How interesting. Bella is just on the usual one for vaccinations, flea and worm treatments etc, plus Petplan. Even more interesting is the stipulation for raw feeding. Things have come such a long way - and some vets are still against it. I did join the Facebook group but .......:roll::lol:
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Out of hours fees
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How interesting. Bella is just on the usual one for vaccinations, flea and worm treatments etc, plus Petplan. Even more interesting is the stipulation for raw feeding. Things have come such a long way - and some vets are still against it. I did join the Facebook group but .......:roll::lol:
Our vets have been supportive of raw for a long while & one of the directors is part of a group trying to raise awareness & improve knowledge amongst the veterinary profession. How times change, eh!
I can see the reasoning I guess - somebody could feed their dog Bakers, say, and end up at the vets on a regular basis with ear infections, skin problems etc.
I'm on a couple of raw feeding groups for dogs & they're ok. The cat equivalent is quite savage though lol...... I read but barely post!
I can see the reasoning I guess - somebody could feed their dog Bakers, say, and end up at the vets on a regular basis with ear infections, skin problems etc.
I'm on a couple of raw feeding groups for dogs & they're ok. The cat equivalent is quite savage though lol...... I read but barely post!
The danger of having an insurance policy with your vet is that they have a potential conflict of interest. If the scheme starts losing money the management are putting pressure on vets to keep costs down, and you wouldn't know if they are always recommending the most appropriate treatment because it costs too much.
I guess the same applies to standard pet insurance but in reverse - it's often claimed that vets suggest more expensive procedures which aren't necessary if they know you have insurance & also insurance companies do their best to worm their way out of paying.
My daughter works there though so we would be aware if this ever happened but I realise not everyone has that 'luxury'.
I guess, whichever sort of insurance you have or even if you have none, it also pays to do a little basic research on whatever health condition you're dealing with & recommended treatments. But I've always done that anyway (not because I don't trust my vets but because I find it easier to take in something written down).
Sorry for taking this off track lol!
My daughter works there though so we would be aware if this ever happened but I realise not everyone has that 'luxury'.
I guess, whichever sort of insurance you have or even if you have none, it also pays to do a little basic research on whatever health condition you're dealing with & recommended treatments. But I've always done that anyway (not because I don't trust my vets but because I find it easier to take in something written down).
Sorry for taking this off track lol!
Mervinius
Mama Doe
Our vets out of hours is a Vets now with a tiered system of before and after 11pm. I can't remember the exact costs but it was £120 -£150 after 11pm I think.
However I found another out of hours vets in our area and they only charge £60 for small pets no matter what the time and they are nearer.
Our vet is happy with us using them, the files just get zapped across.
However I found another out of hours vets in our area and they only charge £60 for small pets no matter what the time and they are nearer.
Our vet is happy with us using them, the files just get zapped across.
I think this is spot on, if you get to see an exotic specialist, but if you don't, it's just a really expensive visit with someone who has no clue [emoji38]
loobers25
Warren Veteran
True, fortunately my vets have exotic vets up all throughout the night thankfully
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Ah you're so lucky! That's the dream [emoji38]
I stopped following the group and don't read now (well, not often!)
SarahP
Wise Old Thumper
People are often very critical of Vets Now. But, when I had bunnies, I had loads of emergency stasis occasions (now you know why I no longer have bunnies!) The first few times, it was before Vets Now had taken over most of the local out of hours care. An on-call vet would open up whichever surgery they told us to go to, inject the bunny with pain relief and a gut stimulant, possibly do sub cut fluids, and then send them home in the hope they would start eating. Vets Now were much more expensive, but were more thorough, even if they weren't exotics experts.
Yes I guess it depends who you get
I've never been impressed tbh, and have received some really bad advice from whoevers on the desk [emoji38]
SarahP
Wise Old Thumper
That said, I've never seen them with a guinea pig, and I'd have to be truly desperate to do so. The only time I've ever taken a piggy to an emergency vet, my experience since tells me it was likely a pig in heart failure, but all I was offered were antibiotics. By the time I got home, she'd died.
keletkezes
Wise Old Thumper
Ouch, that's a PITA. My emergency vets is actually much closer to my house (a 5min walk rather than a 30min walk!) because I live the 'right' side of town. It's on the same site as our PDSA.£150 but now they seem to have farmed it out to a vets practice in Manchester which is so far away
Yes, my one experience with Vets4Pets was really positive: the vet confessed she wasn't a rabbit expert but she obviously had some good experience with them as she was confident in dealing with Lopsy, did a full examination and asked all the right questions. I was happy with the advice and consult, and the medication (it was 'just' gut stasis). I'd prefer to be seen by her than the vet who isn't a rabbit specialist at my normal surgery!
My out of hours is the local Vet University Hospital, so great facilities, but the basic fee according to their website is £133 . Though, honestly, I swear it was higher. But, honestly, I'd pay anything for any of my pet family. Even if I didn't have insurance. Day 3 after getting the bunnies, I saw bunny urine for the first time, and I thought it was some sort of diarrhea or something was wrong. I was going to rush them to the out of hours....but I googled and also asked another bun owner I know .... it was normal urine. One funny story was how we ended up with about £300 of bills, for our dog, when we went to an out of hours, ....to learn she was allergic to grass, and to give her antihistamines :lol:
Bunny Buddy
Wise Old Thumper
Out of hours fee is a hot topic for me at the moment. My trusted rabbit vets ceased doing their own OOH just short of a year ago as their vets keep having babies so there's not enough of them for the rota. As well as excellent they were very reasonably priced eg when Scally was seen for stroke for about 40 minutes one Saturday evening and we left at 11.00 pm the total cost was about £70.
I've been using a local vet which is aiming for hospital status though isn't there yet, and their fees are £160 before 11 pm and £180 afterwards ... the after 11 pm rate I can accept but they have just a couple of hours of appointments on a Saturday so the rest of the weekend it would be £160 to be seen and I consider that very expensive. My rabbit vets have made provision with a 'nearby' hospital which sadly is about 30 miles away as it's another 8 miles in the other direction. Their fees are very reasonable but I've yet to try them out.
I rang another local vets (who I keep hoping have improved but there's no signs of it yet..!) and quizzed the receptionist. She said OOH fee "starts from £80" but it was like getting blood out of a stone getting the when and how much .. I gave up.. She very kindly suggested to me that they do daytime appointments so I shouldn't need to book at 2.00 am!!! Really?! There's me thinking 2.00 am would be much more convenient for me!!!
I've been using a local vet which is aiming for hospital status though isn't there yet, and their fees are £160 before 11 pm and £180 afterwards ... the after 11 pm rate I can accept but they have just a couple of hours of appointments on a Saturday so the rest of the weekend it would be £160 to be seen and I consider that very expensive. My rabbit vets have made provision with a 'nearby' hospital which sadly is about 30 miles away as it's another 8 miles in the other direction. Their fees are very reasonable but I've yet to try them out.
I rang another local vets (who I keep hoping have improved but there's no signs of it yet..!) and quizzed the receptionist. She said OOH fee "starts from £80" but it was like getting blood out of a stone getting the when and how much .. I gave up.. She very kindly suggested to me that they do daytime appointments so I shouldn't need to book at 2.00 am!!! Really?! There's me thinking 2.00 am would be much more convenient for me!!!
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Ruthyjones89
Mama Doe
me too.. we we're there on Sunday evening, £150 for out of hours, plus a £52 consultant fee on top.. so £202 all in before meds on top!
