Vets charges for tablets

Meg | 21:16 Thu 02nd Sep 2010 | Pets

30 Answers

Meg is a 15 year old border collie, she has thrown up every day, usually once a day for the last 2 years, we have learnt to live with this!!
However she is now eating very little, probably a third of what she normally has. I am coaxing her with chicken and other tasty bits but it is a struggle.
We've been to the vet's today and she has had bloods tests taken, should get the results tomorrow.
The vet gave me some new tablets to try her with, I've always found their fees very reasonable but today I was charged £39.20 for 6 losec tablets and £17.00 for 2 cerenia tablets.
I have no insurance and am perfectly happy to pay for any treatment/meds she needs but this seems a bit excessive. Could there have been a mistake?
Thanks

Is just over 2 weeks too long to leave a cat home alone? (being fed of course)!

Calling Masma & Coco

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Count-A-Strong

Very sorry to hear about Meg. I have a 7 yr old BC. I would suggest you phone the vets to query the amount or ask when the bloods results are back.

Meg

Question Author

Thanks Count, I will query it next time I go in.
Bet your BC is still a handful at 7!! Mine were, didn't start to slow down til they were 10+.
I know wish she was stealing food and being destrutive :( xx

Count-A-Strong

Yes, Zac still thinks he's about 18 months. He's my constant companion and is asleep at the side of the bed at the moment ( I know, I know......shameful). Hope Meg gets better soon.

wolf63

My little tom cat has to have an asthma inhaler twice a day, the vet was charging me £75 for it (for 2 months supply), but I get a prescription from them (£10 charge) and pay £36 at a local chemist (it is a 'human' inhaler) but I could buy it for £24 on-line.

I found http://www.chemistdir...let-20mg_4_15194.html which seems to indicate that the tablets are relatively cheap. I am not really sure if all on-line chemists are allowed to dispense 'human' medications for non-humans. But they are certainly not able to sell the drugs without a prescription from your vet. If your vet is a good one then they will help you work out how to get the drugs without bankrupting you. I find it easier to go into my regular chemist with Frankie's prescription.

I hope that tablets work - she deserves to have a happy old age.

supersuezy24

Miss Meg, where them charges additional to the consultation fee?

alavahalf

We use http://www.petdrugson....aspx?i=ca0&s=cerenia for various pet foods, tablets etc...I placed an order last night and saved £25 on 1 bag of cat food.

Have a look at cerenia ... http://www.petdrugson....aspx?i=ca0&s=cerenia

Meg

Question Author

Thanks for the answers and links. I've managed to get one tablet down her, it's not easy when she's being so fussy about what she eats.
Suezy( my other BC's name was Susie !!) Yes the consultation fee was £11.75, blood tests £85.15, both of which I find very acceptable. Then the cost of the tablets.
If they do work and she needs them on a regular basis I will suss out the best place to get them from.
Thanksxx

supersuezy24

Oh my God, our vets consultation fee is €60, dearer than when I go the doc then meds, injections etc are additional

Meg

Question Author

I know suezy, my vet's fees are very good and I am more than happy with them.
She's fast asleep on her duvet now, I just want her enjoying food again and sod the cost!!

Everhelpful

In my experience Vets can charge what they please,they are rip-off Merchants,most of them.

slinkycat

Hi miss meg, my parents had an elderly border collie with on-going hip problems, she needed regular medication which was quite expensive. I used a site called vetmeds, or petmeds online, you needed a prescription from the vets (which they charged for!) but even so the tablets were so much cheaper that it was woth doing

slinkycat

Woth? meant worth!

Meg

Question Author

Everhelpful, thanks for the input, I don't think my vet is "a rip off merchant". I've been going there 50 years and this is the first time I've found a bill excessive!

Meg

Question Author

Thanks slinkycat, another useful idea, I can't see a problem with the vet's allowing me to go elsewhere for drugs. They are very amicable about me having no insurance xx.

Mobiliser

miss meg, sorry to hear about Meg being unwell, it's just a pity that Vets can and do exploit people when their pet is ill, as you say, most meds can be bought over the counter much cheaper. The only thing I wanted to say miss meg, go easy on the amount of chicken you give her, as an older dog, too much protein can cause other problems, if she can take the dry food at all, that would be for the best. Hope she gets better soon. X

divegirl

Hi could I suggest that you look up the cost of the meds online , there will be a difference, then when you speak to him about the bloods, talk to him about the price difference.Vets have to give you a prescription if you ask for one and you shouldn't be made to feel ubusual because you don't have insurance. Ask for a discount and if he says no, then ask for the prescription.

Lisa x

carmalee

In answer to Wolf's remark about human medication for animals via a chemist - they are not allowed to sell medication intended for animals - I learned this when I went in for some eye cream for my dog who had a minor eye infection - I very stupidly mentioned it was for woofie and they refused to serve me. Went into another chemist shop and bought eye cream for my partner's infected eye and have always done the same since.

wolf63

carmalee - I don't think that it is as simple at that. I can get Frankie's inhaler from my normal chemist if I use a Vets prescription. I know that I can find it on-line at a cheaper price. I am not sure if they are unable to advertise human medicine as being available for animal use.

Our Vet is usually very reasonably priced and charged me 'cost price' when I bought an Aerokat ( http://www.breatheazy...oduct-information.htm ) for him.

miss meg - I hope that Meg does well on her tablets - it is such a worry when they are ill. I get into a total panic when Frankie starts wheezing - then 5 minutes later he starts racing around again and I am still having a panic attack.

Our little furry friends/fiends are truly worth their weight in gold.