[News] Veterinary costs under investigation

Me and my Monkey · Mar 12, 2024

Welcome news. I took my doggy to the vet a couple of weeks ago for a follow-up check with a cardiac specialist. A 15 minute consultation which involved a few questions and brief physical examination cost a WOPPING £270. That works out at over £1000/hr. Not sure how this is justified, although I'm sure New Priory Vets (yes, I WILL name and shame them) would try to do so.

Fortunately, this was covered by my insurance. I imagine that people who can't afford these kind of ridiculous fees, or don't have/can't afford insurance might have some very tough choices to make when their pet starts to develop the inevitable later life conditions.

Thunder Bolt · Mar 12, 2024

I used to be with New Priory Vets, in Peacehaven. Mr Richardson was a lovely man, and costs were reasonable. Unfortunately, he died suddenly and the practice was taken over by a conglomerate, keeping the name. Costs rose year on year, but the killer (literally) was May 2021, when my 10 yr old cat suddenly vomited quite badly. The vets said he had a raging temperature, and needed antibiotics £480. I had a Healthy Pet Plan which was supposed to give me a 10% discount but, no, that was only for a specific list.
Later that day, I received a call, saying they didn’t keep animals overnight (he was on IV), to collect him & take him to their hospital in Withdean. Another £1K plus a scan, which told me he had a massive growth on his pancreas. £800 please.
He was put to sleep so cremation costs on top of that.

We changed to Meridian vets, who are very reasonable, plus their Healthy Pet Plan gives discount for all treatment, with vaccinations, flea & wormer all included.

Hastings gull · Mar 12, 2024

Me and my Monkey said:
Welcome news. I took my doggy to the vet a couple of weeks ago for a follow-up check with a cardiac specialist. A 15 minute consultation which involved a few questions and brief physical examination cost a WOPPING £270. That works out at over £1000/hr. Not sure how this is justified, although I'm sure New Priory Vets (yes, I WILL name and shame them) would try to do so.

Fortunately, this was covered by my insurance. I imagine that people who can't afford these kind of ridiculous fees, or don't have/can't afford insurance might have some very tough choices to make when their pet starts to develop the inevitable later life conditions.

Sadly vets can be as greedy as the rest of us, knowing exactly how to play on your love for your pet. Several years ago, I met whilst dog walking a German couple. I asked if they were on holiday in Hastings and they said they were visiting their son who joined a vet's practice locally. We got talking and they told me that on his first day at the practice, their son was shocked to be handed a booklet entitled "How to make as much money from your clients as possible" or similar wording. Our own experience was when returning to the UK from the continent, and needing the treatment for pet entry from vets abroad, we were charged anything from 7 to 33 Euros, as they simply made up the cost.

beorhthelm · Mar 12, 2024

Me and my Monkey said:
Welcome news. I took my doggy to the vet a couple of weeks ago for a follow-up check with a cardiac specialist. A 15 minute consultation which involved a few questions and brief physical examination cost a WOPPING £270. That works out at over £1000/hr. Not sure how this is justified, although I'm sure New Priory Vets (yes, I WILL name and shame them) would try to do so.

Fortunately, this was covered by my insurance. I imagine that people who can't afford these kind of ridiculous fees, or don't have/can't afford insurance might have some very tough choices to make when their pet starts to develop the inevitable later life conditions.

there is a theory these costs are driven up by insurance, because you dont have to pay out of pocket you dont shop around. see also insured car repair costs, far higher than if you went to a garage for the same work direct. however you need insurance because of the high fees. bit chicken and egg.

GJN1 · Mar 12, 2024

My 12 year-old dog had a persistent and smelly ear infection which we treated with antibiotics. Anyway, it came back so our vets suggested she needed an MRI and, in all probability, her entire ear canal removing, leaving her deaf in one ear. Cost? About £4k. Insurance company not interested and nor was I, given she's quite old. Been cleaning her ear daily with saline and tea trea oil and it's cleared up a treat. Utter scam.

dazzer6666 · Mar 12, 2024

beorhthelm said:
there is a theory these costs are driven up by insurance, because you dont have to pay out of pocket you dont shop around. see also insured car repair costs, far higher than if you went to a garage for the same work direct. however you need insurance because of the high fees. bit chicken and egg.

My cardio consultant (who has binned off private work and gone back to exclusively NHS) said it's the same with private healthcare.

Worried Man Blues · Mar 12, 2024

Both on Petplan which never covers anything they seem to end up with!! Much quicker results than NHS, our dogs go Private we are on NHS!

GJN1 · Mar 12, 2024

dazzer6666 said:
My cardio consultant (who has binned off private work and gone back to exclusively NHS) said it's the same with private healthcare.

If you ever want to know what it will be like if they ever fully privatise the NHS then look at your itemised vet bill. Every last dressing charged for.

Thunder Bolt · Mar 12, 2024

Worried Man Blues said:
Both on Petplan which never covers anything they seem to end up with!! Much quicker results than NHS, our dogs go Private we are on NHS!

