Should The Cost Of Animal Treatments Be Regulated?

[naomi24]

My husband has just collected two worming tablets and six flea treatment tablets from the vet for my two dogs - that's one worming tablet and three flea treatment tablets each.  Cost £116.  
 

With charges like that it's no surprise people don't bother.

[Vagus]

Yes, definitely should be regulated, seems vets can charge what they want.

Weve recently changed to a newly opened family run practice and they're very transparent about all their pricing. It's still not cheap but at least we all know in advance what the costs will be.

[Hopkirk]

If that was all that was needed, he could have gone to Pets at Home.

[Old_Geezer]

Now you know how some other nations, like the US, feel when they need medication.

 

One assumes that £116 was the proper going rate.

[Hopkirk]

Can't be OG. It must surely include consultation fees.

[DDIL]

Good afternoon,

That seems very expensive, I belong to the practice's vet club and pay £18 per month which gets me the monthly flea and worming treatment, vaccinations but not kennel cough, 4 x nail clips, 2 nurse check up per year and 1 vet check up per year.

[naomi24]

No consultation.  This is my dogs' regular treatment.  It is expensive but I can't recall it ever being that expensive.

[smurfchops]

Buy a prescription at the vet's and buy tablets/drops online.  Save around half.  But that does seem very expensive....

[rockyracoon]

All the vets seem to have been taken over by large companies (did read  somewhere that it was hedge funds). This has driven up prices to an incredible level, rendering insurance policies in the coming years as unaffordable.

I will likely never get another dog after Roddo as I doubt I could afford it. Make me quite sad.

Friend of our paif £80 annually for check up and boosters, took the dog yesterday, now they want £175.

[davebro3]

how much is a euthanasia jab?

[rockyracoon]

£175 the last time we used that service in 2022. The vet came to the house.

[douglas9401]

If I was getting a dog I'd opt for one without fleas and worms.

[vulcan42]

My local vet charges £15 per minute, he has a large stop watch on his desk and as you enter the room he switches it on.

[davebro3]

damn savage...

[davebro3]

Herriot (Alf Wight) must be turning in his grave!

[barry1010]

2 x one dose worming tablets for dogs £7.50

1 x flea treatment for large dogs £5.50

Less than £50 at Pets at Home

[Patsy33]

That seems extortionate! The special urinary diet dried cat food I get from our local vet seems to go up every month. Yes, you're right Naomi. No wonder oeople don't bother. Such a shame. There's such a lot of people with lots of love to give to a cat or dog but simply can't afford it.

[andres]

Can anyone else remember the PDSA mobile vans. One day in the week it would arrive and park up on a local carpark. Advice and examinations  by qualified vets. Minor ops. were also carried out. Although the treatment was free most people gave small donations if they could afford to. No pressure if you couldn't. Nominal amount for pills and potions. 

[Peter Pedant]

The bendazoles ( not so much their costs as the use in Man) was discussed here:

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Question1872894.html

but someone deleted my two answers ! er the veterinary  drugs are probably at cost - smaller volumes, greater cost which is passed onto the consumer.

The one that makes me  swoon (!) is meloxicam - £1 per tab paracetamol for dogs - whereas paracetamol is around 3p each. But they ARE difft drugs.

any drug where the packaging is a bigger charge than the drug? yes Morphine

[ladybirder]

For those of you who think you are being overcharged, try "Pet Drugs on Line".  You can ask your vet for the prescription, you don't have to buy from them.  Of course they will probably charge for the prescription but it still will probably work out cheaper.  

 

[naomi24]

Barry, the treatments are prescription only so Pets at Home don't sell them.  We'll stick with the vet.  I just feel for people who can't afford it - and their pets.