Vet prices for non-prescription items

[Desley (booktigger)]

No, but we all know how well cats are at hiding things, and regular bloods show other things, to make sure there aren't any calcium, potassium etc deficiencies.

[Mark]

I think the vets are aware with CRF that there isn't much else they can do as long as the cat is stable. They know I would be there like lightning if he went downhill and the next stage would be fluids I guess. (Even then, I would do them at home as the stress would be too much for him)

[Gillian Harvey]

last 3 months (I thought it was 6?) - I told her I always have them so she said she would check with the vet. He came out and said I can have whatever I like without her asking in future.

My vet always lets me have Fortekor too, without having to see Sam, she prefers that he doesnt have the stress of keep going into the surgery because of his heart anyway. Yes, it IS supposed to be 3 months now apparently.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Again, I am surprised you were allowed them without a checkup Mark, as without bloods, you dont know if he is on the correct dosage, that rule is there for the cats benefit. Also certain drugs need to be done off weight, so without a regular checkup, you could be under/over dosing (one of the problems with being able to get Drontal online really, unless you know exactly what the cat weighs)

[JackSpratt]

you were lucky to get a prescription for MEtacam, normally they wont let you have that without the cat being checked by a vet first, which is good really as it can cause kidney issues. You also need to know exactly how much the cat weighs, as the new stuff goes off weight.

She went for a check up fairly recently and I asked for it to be written onto her notes that I might possibly be back to get some if I decided to see if it would help. I'm not 100% sure she has arthritis, she does sort of struggle from time to time but she's 19 next year!

[Mark]

I can understand vets not giving prescriptions without having seen the cat first as if anything happened, they could be held accountable. The other week I was in the vets and asked for some Fortekor for Clapton (Which they sell me at slightly above cost) the new receptionist said she couldn't let me have them as the cat needs to have been seen within the last 3 months (I thought it was 6?) - I told her I always have them so she said she would check with the vet. He came out and said I can have whatever I like without her asking in future.

[fluffybunny]

I have a certain amount of sympathy with vets though, they have an expensive business to run and they presumably have to balance their pricings as best they can to be able to pay everyone a reasonable salary and reinvest in the sort of equipment and technology that us customers demand.  

If they sold all the drugs at the same price that the internet companies did, they'd probably have to put consult/op prices up to compensate so that the overall business makes the same amount.  Internet drug companies are a relatively new phenomenon and just don't have anything like the same overheads as a vets practice, so I think it's taking a while for the market to balance itself again - and the prescription charges should go some way to alleviate that.  

[MrsR]

JS cannot remember what was said to be exactly as was ages ago I asked why.

[Desley (booktigger)]

My vet was reluctant to use it on Jeannie even though her bloods came back normal, she much prefers me to use supplements first. As much as i have used it on lots of cats, it is still soemthing I am very wary of, esp as it isn't licenced in most places, and there are some real scare stories about it on the net.

[Mark]

I know they don't like giving it to cats with kidney issues as it can push them over the edge.

[Desley (booktigger)]

you were lucky to get a prescription for MEtacam, normally they wont let you have that without the cat being checked by a vet first, which is good really as it can cause kidney issues. You also need to know exactly how much the cat weighs, as the new stuff goes off weight.

[Millys Mum]

Was it still free JS?

[JackSpratt]

What government legislation, MrsR? Any business puts a mark up on its products to make a profit, pure and simple. (Just wondering - I'm seriously interested!)

I phoned the vets yesterday to get a prescription for metacam. Am going to try it to see if Old Mogs crying is possibly linked to a bit of pain.(arthritis might be present she isn't always steady on her pins!) I literally had to explain that due to it being nearly £10 cheaper on the internet and not knowing if it would help I wanted to try it before spending the extra £10. And when I went to get the prescription I got a very cold response from the receptionist!

[Millys Mum]

Katalax is a much smaller tube

[Mark]

And after all that, he ran away from it 

[Maddiesmum]

My vet says it is because they can't buy in large quantities!

[MrsR]

I asked my vets why they charged so much when people now go to places like VetUK and they said they have too - something to do with government legislation or similar.   They know they are loosing money which is sad.

[Mark]

Also the tube size has changed. I'm sure I paid around £7 for a tube the size of a normal tube of toothpaste. This one is the size of a travel tube of toothpaste. I know Sherleys, Johnsons and de-furrum are much bigger and I thought Katalax was too. I would have bough de-furrum as he likes that too but PAH seem to have stopped selling it and now sell Johnsons (or Sherleys)

I dpon't mind paying a bit more as it is to be expected but double or more is ridiculous. Never again! 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

It's not just vets - it's pet store prices v online as well.  When Jaffa had his spryaing incident several weeks ago, I dashed to PAH to get some feliway and had to pay well over £20 for a spray.  Paid about £7 for the same thing at the Supreme cat show. Granted that was a special show price, but it's only about £11 to buy online.

[Maddiesmum]

It's ludicrous isn't it?  My vet charges £23 something for 30 Zylkene and I can get 100 for that on VetUK

[Mark]

I dropped a poorly cat off at the vet this morning (Smudge) and thought I would pick up a tube of Katalax as he has been coughing. A tiny 20g tube was £12.86 
When I queried is, she said "Yes, good isn't it?" - I said no it's not good  - I just checked and it is 1/2 that price from VetUK. I had to buy it though as I can't have poor Clappy stuck with a furrball 

I'm sure the tube used to be twice the size at least?

We have Sherleys and Johnsons in the drawer but he won't eat them and gets upset if you put it on his fur  - He will eat Katalax straight from the tube.