Did my sister get overcharged?

Question

The following is a list of the items my sister was charged for at the vet when she went to get her cat spayed. The cat is a female one year old weighing about eight pounds at the most. She had no idea the cat was in heat(it had been less then 2 weeks since she was last in heat and she showed no signs.)
Office Visit - 44.00
Spay- 85.00
Cat was in heat - 25.00
Injectables- 15.00
Gas intake - 75.00
Amoxicillin - 15.00
Rabies Vaccination- 18.00
Leukemia Vaccination- 20.00
Fvp-CP Anual- 20.00
Frontline- 28.99

Also, is it normal procedure for a cat that stays completely indoors and has tested negative for leukemia to get a leukemia vaccination?

She is from central Ohio.

Just so you don't have to do the math here are the totals.
Spay cost about $284.00
Total was about $348.00

She WAS tested negative for leukemia. She never goes outisde or comes in contact with any other cats. I'm just asking if the vaccination is needed?

Answer 1

Over charged is the word. Your sister got taken big time. As far as shots go that should be up to the individual. Anyway when they say a charge of $85.00 for spaying that should have included the gas intake. Next time check your telephone directory for Low Cost Spay and Neutering clinics. They are all over, every town and every city. They even have them at grocery parking lots and shopping malls. I paid a total of $44.00 for my female cat to be spayed. My choice to have leukemia check.

Answer 2

Pets typically are much cheaper than humans because they just plain don't go to the vet as often as we go to the doctor...BUT, when they do go the tab can run pretty high. Most of the items you've listed seem reasonable. The leukemia vaccine for an indoor cat can be a judgement call for a vet: some vets won't insist upon it. However, other vets just aren't willing to take that chance with your pet. Leukemia is a horrible way to lose a pet and it is better to get the vaccine than take even the smallest risk.

The only charge I see that I wonder about is the Frontline- 28.99. Did the cat have fleas?

If it is difficult for your sister to pay, many vet offices have payment plans and will bill you for the rest each month until the balance is paid.

Also remember, if this vet is one that your sister prefers, then perhaps it's worth the cost. If she has no preference, then she should shop around and find a vet she both prefers and can better afford.

Answer 3

Those ARE resonable charges...however your sisiter had the right to refuse some of the things she was charged for...like the FeLV vaccine. Frontline also was a iffy charge.
She was charged for an office visit and the Fvp-CP,Rabies vaccine because she had never had the cat to the vet before. Had she done that previously, she would have saved money.

That said, she should have asked for an estimate before hand. The spay charges are not out of the ordinary. If she was in heat recently, the would have found a uterus that was "in heat" and charged more. She could have avoided this by having the cat spayed at the correct age.
Did the cat have fleas??? I am curious why the gave her $30 in Frontline???? They usually only do that if they have found fleas and that would imply that she has been outside and maybe that would lead them to give the FeLV vaccine.

Next time, get a estimate and ask questions before!!! Also get the cat spayed at the correct age. Many vets give a discount for cats that have not had a heat cycle yet!!!!!!
She can return the Frontline if unopened!!!!

Injectables are usually the anesthetic to get the cat to sleep to be tubed and maintained on the gas. Also an injection of Atropine is frequently given to keep the heart rate up. An antibiotic injection is usually given at the time of surgery also.

I cannot believe that someone thinks that FeLV is genetic and not environmental!!!!!!!!! Yes kittens born to a positive mom will get it from her,but many cats get it FROM OTHER CATS!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

I think she was way overcharged! Where I live, there are spay and neuter clinics that charge $25. If the cat is an indoor cat and never goes outside and never has contact with other cats, she would have only needed the rabies vaccine. My vet told me 2 weeks ago when I took my dogs to get vaccinated that they have now found that you only need rabies vaccine every 2 years. All of the items associated with the procedure, such as the gas and injectables, should have been included with the spaying. We tend to take better care of our animals than we do ourselves sometimes and I think the animal care industry is taking advantage of that. Do check around any time that a service is needed for a pet.

