The Cost of Veterinary Treatment

[MimzMum]

I haven't read all responses but I did read the FB post. I suspected as much was the case and also what Jane said about the corporate buyout of small town vets. As I approach the day when I will have to let my beloved Jenna go, the cost has escalated even in the last year since we PTS Hello Kitty and we had private cremation for her. It was a $300 charge for the deed and her ashes back then...for me to do similar for Jenna will be nigh onto $500. I have no doubt my vet will only grab a pittance of that. Even when the pets were younger and with less conditions insuring them was unaffordable. And the list of pets whose families need condolence cards gets longer every time I see it. This is a retirement community, so I'm sure pensions cannot withstand the grabby hands of the corporations.

I will also be constrained from having more pets once Jenna is gone...and Ebon and Squeegee in their time. And I fear even no kill shelters will find their backs against a wall when adoptions drop even further because the economy will make keeping a pet impossible. All I know is I will be priced out of the one kind of companionship I can bear. If pets become a mere perk for the rich, doesn't it stand to reason that most vets will no longer have a future? Or are we headed for a world where there will be no companion animals at all simply because no one will be able to afford them?

Maybe I'm talking out of my hat, but everything that exists is manipulated into a business these days. If it doesn't make money for some big boss somewhere it seems it has no relevance.

And on that cheery note :roll: I know I sound like a CT, but the last 3 years have really nourished my inner cynic.

I apologize if I've offended anyone with my remarks. My outlook is not the brightest lately.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I haven't read all responses but I did read the FB post. I suspected as much was the case and also what Jane said about the corporate buyout of small town vets. As I approach the day when I will have to let my beloved Jenna go, the cost has escalated even in the last year since we PTS Hello Kitty and we had private cremation for her. It was a $300 charge for the deed and her ashes back then...for me to do similar for Jenna will be nigh onto $500. I have no doubt my vet will only grab a pittance of that. Even when the pets were younger and with less conditions insuring them was unaffordable. And the list of pets whose families need condolence cards gets longer every time I see it. This is a retirement community, so I'm sure pensions cannot withstand the grabby hands of the corporations.

I will also be constrained from having more pets once Jenna is gone...and Ebon and Squeegee in their time. And I fear even no kill shelters will find their backs against a wall when adoptions drop even further because the economy will make keeping a pet impossible. All I know is I will be priced out of the one kind of companionship I can bear. If pets become a mere perk for the rich, doesn't it stand to reason that most vets will no longer have a future? Or are we headed for a world where there will be no companion animals at all simply because no one will be able to afford them?

Maybe I'm talking out of my hat, but everything that exists is manipulated into a business these days. If it doesn't make money for some big boss somewhere it seems it has no relevance.

And on that cheery note :roll: I know I sound like a CT, but the last 3 years have really nourished my inner cynic.

I apologize if I've offended anyone with my remarks. My outlook is not the brightest lately.

Nothing you have posted has offended me in any way and I agree with all that you have said. I especially agree with how the last three years have shone a light on how this world really works. Nothing is about care, everything is about control and financial profit. It is an endemic ethos within every aspect of society.
There is nothing CT about what is a plain FACT.

Yes, having Pets is a privilege not a right. But these days it is a privilege not available to all. Yet another part of life that only the wealthy are able to access if the pet is to receive adequate care.

Just yesterday a friend’s neighbour had to take their cat to an emergency Vet when the cat returned home badly injured having probably been hit by a car.
The cat isn’t insured. So far the bill has reached £3k and is rising as the cat needs spinal surgery for which the quote is over £8k.

The Cat’s owners are not super rich, they are pensioners but are using their life savings to try to save their cat. The other option offered was PTS at a cost of £650 which included initial pain relief and fluids plus OOH consult fee. It did not include any cremation fee/specific arrangements.

This scenario is going to be the norm now.Making a decision to end a Pets life based on financial constraints.

