Anyone Feel They Got Taken By A Vet?

PetParent1

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Did you go in for routine exam and end up with a very expensive vet bill for what was a seemingly healthy cat. what's your story?
 

weebeasties

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Routine check-ups generally involve bloodwork, so I am always prepared for it to be expensive. I was pleasantly surprised when a recent vet visit that was just for vaccinations of two cats came out less than $100. I even had them double check thier figures because I thought it was going to be more.:lol:
 

di and bob

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It depends on the vet. Find a good one. I bring all 4 of my in at once because they only charge one office visits. It is vital to ask for and estimate first, so it isn't such a shock. Ask that you be informed if they want to run additional, or more expensive tests. They shouldn't have to run blood work unless the cat is elderly or showing symptoms of being ill. I read on this site all the time of vets charging 300.00 -400.00 dollars for teeth work, my vet just cleaned my cat's teeth and removed two for less than 150.00. Surgeries are less than spaying! He has charged us nothing when we have brought in strays, even with shots and meds, because he says we are kind to care for them. So they are out there, I have switched many times in my life to find this one, so don't be afraid to move on if you don't have a good rapport with the one you have, I have sensed many times that some vets don't care for cats.
 
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PetParent1

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I won't mention then what I jusr paid for a teeth cleaning. it wasn't anywhere near $150
 
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PetParent1

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finding good vets that don't charge arm and leg is hard.
 

Stinky15

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Did you go in for routine exam and end up with a very expensive vet bill for what was a seemingly healthy cat. what's your story?
You can always call and ask prices. I agree, some Vets. don;t seem to like cats.
 
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PetParent1

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I did get the prices of everything along the way. but things came up and they found stuff and wanted to culture stuff and you trust when they say your pet needs something and before you know. you have very very large bill.
 

MeganLLB

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I went into a Banfield Pet hospital at petsmart before ONLY because I had two coupons, one was for a free exam to be used in combination with another coupon for a $15 microchip. I was there only for a microchip. I went into the exam room and they wanted to do all of his vaccines (some of which he was too young for), they wanted to neuter him, microchip him, all in the same day. This is Bosco btw. They had a bill racked up over $900 and I just went in there for a microchip. I had to argue with them that I didn't want any of that done and I was waiting until he got older till I neutered him, then they criticized me for my decision.

Then when I get his microchip and I go to pay I only had one of the coupons with me, the other one my dad had in a coupon booklet and had wandered off in the store somewhere. I asked them to wait before they rang me up, but they did anyway. Then my dad came back with the coupon and I wanted to use it but they said they couldn't because we had already made the transaction. Like you can't cancel a transaction? Then they said it would basically be up to the vet if she wanted to give me the $20 I should have gotten off with the coupon. I waited 30 minutes for the vet to come out and she just said no I won't give you the money. I was fuming by that time. I said I wanted to speak to a manager, they said I am the manager there isn't anyone else to speak to and they gave me a card so I could call their office.

So I did. I made a formal complaint to their corporate office which was documented. I had to repeat my story about three times so they could record it, and I eventually was credited my $20. Which at that point it wasn't even about the $20 is was just about the way they treated me, acted like all they wanted was my money and as soon as they got it I was dirt. WORST experience at a vet EVER.
 

Antonio65

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Did you go in for routine exam and end up with a very expensive vet bill for what was a seemingly healthy cat. what's your story?
Over here it's hard to find a doctor that agrees to do what you want them to do :lol:
Generally the vets in my area do not do what it isn't really necessary. Another factor that helps us in this part of the world is the fact that vet bills are quite accessible.
A complete blood work is around €60.00.
A heart/abdomen scan is around €90.00.
An X-ray is €40.00-60.00.
A vaccination is €25.00-30.00.

So, even if a vet throws in an extra exam, it's something we can afford without "selling a kidney" as we use to say here ;)
 

denice

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Vet prices are so different from area to area. One of mine just had a dental, she had blood work done about a week before and that bill was over 300 so it was just a dental. They did do a UA because there were changes in her blood work and they confirmed CKD with the UA. She had one tooth pulled and the bill was almost 800. Vet care is expensive here.

Whether or not I feel I am being taken depends on the quality of care I received. I did a lot of vet hopping with a chronically ill cat, lots of large bills with no real answers so I did feel taken. I have a good vet practice now so I just look at it as vet care is expensive here.
 

rogue22912

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I went to get a routine vet check for my cat buddy, the vet said that his stomach seemed firm and wanted to keep him overnight so they could get xrays and have a ultra sound specialists come in the morning to do a ultra sound on buddy, the bill came out to over 1200 dollars and the final verdict was that he was just fat.
 

