# Fair vet price?



## mikelite80 (Aug 1, 2007)

So I have a questions about what my vet is charging me. It sort of doesn't matter cause I'll do anything my baby needs but this seems like a bit much. So the back story...

My almost 8 month old puppy was playing at my parents at cut one of her pads open. It wasn't really bleeding bad so we did a simple bandage till I could her to our vet that next day. She ends up needing stitches and the vet takes care of her for almost $500. I'm ok with that price. But they ask me to bring her back every 5 days for a bandage change. With the stitches in for 3-4 weeks that will be at least 5 trips. At this point I'm assuming it is included since it is all of $3 in materials. First trip back is fine, doc looks at it and does the bandage, walk out no charge. Today we went back for trip 2. This time just some assistant does the bandage, not even one of the "nurses" and I leave. I get a call saying that I forgot to pay the $40 that they want for the bandage change! They want me to pay $40 for the $3 in materials and all of 5 minutes of an assistants time?! Personally that doesn't seem right! After paying $500 in cash for you to fix her up you want to charge me $40 to wrap her foot in gauze!!! It just doesn't seem right to try and hit me for atleast another $200 plus tax! They have taken care of my dog since day one so it isn't like I'm just some walk in off the street.

Does this sound fair to you? Sorry to rant so long, still a bit frustrated about the whole thing. Thanks for your thoughts and opions!

Mike and Bailey

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/mikelite80/_MG_5161_small.jpg


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

Well, its hard to tell as I have never encountered this sort of problem with my dog yet.

However, I do know vet prices have really sky rocketed. Anything and everything that can be charged on is, and it isn't come cheap price either. You could try calling around to other vets in the area and asking what a similar service would cost. Thats the only way I can think to really get a general idea as to if you are getting snaked or not.


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## Ella'sMom (Jul 23, 2007)

Every time I have brought my dog to the vet it's been "Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Ka-ching!" I agree with you, I will pay anything for my dog's health but I too have noticed how ridiculous it's been costing lately. My old dog had a zillion health problems and we almost went broke! I would definately say something to them if I were you - $500 was high enough....another 200 is crazy.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

I do not think it is right either for them to charge you for follow up. I have never had to pay for it with my dogs and only a farm call charge when it has been for a horse. They do that to recope their fule costs and some of their time since they are coming to me. That I can see but the vet has never charged for a follow up.

Heck I have been back to my surgen 2X now for a follow up on the removal of my port and have not been charged so if they can do it why not a vet?

Heidi


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## petsgalore (Jul 3, 2007)

That is extremely unfair but unfortunately vet prices are as bad human medical bills.Perhaps you could buy the supplies and change the bandages at home?All you have to do is eyeball where the stitches are and make sure it looks like it's healing and not becoming infected.That's all the vet's office does anyway.My vet always has me do this with injured pets.I only have to bring back the pet once unless the wound doesn't seem to be healing properly.Be upfront with the vet and maybe you can work something out.


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## csrl4503 (Aug 1, 2007)

I don't think it is fair that they are trying to charge you for the follow up visits, all the bandage changes should be included. I have never had to pay for bandage changes or stitch removal.
What was the original $500 for anyways, that seems like a heck of a lot for a cut pad and stitches??


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## rsculady (Jun 23, 2007)

My vet does not charge for follow up visits like that if it is all part of one surgery. However, I will say that in medical billing for humans(my previous life before I became a work at home mom), we may not have charged the patient for the copay for an office visit but we darn sure charged the insurance company.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

rsculady said:


> My vet does not charge for follow up visits like that if it is all part of one surgery. However, I will say that in medical billing for humans(my previous life before I became a work at home mom), we may not have charged the patient for the copay for an office visit but we darn sure charged the insurance company.



I can not speek for the office you worked at but I know for a fact that my surgens office has not charged my insurace for any follow up.

Neither has any of the other Dr I have had to go to. If it was part of a follow up for something it has always been included.

Same with my vets like I said. However I rarely use a vet for much of anything. Changing bandages is part of life around here at times. I have a horse that at one time he had a cut on his neck so big you could have put your foot in it and still had room. Even the follow up for that to debre the wound was included. Again I only had to pay the farm call. Which is fair.

I will also say that when Charlie did that. The entier vet bill was not $500. He not only had to have stiches but 5 letters of IV fluids and the vet was here for about 4 hours fixing him up then there was the follow up 2 days latter to debree the wound. Also anti-biotices/pain killers.

Heidi


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

It also depends on your area. Just based on conversations I have had with various dog people, vet prices don't seem to really have a set standard.


