Topic: Cats & Vet Bills (Read 24933 times)

forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa) · « **Reply #55 on:** April 23, 2007, 10:04:28 AM »

Ooooo thats good no consultation fee
they dont do anything like that down here

ccmacey · « **Reply #54 on:** April 23, 2007, 09:40:01 AM »

You know I have never had an appointment at my vets I always go within open surgery times to avoid the charge.

Open surgery times are 11.00- 11.30 and 3.00- 4.00 every day. Within these times no consultation fee is charged but if you make an appointment then you will be charged a consultation fee. You get the same standard of care wether at open surgery or an appiontment, and yes you do have to pay for all treatment recieved.

Ela · « **Reply #53 on:** April 23, 2007, 09:29:42 AM »

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My vets do charge an appointment fee but within open surgery times its free to get them seen.

So are you saying, if you took a cat to the vets say if your cat was sneezing, they would just charge you say £5 for an injection and perhaps £8 for 10 synalux?

Or if you thought your cat was not quite right they would give it a thorough MOT and if they did not find anything wrong you would not have to pay a penny?

Or is the appointment fee comparable to a consultation fee?

ccmacey · « **Reply #52 on:** April 23, 2007, 09:21:24 AM »

My vets do charge an appointment fee but within open surgery times its free to get them seen.

I helped my friend get her cats neutered and at the vets she used they charged a consultation fee to have a look at them before the op which I dont think is fair.

Im not saying dont charge a consultation fee just have some open surgery times.

tab · « **Reply #51 on:** April 23, 2007, 08:43:48 AM »

I dont know if I get charged a consultation fee I just assumed I did. When Mogs had her dental last week I was quoted £220 as the highest it would be. When I collected her it was £165 as she didnt need a drip or teeth out. When I had to take her back the next day she was examined and had 3 injections but the vet said there was no charge. I was really impressed
love
Tab

Dawn (DiddyDawn) · « **Reply #50 on:** April 22, 2007, 23:34:24 PM »

I'm really lucky in both my vets, I don't pay consultation and also in the new vets I get a 10% discount on any medications that I have. Also, for spays and neuters, the price they quote is just for the op and then you've got the antibiotic and painkiller jabs on top........I don't get charged for the jabs, just for the ops. I think it all depends on the relationship you have with your vet, I've always got on well with mine but I am also a cheeky princess, if they want my business, they do have the competition of the other vets and vice versa which does help...........I can use this to my advantage

Ela · « **Reply #49 on:** April 22, 2007, 20:04:03 PM »

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And another thing that gets me is a charge for a consultation. At my vets they have open surgery times where you can take your animal to be seen and not get charged for a consultation,

At my vets it is appointment only although I know many vets that also have open surgeries, however, all have a consultation fee.

Lindyloo · « **Reply #48 on:** April 22, 2007, 19:16:33 PM »

Something else I have noticed is that vet bills for my sheep seem to be cheaper compared to my cats and dog. Could it be vets charge what they feel they can? Pet owners pay up because they care about their pets whereas farmers deal in economics. If it is cheaper to slaughter an animal than treat it that is what they usually do. So vets cannot make unnecessaily high charges.
Lynn

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #47 on:** April 22, 2007, 18:03:26 PM »

We must be lucky Lynn, our vets do give us discounts, both mine and the rescues (mine was only cos I asked for it though, it was to help out when I didn't have the car), and my vet does work with me when it comes to my own cats - although seeing as they get anywhere from £500 upwards from me each year, I suppose the odd free consult is nothing!!
I agree with Susanne that I dont mind paying a consultation fee, although I have been shocked at it in the past, I went for about a year with having it included with other stuff, so when I had that by itself, I was shocked at £20!! They do have to pay for wages, rent, electricity, etc and that money has to come from somewhere.
As for places like VetUK, I did ask the rescue's vet about this, and he said they couldn't charge any less than they do, as they can't buy in bulk as much as those places can, plus less overheads, so they can't compete. But, you always have people who have pets and no internet access, so they will still get the custom - I know all the staff at my vets buy them from the vets, despite it being cheaper on line.

