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Honest opinions on this treatment from vets - I'm annoyed but am I over reacting??

You may have seen my thread re Bugsy becoming ill 24 hours before I went abroad on holiday.

Well I have come back to the bill and just spoken to my mum and I'm not happy with the attitude/certain things they have done.

Firstly is the payment issue, I was at the vets 12 hours before I flew out and they wanted to keep her in as they didn't know what was wrong. I explained that this was fine but I didn't want my mum and dad to have to pick up the bill while I was away. We agreed as it was unfortunate timing that I would leave £100 towards any treatment needed and pay the balance on my return.

When my mum went to collect Bugs and Alfie, they tried to force her to pay my remaining bill (£330!!). They got quite angry with her but she stuck to her guns. She explained I had agreed prior to leaving them that this was the arrangement. I have always paid my bills straight away before.

Secondly is the detailed treatment bill I have received. I have been charged £20+ a day for hospitalization (this is fine), but then I have been charged £17.00 per day for 10 mins max with the vet. They have also charged £10+ a day for an injection of metacam - Bug's takes this fine by syringe and it works out a lot cheaper.

After 5 days of the vet's saying she had to stay in (in order to have all this medicine) my mum turned round and said she will come down to the vets and if she can give her all the medicine she needs she will take her back.

I just feel that they have taken the pee a little because I was uncontactable - but then I know this would have made it harder for them, although I trust my mum and I'm so glad she insisted on taking them home. I dread to think what the bill would be if she hadn't.

Now I could be feeling annoyed about the above as I'm jet lagged, but after £430 of just injections and vet consultations we don't know what's wrong.

If they had run tests etc then maybe I would feel a bit better about the money (and please note I don't begrudge the money to make her better, I don't feel like much has been done for the amount they have charged)

When I ring to pay the bill I will mention about them trying to get my mum to pay but I don't know if I should query this costs?

So after that long winded post - do you think the charges sound reasonable or not??
 
You may have seen my thread re Bugsy becoming ill 24 hours before I went abroad on holiday.

Well I have come back to the bill and just spoken to my mum and I'm not happy with the attitude/certain things they have done.

Firstly is the payment issue, I was at the vets 12 hours before I flew out and they wanted to keep her in as they didn't know what was wrong. I explained that this was fine but I didn't want my mum and dad to have to pick up the bill while I was away. We agreed as it was unfortunate timing that I would leave £100 towards any treatment needed and pay the balance on my return.

When my mum went to collect Bugs and Alfie, they tried to force her to pay my remaining bill (£330!!). They got quite angry with her but she stuck to her guns. She explained I had agreed prior to leaving them that this was the arrangement. I have always paid my bills straight away before.

Secondly is the detailed treatment bill I have received. I have been charged £20+ a day for hospitalization (this is fine), but then I have been charged £17.00 per day for 10 mins max with the vet. They have also charged £10+ a day for an injection of metacam - Bug's takes this fine by syringe and it works out a lot cheaper.

After 5 days of the vet's saying she had to stay in (in order to have all this medicine) my mum turned round and said she will come down to the vets and if she can give her all the medicine she needs she will take her back.

I just feel that they have taken the pee a little because I was uncontactable - but then I know this would have made it harder for them, although I trust my mum and I'm so glad she insisted on taking them home. I dread to think what the bill would be if she hadn't.

Now I could be feeling annoyed about the above as I'm jet lagged, but after £430 of just injections and vet consultations we don't know what's wrong.

If they had run tests etc then maybe I would feel a bit better about the money (and please note I don't begrudge the money to make her better, I don't feel like much has been done for the amount they have charged)

When I ring to pay the bill I will mention about them trying to get my mum to pay but I don't know if I should query this costs?

So after that long winded post - do you think the charges sound reasonable or not??

The bits highlighted are rather excessive.

The issue re your Mum being asked to settle the Bill may just have been that the VN/Receptionist was unaware of your prior arrangement re paying the balance on your return. Most Surgeries have a 'Payment in Full' policy unless a pre- arranged written agreement is drawn up.

Assuming you signed a consent form when she was admitted, which should have included a clause re running any necessary diagnostics then I cant see how them not being able to contact you could be their excuse for not running any :?
 
