Ok, so this story is not really about our check up which was fine - I love being praised for the Furbies extra soft fur, calm temprament and the look on the nurse's faces when I reel off the wet foods I feed - still got the old feedback of "you should try and increase the dry amount"....

Anyway, this was on Saturday morning when vet check ups (ours was with the nurse) are reserved for people who really can't come during the week and of course, emergencies. A woman and her two teenage daughters came in with the saddest and thinest looking Alsatian I had seen in a long time. He looked pretty old to me, or else he had been sick for a while. Anyway, another couple were waiting for a cat appointment, but they were asked if they wouldn't mind waiting as this dog was brought in as an emergency. Of course they didn't.

The dog was in with the vet for 15 minutes at least, possible more as they were still inside the room when we went in for our check up.

After we had paid for our flea/worming tablets, the older lady went to walk out, and the receptionist told her they had to pay. I am pretty sure the treatment/check up was stated as £100, but my husband said it was £35. Anyway the lady said "WHAT?!!" in a loud voice as if this was a totally unreasonable amount. The receptionist asked if she wanted to see the vet to explain the charges and the lady started ranting. We left at this stage.

It just made me really mad, as if they can't afford treatment they should go to the Blue Cross at Victoria or the PDSA. How can you take your animal for an emergency appointment - cutting in on someone else's time - and then not expect to pay a penny? It is because of owners like her that we get penalised being made to pay in advance at OOH clinics.

Sorry, just made me a bit cross, so wanted to share a rant. Happy Monday!

__________________

I know what you mean no matter how much i end up spending at the vet, i never have a go or be rude especially for emergency treatment and yes take the dog to the PDSA or blue cross you don't get cheap treatment just because you show up.

Im not saying i enjoy the cost lol but its your baby you have to look after them and if someone does just that i.e the vet then thats fair... not to mention thats nothing even if it was 100 i took my cat to an emergency vet and i came out 400 pounds lighter EEK!

__________________


http://nickoftime.proboards.com/index.cgi?

It's just bad manners. By all means if you have a query then do it quietly and in private. There was a vet posting on the forum the other day who said people don't want to pay for veterinary treatment yet they say they want "the best" for their pets - I guess there are a lot of these rude people who have a go in an unpleasant manner. On the other hand we've all seen these astronomical prices from the out of hours vets - perhaps it really is time for a set pricing structure.

In this country we are maybe a bit unused to paying for medical treatment for ourselves, in other countries it costs more than vet care!

__________________
Harry: Ginger & White b. September 2002
Oscar: Black b. 7th May 2011
Kitty: Grey Tabby b. 7th May 2011

Our lovely cat family

yes quite right i think because we have the NHS we are unfamiliar with paying for such treatment, i think there are some vets that seek to exploit the owners of animals knowing you have no other choice. Unfortuntely cause a lot don't consider animals to be sentient this is unlikely to change however personally i feel that there should be a similar system to nhs for animals.

__________________


http://nickoftime.proboards.com/index.cgi?

That is really rude! I used to deal with people like that all the time when I worked in a hotel (I know not quite the same but manners still apply) I've been threaten, abused and even in one situation had a glass thrown at my head. Even if you are not happy you don't act like a t**t because that won't get you anywhere.

Ok vets can be very pricey and can take the micky with what they are charging but that is not all vets. I agree that they should be a standard pricing structure for vetinary care whether it be during normal surgery times or OOH in the UK. This would make life a lot easier all round me thinks.