Susanne (urbantigers) · « **Reply #46 on:** April 22, 2007, 17:47:33 PM »

Tbh I think it's perfectly fair to charge a consultation fee - you're paying for their time and you wouldn't get a consultation with a private human doctor, dentist etc for free (in fact a friend of mine recently saw a private doctor about something and had to pay about £400 for one consultation). If you didn't then vets would have to make up the shortfall by charging more for treatment and it if that was the only way they could make money then it would immediately make me suspicious whether treatment recommended was necessary - after all, a clinic full of consultations with no treatment would then mean no income. Even if it's an open surgery (my vets don't do open surgeries, it's appt only) you are still taking up their time.

It's nice if vets can offer discounts etc for rescues but I don't think anyone should expect a vet to give services for free any more than we should expect any other individual to give away money. It's nice when people can and do give money to charity (animal or otherwise) but I'm not going to start criticising my friends, neighbours and colleagues for not giving money to charity so I don't feel right that I should criticise anyone else for not giving stuff for free.

Lynn - I think probiotics are great. Really helped my Jaffa when he had loose stools and nothing else worked (I tried yogurt but it didn't work as well as the probiotic). Antibiotics can result in an upset stomach so I'm not sure the vet was just after a money spinner. Most things are cheaper at somewhere like vetuk because they don't have the overheads of an actual vet practice, although I do wonder whether vets will eventually start charging less for non prescription items if they feel they're losing business by charging more. Having said that, I recently got some Advantage from my vets and when I compared the price on vetuk it was only about £1 less so not a huge difference.

ccmacey · « **Reply #45 on:** April 22, 2007, 17:29:59 PM »

And another thing that gets me is a charge for a consultation. At my vets they have open surgery times where you can take your animal to be seen and not get charged for a consultation, all other times you do and I think all vets should do open surgery times and not many do so you have paid £20 before you even start.

Lindyloo · « **Reply #44 on:** April 22, 2007, 15:44:09 PM »

Vets seem to be of a different breed these days. I can remember when I first became involved with cat rescue there were 4 vets in the area and they were all sympathetic to rescue work. One in particular that I used to use was very generous and we had quite a few free treatments from him. All these vet are now retired. I live in a different area now but vets here are reluctant to give any discount let alone free treatment. There are several vets in the area but they all operate in a similar way - charge for everything possible! On the occasions I have been to the vet they usually try to include some extra item that is not really necessary but I always check what things are for and refuse if I am not happy. My last visit was with one of my cats with a sore leg. The vet confirmed that the leg was not broken unless it was a tiny bone in the paw. He wanted to take the cat in for an x-ray. These would mean anaesthetic, and some other drugs and would have cost about £175!
When I asked what could be done if he had broken a tiny paw bone I was told nothing it would have to be rested until better. I refused the xray and kept "Bean" confined for a week or so. His leg is completely back to normal.
Recently I had to take a cattery cat to the vet with an upset tummy. He was prescibed some antibiotics but they also wanted to prescribe some pro-biotic at £10. This seems to be some new money spinner, cats never used to be prescribed this. If really necessary would not yoghurt do. Of course I said no thanks and the cats was completely back to normal without it in about 2 days.

Lynn

tab · « **Reply #43 on:** April 22, 2007, 15:13:39 PM »

The tablets cost me about £60 a year so its less than the insurance its just that if anything else happened to Mogs that was connected Id have a problem if I changed insurance.
love
Tab

Ela · « **Reply #42 on:** April 22, 2007, 15:02:00 PM »

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My goodness the vet would rather put an unneutered tom to sleep than castrate it, did he mean an older cat or just kittens also? Shocking all the same. He is no vet!