To me that sounds extortionate. I am paying £40.00 for 24 hours for my 3 chinchillas. Well only 1 needs to be there. It includes food, water, critical care feeding every 3 hours, eye drops, painkillers for the eyes, both drops and orally and antibiotics.

40 x 5 = £200.00
Not sure how much the meds are yet.

At least I know what is wrong too. Severe eye infection, ulcer in mouth and needs a dental and x ray.
 
I think you will have to go through the bill and look at what they are charging you for

Then speak to your vet, I would not like to judge a vet without knowing all the facts, some vets have qualified vet nurses at all times, others have nurses who are not qualified which are cheaper to employ and some have nurses who pop in once or twice during the night to give meds so its not really easy to compare
 
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The bits highlighted are rather excessive.

The issue re your Mum being asked to settle the Bill may just have been that the VN/Receptionist was unaware of your prior arrangement re paying the balance on your return. Most Surgeries have a 'Payment in Full' policy unless a pre- arranged written agreement is drawn up.

Assuming you signed a consent form when she was admitted, which should have included a clause re running any necessary diagnostics then I cant see how them not being able to contact you could be their excuse for not running any :?

Thanks Jane - the bits you highlighted are my main concern as well.

It was one of the Vets who tried to insist she paid, when I agreed with another vet who said she would pass on the information. The receptionist is the one who rung head office (as they had an e-mail agreeing to the deferred payment).

I am going to question the charges - I know all vets are different and people get charged different amounts but what do you think an average metacam injection should cost?
 
I think you will have to go through the bill and look at what they are charging you for

Then speak to your vet, I would not like to judge a vet without knowing all the facts

Thanks Loppy ears - I understand it's hard to judge over the internet.

The total bill is £436.83 and I have a full detailed bill and the only thing they have done is charge me for them staying at the vets day and night. 3 injections a day (2 of Vetergesic and 1 of metacam) and an in pat Vet Assessment per day.

They still don't know what's wrong - surely if you had her in for 5 days (and didn't want to let her home) you would run some tests?

Before I left I came them full consent to do what was needed (including x rays etc if they felt needed)
 
Thanks Jane - the bits you highlighted are my main concern as well.

It was one of the Vets who tried to insist she paid, when I agreed with another vet who said she would pass on the information. The receptionist is the one who rung head office (as they had an e-mail agreeing to the deferred payment).

I am going to question the charges - I know all vets are different and people get charged different amounts but what do you think an average metacam injection should cost?

My vet charge a reduced consultation charge plus the cost of the meds for an injection but the £17 is the consult so surely the metacam is not costing £10, ask your vet to explain why you are paying for a consult and then the cost of giving an injection on top

ETA just noticed your post above are they charging £10 a day for three injections?
 
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My vet charge a reduced consultation charge plus the cost of the meds for an injection but the £17 is the consult so surely the metacam is not costing £10, ask your vet to explain why you are paying for a consult and then the cost of giving an injection on top

ETA just noticed your post above are they charging £10 a day for three injections?

Yep it is- It's £17.04 for the In - Pat assessment (up to 10 mins) then £10.06 per metacam injection plus £7.68 to dispense the metacam.

She had 2 injections of Vetergesic a day (£9.65 each), plus the £10.06 for the metacam injection.

My vets have a very detailed bill and even has two columns - one for Fee's and one for drugs so I'm not reading it incorrectly.

Going to have to phone them tomorrow and find out why they have charged so much.
 
That sounds a lot. My vets charged me £7 a day for boarding two rabbits and then hay on top of that and I think an extra bottle of metacam which I would've needed anyway.
 
Is it a chain-vets or a one-off?

Sounds a very similar situation to what I had over Christmas!! I had each of mine in one after another, poppy's was a lot cheaper than Peter's because she's previously had injection site reactions so had to have all the meds he had by injection orally!!

Again they were each kept in for several days but when they came home still weren't quite right and never got to the bottom of the problem. it makes u wonder how much it helps them being in there as from what I could gather I was doing the same meds at home as when they were at vets!!
 
When Tyson was seeing the vet daily the vet didnt charge for the consult only the meds. Dread to think how much it would have cost us
 
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