SignedThis week, I have been charged £920 by my vet for an x-ray. The explanation I was offered was that Blue was a larger dog and that she needed hospitalisation. Now, both of those explanations don't ring true - she weighs 30kg so less than a Labrador, for example, and the hospitalisation meant just staying in the vet from morning until evening, as is normal for an x-ray. This led to me looking into the issue and finding that in the last five years, many practices have increased their fees by upto 5x. As a consequence, I started a petition for a regulatory body in the industry. If you also think this is an issue, I would be grateful if you would sign and share my petition:
http://chng.it/wk6gfTJxjL
We have never had pet insurance on the basis that if an insurance company thinks it can make money out of you it must on average be cheaper not to bother
Reinventing the English language? Nice one.
You are though, living in Fantasyland with the petition.
Pets - I have kept everything from mice upwards, barring cats - nothing against indoor cats. I am 62 now and can't remember any time without, although there must have been spells.
I also think that you will find that you are talking abiut Vets For Pets? The chain.
The chain opened a branch within a mile of my friend's practise about 4-5 years ago and he had no concerns whatsoever. The practise was still busy well after it opened, and presumably still is.
Reinventing the English language? Nice one.
You are though, living in Fantasyland with the petition.
Pets - I have kept everything from mice upwards, barring cats - nothing against indoor cats. I am 62 now and can't remember any time without, although there must have been spells.
I also think that you will find that you are talking abiut Vets For Pets? The chain.
The chain opened a branch within a mile of my friend's practise about 4-5 years ago and he had no concerns whatsoever. The practise was still busy well after it opened, and presumably still is.
A lot of Vet owned single practices have been taken over by large groups over the last few years - ours is a case in point, the partners sold out to Medivet three years ago as one partner wanted to retire and the other didn`t want the entire admin hassle. We still use them because we like and trust the Vet and the service is still very good but the prices have increased alarmingly. We have never had pet insurance on the basis that if an insurance company thinks it can make money out of you it must on average be cheaper not to bother and we have never had big bills until recently but as the Cat (Higgs) is now 15 he is becoming more expensive to run.
Not really a choice though, is it?
Hi Geoff, so sorry to hear of your problems with your dog and sad to see some thinking that it is an excuse for an argument.The issue is too big for a squabble and I've not heard of the practice you're referring too. I have 200 signatures in 24 hours and in 7 days, I will write to my MP. All the best to you.
Hi Geoff, so sorry to hear of your problems with your dog and sad to see some thinking that it is an excuse for an argument.
I think I was fortunate, at least financially, last August bank holiday when my beloved cat had a blood clot in the middle of the night. He was uninsured but in the moment I didn’t care what a call to the vet would cost. They opened up the surgery with a vet and nurse in attendance and were probably onsite for in excess of an hour. Sadly it was a one way trip for him and, due to covid, they had to put him to sleep on my lap in the car park. The practice was very kind and sent me a bill for just £74.60, so their is some decency in the world of vets. I must confess that hearing of vets’ fees lately, I am hesitating about giving another rescue cat a home, so best of luck with your petition.
I think the vets and the insurance company’s are in bed together, one big con.
I’ve signed your petition Geoff.
That is obviously rip-off, but you can start to imagine what our fellow Americans have to pay for human healthcare.
Vets’ drug costs exposed in today’s Sunday Times.
It’s what happens when private equity firms are allowed to buy up the majority of small businesses, create a monopoly and charge what they like. This is where regulation of monopolies needs to occur.It is a scandal: £70 for medicine available for a fiver is commonplace.
A lot of Vet owned single practices have been taken over by large groups over the last few years - ours is a case in point, the partners sold out to Medivet three years ago as one partner wanted to retire and the other didn`t want the entire admin hassle. We still use them because we like and trust the Vet and the service is still very good but the prices have increased alarmingly. We have never had pet insurance on the basis that if an insurance company thinks it can make money out of you it must on average be cheaper not to bother and we have never had big bills until recently but as the Cat (Higgs) is now 15 he is becoming more expensive to run.
Not really a choice though, is it?
It’s what happens when private equity firms are allowed to buy up the majority of small businesses, create a monopoly and charge what they like. This is where regulation of monopolies needs to occur.