Vets being greedy?

Tupins

As you'll all know going to the vet can be quite costly and while we want the best for our pets we also want to keep costs down when we can. I don't know about any where else in the country but there is a great chemist in Cork on the Grand Parade which always dispensed animal medicines as well as for humans. The man who works there (if he's still there) is really helpful and would give great advice on all animal issues and medicines and I often went there to get something like eye drops for weeping eyes or Defurrum for my cat which is basically a cream that you put on the cats paws and they lick it off. I found it a great supplementary service to going to the vet. I mean obviously I would go the vet for more serious issues but this was great as you could get good products for fleas, worms, minor aches and pains and you could even get antibiotics over the counter for obvious infections.

Anyway, i went in the other day to buy some mild pain killers for my sisters cat who has an old but not very serious leg injury which comes at her now and again. She's taken them a couple of times before and they work out great for her. I was shocked when the girl working there told me that there has been a new law passed recently which prevents them from selling anything without a prescription from the vet. She claimed that the vets were complaining that people were going directly to the chemists instead of via them to get medication. It was dissappointing news for me and I told her I would just take a tube of Defurrum for now and she said she couldn't even sell me that without a prescription!! You have to have a prescription for literally everything now! The girl herself said they were going mad over it and had lost lots of business already.

Now, before anyone jumps down my throat I realise that for some medications it is important to get a vets advice or you may end up harming the animal. But in fairness - having to get a prescription for hairball treatment is a bit much! So is this just a racket by greedy vets or what?

forestfruits

Thats nuts!! The poor auld vets must be finding times tight! A trip to the vets is not cheap

carwash_2006

There have been some new laws passed recently about medications, I know the vet nurse was saying that they are not allowed hand out certain medication unless the vet is on the premises.

However, things like wormers and flea treatments are usually available over the counter in the vets, I would imagine something like defurrum would be the same. You shouldn't need to pay for a vets visit to get these things. Antibiotics and painkillers I would be with the vets on believing that people should have the vet see the animal for these things.

Overuse of antibiotic, or using the wrong type for the wrong thing breeds these resistant bacteria and while you may know a lot about these things another person could be misusing them, if you want to be allowed to prescribe these things then spend the 5 years in college to prove you know your stuff. I would feel the same about painkillers, you may actually do harm by giving certain painkillers if the patients heart is not strong or there is something else going on, if the vet sees the animal reasonably regularly and know the case history they would probably give them out from time to time without having to see the animal, but otherwise an ignorant person could cause harm.

You have to remember while you may be sensible and responsible, there are many more people out there who don't have a clue and just want to save themselves money while feeling they have done something. For all you know the vets are seeing the results of mismedication on a regular basis and are complaining because they are having to pick up after this and not because they are thinking of the money they are not getting on these meds.

Then again I know there are some vets out there that are only concerned about their pockets and don't give a damn about the animals, but it is not fair to tar them all with the same brush. My vet hardly ever seems to charge me for the meds these days, just the basic visit, then again I seem to spend a fair bit of time in there.

luckat

Friends of mine who had an elderly dog (+RIP+) and lived between Paris and Dublin said that both the prices of vet visits and the prices of medication were extraordinarily higher in Ireland.

They got to the point where they would wait to go to Paris to buy the dog's heart and lung and kidney medication, which would cost something like €200 for six months in Paris, and €600 in Dublin.

(They said the same about doctors - a long visit to a specialist in Paris cost €40, and he did a bunch of tests that showed a serious illness. On returning to Ireland the patient was sent to another specialist, who charged €220 for a short consultation, and sent the patient for all the same tests again.)

lostinnappies

It is illegal for anyone other then a Vet to prescribe priscription medicine and this man in the pharmacy needs to be very careful he will land himself in jail.

To the question are Vets greedy, in my opinion yes. Having worked as a Veterinary Nurse i can tell you that they perswade owners to have tests which quite frankly they dont all need .. why? because its standard. They overcharge for consults, if you were to pay 50 euros to see a doctor you would expect to spend more then 10 min in the room. But where they really over charge is in the operating theatre.

Storm_rages

ok this is a little off topic but i'm just back from the local vet after the puppy got snip, and injections, and his due claws removed and his micro-chip. And even with a voucher from the lovely people of dogs in distress (for the injections and snip) it still ended up costing me €135… and its another €20 to get his bandages changed next week…


sorry I think I may be in shock! but yes i think vets are greedy!

whitser

some are robbing bsatards, not all. mine is very good. there has been times when he didnt even charge. having said that i've spent hundreds in the last few years. but always found him on the level. try to use country vets rather then the city/pet types.

MsFifers

TBH - I've found the opposite. The vets I've had dealings with are likely to always advocate the cheapest option - and for eg, advised on the "wait and see" approach and were against running tests etc. They've given me free antibiotics, and in one case, suggested I get someone to put down an animal cause it wouldn't be worth it to treat it. LOL! (It was a flystruck sheep - they thought I was an unsentimental farmer, not the soft touch I actually am!)