That’s the problem. There’s nearly always an exclusion clause, and nobody wants to insure older animals.

bluenitsuj · Mar 12, 2024

Absolute rip off along with the huge hikes in insurance year on year.

herecomesaregular · Mar 12, 2024

The vets always suggest dental treatment for cats. Mine was an RSPCA rescue who came with notes saying her teeth were in grade 1 condition (examined under anesthetic because she came from a London hospital and came in with an injury). Enrolled her at the vet recommended in Brighton, first appointment (to simply enroll her there) was during covid so i had to wait outside. Took a while .... then I was handed an invoice quote for £750 to have two teeth removed (it took a while because they were costing and printing an invoice it seems). I couldn't believe it (and the pressure to go ahead). I went back to the RSPCA and they looked up her notes and told me it was unnecessary and that private vets always push for tooth extraction. While it is indeed common for cat's teeth to be an issue they have a high pain threshold and they are often not bothered unless it becomes serious. Since then I give her enzyme cat toothpaste and Plaque Off powder and she has to have regular health checkups due to her meds and funnily enough no vet has mentioned any issues with her teeth again (haven't seen the same vet, she left...). While she may need dental treatment in the future I really felt it was just a way to extract money from me. I do believe the actual vet cares about animals but they don't seem independent any more, mostly owned by big companies... who obviously only interested in the money. Similar to dentists nowadays, driven by insurance money.

dejavuatbtn · Mar 12, 2024

They could do the same with private healthcare. We scraped together enough money for a family member to get a procedure done to improve quality of life and found out that it’s 40% more expensive than it would have been had it been covered by private medical insurance.
But I agree that vets bills do seem to be outrageous!

heathgate · Mar 12, 2024

Last year, our 12 yo whippet started losing the use of his legs, collapsing etc... covered by Petplan, we went to our local vets, referred to Langford Bristol Uni Vets, actually nearer my house... various examinations, scans, antibiotics... no cause was found and he recovered 98% within 3 months.

Total cost, £5700 of which only £3200 was covered by our £55 per month policy.

Result: we paid the £2500, the insurers increased the policy premiums to £127 per month.( Cancelled immediately)

Thieves the lot of them.

Spiros · Mar 12, 2024

I spent 5 years working for an insurance company who provide pet insurance. One major concern there was that they had to hike their prices to cover the ridiculous increases in vet bills.

The usual pattern is that independent vets remain reasonable and focused on the care of the animal. Then the vet retires or dies. The practice gets taken over by a large group who employ younger (cheaper) vets. The focus then shifts to how they can maximise the profit from each animal.

For example our cat was fine at our local vet, owner retired then suddenly at the next visit our cat has developed “dental problems” even though we could see nothing wrong. We went to a different independent vet who confirmed all was ok. 2 years later our new vet has been taken over and all of a sudden the “dental problems” have returned

juliant · Mar 12, 2024

My dog is on 2 lots of daily tablets.

Vet wanted £60 per month on top of the prescription for the tablets. Took the prescription and said no thanks and went online. £86 delivered for 6 months supply.........

My vet drives a brand new Merc, go figure.

Weststander · Mar 12, 2024

A large number vets have been bought by big offshore equity funds, you probably wouldn’t realise this as the local branding remains. The groups buy up practices through significant bank borrowing. Think of the Glazer’s purchase of Manure. Offshore for tax advantages and some secrecy.

R4’s You and Yours aired a special programme, where local vets said these businesses kept calling, offering > £1m per equity partner to buy them out.

The effect on the public? Hugely increased charges over time.

Audax · Mar 12, 2024

My cat is costing us a small fortune at the moment - thyroid issues, and now potentially kidney issues as a result of the thyroid meds. Had to pick up a kit to get a urine sample this morning. It's a bag of hydrophobic sand to go in a litter tray, a test tube with cap, and a syringe for collecting the urine. £8.

It's almost always cheaper to get the meds online, but for prescription meds the vets charge a small fortune to issue the prescription you need. Which in our case is literally just printing out the same sheet of paper (and signing it) every couple of months. Their cost: pennies. My cost: way more than pennies.

IMO one quick way to help reduce vets costs is to regulate the meds side: put a reasonable cap on prescrip issue charges (vets genuine costs plus a reasonable small %), and put a reasonable cap on margin for the meds (and enforce informing pet owners that getting the meds online is likely to be cheaper and the prescrip needed is an automatic and immediate handover if requested).

HeaviestTed · Mar 12, 2024

Mars (the chocolate people) are buying up most of the vets in the uk:

Tackling the Veterinary Professional Shortage - Mars Veterinary Health

Like many others, Mars Veterinary Health believes the industry is facing a chronic shortage of veterinary professionals. To understand the scope, we enlisted the help of a researcher to quantify the shortage as it relates to companion animal veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary...

www.marsveterinary.com

They are “expecting” people to spend 3-4% over inflation over the next 8 years. “Expect” because they control prices.

It isn’t going to get any cheaper.

Wardy's twin · Mar 12, 2024

When they start using terms lime the Pet Health Industry or Veterinary Industry you know its not about care but about money...

This is what the Tories want for the Human Health Care Industry - lots of profit

BBC good morning programme have just done a section on this ....

Titanic · Mar 12, 2024

Wardy's twin said:
When they start using terms lime the Pet Health Industry or Veterinary Industry you know its not about care but about money...

This is what the Tories want for the Human Health Care Industry - lots of profit

BBC good morning programme have just done a section on this ....

Fortunately, if this is really what they want, they have been incapable of delivering it.

Health And Social Care In England: Tackling The Myths | The King's Fund

In what can feel like a heated political discussion, we have taken five myths that sometimes feature in this debate and debunked them.

www.kingsfund.org.uk

"There is no evidence of widespread privatisation of NHS services. The proportion of the NHS budget spent on services delivered by the private sector has remained broadly stable over the past decade. However, there has been a recent rise in the number of people choosing to use the private sector, paying for their treatment, in the context of long NHS waiting lists and times."

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[News] Veterinary costs under investigation

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