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## sydney-the-cattle-dog (Jan 31, 2007)

My first thought is that $500 does sound high for stitching a foot and to ask for money on each follow-up is a bit much. I have never paid for routine follow-up visits, they were always included in the initial treatment cost. 

I just paid a vet bill yesterday of about $325 which included surgery to spay my puppy, two prescriptions, 3 vaccinations, bloodwork, and microchipping.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

That is so unfair! Like it was monday when I took snoopy to the vet and they charged for a follow up when all they did was give him a shot and do a fecel floation and we were gone in like 10 min.  I would tell them you aren't going to pay for something that only cost a couple of dollars and a couple of minutes of their time. Or like the time he said snoopy needed his ears cleaned so I said that I'd go to the pet store and get the solution and clean it out my self but he said he'd do it this time and I said that was fine. So he did it and then come to find out he charged me $15 to clean his ears out when I didn't ask for him to do it though.


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

Durbkat said:


> That is so unfair! Like it was monday when I took snoopy to the vet and they charged for a follow up when all they did was give him a shot and do a fecel floation and we were gone in like 10 min.  I would tell them you aren't going to pay for something that only cost a couple of dollars and a couple of minutes of their time.


Wouldn't that simply cause a ton more trouble? I doubt the vet office is going to be ok with you not paying the bill. I also doubt you would win in any legal action as you DID recive a service regardless of how unfair you think the price is now.


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Well If they took me to court I'd tell the judge that you were over charged when they stitched up my dogs paw pad and that extra money they charged me needed to go towards the guaze.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Here's the human medical perspective.

Most surgeries will have a contracted global follow period. Follow-up office visits billed with the same diagnosis are considered included in he original surgical claim. Neither the insurance company nor the patient is responsible.

People get mad at their health insurance companies but one thing they do is negotiate discounted rates and things like global follow periods. Without those agreements, patients could be charged whatever the provider wants to charge (as they do with uninsured patients.)

Most people don't have pet insurance and the vets have no contract agreements. It is your responsibility to ask questions before the service is performed.

I am reluctant to accuse vets of overcharging. As pet owners, we have demanded more and more sophisticated diagnostic and treatment options that require extensive school and training and immense start-up costs. Like some human doctors, many starting vets are struggling.

In most markets, you have the option to shop around. I wouldn't always opt for the cheapest vet, though. You need to find a balance that you are comfortable with.

I know there are less-expensive vets in my area but, because of the way he treats my dogs and my family, I have asked - only half joking - if he would consider being my family doctor.


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## JeanninePC99 (Jul 24, 2007)

I think we're so afraid to question doctors that some of them get a little brazen. Maybe if more people questioned vets like this one about prices up front, they wouldn't feel comfortable tacking on all the extra fees.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

JeanninePC99 said:


> I think we're so afraid to question doctors that some of them get a little brazen. Maybe if more people questioned vets like this one about prices up front, they wouldn't feel comfortable tacking on all the extra fees.


Yeah, Good luck on that. They are just like the hospital charging $5.00. for an aspirin. My old vet used to be great. He would offer less expensive solutions and give big discounts because my dogs are all rescues. He retired and I had to find another vet. She has the personality of a crab cake and charges unbelievable amounts. I think I will be shopping around a little more.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

let's see, my girl, Lacey, had jabbed a stick into the back of her throat and put a quarter size hole in the soft palate......didn't know it till it was quite infected and she had to be put under, have it cleaned out and stiched up.....now, this was about 6 yrs ago, but it was still only about $100 for that kind of work (i think, even now, that thru my vet it would be less then $200).....and not only that but my vet will hand me the wrap, show me how it's wrapped proper and have me change it every 3-5 days myself....yes, i get charged for the wrap, and a bit more than i would buy it in the store, but i usually can't find the "batting" wrap that they have anyway.....


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## Durbkat (Jun 26, 2007)

Inga said:


> She has the personality of a crab cake and charges unbelievable amounts. I think I will be shopping around a little more.


I hear that, my vet doesn't even know my name, and you'd think with what I pay he'd know it by now. But everyone there know's Snoopy, all the nurse's come in and cuddle him and pet him. lol


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

You all really want to hear a price gouging storry.