Mind you, the consults are v. expensive in themselves. And I sometimes wonder if these annual booster vaccinations are really necessary... Why can't they make one that last a lifetime like for humans?

whitser

MsFifers wrote: »

TBH - I've found the opposite. The vets I've had dealings with are likely to always advocate the cheapest option - and for eg, advised on the "wait and see" approach and were against running tests etc. They've given me free antibiotics, and in one case, suggested I get someone to put down an animal cause it wouldn't be worth it to treat it. LOL! (It was a flystruck sheep - they thought I was an unsentimental farmer, not the soft touch I actually am!)

Mind you, the consults are v. expensive in themselves. And I sometimes wonder if these annual booster vaccinations are really necessary... Why can't they make one that last a lifetime like for humans?

i dont bother with the yearly booster,its a scam. get mine done as pups and thats it. thats just my opinion.

charlesD

I think it really depends on the vet. I took my dog to the vet last week and used the same company I usually use, but went to a different office that was more convenient to me.

They showed me an estimate before doing any work and one of the tests they were running was about 40 dollars more than they had quoted me over the phone. I made mention of this and they informed me that they did in fact have another test that did the same thing, but cost 1/2 of the price. By reviewing the bill, I saved over $100, which they would have happily charged me had I not said anything.

The staff at the other office though, the one I usually use, had always worked to save me money, which was why I went to them, so finding the right vet really makes a difference.

boomerang

I don't think the vaccinations are a scam - but you don't need to vaccinate for every disease, every year. For instance, I think the parvovirus vaccination gives protection for approx. three years.

On the other hand, the leptospirosis vaccination is only effective for up to twelve months, so you should revaccinate against lepto every year.

Having seen unvaccinated dogs and pups die from parvo, lepto and other infectious diseases, I don't take vaccinations lightly.

It's true that things like vaccinations are the bread and butter for small animal vets, but they were developed for a reason.

I don't think you can tar all vets with the same brush, OP. I've met greedy vets who only think of the cash in the till, but I've also met the most wonderful, compassionate vets who are incredibly generous when it comes to treating needy animals.

lostinnappies

whitser wrote: »

i dont bother with the yearly booster,its a scam. get mine done as pups and thats it. thats just my opinion.

You dont know how may adult dogs i have seen come in to our Vets with pavo virus by owners who said the same thing. Adult cats coming in with FIV (feline aids) also. Yearly boosters are ness for a complet coverage throughout their lives it is the one thing i would not skimp on how and ever i still think that yes vets do overcharge.

boomerang

My vet doesn't overcharge... she's fantastic!

She recently descaled my collie's teeth and then descaled and polished my other dog's teeth under anaesthetic and extracted a broken tooth.

Total cost? €70.

I was so shocked, I asked her was she undercharging me!

She will spay a cat for €45 and does a beautiful job (small incision, dissolvable stiches, never any inflammation or infection of the wound-site). Most vets charge at least €70 - €100 for a spay.


Another vet I used charged me €100 two years ago just to descale/polish one dog's teeth - and that included a discount!

carwash_2006

As said before the parvo vaccine only needs to be done every 3 years, but the lepto one - which has something else with it, can't remember what right now - needs to be done every year, lepto is a very nasty illness that can be caught wuite easily by a dog drinking out of a dirty puddle in the wrong place. I wouldn't take chances on that one.

You cannot vaccinate against FIV, so I don't know why you mention that lostinnappies. Cats that are given access to the outside should be vaccinated against FeLV yearly, but bear in mind that the FeLV vaccine has been linked with VAS sarcomas (they can get a tumour at the vaccination site in some cases). If vaccinating for FeLV do ask your vet to do it in the left hind leg - this is because if a sarcoma does develop the leg can be amputated, tumours between the shoulder blades cannot be removed.

I would advise anyone deciding not to go on their vets recommendations of yearly vaccinations to do some serious research before they decide they are unnecessary. Even talk to your vet, most vets if asked will discuss the vaccinations that are necessary yearly and which ones can done every 3 years.

gollyitsolly

I brought a wild kitten to the vets last week and it cost me 130euros. An aids test,flea treatment,eye cream and antibiotic for flu! In 2 weeks time it has to have its injections and then later get it neutered. Think before you decide to take in a cat!:(

The Sweeper

The vets down here are fond of charging high prices. It's $46 AUD for a cat consult. However a repeat consult is just $17, which may sound cheap, but I don't like paying it when I'm back with something the vet didn't catch first time around.

My cats are from a local rescue centre, who charge $120 for a kitten under six months, and $60 for any cat over six months. They come fleaed, wormed, de-sexed, microchipped and vaccinated for that price. If I was to take a cat to the local vet myself they'd charge me over $250 for that lot.

lostinnappies

I do know what im talking about you know read it here
http://cats.about.com/cs/vaccination/a/fiv_vaccine.htm

Felv and Fiv are both in the same vial when they are vacc.
(feline lukemia and feline aids)


And while you can get seperate vaccines for parvo you also have to vaccinate against distemper, Viral hepatitis,Two type of Leptospirosis then why bother whe these also have to be yearly injections and distemper is almost as bad as parvo.

