Vets Bill.

[King29]

OK, had to get my Yorkshire Terrier put down today. Phoned vets, told Euthanasia £90, phoned back later asked about cost of cremation and was told just pay £90. Phoned a 3rd time and asked about the vet having a look when I take him in just to see (no hope really) if they can do anything. Receptionist said they do that anyway. Came along, vet looked at him walk, saw he was blind and unsteady and over 16.5 years old and put him to sleep. Totally did me in.

Went to pay, they wanted £190. £100 more than they said. £55 cremation and £45 vets consultation as well as £90 Euthansia. The vet looked at him for 2 minutes, checked his heart as well with stethoscope etc. They want £45 for that. Also in my 2nd phone call I was told £90, thats all the cash I brought to the vets.

I was too upset to argue and so just said I'll pay the rest tomorrow. I've written a strongly worded letter stating my case that I'll post recorded tomorrow. There was a concent letter for euthansia that I signed and never really read, too emotionally fucked.

My question is, who's in the right? should I stick to my guns and say £90 is all you are getting? any suggestions, they have my dog for cremation.

[struan80]

Sorry to hear you lost your dog mate. I have two and dread the day they go.

[A100man]

HI

Upsetting..

Not sure you'll be able to evade the cremation fee unless you want to reclaim him.
The consultation seems wrong, So I'd leave that amount out and walk away..
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[Bhud]

Sorry for your loss buddy. The right thing for your dog would never be an easy decision, whether for you or anyone else.

Are you sure you want to get into this with the vet? Just leave it. Pay them and shut them up, and move on. Vets know what they're doing. It would have been painless. Don't make this painful for you.

[pepperami]

[Polarbear]

I've had to have more than one pet put to sleep and I must admit that after having it done, paying the pound of flesh when I've spent a fortune over the years at the vet seems somewhat obscene. One thing you would think they could do for free and then any extras, like cremation, you pay on top.

But then it's a buisness.

I'm sure in some countries where they don't have an NHS and your granny dies, someone is along to get the $$$ for the last lot of drugs or care she had. No one other than family really care and that's the bottom line.

I'm sorry for your loss as I've been through it and I suppose the way I have to look at it as the final thing you have to do for your pet, and cost be damned.
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[ThunderGuts]

I'm sorry for your loss, it's never easy. It's good he did live to a ripe old age which is something to be celebrated - you must have looked after him well.

Vets fees are tricky . . . and not dissimilar to how medical fees work (as mentioned above) if you've ever had to pay them (like muggins here when he let his EHIC lapse then injured himself abroad - turned out a rather spendy holiday). There will be minimum charges for consultation fees to allow for inherent scheduling, cleaning, admin and other overheads. Some of the drugs used can be very expensive too, then you've potentially got single use medical instruments which need to be disposed of (clinical waste) and replaced too.

It does all add up - I think the problem is from a lay point of view such things can seem disproportionately expensive for what the output is, but it's everything you don't see that adds to the cost.

Honestly, right now the last thing you want to do is put yourself through a load of agro when you're mourning the loss of your dog. I'd just accept it and let yourself grieve, taking some comfort from the fact your dog would have had a peaceful and dignified end to his life.
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TG.

[King29]

Having slept a little at least I'm still angry with the vets this morning. One thing that really annoyed me in hindsight was the fact I asked for some alone time with my dog after the event. Not 45 seconds had gone by before a nurse came in and took him for paw printing and a clipping of fur to give to me. I'd have liked and was promised a few minutes alone but that was not the case.

From then on it was rush rush rush, get his money and get him gone. What I should have said on the intrusion was "I want some time with my dog, leave us alone", I didn't. Those last minutes were stolen from me and I feel really fucking annoyed about it, really annoyed. They obviously run a conveyor belt style service.

The more I think about it the more I want to go down and tear the nurse off a strip.

[ThunderGuts]

That does sound a bit rough to be fair - they could (and should) have been a bit more sensitive than that. They probably hastening things because they had booked appointments, but that doesn't make it excusable (and I'm sure any other customer would be understanding of a small delay to their appointment in the circumstances). I suspect the nurse was told to move things along too by someone else. I wouldn't do anything right now though as you're going to be emotionally charged so probably won't handle things as cool-headed as would be ideal. I think give it a few days at least then think about raising the issue with them (and when you do, I'd be tempted to do it in writing, e.g. via email, so you can calmly collect your thoughts together).
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TG.

[Diggs]

Do you want the additional grief of contesting the matter, when the money is small potatoes in comparison with the loss of your pooch?

As others have said, leave it a few days then think about whether you want to contest it. You may feel differently upon reflection.
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[Moth]

It really is true when they say you should go out & immediately get another dog. You've lost an old friend, but there's another dog out there eager to meet you.

Everyone needs something that's happy to see them when they come home.

Vets are increasingly being snapped up by corporates with the resulting 'sharp' practices. It is well worth the time to seek out a local practice that is still owned by its partners.
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[Moth]

[hellkat]

Its a difficult time, but the best thing you can do, out of respect for your dog, is just pay the bill and not make a fuss.

Its not wrong to be shocked at the extra expense, and not unnatural that you might want to have a bit of a whinge to the staff. But its a reasonable progression of costs, shame you weren't expecting them, but be gracious in the memory of your pet, and cough up.
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[Easy-X]

Maybe put your thoughts in a letter. Read it and rewrite it several times and don't post it to the practice until it feels like you've got your point across, be polite and constructive.

Literary expression can be cathartic.
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[MCN]

Sorry to hear your wee dog passed away.
I hope it's tearing up Hell in the afterlife.

Probably just have to cough for the vet bill.
But a decent move to point out that you called three times and was advised of pricing.
It's still a sort of contract.
You may get a discount that you could shove into a animal charity can (out of spite.).

The vet should sort out his/her front counter and help avoid bill disputes.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Skudd]

The main reason Vets charge so much is when they have to do a Prince Andrew for not sleeping with their patients.
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[stinkwheel]

Sounds like corporate practice BS.

In fairness, £55 for routine cremation sounds about right. Most practices use a third party crematorium and charge this at cost.

I wouldn't have added a consultation fee to the euthanasia but having worked in a corporate practice (and left because of shit like this), people in central office check over your days work and send you shitty emails if you didn't book stuff out.

£90 seems high-end for a euthanasia to me but you live in that London don't you? Cost of everything is higher.

At my current practice, a euthanasia is booked in as a half hour appointment and we generally try to make them just before a break in case it over-runs because we feel it's very important to do it well.

I'd say if you say nothing, they wont know anything is wrong and nothing will change. I think you have two main legitimate complaints. The first is charging a consultation on top of the euthanasia. The second is feeling you were rushed out.

An option of a third point on the inaccurate estimate because they almost certainly should have added the cremation cost to the main fee but if it's a coroprate, complaining about that will just lead to them dumping on the receptionist. The other two are points of policy and organisation that management should be addressing.
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[Tarmacsurfer]

[Old Git Racing]

All vets are owned by Credit Suisse

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[stinkwheel]

[King29]

[sickpup]