Vet fees

[robertson]

Vet fees are as ridiculously expensive as private dentistry fees - what is being/can be done to curb what can only be described as a racket?

[Ethel]

Vets fees are very expensive - have you though about insurance?

[missmuppet]

Vets fees are very expensive but then again so is the insurance. You can get pet insurance for about �5 per month but if your pet has an ongoing illness e.g. diabeties these insurances will only cover you for 1 year. The other type of insurance is much more expensive. I have 2 westie dogs and the insurance for them is �18.50 per month per dog but if they are ill they will pay out for the length of the ilness. It's a no win situation!

[rogerr]

As many people have insurance, that is why the fees are so high. Have you ever asked, for example building work to be done. If they think it's an "insurance job" it always costs more.
People like me who have got an ex "puppy machine" dog are stuffed because the premiums are so high for an older dog. I don't think there is anything we can do unfortunately, but I feel sorry for those pets who suffer because their owners can't afford the bills.

[robertson]

I have insurance, but that's no excuse for vets to charge the earth. If other professions earned at that rate we'd all be multi-millionaires within a decade. Strikes me that vets take advantage of the fact that British people in particular will pay anything to have their pets alive and healthy. This racket has to stop.

[ProperBoPeep]

Robertson

The term "expensive" suggests that you are not getting a value for money service. It is a common misconception that vets are making money hand over fist - because of the fact that most people are unaware of how costly it is to run a veterinary practice. It would take me ages to go into all the details, but let me make some main points

1) it takes as long and costs as much to train as a vet as it does to a doctor. Most vets will qualify with debts of upwards of �20K

2)a vet has a number of overheads to maintain, including rent, insurance, electricty and most importantly EQUIPMENT and FACILITIES

3)a veterinary practice has to employ nurses and receptions who don't necessarily directly contribute to practice income. Therefore wages and training for all staff have to be accounted for.

4)practices are legally bound to provide 24hrs service, 365 days a year. Ensuring a vet and nurse are "on-call" for this period of time is hugely cost ineffective.

5)veterinary drugs are more expensive that human drugs because of the difference in market size and the cost of licensing medications (did you know that vets are breaking the law if they presribe a cheaper human drug that is EXACTLY the same as a licensed veterinary drug??)

________________-

I could go on but feel I will bore people. Out of interest - I would like to know what the general public's perception of what a "vet earns" is?? I am a vet and work usually a 12hr day, 1 full weekend in 4 and work 2 nights a week fully on call (so this is on top of the working day). I have been qualified for 5 years - what is my wage.....

[Elfin]

Well I just got back from a vet appointment which I booked at pretty short notice (i.e. this morning). I was treated courteously by the receptionist when I asked for something to help clean my kitten (plus carrier) as she'd had the runs en route (most messy and the reason why I had to take her in the first place). I was then called in by a veterinary nurse who promptly dealt with the carrier and provided a replacement towel in the bottom. While this was going on, the vet called me in with the (rather heavily soiled) kitten. He spent a couple of minutes cleaning the worst off her before checking her over, taking temperature, listening to abdomen, advising me on treatment, giving her an injection and some oral liquid, then dispensing me a week's supply of same. Went back to reception and was charged �26.

I think that's damn good value myself and I was more than happy to pay it. An excellent service from a dedicated team. I've no complaints.

[robertson]

Well, the other day I took my two dogs in for their annual booster jabs. I was at the vets no longer than two minutes. The charge was �88. A few days later, one of my dogs got sick and had to be taken to the local vets hospital. After 24 hours there, the charge was over �1000. Yes, vets undergo long training and no doubt work very hard, but how can such fees be justified?

[wolf63]

I have had two dogs and a cat in recent years, all sadly now in dog/cat heaven.

I have had nothing but brilliant service at the vets. At the end of their lives they were treated with dignity and when my cat was put to sleep in May it cost me �40 for that and a cremation..

I had insurance but am not sure that I would take this out in the future. None of my bills were expensive, always less than expected.

[robertson]

a friend's dog just spent 1 week in a veterinary hospital at a cost of �5500. Call that fair, Bo Peep?

[ProperBoPeep]

Robertson - what are you comparing �1000 pounds to? Because in this country the NHS provides "free" (at point of patient" healthcare, I strongly believe that most people do not understand the actual costs involved in providing top quality healthcare (whether human or animal).

