Is My Vet Charging Too Much?

I adopted both of my cats, Burger and Maki, during the last week of June. Took them to the vet a couple weeks later where they both received the standard wellness check-up (both were already spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up to date on all their vaccines, so they were just weighed and Maki had her temperature checked due to some urinary tract issues).

This checkup was free (as most first check-ups are), but I recently happened upon the receipt and saw that their wellness exam would have cost me $75 per cat ($150 total!). I also had to pay for some antibiotics for Maki, which ended up costing me $40 for 10 doses. I didn't really bat an eye because I know that when it comes to pet care cost shouldn't matter, but after reading about how wellness exams are usually around $40-$50 and larger doses of antibiotics go for only $20, I'm starting to get the feeling that the clinic is a bit overpriced.

This is becoming a large issue for me as my family will be travelling overseas in a couple of months and we will be taking both cats with us, but that also means a lot of vaccines, tests, and paperwork that's going to have to go through the clinic and I don't really feel like overpaying on something that's already going to be expensive.

Are these prices reasonable or should I consider changing clinics?

I live in the UK and my vet charges £28/30 ( $37) so your vet is expensive. I would phone around and ask what the other vets charge.

It doesn't hurt at all to call around and see. Personally i think that clinic is high, especially charging that much for an exam with no vaccinations. Mine is that WITH vaccinations, and if I bring in 2 cats or 4, they charge me one office visit, 25.00, not 25.00 for each cat.

Burki said:

This checkup was free (as most first check-ups are),

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Not all first visits are free. Big chains like Banfield offer a free visit just to get new clients in the door but tend to make up for that by charging more for additional services like diagnostic testing and medications. Many private vet hospital do not offer free visits.

Burki said:

. I also had to pay for some antibiotics for Maki, which ended up costing me $40 for 10 doses. I didn't really bat an eye because I know that when it comes to pet care cost shouldn't matter, but after reading about how wellness exams are usually around $40-$50 and larger doses of antibiotics go for only $20, I'm starting to get the feeling that the clinic is a bit overpriced.

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Depends on where you live. Those prices may be typical if your location has a high cost of living. You can call around to other vet hospitals in the area and see what they charge for an exam. The info may be on their web site, too. You won't find medication pricing, though.

The vet hospital I use charges about $75 for a cat exam. Vaccinations, etc are extra.

A low cost vet clinic is an option for reasonable prices.

Pet insurance may be something you can look into.

Vets in my area charge a wide range of prices. The cheapest is $40 (SPCA Wellness Clinic) and the most expensive is $95 (highly-regarded emergency vet, but this is the normal exam fee even if it's not an emergency).

Since I don't have pet insurance, a vet visit for me (in Central Florida) runs around $55 - a little more expensive than what I pay for a human visit (although I do have insurance). A 10 day supply of antibiotics is $40. And, a urinalysis and full culture last cost me $118. Total body function blood testing, including super chem panel, was last $110.

May be high, but I've been going to this guy (and his father before him) since 1983. I'm OK. I trust him.

That's just a little less than what I pay. I go to a clinic with multiple vets and they all seem to have a rate in the 80-120 dollar range just for the appointment. We are happy if our bill is less than 200 on any visit. We also get a small discount for having multiple cats for services (not meds).

I don't think 75 dollars is unreasonable depending on where the office is.

We go to a vet who owns her own clinic. Visits are $45 or less on average depending on if you only need to see her tech or need to see her and the extent of the issue. I have never gone where she did not examine my cats, but plenty of times I have been charged the tech only price when it was just a need for eye or ear drops. I have taken two cats in at the same time for different things and only been charged for a single visit charge. The prescriptions are well priced, too. I once heard her talking to a dog owner who could not pay to bring her dog in due to a job loss. I did not hear what exact arrangements were made, but the owner looked happy. When my appointment was over, she was sitting in the waiting room with her dog.

She is also a fantastic, caring vet! I do not mind that she is 30 miles from us.

Call around. Is there a low cost clinic in your area?

I go to a VCA clinic, and my costs are about the same. Exam, rabies vaccination, and county tag are close to $100. I've stopped buying Paradyne (flea meds) from them because it was so expensive and now order Revolution on-line.

Most insurance companies do not pay for annual visits, and the deductibles can be high. Mine is $250.

I’ve lived in Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Utah, Michigan, Colorado, and now Oregon—medium-sized communities of about 60,000 to 80,000. The most I’ve ever paid for a wellness visit is $45 per cat. Most of the vets we’ve seen have also given a multi-cat discount although my current vet does not.

The price (and quality) has a huge range.

My favorite vet before I moved was $55 (free 1st visit) and all medication and procedures were very well priced. They had a full lab so you didn't have to wait more than a few hours for test results, blood work, etc. After becoming an established client they give discounts. The longer you stay with them the greater the discount becomes. My current vet (the only one that would take a new patient and offers emergency services) is $65 (no free 1st visit) + extra charges for "time," and incredibly high prices for medication and procedures. They're the only vet with any kind of emergency service within nearly 40 miles, and they only offer emergency services for patients. Your cat could literally be dying and they wouldn't help if you aren't an established patient. You would be sent an hour away to the next emergency clinic, even if that extra hour costs your pet it's life. They're worth using for wellness checks just to remain eligible for emergency services, but for procedures, it's better to drive an hour away.

Thank you everyone for the responses! I asked a few friends where they take their pets and how reasonable the costs are, and I found that my clinic while not outrageous for the area, is still definitely on the higher end (apparently $60 for a booster!). I also discovered that my local PetCo does low-cost vaccinations, my local SPCA is the best place to get spays/neuters, and that there are two much more decently priced clinics only a few minutes away. Thanks again!

Good for you! You're all set!

If you are planning on flying with the cats I would recommend having one vet keep the records. Most airlines will use any excuse to refuse to allow animals to fly, as well as the restrictions on the country where you are going.