Answer 5

The charges for the surgury seem about right. The leukemia vaccination should have been discussed before the appointment since cats are subject to vaccine reactions that can be cancerous in nature (about 1 in 10,000 cats have this type of reaction) The frontline is also a product that your sister should have discussed with the vet before purchasing since the risk of fleas and tick exposure is limited, but still possible. I would recomend developing a better relationship with the veterinian and his/her staff only through a open discussion between your sister and her veterinarian can she have a long healthy relationship with her cat. I have payed $160-200 for a spay like this after an employee discount.
Additional information
Many veterinarians charge extra for a cat in heat due to the added risk s of surgery, since the cat is pumping blood into the area cats have bled to death in the past, but the medical technology of today does a significant amount to reduce the risk. many veterinarians do not wish to perform surguries on animals in heat, if an owner doens not tell them before hand thay will charge an addition fee for the surgery. though a good veterinarian will talk to an owner before purforming any surgury on an animal. and discuss the charges, and possible outcomes at an appointment a few days before the surgery.

Answer 6

Yes, vaccinations are necessary even if the cat never goes ourside. Even in the most perfect of situations, a cat can get out, and if that happens, they need to be protected.
I have 5 strictly indoor cats, and they are expensive to keep up to date on everything. But, I wouldn't trade them for anything, or do anything to put them at risk.
I might question the Frontline if the cat never goes out, unless there is a dog in the home who could bring in fleas.
If you subtract the Frontline, FVP Leukemia and rabies vaccine, and the office visit - the cost of the neutering sounds about right.
Thankfully, they only have to be neutered once! :-)
And I'm also from Central Ohio.

Answer 7

I agree AND disagree that she was overcharged. Let me explain my CONSUMER BEWARE attitude.

If she just dropped off the cat and said she wanted it spayed, then the vet did his standard procedures...including vaccinations. (I totally disagree with the office visit charge...that irritates me.) I have no idea what the CAT WAS IN HEAT $25 charge is all about (sounds bogus to me). And I don't know what the INJECTABLES were...I would ask what they were (IV's?). Next time, I would find out exactly what the expected charges would be, go through the list, and pick out what you want and don't want done.

For example, when I get my teeth cleaned, I state up front that I am only paying for the hygienist's services. I do not want to have X-rays or be examined by the dentist for 5 seconds. The office visit fee I have never been able to get rid of...it makes me p*ssed off. Doctors didn't charge you office viisits in the "old days." So then I am only charged for the cleaning and not the "extras." If I think I need the dentist, then I will ask for him.

So, no she wasn't overcharged because she didn't ask beforehand...but that's not totally her fault because they could have also explained the whole process to her and she could have made choices. I don't do business with any type of doctor who doesn't take the time to explain things. So now that you & your sister know...next time make choices of what procedures you want done.

Answer 8

The fees sound about average, but I have never heard of being charged extra because the cat was in heat. Maybe they could have given her the option of waiting a few days and saved her some money.

I keep my cats indoors and have not had them vaccinated except for the first vaccinations they got when I adopted them. They can't catch anything if they are never around other animals. Of course, veterinarians will tell you to get them because that is their business.

Answer 9

Like Doctors, Vets are expensive. Unfortunately there's no pet health insurance with $20 co-pays.

In the future, you could look to less expensive alternatives. The Human Society for example will charge about $25 ~ $35 to Spay or Neuter a cat and possibly do it for free...(of course, that doesn't help in this case.)

I think the office vist fee and the xtra $25 for being in heat was a bit excessive however....

Answer 10

It doesn't seem like she paid too much. It all sounds about right to me. She didn't have to get the Leukemia vaccine if she was certain that her cat wouldn't be around other cats and would never get outside. Of course,, the vet always tries to talk you into getting this vaccine, but you can decline.