Vent Bout Vets

[Joey Rocks My World]

hya guys... :D

i think atm im just being silly as a result of the jennas news the other day, and cause ive got very bad hayfever.

well what do you think and please be honest with me about this, no matter how i'm feeling atm :D

RECENTly we have been to vets a fair bit between joey and jenna, and have spent quite a lot there, as you do :D ....fair enuff they are a business and not charity,,i understand that.

Well when they rang us up the the other day to tell us the bisopsy results, we wernt home and they rang us on my mobile and expained the facts.bout ten mins.

said if we wanted it expalined clearer and i didn't understand what they were saying, and i didn't as i was crying heaps...to come in on the following monday and see a vet and have a bit of a chat.

so we thort that was the best thing to do, in case we were overeacting etc...

the receptionist said to come in btween 4,45 and 5pm....so thinking it wasnt a official app, just a quick rundown on the tests, we went, didn't take jenna of course.

well this vet is very good, and does chat heaps and is very thorough and goes into a lot of details bout it and options etc what can be done...we did ask a few questions too.

but prob 2o mins later, we walk out and go to pay for the pain killers and the account comes to bout 75 dollars!! SO We were charged for a app by the looks as well.

my hubbys said oh well we now know a bit more than in the phone call....cant do much they charged so much for that info.

we like the vets, they are very good, no vent bout that in itself

just was surprised at the extra cost when i thort we were just going in for a few mins just to go over the phone call.

years ago, i had a vet that would do lots of little extras for me and my dogs, i think it was cause we were always there LOL..and had spent heaps with them and we got friendly with them over that time.

i guess they got to make the profit and pay the wages ect.....its a country clinic too.

so am i over reacting with this??? :rolleyes:

think im just being over emotional with everything atm

[Tawnydal]

Hi I think that vets have changed over the past few yrs, now everything seams to revolve around money. Yrs ago you use to go and ask advice and not get charged for it but now they want money out of you as you step in the door!

Also good luck with your girl jenna I hope that she will be comfortable for a few yrs/mths yet!

[Bob]

Hi Julie-Anne,

I know it's hard particularly when you are after information that is so vital. We have been charged for 'phone consultations and we have had extended discussions regarding ongoing treatment for terminal dogs. Some we paid for, some we didn't. We have also had callout fees waived when we have come in from local but paid the callout fee when we had an emergency trip of 500 km though kangaroo territory in the middle of the night. All at the same practice.

Just another issue you don't need to be dealing with at the moment.

Thinking of you, the family and Jenna,

[witheverythingiam]

Not all Vets are money-hungry bastards. I work for a LOVELY vet who not only does dogs/cats, but specialised in fish. We get people from all over the country ringing her asking for advice, and she rings them back free of charge to give advice. We also do revisits Free of Charge, and if they have to pay on leaving, it's because they're getting more medication.

Having said that, there are a NUMBER of people who think they can just come in at any time without an appointment, and get seen to straight away! Fair enough if it's an emergency, but for something like an ann vacc??? Also ones who come in and ask us vet nurses for a diagnosis of their pets - we can't give it out, as it's illegal, and we wouldn't have a clue anyway We haven't been to uni for over 5 years! Ask these people to make an appointment, and they ask the cost, and walk out when they hear the price ($40). You just can't get anything for free anywhere these days.

However, I do feel you've been ripped of for having to pay $75 for a re-visit & medication. Do you have any other vets you could visit? If so, I'd be shopping around looking for another one.

I can't beleive people have to pay for "phone consults". Rediculous!

-WithEverythingIAm

Edited November 30, 2005 by witheverythingiam

[cowanbree]

I think it is a little bit unfair but if you are otherwise happy with them it is just money, a good vet is hard to find. I possibly would have mentioned I was a little surprised to be charged a consult but not pushed it past there. Times are definitely changing and yes they are getting more money focussed. When I had my old boy pts recently it is the first time I have ever been charged for it. I spend quite a lot of money there and while I didn't expect it I did appreciate it

[White Shepherd mom]

Julie-Anne. I don't agree with them charging you for talking to the vet. It was not a consult and they know you'll very likely be there many more times with both your dogs.

Six months ago I went to my vet without Casper to discuss his epilepsy, diet, what to do next, etc. I must have been there half an hour. All I paid for was one Heartgard tablet as we were changing his heartworm meds as well and I needed one tablet only to see if he'd react to it.

[nobul]

I feeel you were ripped off, I have never had a vet ever charge me to discuss a problem that they have already tended too. I was in the industry once and have seen some outrageous prices charged eg a lady bought he Chi in to be desexed and asked while she was under the anesthetic if there was any thing else she wanted done like nails trimmed. the owner said yep that would be good. We came to pick up that little dog and the vet charged the owner $12.00 each paw to clip them back on top of the desexing charge. (by the way that was about 15 years ago) so I made a mental note note to ever use that vet.

[ninaandted]

I too have found my vet to be very flexible and reasonable and he will try and find ways to make sure we don't have to pay more than we need to, like trying to line up both the dogs to get their vaccinations at the same time of year.