Pass, I have no idea, it was said to the Co-ordinator before me.

ccmacey · « **Reply #41 on:** April 22, 2007, 14:54:29 PM »

My goodness the vet would rather put an unneutered tom to sleep than castrate it, did he mean an older cat or just kittens also? Shocking all the same. He is no vet!

Talking to my vet this week about frontline and asked the difference between them both he said "Im not too sure about the combo being any better I just think its more expensive and I dont see the point in putting more product on the cat when its not going to make more difference".

Frontline cost's around £24 and the combo costs around £28 for 6 packs at my vets, just goes to show how much they are over charging as you can buy the frontline for around £16 from Vet UK.

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #40 on:** April 22, 2007, 12:11:49 PM »

Shame you can't swap Tab - my two are 13 and 14, and the total per month is less than what you are paying for her. ARe the blood pressure meds expensive? I know the blood pressure test isn't.

Ela · « **Reply #39 on:** April 21, 2007, 21:08:19 PM »

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if they dont want to sign the cat over then tell them its not ur responsilbity to pay a vet bill

Easier said than done, it would then be a concern as to what would happen to the cat, and I cannot live with those thoughts. I think that is about where this all started. Don't lets go there again.

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what if they had no animals and the one they wanted to adopt would b there only pet then they could register with the pdsa

or is that still not good enough ?????????

It would depend where they live, as advised a few times the PDSA does not cover all our area and also the only vet that does PDSA is a vet who I personally would not take a dying flea as we get so many complaints about misdiagnosis and a vet who once said he would rather put an unneutered tom to sleep than castrate it.

If someone really wanted a cat and were in a position to offer a good home we would be willing to consider homing an indoor cat that we pay certain vets fees for e.g a FIV cat, a Golden Oldie

tab · « **Reply #38 on:** April 21, 2007, 20:30:36 PM »

Thats who Ive changed Amber to as Ive never claimed for her and saved £20 over the year, although I did it nearly as week ago and havent had any docs yet.
love
Tab

MBll · « **Reply #37 on:** April 21, 2007, 20:28:25 PM »

On the issue of insurance m&s have an option of excess or no excess

tab · « **Reply #36 on:** April 21, 2007, 20:16:37 PM »

Quote from: Desley (booktigger) on April 21, 2007, 17:55:31 PM

Sadly, this has been taken off the subject that Mbll meant it to be, how about we get this thread back on topic?
I fully agree with you about the cost of them Mbll - Tiger has cost me around £300 this year, and we still haven't got to the bottom of the limping, so she could end up costing more, fortunately i do have pet insurance, so they have covered nearly £100 of that. I have been in the situation where the credit card has been maxed and then having to use the overdraft - certainly wasn't something that was mentioned to me when I adopted the second cat, mine have cost at least £200 per cat just on vets, never mind flea and worm, food and litter, and it is the reason I can only own two animals, as I invarably get an ill one, even when I adopted a 5 year old, she cost over £200 in 8 months.
Tab - what company do you have your pet insurance with? Is that just for one of the cats?

Sorry about the off topic bit.
Yes I pay £15.99 a month for Mogs only. Its with More Than and because of her age I have a high excess and a percentage charge of the payment so its getting to the point where its costing me more than I get back. I cant cancel though as she has high blood pressure so needs check ups and tablets.
love
Tab

forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa) · « **Reply #35 on:** April 21, 2007, 19:46:00 PM »

if they dont want to sign the cat over then tell them its not ur responsilbity to pay a vet bill

people will have to understand ur not a fairy godmother who will pay for other peoples animals when they click there fingers

as for this "not rehoming a cat to people on bennifets"

what if they had no animals and the one they wanted to adopt would b there only pet then they could register with the pdsa

or is that still not good enough ?????????