Hard to believe that there was a time when I had 38 Rabbits, all neutered and also vaccinated every year. Now vaccinations alone would cost me £2660

 

[Zoobec]

Yes, I am taking on board the post as it’s from a small independent practice, not a branch of a large corporate organisation. I still stand by the fact that once an independent practice is bought out by a large corporate the pricing system changes significantly. Corporates work on a desire for a much larger profit margin. From what insight I have many individual Vets working for a branch of a large corporate practice are very uncomfortable about the pricing system, the lack of flexibility and the sadly inevitable negative impact on their clients ability to afford Vet fees.

As an example when my Vet Practice was independent the cost of an at home PTS, individual cremation and return of ashes in a casket was C£260. This was about 2 years ago. Now the practice is corporate owned, last month the same service cost £525 :shock:
There is no way that mark up can be justified, IMO. In fact it could actually have costed more had the practice not negotiated with the owners to obtain a PTS service that would not be unaffordable for most people. Most people would have to just have the at the surgery PTS and communal cremation.

Cremation is very expensive through the vets. When we lost Alfie our dog, he died at home and this led us to finding a really lovely pet cremation and home of rest place that is independent. The cost of it all was substantially lower than when we had Holly pts and cremated through the vets, even though he was a much bigger dog.

 

[Graciee]

Cremation is very expensive through the vets. When we lost Alfie our dog, he died at home and this led us to finding a really lovely pet cremation and home of rest place that is independent. The cost of it all was substantially lower than when we had Holly pts and cremated through the vets, even though he was a much bigger dog.

I found this! Through my old vets it would be like £400 for a small rabbit, my current vets just pass you on to a place directly though and you just deal with that company and they arrange collection with the vets etc. And that was much, much cheaper for a much larger rabbit. My current vets is an independent and the owner is the main vet there, I really hope they can stay open tbh.

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[InspectorMorse]

Cremation is very expensive through the vets. When we lost Alfie our dog, he died at home and this led us to finding a really lovely pet cremation and home of rest place that is independent. The cost of it all was substantially lower than when we had Holly pts and cremated through the vets, even though he was a much bigger dog.

Yes, I know that but it is not always made clear to clients when they have their Pet PTS. So I am using it as an example of what could be perceived as over-charging for Veterinary services. Same with obtaining drugs online with a Veterinary prescription. How often is this option given to a client ?

I am certainly not Vet bashing, I have a very dear friend who is also my Vet. I have seen what working within the Profession can do to the health and well-being of a Vet these days
It’s the large chain business model I have issues with. It is very much a profit driven business. Of course a business has to make a profit to keep going. But the profit margins on most of the large chains of Veterinary Practices is astronomical and IMO unjust.

 

[joey&boo]

I'm so grateful Crab Lane has remained independent. Their prices have risen but I don't think they've been disproportionate.

Hoping its ok to ask here as CBA to do another insurance thread but whats the case with claiming for bunnies with ongoing conditions? I'm new to Rabbit Insurance & Boo's arthritis was my first claim. Am I then entitled to claim every time she see's vets, has drugs or diagnostics related to her arthritis. The payment document said I paid £75 annual fixed access, but I don't know what that means

 

[InspectorMorse]

RSPCA advice for people struggling to afford Vet fees

https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/care/financial




Some media articles relating to huge increase in Vet fees

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money...eally-hits-home-animal-lovers-afford-pet.html

https://vethelpdirect.com/vetblog/2023/03/29/why-do-vet-prices-vary-so-much/

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...nesses-could-increase-costs-for-animal-owners ….my Vet Practice was taken over by IVC…….

 

[KarenM]

Hoping its ok to ask here as CBA to do another insurance thread but whats the case with claiming for bunnies with ongoing conditions? I'm new to Rabbit Insurance & Boo's arthritis was my first claim. Am I then entitled to claim every time she see's vets, has drugs or diagnostics related to her arthritis. The payment document said I paid £75 annual fixed access, but I don't know what that means

Yep, as you said, you can claim going forward for anything arthritis related and you won't pay another excess. The £75 is a one off. It's up to you how you claim - with our dog we put a claim in every couple of mths or so rather than a claim after each visit. I'd just double check your actual policy terms to see if there's anything in there re. how long you have to make a claim.

