Vet's fees.

[RHB]

Maurice the rescue cat has just returned from the Earls Hall Veterinary Hospital and I'm £93 lighter than when I went in. The consultation was £42.50, is that a lot or do you know of any decent vets that charge less ? We haven't got him on pet insurance so its cash up front each time we go.

Any sensible feedback/advice gratefully accepted.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Get Pet Insurance?

 

[Cricko]

Get Pet Insurance?

Which will cost you a fortune if it is an existing problem.

 

[Napster]

42 quid is about right for a consultation these days. even if you did have pet insurance, there's also an excess etc, so I only use it for emergencies like surgery etc. mind you, i had an argument about cover with our insurers, but after legal advice from some SZ friends, decided against pursuing further.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Which will cost you a fortune if it is an existing problem.

True, just don't declare it

 

[Cricko]

True, just don't declare it

If it is tagged the vets have to make a record of it.

 

[fatshrimp]

Decent vets won't charge less... Get pet insurance and think it worth the cost / gamble.

To put this into context, our cat has just finished two courses of treatment which cost us over £3k! We are covered by pet insurance, thankfully, and I cannot say how grateful that we are. My premiums will go up next year I suspect but I'll still be better off on balance.

 

[RHB]

So, it looks like the amount I paid is pretty much the going rate. As for insurance, I'll have a poke around and see what sort of premiums are on offer. Thanks to every onefor all your advice and help.

 

[mattitouk]

Decent vets won't charge less... Get pet insurance and think it worth the cost / gamble.

To put this into context, our cat has just finished two courses of treatment which cost us over £3k! We are covered by pet insurance, thankfully, and I cannot say how grateful that we are. My premiums will go up next year I suspect but I'll still be better off on balance.

Not having pets, I have know I idea...but heck...over £3,000 to fix a cat!!!..... blimey!!!... for that financial output, I would expect it to win the grand national!!!

 

[Mad Cyril]

Reminds me of a classic Viz letter which went something like...

I would like to raise my hat to the RSPCA and their 'dogs die in hot cars' awareness campaign.

Thanks to this advice I saved £60 when my alsatian needed to be put down after contracting distemper.

 

[fatshrimp]

I know... However I'm convinced the treatment fees are so high because of the rise in pet insurance. I spoke to one guy in the vet and his fees for his dog were approaching £8k!

It's insane...

 

[RobM]

Vet's menu;


Come in £15
Sit down £20
Let's have a look £45
Hmmm... £60
Pills £100

 

[southendkid]

Not having pets, I have know I idea...but heck...over £3,000 to fix a cat!!!..... blimey!!!... for that financial output, I would expect it to win the grand national!!!

I think because of the NHS we often forget how expensive medical care (human or animal) really is, if the NHS didn't exist we'd be paying just as much for our own treatments.

 

[Napster]

I think because of the NHS we often forget how expensive medical care (human or animal) really is, if the NHS didn't exist we'd be paying just as much for our own treatments.

agreed - getting spayed can be expensive.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Maurice the rescue cat has just returned from the Earls Hall Veterinary Hospital and I'm £93 lighter than when I went in. The consultation was £42.50, is that a lot or do you know of any decent vets that charge less ? We haven't got him on pet insurance so its cash up front each time we go.

Any sensible feedback/advice gratefully accepted.

I haven’t read the thread, but I have a little bit of painful experience here. I got a cat in my mid-20s and what with the mortgage, endless DIY costs and the like, pet insurance was always something I would get round to. Seemed sensible but another £16 a month seemed steep. She’d never been sick after all.

Fast forward to 2015 and I’m still getting around to it. Only, time has run out and suddenly she’s sick. Of course it was a Sunday and no one but the Blue Cross hospital in Thamesmead (miles from Kennington) was open. A single Sunday night in there on observation and various antibiotics cost 800 sheets and while alive, she was certainly no better when I picked her up the next day to take her to my local vet. We get there and she’s immediately whisked off in a pet ambulance (I didn’t know there was such a thing!) to a veterinary hospital in Wimbledon. Two weeks of intensive care later (I basically wasn’t giving up and they were crap advising me that it was hopeless when I couldn’t reach that decision myself) and all told she died anyway and I was the best part of 3 grand down.

Moral of the story: get insurance. Insurance is never worth it until you need it, and then it’s worth every penny. I wouldn’t have a penny of that money back as it was my responsibility to look after her and I therefore did my best. You better believe that Pet Plan get my £16 a month now, with little ribbon tied round it.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

As Spaceman says get yourself insured with Pet Plan - they were invaluable for our late cat Fingers for the many ailments he had during his life

 

[RHB]

Thanks for all the sage advice chaps. As a result we've done some thorough risk and cost analysis based on the insurance/pension options and we've decided, given his age, that the most cost effective next step is to have him put down.

 

[RobM]

Thanks for all the sage advice chaps. As a result we've done some thorough risk and cost analysis based on the insurance/pension options and we've decided, given his age, that the most cost effective next step is to have him put down.

That's so sad.

 

[RHB]

That's so sad.

Only joking Rob, Maurice the rescue cat wouldn't be very happy if we did that.

 

[RobM]