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When my Timmer was to be diagnosed for his IBD the tests all together along with x-rays and meds was $5,000. He passed away two weeks later. I'm still paying the bill. There was a "miscellaneous" column that had $400 in it. I said what's that for. No one could come up with a solid answer.
 

jen

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They shouldn't have to run blood work unless the cat is elderly or showing symptoms of being ill. I read on this site all the time of vets charging 300.00 -400.00 dollars for teeth work, my vet just cleaned my cat's teeth and removed two for less than 150.00. Surgeries are less than spaying!
I absolutely 100% disagree that bloodwork should not be done unless the cat is elderly or showing signs of being ill. We all know that cats do anything they can to hide their pain so why on earth would you just wait until they seem ill? Routine bloodwork after they are a bit older, everywhere I worked used 8 years as the baseline to start really recommending bloodwork checks.

I worry about what corners they cut to get a dental with extractions down to $150 only. That is honestly ALARMING. Did they not monitor the surgery? Did they not medicate properly? How is this even possible? Was it a full, anesthetized dental cleaning?

I went to get a routine vet check for my cat buddy, the vet said that his stomach seemed firm and wanted to keep him overnight so they could get xrays and have a ultra sound specialists come in the morning to do a ultra sound on buddy, the bill came out to over 1200 dollars and the final verdict was that he was just fat.
Is this not good news though? Would you have preferred they fine something serious to justify paying that much to check? At what point are we being "ripped off by the vet" vs there being something the vet thought was suspecious that tested out normal. I mean, THANK GOODNESS they checked to make sure no? It's like, if they fine something bad in the tests people get mad that it wasn't caught sooner, but if they don't find anything at all then people get mad that they were ripped off. Many times it is a lose lose situation for the vet.
 

jen

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The bottom line also, is you can always decline everything. If you agree to something without asking cost that is ON YOU. Always ask for an estimate, decline if it isn't necessary or tell the vet you will think about it. You could always call around and ask other clinics that you are looking for basic price quote for a certain procedure. You should know what your bill will be before you walk up to the counter to pay. You can also approve things in sets. Start with an xray and if it looks suspicious then move on to ultrasound. Many clinics only have someone skilled with the ultrasound in the clinic once in awhile, those things are NOT easy to read.
 
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Kieka

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I'd have to say I walk away with a bitter taste more because of the vets attitude and personality then actual cost. For example, I recently took Link to the ER vet. I knew it was going to expensive; $208 for exam and two shots. The receptionist startled me that the ER base fee is only $10 then the regular exam which makes them $20 more than my regular vet.

But the part that annoyed me the most was I didn't feel like the vet liked cats. There were no other patients in the building (I asked) and no one in the waiting room. Just me and Link. The vet was rough with the exam and I almost told him to stop because I could tell Link was done, luckily he finished then. The vet barely even looked at Link after the exam and practically ran out of the room. My regular vet is watching Link more than me as we talk about what her opinion of whatever is and usually pets him automatically when he is close enough. Just didn't feel good or right.
 

Daisy6

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Many times people get mad when the vet makes an incorrect diagnosis because a test their cats needed was too expensive to pay for . . .
 

PushPurrCatPaws

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I absolutely 100% disagree that bloodwork should not be done unless the cat is elderly or showing signs of being ill. We all know that cats do anything they can to hide their pain so why on earth would you just wait until they seem ill? Routine bloodwork after they are a bit older, everywhere I worked used 8 years as the baseline to start really recommending bloodwork checks. ...
I agree with this and would go further to say that if your younger cat (younger than 7-8 years old, using your example) is using any kind of meds on a regular basis, it's good to get bloodwork and UAs on a regular basis as well. You need to know how that med is affecting their system.
 
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jen

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I agree with this and would go further to say that if your younger cat (younger than 7-8 years old, using your example) is using any kind of meds on a regular basis, it's good to get bloodwork and UAs on a regular basis as well. You need to know how that med is affecting their system.
Good points. I didn't even consider an already sick cat, or one with a compromised immune system and definitely before any surgery like dental or neutering if the cat is not a kitten anymore. We hear so many cats come down with early kidney disease or heart conditions, why not just check it early and be safe and know what normal levels are so later when its done again, if anything changed you will know what to keep an eye on.
 

Kieka

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Many times people get mad when the vet makes an incorrect diagnosis because a test their cats needed was too expensive to pay for . . .
My rainbow kitty was almost misdiagnosed because the vet didn't even want to offer the test he needed. She assumed he had an abcess and wanted to give him antibiotics then wait and see. She wanted to save me money on what she felt was unnecessary. I asked for a biopsy because it didn't feel right for an abcess and she disagreed. I refused to leave until she took a biopsy or at least pricked it to confirm abcess. The owner of the practice told her to just do it. It was cancer.

I agree some people balk at prices and don't get the proper diagnosis because the test is expensive. But sometimes the vet encourages the lower proceed option.
 
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