The boring thread.....

[Scrumpy]

Well done GrannyMac.. well on the road to a fully recovery..

Klondike.. I hear the guns firing .. We have a clay pigeon shoot in some fields nearby.. Something I would enjoy doing.. Should have done it years back.. 

[klondike]

A lot of women do.

[Mups]

Early wake up this morning.  Icy 🥶 outside.  My first time back at the pool since I got my new knee. 

Well done Granny.   You have done so well.  

[Mups]

Oh dear,  what a day. 

One of my dogs. Liffey,   has been poorly for a couple of days now,  so I thought I'd best try and help her before they shut for Christmas.

I wanted a blood test done on her,  and I also took a urine sample with us.
Later today I was told her bloods were good,  but there was a little blood in her urine.
Possible Pancreatitis,  although that wouldn't count for the urine problem.

One pain killing injection and I brought her home again.  
The vet rang me tonight with the rest of the results,  and suggested a course of anti-biotics which I will  go and collect for her tomorrow.

Then the bill . . . .   £353.77 can you believe!!   Plus tomorrow's tablets will cost extra.  

[Michael Rolls]

Good lord

[Scrumpy]

Vets take the piss.. They know that a pet lover will need them time and time again to keep their beloved pets safe from pain etc; 
That is why they can charge stupid prices.. 
So very sad for those who can not afford to visit the vet.. even for a consultation .. let alone treatment..

Insurance companies know this .. hence, cover for pets is a high premium..
  Can't win.. Unless, of course, one has a few bob..

[Dextrous63]

That's the Christmas staff party paid for then.  🙄

[Raven]

I dread when we need the vet for one of the Clydes, it runs into hundreds of pounds plus a call out fee of £190 (the last time) , probably gone up again, it was a while ago.

[Mups]

It was announced not long ago, that there is no governing body to control what a veterinary practice can charge.
That is why you could pay two different prices at two different practices,  for an identical problem.

This is all being looked into apparently - and not before time.
I believe they are also going to have to display their prices openly,  both in the surgery and on their websites in future.  Many people haven't a clue what the bill will be until they are handed it.

I must say though, in some circumstances my practice has helped me occasionally, for example,  only charging me a half price consultation instead of the full price.  I appreciate little things like that.

My vets are one of the very few 'endependent'  practices left.   Most have sold out to the big concerns who are buying up every practice they can get their grubby hands on.  They are also buying all the pet cemetries/cremation  services too.     
I have read that because of the sheer size of these multi-practice owneers now,  they have enormous buying power from the drugs companies.   The huge drug orders put in, give them very good discounts,  but unfortunately this profit goes in their pockets instead of reducing charges for pet owners,  so they make even more money.

As Scrumpy says,  most people love their animals and have to find a way of paying, even when it can mean going without things  themselves.    It's a very bad situation.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c629gye0ee6o

[Raven]

Greed, that's what it all runs on, they make me so angry with it all.

[klondike]

you could pay two different prices at two different practices,  for an identical problem.

Or even in the same practice we found. I think they must have all been self employed under an umbrella name. An older lady vet was always fair while a young girl was expensive. We always asked for the older one by name. She was very fair with some repeat prescriptions one of our yorkies required for the rest of her days - low price either low or no consultation fee when giving a checkup every so often. That was years ago. I doubt many do that now.

[Alex]

I thought there was going to be a government investigation into vet's fees ?  I'm sure I didn't dream that.  There certainly needs to be some form of regulation those charges are ridiculous Mups.

I''m off to Chester Cathedral today to see a Christmas Tree Festival, should be good.