Ela · « **Reply #34 on:** April 21, 2007, 19:29:27 PM »

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ela when people ring u up asking u to pay there vets bills i think u should say to them
"yes of course " "but obviously u will have to sign the cat over to us if u r saying u cannot afford to pay for a vet "
also suggest they register with the pdsa and or get some pet insurance ,

Where do you suggest I get all the money to pay the bills if they won't sign over the cat, and if they do where (without being rude) do you suggest I put it? (There could be 3 or 4 in any given day). As explained we have no PDSA clinics and you can only register one pet with the PDSA. if you live in certain Post Codes. if the cat is ill it needs attention now not in a months time and thats if the person is eligible and the registration has come through. In many cases even if the pet was insured the people would not be able to pay the initial £50 or so fee.

Sorry to repeat some of the above info in both paras but it appears not to have been understood, perhaps I did not make it clear in previous postings.

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ela i think ur bang out of order saying u dont like rehoming a cat to a familey on bennifets
so whatt if they do use the pdsa for there cat at least they care enough to take the cat to a vet ,yes it is a charity but they r there to help and u r asked to make a donation of at least £5 each time so its not as if u r getting a freebie is it ,£5 maybe all someone can afford after theyve paid for travel expenses to get the cat there in the first place .

I have a responsibility to the cats and if someone has a number of animals then I am afraid they will not get a cat from me. If you read the previous posts you will know that in this area you can only register one pet and that is if you live in certain post codes. We do not have a PDSA hospital where you can take more pets. Also unfortunately the PDSA purse is not an endless pot and it would not be right for a charity to re-home a cat knowing full well that another charity would need to be asked to help should the need arise.

forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa) · « **Reply #33 on:** April 21, 2007, 19:12:30 PM »

Id like to add i think the pdsa is a god send and i dont think anyone should feel guilty for going there if they r on a low income/bennifets etc thats what the pdsa is for ,
it doesnt mean ur any less of a person or an animal lover just because u go to the pdsa ,the pdsa are fully qualified vets after all ,

ela when people ring u up asking u to pay there vets bills i think u should say to them
"yes of course " "but obviously u will have to sign the cat over to us if u r saying u cannot afford to pay for a vet "
also suggest they register with the pdsa and or get some pet insurance ,

ela i think ur bang out of order saying u dont like rehoming a cat to a familey on bennifets
so whatt if they do use the pdsa for there cat at least they care enough to take the cat to a vet ,yes it is a charity but they r there to help and u r asked to make a donation of at least £5 each time so its not as if u r getting a freebie is it ,£5 maybe all someone can afford after theyve paid for travel expenses to get the cat there in the first place .

MBll · « **Reply #32 on:** April 21, 2007, 18:19:07 PM »

lol i dont have insurance for anything

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #31 on:** April 21, 2007, 18:11:14 PM »

I remember that feeling - everytime the insurance paid out for Pebbles last year I was shocked, because all of them were bits here and there, you dont realise just how much it comes to!!

MBll · « **Reply #30 on:** April 21, 2007, 18:08:28 PM »

lol thats ok Desley ...i just posted out of shock surprise

asi didnt relies i spent that much on a short time lol

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #29 on:** April 21, 2007, 17:55:31 PM »

Sadly, this has been taken off the subject that Mbll meant it to be, how about we get this thread back on topic?
I fully agree with you about the cost of them Mbll - Tiger has cost me around £300 this year, and we still haven't got to the bottom of the limping, so she could end up costing more, fortunately i do have pet insurance, so they have covered nearly £100 of that. I have been in the situation where the credit card has been maxed and then having to use the overdraft - certainly wasn't something that was mentioned to me when I adopted the second cat, mine have cost at least £200 per cat just on vets, never mind flea and worm, food and litter, and it is the reason I can only own two animals, as I invarably get an ill one, even when I adopted a 5 year old, she cost over £200 in 8 months.
Tab - what company do you have your pet insurance with? Is that just for one of the cats?

Dawn (DiddyDawn) · « **Reply #28 on:** April 21, 2007, 17:50:37 PM »

Quote from: ccmacey on April 21, 2007, 13:03:33 PM

So they are coming to you for help with vet bills you could at least point them in the directon of the PDSA. Just because some people are on benefits dosnt mean they dont love their pets and accidents happen. You cant associate all people on benefits with being scum, there are a lot of mothers on benefits because they want to look after their kids and people that are old and cant get employment, dosnt mean your any less of a person.

