drugs as well as service and do not hesitate to let my vet know if he needs to look at his charges or service. It's always worth ringing round for prices of treatments and using the competitive practise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) my oldest springer has water problems. been told she needs water tablets for the forseen future. she charged me £18 for a 14 days course.. but told me that i may get them cheaper on internet with a perscription that she can provide.. went home and had a look.. i can get 1000 of these tablets on internet for £4.08!!! bloody license to rip people off are vets! yes, i couldnt afford her 1st operation so i have to pay a standing order monthly direct to them, guess she didnt want my bill running up more I don't think I need to point out the blindingly obvious here for most, but the clue is shot/foot/yourself/in the!! DER!! Edited June 30, 2011 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) I don't think I need to point out the blindingly obvious here for most, but the clue is shot/foot/yourself/in the!! DER!! dont need things explaining in der languge mr turbo..never shot myself in the foot as i never point a loaded gun at them!! the standing order has been an agreement with the vet and myself since my daughters westie had a displace hip about 10 months ago, to the cost of £675, then the springer had mamary tissue removed at £350... so are you saying they only charge me the top price for tablets, then shes good enough to point out that i can get them elsewhere cheaper? Edited June 30, 2011 by peejay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Vets are a business, just like any other. Their sole aim is to maximise profit. Treating large animals does not provide the sort of margins they like, hence the proliferation of small animal only practices where they can maximise profits and charge excessively for their treatment. Of course they ask if you are insured, if the customer is not paying he is much more likely to agree to excessive charges and questionable treatment. I regularly ring round and compare charges for treatment and drugs as well as service and do not hesitate to let my vet know if he needs to look at his charges or service. It's always worth ringing round for prices of treatments and using the competitive practise. Price versus service? My wife works for a vets who open weekends and offer 24/7 emergency cover using their own vets, not a locum or another practice fifteen miles away who contract their night cover. That's why on a weekend they are inundated with calls from people who have their pets registered at the local franchise vets who cut costs by not opening on a weekend and contract their emergency after hours cover to a practice fifteen miles away. Find a good vet, stick with them and get your pets insured on a 'for life' policy. If you care about them that is and put their welfare above financial savings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Price versus service? My wife works for a vets who open weekends and offer 24/7 emergency cover using their own vets, not a locum or another practice fifteen miles away who contract their night cover. That's why on a weekend they are inundated with calls from people who have their pets registered at the local franchise vets who cut costs by not opening on a weekend and contract their emergency after hours cover to a practice fifteen miles away. Find a good vet, stick with them and get your pets insured on a 'for life' policy. If you care about them that is and put their welfare above financial savings. The trouble is now that prices have risen so drastically that one has to consider the price. It's a sad fact nowadays that its cheaper to "shoot" an animal then having it treated, not something one considered doing some years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 The funny thing is Vets are now verging on big business, there has been venture capital involved and some of the chains are very focussed on extracting the maximum from you. Medivet are the local ones to us that I wouldn't touch with a bargepole. In the olden days the vet made a diagnosis based on his experience and offered a treatment. That seems to have gone out of the window now in favour of testing for everything under the sun and its just the norm now to do so and generate rather large bills. I've a local vets that funnily enough my dad set up and sold, I had a run of ludicrous bills and in an emergency after I'd moved tried another and its the first time I've ever actually been pleased when the bill arrived as it was very reasonable, result and I'll go back and probably more regularly. One thing Charlie focussed on is something my brother is involved in, small animals being so profitable have put most practices off doing much or investing in large animal work. My brother works for a practice that seems to be taking on huge amounts of large animal work through a large chunk of the country they do it by offering a dedicated service with a decent pricing structure, add onto it an online pharmacy and they are growing very fast much to the displeasure of a fair few vets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 :lol: Thanks, mate. Thought it may cheer up our resident MBVA (or whichever) as he's probably feeling a bit peeved and I for one welcome his advice. Cheers, Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 dont need things explaining in der languge mr turbo..never shot myself in the foot as i never point a loaded gun at them!! the standing order has been an agreement with the vet and myself since my daughters westie had a displace hip about 10 months ago, to the cost of £675, then the springer had mamary tissue removed at £350... so are you saying they only charge me the top price for tablets, then shes good enough to point out that i can get them elsewhere cheaper? Last paragraph in your first post " bloody license to rip people off are vets!" and you now expect them to have sufficient funds to bank roll you out of thier salary because you can't afford to pay the fees for your dogs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 my personal finances are nothing to do with the argument.. i know the vet personaly and the monthly direct debit type of payment was agreed before any operation, BUT i think, personaly,that the charges are a rip off generally. my own opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren m Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 i use a very good vet now , just a small practice in a local village and i have to say they are brilliant . i,ve been useing them for about 11 years now and have never felt ripped off . i,ve used other vets during the last 30 years of owning dogs , but usually a bigger company / concern and to be honest the quality of customer service just was'nt there. the worse one i ever used was **** 4 **** , really let me down and mistreated my black lab ( jack ) , he came back to me with a broken tooth ( which was not spotted on inspection ) and foot bandaged so tight his toe nail was embedded into his foot when the bandage came off causing an ulcer and more lamness . from then it went from bad to worse and was eventually PTS because of the pain . Anyway what i,m trying to say is shop around and if not happy just one little bit then change practices.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks, mate. Thought it may cheer up our resident MBVA (or whichever) as he's probably feeling a bit peeved and I for one welcome his advice. Cheers, Phil Certainly, I couldn't agree more, I've learnt alot from the Vets that post on here. I do get a bit miffed when they start banging on about those that cant afford to keep dogs and tar us all with the same brush. When I got my pair 8 yr ago I was on a right good screw and now I'm not. What do they suggest I do with my dogs now, shoot them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) Doh! Double post Edited June 30, 2011 by ack-ack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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