Vet Cost Breakdown Article

[Wiebke]

We all complain about high vet cost, but you may find this article very interesting how running a vet clinic is actually breaking down in terms of cost.
It is also helpful in pointing you towards how you can find out whether certain costs/procedures are really necessary for your piggy. Well worth a read!
Pet costs - why do vets charge so much?

 

[Swissgreys]

We all complain about high vet cost, but you may find this article very interesting how running a vet clinic is actually breaking down in terms of cost.
It is also helpful in pointing you towards how you can find out whether certain costs/procedures are really necessary for your piggy. Well worth a read!
Pet costs - why do vets charge so much?

Very interesting indeed Wiebke.
And I found the point about people being shielded from the real cost of medicine in the UK (because of the NHS) very interesting and valid.
I think a lot of people are oblivious to the cost of medical care in general because they never see those bills.

Here we have compulsory health insurance (for people) and different levels of cover are available, but a lot of doctors don't bill direct to your insurance company, so you see the bill before you send it on to your insurer.
When I first arrived in Switzerland I was horrified at the true cost of even a basic visit to the Dr (where you consultation is billed in 5 minute blocks!).
Hence I am less surprised at the cost of vet treatment here (although it is still eye wateringly expensive), because it just seems realistic.

 

[Flutterby]

:like:

 

[Beans&Toast]

Very interesting indeed Wiebke.
And I found the point about people being shielded from the real cost of medicine in the UK (because of the NHS) very interesting and valid.
I think a lot of people are oblivious to the cost of medical care in general because they never see those bills.

Here we have compulsory health insurance (for people) and different levels of cover are available, but a lot of doctors don't bill direct to your insurance company, so you see the bill before you send it on to your insurer.
When I first arrived in Switzerland I was horrified at the true cost of even a basic visit to the Dr (where you consultation is billed in 5 minute blocks!).
Hence I am less surprised at the cost of vet treatment here (although it is still eye wateringly expensive), because it just seems realistic.

So true, a packet of paracetamol from the shop at about 17p-30p cost the NHS around £10 if given by prescription, it's crazy.

 

[eileen]

I agree with the article mostly, but some vets do appear to sometimes ask for proceedures that are not always necesary !on one occasion my piggie was staying in overnight.i rang and asked to have an update on my piggies condition,the person on the phone stated that there would be a monetary charge for her to check on my piggies progress !as a healthcare professional i would not dream of saying i will charge you for my time to ask how patient is,i would be absolutley aware of all my clients needs/progress.but costs are appropriate,and i would never get aggressive with a vet,most likely would take my animal to another vet if i did not like the treatment plan !

 

[Pawz]

Very interesting indeed Wiebke.
And I found the point about people being shielded from the real cost of medicine in the UK (because of the NHS) very interesting and valid.
I think a lot of people are oblivious to the cost of medical care in general because they never see those bills.

Here we have compulsory health insurance (for people) and different levels of cover are available, but a lot of doctors don't bill direct to your insurance company, so you see the bill before you send it on to your insurer.
When I first arrived in Switzerland I was horrified at the true cost of even a basic visit to the Dr (where you consultation is billed in 5 minute blocks!).
Hence I am less surprised at the cost of vet treatment here (although it is still eye wateringly expensive), because it just seems realistic.

I once had a long hospitalization for a life threatening situation, the bills for that were phenomenal but thankfully I returned to excellent health. Insurance covered the lot and never again did I bemoan the monthly costs for health insurance.

Vets fees are thankfully nowhere near as high compared to the “real” cost of human healthcare, but still pricey.

 

[Pawz]

I agree with the article mostly, but some vets do appear to sometimes ask for proceedures that are not always necesary !on one occasion my piggie was staying in overnight.i rang and asked to have an update on my piggies condition,the person on the phone stated that there would be a monetary charge for her to check on my piggies progress !as a healthcare professional i would not dream of saying i will charge you for my time to ask how patient is,i would be absolutley aware of all my clients needs/progress.but costs are appropriate,and i would never get aggressive with a vet,most likely would take my animal to another vet if i did not like the treatment plan !

That’s a bit shocking that they wanted to charge you for a status update!

 

[Beans&Toast]

That’s a bit shocking that they wanted to charge you for a status update!

Agreed!

 

[Lady Kelly]

I think the start of the article sums up the kind of person who is likely to get angry- I paid nearly 2k for a rabbit that cost me £10 last year. That sentence shows that a monetary value was placed on the animals life probably before it was purchased and the animals are deemed unworthy of proper care. I think the ability to pop by and see a gp without cost does lull people into false expectations. As for the comments that vets should do it for the love of the animals - that's all well and good but they can't provide that care without a building, diagnosis equipment and medication! They would be the first moaning if their gp said "you have a lump and it could be a cyst, benign tumour or cancer. The NHS doesn't feel you are worthy of the cost of scans and biopsies so we are going to give you some antibiotics to take for ten days, also take over the counter pain relief, and if you notice any other problems or the lump starts getting bigger in future then come back and we'll look at whether it's worth investigating at that time."

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Great article to read. To be honest I've never really been charged a price that I felt was too high -probably jinxed myself now- but luckily so far except for when my dog got spayed I've never had to pay for a surgery or anything. At the end of the day I love all my furbabies too much anyway. Usually when I'm at the vets and worrying about their health the price is the last thing on my mind. I know when I last took Mo and I got charged £50 a member of my family nearly died- but at the end of the day if that checkup saved his life and stopped my whittling I don't care.

There's only a couple of times where I can get a bit touchy around the price and that's only if I feel the vet didn't do a thorough job. As in of I pay for a checkup I would like my animal to actually get a checkup lol. With guinea pigs a checkup includes checking their behind and mouth right?when I took Mo (after giving the vet a warning that he can be quite sassy if you get what I mean) she sort of refrained from touching him. She weighed him, listened to his heart and felt his back/shoulders but she didn't look in his ears or check his rump/underside and neither did she look in his mouth. Maybe I'm in the wrong and a checkup doesn't include looking thete but I just felt after the warning she didn't really want to touch him- quite funny at the time lol. Mo was just munching cucumber on the table wondering where he was.

I totally didn't agree with the whole "if vets love animals why dint they do it for free" or something along those lines. I want nothing more then to be a veterinary surgeon and save animals and I love them all with my heart. Yet obviously being a vet is a job and yes id quite like some money for doing my job.

Yes great article- thank you for sharing it! X