A vet who I use for my horses desided that her time was so valuble that she not only chagred for a farm call more then the other equine vets in my area but then she would also chage for everything she used. Ex if she gave a shot she would charge you for the vac. OK I can understand that but she would also charge you to give the shot then on top of everything she would charge you an hourly rate. Running a stallion station I would at times use her for clients mares. Not too offten but I did have occations to use a vet. Well you try explaning these charges to a client when you do not understand them yourself. When I enquiered I was told it was a profesional charge and the next thing I knew I was looking for a new vet. Oh well she was not that good anyway and soon after stoped all togather. I do not think anyone wanted to pay those fees.

Heidi


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## mikelite80 (Aug 1, 2007)

Thank you for the many responses! For the people saying $500 seems high it was more like $450. $225 for the stitches, $100 for anesthesia, $40 for exam, $45 for fluids, $20 for bandage, and $33 for antibiotics. It is a fairly large cut across the length of her pad. I guess he had to cut out some of the meat to get it to close correct. I'm going to call around to some other vets and see what they say as well. And if they bill me for it as a visit with the doctor I'll argue it since we never saw him. As someone suggested changing the bandage myself, we have been doing that as well. With my little ball of energy there is no way a bandage lasts 5 days. She'll either chew it off at night, put it in her water dish, or step in the mud. So I think I'll talk to them and if they don't include I'll just change it myself until he takes out the stitches. But at this rate they'll probably want to charge me to take out the stitches. I like this vet but at not rate is he the best, he could at least look at the chart before he comes in so he knows our name. The easiest customer service is pretending to remember people. THANKS again!

Mike


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## petsgalore (Jul 3, 2007)

My vet is a pricier than some of the others in the area-but he is also one of the best.I also know he pays his employees well.I suppose that could be why he's a more expensive.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

It's hard to know if you were overcharged without knowing what procedures were done. That being said, I do think it's rediculous to charge $40 for a followup dressing change! MAYBE an office visit charge, but that's it (and that's pushing it considering that original charge of $500)!

I like my vet, but his office tried to charge for two office visit fees because I brought both of my dogs in at the same time for their annual fecal check, heartworm check (they do get HeartGuard monthly, but I still test annually), etc. I protested, and my vet agreed; told them to charge for only one office visit.


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## gizmobaby (Apr 30, 2007)

I say you try to find a vet that actually gives you a reasonable price for their work. I guess because their field is limited to only animals and most people don't even dare to bring their animals to vets because of cost, they have to charge a lot. And I think it's also because pets aren't really covered in insurance...though I have read some stuff about animal insurances online.

Like some doctors, they're in it for the money.

I have yet to start bringing my dog to this really good clinic with reasonably low prices. They give better service than the last one I attended to. It wasn't the fact that it was costly, it was just the fact that when I was given the medicine, they didn't even tell me what it was for. Just told me how to do it..and it wasn't even the nurses or at least the clerical assistant who had to tell me..it was one of those people who just strapped the dogs down in case they needed to (ie: fecal exams). So I thought that was just dumb. I never went back again.


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## nrhareiner (Dec 6, 2006)

gizmobaby said:


> I say you try to find a vet that actually gives you a reasonable price for their work. I guess because their field is limited to only animals and most people don't even dare to bring their animals to vets because of cost, they have to charge a lot. And I think it's also because pets aren't really covered in insurance...though I have read some stuff about animal insurances online.
> 
> Like some doctors, they're in it for the money.
> 
> I have yet to start bringing my dog to this really good clinic with reasonably low prices. They give better service than the last one I attended to. It wasn't the fact that it was costly, it was just the fact that when I was given the medicine, they didn't even tell me what it was for. Just told me how to do it..and it wasn't even the nurses or at least the clerical assistant who had to tell me..it was one of those people who just strapped the dogs down in case they needed to (ie: fecal exams). So I thought that was just dumb. I never went back again.



Yes some doc are into if for the money as are most poeple who have a bisiness and have people working for them. It is not just the vet but everyone else who works for them.

As for the meds. YOU HAVE TO ASK. If they do not say what it is for then just ask. I have had only one vet in all my years that would not talk to me about things and I no longer use her nor does any one esle as she has quite.

Most vets will take the time to explane things to you if you ask. 

Also this is for anyone interested. Most universities with a vet program offer short courses that anyone can take. Most are for large animals but they do have some for small animals too. It give a very good oversite into many things and each will differ depending on what is covered. Also there are also seminars given at many AKC shows. You DO NOT have to show to attend. There usually is a small fee but most I have seen are about $10 and they cover differnt things so you will just have to look. Quite a few AKC shows also offer hart and eye clinices where you can have your dog checed at a good price this will save money.

Educations does not stop at any point in your life. Look for these opportunities to expand your knowalge bass even if you may never use them again. I find they quite valuble.

Heidi


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