A (business) Question for Veterinarian's only please?

Question

We see many pet owners posting about problems they are having with their cats and dogs and they proceed to describe disturbing symptoms where it's obvious the pet needs professional treatment right away.
Many times they are seeking "home remedies" and say they "cannot afford to take it to the Vet."
so, my question pertains to that...

How would you advise pet owners who need help and possibly emergency treatment for their pets but simply cannot afford the fee?
Do you turn anyone away because they cannot pay?
How do you handle this?
Thanks.

I'm dissapointed to hear that there are some Vets who would turn away an animal that might be very sick and in distress because the owner "can go out clubbing but won't pay for the Vet"...

What I was hoping to hear I suppose, was that the welfare of the animal comes before any financial hardship or consideration...
yes "it's a business" but it's also a business that I'm sure cares about our pets.
How does one turn away a sick animal when it's their profession to heal them?

And I don't believe "it's ridiculous to think that an actual veterinarian will be on YA waiting to answer questions."
I posted the Question with a reasonable expectation that a Vet or assistant would come along at some point who could respond.
Many thanks to those that have.

Answer 1

Excellent question. The amount of people on here asking questions that should be directed at a vet is very disturbing.

I work in a veterinary surgery in a fairly poor area (In England by the way), and have to deal with people with very sick animals that can't afford to pay (or don't want to) on a daily basis. We never turn people away. If it's an emergency - like the animal is dying right there and then - we treat first and ask financial questions later of course!

Usually we have the opportunity to discuss payment before commencing treatment. Often people have a credit card we can convince them to use, or borrow off a friend etc. We do not do monthly payments, unless it's an old client we know VERY well, because we've learned the hard way like this - people just don't pay, and we end up losing out. We often direct people to the PDSA - if they really are short on cash then they're on benefits, and are eligible for PDSA help. The Cats Protection is also brilliant for helping people out. It is often extremely difficult - a daily battle between trying to help sick animals, and keep a business afloat!

As for people asking questions on here in an emergency situation - I despair. I signed up with Yahoo to try to make people understand when they should be going to a vets - and to try desperately to promote responsible pet ownership! I think I'm fighting a losing battle, but can only try!

Chalice

Answer 2

I worked for one vet who by todays standard would be considered old fashioned, and they would denounce how he did business. But he never turned people away with sick animals. Like 95% of the time when people say they have no money and will pay you back later, they never do. He would bill them, they would not pay, then he would just leave it at that. He never sent them to collections, and the animal was fixed. Proper management of a business, probally not but the animals were cared for.

I worked for another vet who let it be known to clients that "this is a business here to make a profit". Can you believe she would say this directly to clients who wanted to do payment plans. She rareley did payment plans. When she did they were always on the clients who had money. She would sent vet techs in to turn peopel away if they couldnt' pay. I had to tell a client who brought a blocked cat to us, that was severly ill and needed to be unblocked at that second, that since she didn't have the money on her right then and there we could not take the cat in. (what is odd about this client is she had 300 cash on her and said she would pay the rest later-many come in with no money). I found out later from a freind who worked at another clinic in town that the cat matching this description came in later that day and died.

There is a range of what vets will do. It is obvioulsy easier for people who own their own practice, both of these vets were the owner. Many vets are associate vets, and work for peopel. Even though these vets may want to help and feel bad for turning people away, if it is their hospital policy to get payment up front, then they have to follow it or be out of the job.

Pet insurance is becoming more and more popular, so more people should look into this. Also ask your vet up front what thier policy is if they should have an emergency and no money at the time. Will they bill them later, give them payments or send them out the door. With the second vet i worked for it was not just nonclients she would send packing if they had no money. Do you know how horrible it feels as a tech to tell a regular client that we will not treat thier sick animal because they don't have the deposit up front.

Veterinarians are known to be poor at money managment. Years ago many vet, like the first one i descirbed would treat any animal that needed help and swollow the loss. Now business managment is a big thing. There are veterinary economic magazines, continuing education classes and it is now being taught in vet schools. These business professionals tell us that bottom line you are runnning a business and are there to make money.
Many vets and people in the vet field say if you can't afford an animal then you shouldn't have one. Well that just pisses me off. Everyone (except those sick abusers) deserves an animal regardless of their finincial status. They bring so much richness to life. And when peopel get an animal they may not know 8 years down the road they will be unemployed or that their animla develops a cancer that requires radiation.
Yes there are tons of vets and techs that care and will do anything to help, but then there are those that are very judgmental of every owner, and think if you can't
pay tons of money to keep your pet healthy you are a bad owner. I have worked with people on both sides of the fence
Sad huh?
My friend is off to vet school in scotland and i am so jelous cuz i hear they have charity vet clinics over there where people who don't have the money can get thier pets treated for free. Wish we had a system like that in the u.s

Answer 3

I am a former veterinarian technician (licensed in the state o f California) I worked for a high profile vet in studio City. We turned people away if they did not have the money but we suggested other vets to go to that would offer services for less. Unfortunately it is a business and people who own pets should save for a rainy day. I am shocked at how many people have animals and don't have money to take their pets to the vet, I am sure they go out to eat and go out clubbing or buy the latest clothes or shoes. Why not have a vet savings account. I have an emergency credit card for that purpose only. Vets care but they have to run a business as well, we in California don't have the spca hospitals like NY or SanFrancisco or Houston TX that people see on Animal Precinct on television. on Animal Planet. But we do have rescue groups that will help people. I just think people get cute and cudly animals and they give no thought to what will happen if they get sick. Home remedies are ridiculous and people who post questions here that require a vet immediately are crazy. I also think it is ridiculous to think that an actual veterinarian will be on YA waiting to answer questions. Vets work long hard days and get not so much pay for it. I know that from working with them. Unless they own their own hospital they work for a salary and it isn't that great. A lot of vets go to work for rescue organizations and volunteer their time for free on weekends to help rescued animals not people who have pets and now can't afford to pay for their illnesses. I don't mean to sound angry but face it, when you make a decision to have an animal in your life, you must expect it to be taken care of by you. No one else will take that responsibility. That little four legged creature relies entirely on it's owner to make things OK for it. The owner is totally responsible. If the owner falls on hard times, then he must do what is in the best interest of the animal, find it a new home or give it up to a rescue group or no kill shelter to find a new home. Don't hang on to a sick animal and let it suffer because you don't want to give up your pet. sorry for the rant.

Answer 4

I am not a vet, but a vet tech and a lab animal tech. I used to work in a vet's office, but now in biotech/research. Where I worked we never turned people away. In non emergency situations we always tell the patient's owners the prices of all procedures during the animal's exam. In emergency situations there is no time. We were willing to work out payment plans. This was in Massachusetts.