I've not read the whole thread but I think Ela is basically saying, whether on benefits or not, if they have an animal, they should at least be able to cover any expenses that may arise........this is called being a responsible owner. Obviously unexpected bills are a nightmare but I think for the pets sake, these should be taken into account when taking them on. My vet bills are huge at the moment but I'm lucky in that I can pay as and when and I appreciate that not everyone can do that with their vets.

I was really annoyed at someone last night and I did give them a piece of my mind. The people who I had Jake and George off, or I should say the people that had thrown them out, were in the vets with a rotty last night, very underweight, not spayed, 7 years old, full of tumours

They told the vet they had found the dog 4 days prior, they have no money and say they want to keep the dog.......I am convinced this poor dog was there when I took Jake and George from there.........these are the people that don't deserve animals, they treat them like possessions and get rid when it suits.

Ela · « **Reply #27 on:** April 21, 2007, 16:16:30 PM »

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My post was really about when anyone complains about money it feels as though someone will always suggest that people on benefits shouldnt have pets and thats the bit that gets to me.

I don't think they should not have them but do they they should think very carefully about adding more. I often get people ring me up asking for a cat, they have up to 6 plus many other pets and are on benefits and perhaps have asked me to pay vet bills in the past. I am sure you can understand that in these circumstances I cannot home another little one, although I am sure they will get one from somewhere. Many of the cats we take in have come in from such families and it would be irresponsible to re-home them into a similar situation. There are those on benefits like yourselves who would move heaven and earth to ensure their pet has the best medical attention possible. It is not a blanket no you cannot have a cat if you are on benefits but each case has to be considered on its merit.

MBll · « **Reply #26 on:** April 21, 2007, 16:11:32 PM »

It seems bit pointless saying thisbut was going to say even with small pets theres vet bills as one of me rats while back cost over £100 & few days later she had to be pts as nothing more could be done for her

Ela · « **Reply #25 on:** April 21, 2007, 16:06:45 PM »

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How the hell do they make that out? Next time someone says that you ask them how they come up with that cos i would be very interested in their answer

I would love to ask them but unfortunately for the sake of the cat I can't.

MBll · « **Reply #24 on:** April 21, 2007, 16:00:22 PM »

Some actually say I am on benefits its your responsibility.

How the hell do they make that out? Next time someone says that you ask them how they come up with that cos i would be very interested in their answer......& ask them whos responisblity it is for the kids they have, etc frickin morons

ccmacey · « **Reply #23 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:54:16 PM »

Well these people are daft not to realise that the pet is their responsibilty.

I think Ela and Mags are meaning the sorts of people that go ahh when they see a kitten and just get 1 regardless and dont think that the ahh's can turn into argh's.

I get the hump a bit when things like this come up, and although me and you are on benefits we are caring owners, I dont like being put into a catogory which seems to happen when benefits are brought up.

Ela · « **Reply #22 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:38:56 PM »

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Now when I got cats I was working on average a 40 hour week, when I got ill what was I supposed to do re home them?

I am sure the person who made the statement did not mean people who are in a position like you, that is their circumstances unfortunately change through no fault of their own after they have pets.

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People with full time jobs and lots of money still take animals to vets or rehoming centres because they dont want to spend money on them not because they havent got the money.

You are not wrong but at least then we can spend our money on Cats Protection cats and find them a home who deserves them.

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If someone asks for help then there is a chance they might be desperate and you might be their last hope and to be treated like sponging scum isnt helpful.

I would never treat anyone like scum but people cannot expect us to pay their vet bills. Althoug as advised I would never see a cat suffer and have spent hundreds of my own money in these cases. We also have to ensure we have the funds to pay for all our own cats in care, and to help those out there who have no one. The Purpose of Cats Protection is to rescue, rehabilitate and regime.