If you have a lifetime policy, the excess 'resets' in the next policy year, so there'll be another £75 excess to pay.

If it's a time limited policy, you can only claim within the first year. After that, it becomes pre-existing and won't be covered going forward.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[KarenM]

Picking up on just one quote from the first news article in Jane's last post.....

"Pet owner Richard Hood, from, Romford in Essex, believe vets are taking customers for a ride. His cat Molly recently spent a couple of days at a vet's on a hydration drip. He was left with a £1,100 bill. 'I could have spent a night in the Princess Grace Hospital in London for the same amount,' says Richard ruefully."

This is a common thing that gets brought up in discussions about vet fees and I think some people lose sight of the fact that veterinary treatment IS exactly like private medical care for humans. The majority of people are shielded from that cost though because of the NHS.

And, as Richard in this article points out, prices are pretty much on a par.... because exactly the same diagnostic machinery & equipment is being used, veterinary staff and medical staff are both highly trained etc.

 

[keletkezes]

And, as Richard in this article points out, prices are pretty much on a par.... because exactly the same diagnostic machinery & equipment is being used, veterinary staff and medical staff are both highly trained etc.

Exactly! No NHS for pets, and me and the nurses are always sighing...

My vets don't offer a crem service, but they do recommend a lovely local independent (they have their business cards) or suggest, if you can't get to that one in the middle of nowhere ish, Google it. I've never been told I could order meds online but, again, I'm not sure I want to deprive my vets of what little buying power they have left.

 

[Omi]

I think the issue is not so much the fact that vet treatment is costly. Obviously the treatment provided is private and so can be comparable to private costs for humans, without the protection of the NHS. The issue is the recent large increases in costs and why that is happening. One likely reason seems to be that it's those practices, which have now come under the control of the large chains, possibly because those practices as smaller independents were finding it too difficult to run the business because of their own increasing costs.

This is clearly going to be a problem for anyone who obtained a pet responsibly, after having calculated all the costs, only to find that recently those costings are no longer valid.

 

[SarahP]

I do wonder how many people have ever genuinely calculated a worst case scenario for their pets' vet care though. I can't say I ever have, at least partly because it's not particularly possible to do that.

 

[Graciee]

I do wonder how many people have ever genuinely calculated a worst case scenario for their pets' vet care though. I can't say I ever have, at least partly because it's not particularly possible to do that.

Nah tbh I've just always made sure we have an amount of money set aside for disasters. The dog is insured but again I make sure we have enough for silly expensive vet care in case. You can't really know though tbh, I mean I have 6 small animals not insured, at any point they could need a few thousand each spent on them. Is what it is really. If we weren't able to do that I wouldn't have them tbh. That's kinda how I look at it, but you can't know for sure I don't think.

I do think people get pets not knowing how much vet care costs tho

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[Omi]

I do wonder how many people have ever genuinely calculated a worst case scenario for their pets' vet care though. I can't say I ever have, at least partly because it's not particularly possible to do that.

I agree it's not possible to calculate a worst case scenario in any detail. I would think that a large proportion of pet owners would attempt some sort of calculation though, when deciding whether they should take out insurance for their animal, balancing the risk.

Also as people become more educated about the likelihood of different health issues with certain animals, it should only help with such a calculation. Whilst it would be better if they boycotted those breeds, new owners of, for example, lop rabbits who are also brachycephalic, could calculate that they would need frequent vet visits and so take out insurance.

Just for clarification, I'm thinking here about people buying from breeders. I'm not suggesting that people obtaining rabbits from rescues should boycott those breeds.

 

[keletkezes]

I do wonder how many people have ever genuinely calculated a worst case scenario for their pets' vet care though. I can't say I ever have, at least partly because it's not particularly possible to do that.