However, I have noticed in vet "practices", that if you are seeing one of the owners there is more discretion given about charging for every minute you are in the surgery, but when it is the staff vets you get charged the normal rates - probably because they feel like they have to follow the "rules". So the bigger the practice the more likely you are to be charged the standard rates for everything, because the vets you actually see have no discretionary powers.

Our local vet takes calls at home, himself, afterhours and very patiently (and amusingly I must say - given the stress of the situation) walked us through removing some ticks from our cat the other week. I actually offered to go in and pay him for his time the next day and he just brushed it off and wished us well. I thought it was a bit above and beyond to take a call from hysterical me at 10 pm! (I didn't realise the time until after I was half way through the conversation and I couldn't get the bl**dy tick off the cat!)

If you are happy with the care you receive otherwise and if you really think that they are doing the best they can for Jenna then I'd probably take it on the chin too, like your OH, but if you have any doubts in your mind then it's time to go vet shopping.

[Hazz]

You paid for the biopsy why do you have to pay to hear the results ??.

I hope Jenna's going to be fine and you start feeling better as well.

[Meriment]

Hello there,

I think you have every right to feel how you do about this. I'd feel the same way. It's a bit much to offer a further explanation of the results in person but then charge you for it.

My vet is fantastic, during times of "on-going" problems I've popped in there with the dog for what I guess you'd call a "follow up" visit and not been charged. I wouldn't expect a free consult or treatment or advise on a new, unrelated matter, but in your case, I wouldn't have expected to pay as you did, no.

As Bob said - you really don't need this right now

[Aphra]

Are you sure the bill wasn't just for the pain killers? I pay $95 for 100ml of Metacam for my old dog, and I know Rimadyl is around the same price. If you've got several weeks worth it might just have been the cost of the pain killer.

[Joey Rocks My World]

Are you sure the bill wasn't just for the pain killers? I pay $95 for 100ml of Metacam for my old dog, and I know Rimadyl is around the same price. If you've got several weeks worth it might just have been the cost of the pain killer.

hmmm didn't think bout that, will look at the invoiuce again, now im bit less stressed.... its for rimadyl..and theres quite a lot of them...will get back to u on this

thanks

been reading everyones else comments, thanks you..maybe im acting irationally atm will go look at the invoice prpperly...

[Norskgra]

If the Vet charged you for a consultation, it does not seem fair.

We are lucky with our Vet. They are great. If I have a question I can phone and speak to them at any time and they are only to happy to help. They don't charge for revisits.

[Joey Rocks My World]

ok dragged the invoice out of my hang bag and studying it now properly

it says

consultation...12.50

medication rimadlyl 100 mg..20 of them....62.75

plus tax of 6.84

making it a total of 75.25...

so was i wrong..its how much 20 tablets were/?

shes not on full dosage all at once

im embarraseed if i told you guys the wrong facts

[dogbesotted]

dont be embarassed..for goodness sake you are under stress.....

[noisymina]

I was going to suggest that you check the details of the chrages, even talk to the vet if need be, so you understand the basis on which you were charged. Then you could make a decision about any future action.

That's all OK.

Now it's "been sorted" you can relax and know that it wasn't what you thought.

It will save a lot of longterm resentment and stress now that you know the full story.

We all miss small, but important details, even at the best of times.

This is one reason DOL is so great, hey?

cheers

[pampa]

I still think charging $ 12.50 for "after sales service" is a bit rude !

My vets not only keep a tab going for me, but once they only charged me € 50 (fifty euros = 75 bucks) for an emergency stitching up of 2 dogs on a sunday evening at 8.30 pm, antibiotic injection for both and heaps of bandages and compresses. It took us almost 1 hour and a half to patch them up... The following week I was in 4 times for my boxer who was not reacting to anti biotics and one wound had to be opened and flushed... I only paid for the supplementary injections and one medication I couldn't find at the chemist... (in general they send me to the chemist 'cause human equivalents are cheaper there).

In 2 years I've popped in for small problems (strange growth on the gum, cut paw pad, broken tooth, shaking the head etc...) for consultations only lasting minutes (because I'd panicked for nothing) and more often than not have never paid a cent !

Hope Jenna is feeling a little better with the medication...

[Rappie]

Glad its mostly been cleared up for you

As for still charging the consultation fee of $12.50 - thats less than we charge someone who comes a single short procedure (nail clip - its free with a consult, or anal sacs). It may be something to do with their prescription / dispensing charges also ie. its cheaper to get medication through a consult than buy it over the counter - we don't know, we're only speculating.

As for everyone who always says that their vet does so and so, or never charges for something - just remember that you're getting a *good deal*. It's not the expected norm, it may be common, but its something that you are offered by the vets but probably shouldn't be entitled to receive. Does that make any sense? As for multi-vet practice, unless you have a financial binding to the practice (ie. a business partner) you just play by the rules or expect your butt to get roasted.

[Hazz]

I still don't think MSJ should have to pay to hear the results from a procedure he/she paid for - what are your thoughts on this Rappie ?

[kelpiecuddles]

At the vet I worked at follow ups such as having stitches out or a cast removed were part of the original fee. However when my dog broke his leg and we took him back for his follow up appointments at my new vet they charged us $40 for each consult to check the cast. Personally I thought this was a bit rude since the cast cost us $500 and the checks only took about 5 minutes. Needless to say we don't go to that vet anymore.