Do vets overcharge?

Question

I took my dog to the vet with a sore paw and after a three minute consultation was charged £36 for an anti-inflam jab and one week's supply of antibiotics. As I sat in the waiting room I noticed several people paying even more for their own pets and most were in the consultation for just a few minutes. Am I being cynical or are vets overcharging for medications and consultations?

Answer 1

We see a lot of pets come in that went to other clinics where they over tested and really "padded" the treatment. I think there is a lot of "fluffing" of tests and treatments going on in the community.

Answer 2

What most people don't think about is that when we have insurance we pay nothing or a copay. When you take your dog in it is full price. Imagine what you'd pay for a doctors visit with no insurance. Veterinarians go through a lot of school and it's actually harder than becoming a human doctor. Humans have one body system, animals have many. Plus, you get what you pay for. From my experience, I'd rather pay the extra money to know my pet is taken care of properly. I don't know what that price is in American dollars but for a "sore paw" out here, the average exam is $35-45, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injection $25-40 each, and depending on the weight of the pet and type of antibiotic $25-50 for a weeks supply. Whether you are in the room for 1 minute or an hour you are still receiving a professional opinion so the fact that your visit was only 3 minutes doesn't mean anything. I also see people writting about having to get an exam to put thier pet to sleep, it's state law in california. Would any doctor you called ever give you medicine without seeing you? Why do people think vet hospitals don't have the same type of regulations? Common sense.Hope your dogs paw gets better!

Answer 3

I think a lot of them do. I don't know the conversion rate, but here in the US, it costs about 30. for the office visit(basically walking in the door), that shot would've cost about 10-15.00, the antibiotics probably another 10-20.00 depending on what they were.

I remember my ex had this old shepherd dog, was time to put him to sleep. Called around to a few vets getting prices for cremation and getting the remains back. He took the dog to this one vet, and they were going to charge him a "new patient fee" because they'd never seen the dog before. Amazing, charging a new patient fee for putting a dog down....he left and went to a different vet, but some of them are really unbelievable.

Like someone mentioned, they seem to be more interested in the money then the animals now a days. I've seen the price increase dramatically over the years, and IMO the quality of service has gone done along with it.

Answer 4

It sounds about average or even less than normal price in the big city. Vet care is very expensive now when it comes to testing, x-rays, etc. So that is a pretty cheap bill. I was stunned when vets in a small city wanted 450. for my three dogs to get heartworm tested. Just the test! Needless to say, I had to search for something more affordable and did find it. There are lower cost clinics in a lot of places, but that bill sounds small considering what was done.

Answer 5

I think Vets do overcharge, They only seem to be interested in the money now and not so much the animals. I phoned a few vets to enquire about having my female dog sprayed one vets wanted £167 and another just down the road wanted £59.50. I believe there are some good vets out there who care more for animals than money but there just hard to find, another thing i found out is that dogs dont really need yearly boosters in fact i was told it reduces thier immunity overtime, you dont take your child every year for a jab so why a dog? yes you guessed it money, (please feel free anyone to correct me if im wrong)
Id just like to add the information regarding the yearly boosters was on a website which was made by vets with thier actual quotes i have questioned my own vet about it and they cant give me a straight answer

Answer 6

I did some research and found a vet I like and whose prices are reasonable. We paid $80 for our 2 dogs yearly shots. Ask some of your friends with pets.

Answer 7

i take my dog to the clinic next to the humane society, it is really nice and new, and clean.. all the staff is very friendly..
as for price, they are not the cheapest. nor are they the most expensive...
once we had an urgent care issue with our dog, and i called a friend to see where she takes hers, it was on a saturday.. they got us in that day, it was cheaper than my vet would have been.. but it was not clean.. and the doc was not the greates..

so as long as she gets really good care. then i will pay the price...i am sooooo glad we are done with shots for the year tho.....

Answer 8

I really think that my vet is cheaper than most. They charged me 90$ for vaccinations, 90 for exam and antibiotics when he was sick. At another vet they said vaccinations were $250!! i doubt they dont do the same thing

Answer 9

They charge an office visit/exam fee and also charge for medications.
Think about it this way we have to pay to see our doctors. We pay our insurance so that we don't have to pay an office visit/exam fee which is a lot depending on the level of examination. We just have to pay a co-pay.
Unless you have pet insurance you have to pay the office visit/exam fee and for any medications.
If you don't like the vet your dog has see another simple as that.

Answer 10

Come on people, think about. Your vet is trying to make a living taking care of you pets.
They have to pay rent on the office space. Most have at least one or two to run the office, collecting the money and making appointments, they need to be paid. Probably a vet tech. or two, who need to be paid. The medication the send home with you they had to pay for, you want them to give it you for free?
Any store you buy something you are paying more then they paid for it. Difference between wholesale and retail.