I think there's a somewhat separate but related time issue as well: medicating etc. takes time and effort. if Chibbs needs her eye bathing twice daily, I just can't do that without it impacting my QoL at least as much as hers. What do I do? I mean, obvs tell the rescue and offer to pay all costs, but that doesn't seem fair on the rescue, taking up space We do have a great hospice here but I dunno if they'd be full. Lots of questions for if the time comes :S

 

[KarenM]

How long is a piece of string? [emoji38] I tend to do a reverse calculation.... what sort of funds do I have access to and will that be a reasonable amount to fund likely vet treatment. Hard to estimate with a cat who's intent on harming himself by eating all sorts of inedible items.... latest being my crocs. [emoji38]

There's so many issues at play here too. Vet bills are rising for a number of different reasons - general inflation, large chains possibly pushing up prices to maximise profit, advances in technology making treatments possible that weren't available before and so on. Alongside an ever decreasing disposable income for owners, because it's not just vet bills that are going up.

Alongside that, there's also this expectation that vets should do it for love and that they're all about the money these days. And vets are criticised for that in a way that I don't see happen with any other profession that I can think of.

 

[Graciee]

How long is a piece of string? [emoji38] I tend to do a reverse calculation.... what sort of funds do I have access to and will that be a reasonable amount to fund likely vet treatment. Hard to estimate with a cat who's intent on harming himself by eating all sorts of inedible items.... latest being my crocs. [emoji38]

There's so many issues at play here too. Vet bills are rising for a number of different reasons - general inflation, large chains possibly pushing up prices to maximise profit, advances in technology making treatments possible that weren't available before and so on. Alongside an ever decreasing disposable income for owners, because it's not just vet bills that are going up.

Alongside that, there's also this expectation that vets should do it for love and that they're all about the money these days. And vets are criticised for that in a way that I don't see happen with any other profession that I can think of.

Hah you just described Freddie my dog [emoji38] he eats the weirdest ****, I'm always saying to Michael I've never had such a stupid dog before it's like he has no sense [emoji38] always heard about dogs like this but never had one [emoji38]

I think it's because it's people's hearts involved, and pets are their family members, as soon as people's emotions are involved people start to get upset.

I did see something which broke my heart though, when I was in Vets4pets a while ago now there was a mum and a son and they had a dog which required expensive treatment, and if you have a good credit score you can do a payment plan thing, well anyway they gave all the details and it got declined. Was awful to witness.

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[keletkezes]

Alongside that, there's also this expectation that vets should do it for love and that they're all about the money these days. And vets are criticised for that in a way that I don't see happen with any other profession that I can think of.

I've seen it directed at anyone in a caring profession, so NHS employed people who tend to be on the public's good side, and then social care people like domestic carers and anyone else stuff is outsourced to: 'Why am I having to pay Xthousand for this when I've paid my taxes all my life?' A slightly separate issue but the root is similar: why should I have to pay X for Y because MY frontline care is free.

 

[Omi]

How long is a piece of string? [emoji38] I tend to do a reverse calculation.... what sort of funds do I have access to and will that be a reasonable amount to fund likely vet treatment. Hard to estimate with a cat who's intent on harming himself by eating all sorts of inedible items.... latest being my crocs. [emoji38]

There's so many issues at play here too. Vet bills are rising for a number of different reasons - general inflation, large chains possibly pushing up prices to maximise profit, advances in technology making treatments possible that weren't available before and so on. Alongside an ever decreasing disposable income for owners, because it's not just vet bills that are going up.

Alongside that, there's also this expectation that vets should do it for love and that they're all about the money these days. And vets are criticised for that in a way that I don't see happen with any other profession that I can think of.

I certainly don't see things in that way and I suspect that probably the majority of RU members don't either.

The main focus of this thread for me is that vet costs have increased by a lot and recently. and I accept there will be various reasons for this. This could be a problem for people, whose animals become unwell and need treatment, where those animals are not insured.

Gracie, that's so sad about the people with the dog needing expensive treatment and being denied a payment plan

 

[Graciee]

I certainly don't see things in that way and I suspect that probably the majority of RU members don't either.

The main focus of this thread for me is that vet costs have increased by a lot and recently. and I accept there will be various reasons for this. This could be a problem for people, whose animals become unwell and need treatment, where those animals are not insured.

Gracie, that's so sad about the people with the dog needing expensive treatment and being denied a payment plan

Yea it was so awful :'( It's really stayed with me, I wish I'd have done something tbh.

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