Is our vet ripping us off (1 Viewer)

[pampam]

I always wanted to be a farm vet at school, but ended up being a dairymaid (failed biology) 50 years ago
a few years later it became a rather fashionable job…… id have been naff actually cos im too emotional

 

[stevewagner]

I read this, and was going to reply but went out with my dog. But I'm not going to let it go. Yes I'm a vet(retired). Guess what, the majority of vets just want to do the best they can for your pet. Firstly costs. The standards and technology in practice today has increased dramatically in recent years and surprise, surprise it's expensive. You can seek a second opinion if you are unhappy. Ask for a breakdown of any estimate. Fear of litigation nowadays means vets will cover all options. Secondly, you do know vets have one of the highest rates of suicide in any profession. Just recently, 3 vets killed themselves in a 2 week period. The pressure on vets in practice has increased enormously. Client expectation is huge. There is a national shortage of vets, compounded by the lack of EU vets since Brexit, so most vets are working long and antisocial hours. So imagine you've just had a long day, had some cases that haven't gone well, perhaps been verbally abused, and you've stayed back to see a client that you squeeze in at the end of surgery that turns into a euthanasia of a much loved family pet with the parents and children in tears. Then you get home, open social media and read comments like above.........I've seen too many friends and colleagues struggle (including a suicide attempt). So instead of throwaway comments, please think before hitting the keyboard. I'm sure there are plenty of people on this forum who are eternally grateful for what a vet has done for their pets. Next time you see your vet, why not ask "And how are you?" It'll be appreciated. Rant over.

Quite right. Throw away comments are typical of those that have no idea of reality. Of course there are good vets and not so good vets just like any profession. At the end of the day we all have a choice in what we do and if we are not happy we can go elsewhere. It’s plain wrong to tarnish everyone with the same paintbrush if you’ve had a bad experience.
In my profession I have experienced the same bigoted comments in life and occasionally on here.

 

[Jolak]

I think they’re in cahoots with the insurance companies.

They have all this equipment (funded by the insurance companies) that they can’t afford to stand idle.

We were told that our last Spaniel was too old at 10 for an hysterectomy to guard against Pyrometria, so we were given antibiotics every ‘season’ to stop her getting infections.

Fast forward 5 years, in which time a shiny new hospital had been built and stocked with all the latest equipment (funded in part by Pet Insurance Companies).

She got pyrometria, was in a lot of distress, but we were being pressured to bring her in, where she would be kept overnight to stabilise the condition, and they would give her a hysterectomy the next day.

So what had changed in the 5 intervening years? See my comments above - along with financial ethics taking over from animal’s well-being ethics.

We took her in, but declined all the scans, operation, and medication, not because we couldn’t afford it, but we knew it was the right thing at 15, for her.

Not once did they suggest the RIGHT thing to do.

We didn’t ever replace her, she’s still missed every day, but I wouldn’t want a dog these days with the money grabbing vets/insurance companies out there.

This of course was our choice, and I respect anyone else that chooses differently - so no brickbats please.

Spot on! I have always shared your theory that they are in cahoots with the insurers. Business is business and if the vet saves the insurance company from a heavy payout by suggesting to you that it would be kinder to euthanise the pet, there could be some sort of incentive to compensate him/her for loss of revenue caused by curtailing further treatment. The local independent vet refused my cat when we moved here because a previous, inexperienced vet had mentioned "handling difficulties" on her records, so I had to use one of the big chains. They just want to earn as much as possible as easily as possible. There again, doesn't everyone?

 

[gpat]

I read this, and was going to reply but went out with my dog. But I'm not going to let it go. Yes I'm a vet(retired). Guess what, the majority of vets just want to do the best they can for your pet. Firstly costs. The standards and technology in practice today has increased dramatically in recent years and surprise, surprise it's expensive. You can seek a second opinion if you are unhappy. Ask for a breakdown of any estimate. Fear of litigation nowadays means vets will cover all options. Secondly, you do know vets have one of the highest rates of suicide in any profession. Just recently, 3 vets killed themselves in a 2 week period. The pressure on vets in practice has increased enormously. Client expectation is huge. There is a national shortage of vets, compounded by the lack of EU vets since Brexit, so most vets are working long and antisocial hours. So imagine you've just had a long day, had some cases that haven't gone well, perhaps been verbally abused, and you've stayed back to see a client that you squeeze in at the end of surgery that turns into a euthanasia of a much loved family pet with the parents and children in tears. Then you get home, open social media and read comments like above.........I've seen too many friends and colleagues struggle (including a suicide attempt). So instead of throwaway comments, please think before hitting the keyboard. I'm sure there are plenty of people on this forum who are eternally grateful for what a vet has done for their pets. Next time you see your vet, why not ask "And how are you?" It'll be appreciated. Rant over.

I think we are all confusing vets with err....vets.

Vets is used as a term for a business as well as a profession. Imo the vets (the people that are employed) are great. It's the businesses that seem to be the rip off. We have a friend who is a retired vet. She had a small business but she found it too stressful to run the business so sold it out to a chain. She stayed employed but was always apologetic about the massive rise in fees. Such a shame.

It's so difficult here on an island. Pretty much every surgery is owned by the same company. The independents are all full. So we gave a choice, let nature take its course or be ripped off.

 

[Squaddie]

We took our French Bulldog to a "Bulldog specialist Vet" for a second opinion on a stomach problem ,he felt the dogs tummy and underside then said it needed a immediate operation for the trouble in the bowels , we had to leave him and went shopping to take our mind of it, an hour later we received a phone call to come and collect his all was completed , when we asked what the problem had been he said OH it was just Inflamed bowels £350 please , But what can you say , a coarse of Dogs omeprazole cured it . Never trusted a vet since .

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[Landy Andy]

There again, doesn't everyone?

No.