Unless insured, visits to the human hospital cost "nothing", drugs only cost the required minimum prescription charge and you never quite find out exactly how much your medical problem has cost.

Again, this comes back to what you perceive you are getting for your �1000 pounds. I aggree, if you just had a few injections and some tablets, this would be a lot, but I suspect that you may have had blood tests, xrays, ultrasound, maybe surgery, ITU hospitalisation, drips, drugs, etc. How many staff were involved with looking after your pet? Did they look after them during the night as well? Was someone available 24hrs a day to discuss your pets illness with?

I spent a brief spell working in the states, and overthere the Amercan pet owners are far more understanding of the veterinary system and what value for money they get there, and I am sure that this is because the cost of their human medicine is not subsidised, and therefore more comparable.

[ProperBoPeep]

...and I say again - what would be the cost of staying in a human hospital for 1 week? Bear in mind that veterinary care these days is of a similar standard and level of expertise that human medine!

[Noweia]

A consultation with a private doctor will set you back �55-�80, whereas a vet will charge up to �20.

Vets, private GPs and private dentists aren't shielded or paid by an NHS-type system, so their fees will be higher!

Regarding hospitalisation fees, most vets charge �25-�40 per day. Why was your dog admitted to the hospital, Robertson?

[robertson]

swallowed something poisonous

[ProperBoPeep]

Robertson

I sincerely hope that your dog is ok now.

I am still very interested to gauge your impression of a vet's salary. Do let me know your thoughts...

(Just as a side note, there was an article in the news about 6weeks ago now, about GP's salary - and that they are earning up to 120K per annum depending on location etc.)

[Noweia]

I second ProperBoPeep's sentiments and I hope that your dog is OK now!

[Elfin]

Hi ProperBo Peep,

Well ok then, I'll take a guess at �50-60k? I have no real idea but would imagine that it would be somewhere approaching that mark? I bet it's nowhere near what GPs earn.

[robertson]

I would guess at more like 70-80K. I trust you will tell us after getting us to guess. Anyway, I reckon the money-grabbing is likely to be done by those who own and run the clinics. And thank you for your good wishes re my darling dog who is making a slow but good recovery.

[ProperBoPeep]

ok guys -

In general practice (that is not performing specialist procedures, or employing vets with certificates or diplomas) an average salary for a new graduate is 30K and for 5-8 years qualified is between 38K and 45K depending on area (London being higher etc).

This is based on small animal work only. If you are a farm vet - expect to earn 4-8K less, and if you are an equine vet then expect to earn around 4-10K more depending on the type of practice.

Vets working in referral centres (eg orthopaedic or soft tissue specialists) will have had to undergo further training and qualifications and therefore will command a higher salary.

One thing I would say - my job is a vocation and controls my life. If I was in it for the money - I would choose a different career. There are easier ways to earn a living!

Best wishes all.

[Noweia]

The salary for a new graduate ranges from about 15K to 27K, with the average being around 20K in 2003, and it's still something similar.

As PBP says, it's a way of life and there are easier ways of making money!

[orange-gnome]

I have to say that I worked in 5 surgerys as a vet nurse and although I can say that most of the time the vets and nurses (especially) provide a great service, work ridiculous hours and really do work hard for their clients, I saw an awful lot of ripping off... when you see how much vaccinations and other drugs cost the practice to buy in and how much of a profit they are making on them you cannot help but think 'what the ~#*?'
There is no rule about how much money they can charge for anything.. consultations, operations etc more like guidlines. OK so there are huge overheads on a vet surgery, but just look at the houses that vets live in, the cars they drive!! So the partners in practises would get most of the money but the last practise I worked in, the average vets would get arguably not a gigantic salary but they got given their cars for use all the time they work at the surgery (not just for work use), the cars had all the tax, insurance, petrol and of course anything else needed on them. They also had their mortgage or rent paid for them or a house to live in while they worked there, including all their bills plus a mobile phone. Now when you consider all of this then vets get paid very well indeed!!!

I have seen plenty of times when the vet has done tests etc without asking the owner and of course billing them for it. Plus I have worked with many many vets who I could never describe as doing the job for the love of it.... it's all for the money or the prestige of having a job like this. I have also seen plenty of animal cruelty to these animals in their 'care' which is what made me know that I couldn't be a vet nurse for life! I'm not saying they are all like it but I have worked with enough of them to put me off and make me suspicious of them all!