Because you are perhaps a nice person and do not have to deal with the demands of requests for help you don't understand how aggressive some of these people are when they ring up and demand we pay the vets for treatment to their pets because they are on benefits. Some actually say I am on benefits its your responsibility.

tab · « **Reply #21 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:25:46 PM »

Not at all I think the thread has wandered from your topic as I totally understand about how much they cost. Thats what I was trying to say you cant plan for everything and even with insurance not everythings covered as I found out this week.
My post was really about when anyone complains about money it feels as though someone will always suggest that people on benefits shouldnt have pets and thats the bit that gets to me. Maybe I am over sensitive about being on benefits.....well actually I KNOW I am but the point is that not everyone is the same.
love
Tab

MBll · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:19:05 PM »

Quote from: tab on April 21, 2007, 15:10:14 PM

to be treated like sponging scum isnt helpful.

Is that what my post is coming across as?

ccmacey · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:15:52 PM »

I totally agree with you Tab, things change and you can only do your best.

Last week my friend was given a cat as her owner couldnt afford the vets bills, they own their own business, more like they didnt want to pay.

tab · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:10:14 PM »

This is an issue thats not got an answer. I do understand what is being said about people having animals that cant afford them but a blanket statement of people on benefits shouldnt have pets I feel is totally wrong. I have been working since I was 15, full time since 17 and at 30 I got glandular fever and worked through it. Since 1999 I have been off ill with ME and on benefits. Last year because of a tax mix up I had to live all year on £25 a week which after feeding 2 cats, me, heating, and running a car was impossible and meant I now have no savings at all. When Mogs needed treatment last week I really could afford it and it cost £280 in total with boosters etc. I dont have that money so it HAD to go on my emergency credit card. I will be paying it off now for the next 6 months and praying that anything else that happens will be covered by the £16 a month insurance I pay for Mogs.
Now when I got cats I was working on average a 40 hour week, when I got ill what was I supposed to do re home them? At the time they were the only thing that made me get up in the morning and they are the reason I still have my own flat and didnt move home with my parents. Last year I stopped smoking because of money worries, I rarely drink, I dont gamble in fact the internet is my only luxery as Im prepared to give things up for my cats. I cant afford to give to charities like on here, or feed my cats top of the range highly expensive food but I do my best to keep them healthy and happy, and as much as I would love to help with fostering or rescueing another cat I dont have the space or the money si I dont do it.

Basically Im saying you have to give people credit for having some brains even if they are on benefits. People with full time jobs and lots of money still take animals to vets or rehoming centres because they dont want to spend money on them not because they havent got the money. If someone asks for help then there is a chance they might be desparate and you might be their last hope and to be treated like sponging scum isnt helpful.

I hope I havent offended anyone this is just how I feel
love
Tab

ccmacey · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:08:19 PM »

Well I suppose thats ok.

Like I said I only use the pdsa as his meds are a fraction of the cost, so really Im still paying for them only at a cheeper price. Believe me if I had the money to pay what the PV charged he would go there. And I take him and my others to the PV if anything comes up, I only use the pdsa for Ollies ongoing condition. I think that they are there to help, I dont think I have the right and abuse that by taking them all there.

Ela · « **Reply #16 on:** April 21, 2007, 15:06:44 PM »

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If i needed to pay a expensive vet bill & didnt have enough money to cover it ...Id panic big time & cry alot lol BUT i would find the money SOMEHOW even if i have to go into debt lol

All credit to you, but if you only know how many times I hear the words but I am on benefits, what are you going to do about it you would be amazed. I do feel sorry for people in that position, well some anyway, others do nothing to try to improve the situation and think the world owes them a living. Or at least that I should fund their vet bills as it is their right. Sadly the bottom line is if I don't help the cat may suffer so I am sure you know that I would never let that happen.

Author Topic: Cats & Vet Bills (Read 24933 times)

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