And lastly VAS sarcomas are so rare its not even worth worrying about. In my 5/6 years working in the UK in the vets I never saw any and i saw alot of reactions to vaccinations but most were just localised swelling which went down in a few days.

carwash_2006 wrote: »

As said before the parvo vaccine only needs to be done every 3 years, but the lepto one - which has something else with it, can't remember what right now - needs to be done every year, lepto is a very nasty illness that can be caught wuite easily by a dog drinking out of a dirty puddle in the wrong place. I wouldn't take chances on that one.

You cannot vaccinate against FIV, so I don't know why you mention that lostinnappies. Cats that are given access to the outside should be vaccinated against FeLV yearly, but bear in mind that the FeLV vaccine has been linked with VAS sarcomas (they can get a tumour at the vaccination site in some cases). If vaccinating for FeLV do ask your vet to do it in the left hind leg - this is because if a sarcoma does develop the leg can be amputated, tumours between the shoulder blades cannot be removed.

I would advise anyone deciding not to go on their vets recommendations of yearly vaccinations to do some serious research before they decide they are unnecessary. Even talk to your vet, most vets if asked will discuss the vaccinations that are necessary yearly and which ones can done every 3 years.

whitser

lostinnappies wrote: »

You dont know how may adult dogs i have seen come in to our Vets with pavo virus by owners who said the same thing. Adult cats coming in with FIV (feline aids) also. Yearly boosters are ness for a complet coverage throughout their lives it is the one thing i would not skimp on how and ever i still think that yes vets do overcharge.

maybe so and im not doubting you. but in 17 yrs keeping working dogs and knowing others who keep dogs i've never once heard of an adult dog(that was vac'd as a pup) getting parvo etc...believe me i dont just not get it to save pennys, money is not an object for my dogs,once i feel its necessary.

anniehoo

Storm_rages wrote: »

ok this is a little off topic but i'm just back from the local vet after the puppy got snip, and injections, and his due claws removed and his micro-chip. And even with a voucher from the lovely people of dogs in distress (for the injections and snip) it still ended up costing me €135…

Vet College UCD are always looking for spays/neuters...spay <€40 for a dog and around €25 for a castrate! They do an immaculate job!

lostinnappies

whitser wrote: »

maybe so and im not doubting you. but in 17 yrs keeping working dogs and knowing others who keep dogs i've never once heard of an adult dog(that was vac'd as a pup) getting parvo etc...believe me i dont just not get it to save pennys, money is not an object for my dogs,once i feel its necessary.

Yes but sick dogs dont come to you do they, i think on average there was 2 (each year) adult dogs who came in with pavo virus because they werent vacc after puppy hood. Dont get me wrong you can certainly dissagree with the vets over what an animal truely needs but Vaccinations are the one thing i wouldnt skimp on. If you work with dogs then you really aught to work with Vaccinated dogs as all it will take is for one dog to spread it to some of the other dogs you keep/walk (i dont know you didnt say) and you will be sued by the owners. If its not to save on pennies however I think its the least your dog diserves.

Just to let you know ... not one of those dogs survived.

lostinnappies

anniehoo wrote: »

Vet College UCD are always looking for spays/neuters...spay <€40 for a dog and around €25 for a castrate! They do an immaculate job!

yes they do, they are always superivsed for anyone who is worried about students working on their animals.

whitser

no sick dogs dont come to me. but how can you be sure the dogs you saw were vac'd as pups?
i dont skrimp on any costs for my dogs,but i wont hand over money willy nilly either for something i dont feel is necassary. just my opinion. im not telling any one else not to get yearly vac's.
your must be a vet. are all animals required to get yearly vac's or just cats and dogs?

lostinnappies

whitser wrote: »

no sick dogs dont come to me. but how can you be sure the dogs you saw were vac'd as pups?
i dont skrimp on any costs for my dogs,but i wont hand over money willy nilly either for something i dont feel is necassary. just my opinion. im not telling any one else not to get yearly vac's.
your must be a vet. are all animals required to get yearly vac's or just cats and dogs?

No im not a vet, as i said in early posts i have worked as a Veterinary Nurse. And normally we would know they were vaccinated as pups because either they were on our records or the owners told us they were only vaccinated as puppies and didnt realise they had to do it every year.

Being a small animal Nurse i dealt with mainly family pets and the such. So while there are other animals which need vaccinations that wouldnt be my speciality .. rabbits need vaccinations, cats, dogs etc. But when it comes to larger animals like horses sheep catle then there are vacc but weither or not they are yearly i couldnt tell you. I would deal more with the medical and surgical side of the vets (and if you think the vets do most of the work .... think again its the nurses doing the dentals, blood taking, anaesthesia, x-rays, in-house labs, small operations, iv drips etc .. )

whitser

if i had to guess i'd say its only the smaller pets that need a yearly vac(soft touch market) but i stand to be corrected on that.
i'd also say that the dogs you saw were never vac'd despite what the owners said.
but sure listen, each to their own. we all have differnt views on whats best for our animals be it feeding,kennelling,vac's,worming etc......

bigpinkelephant

whitser wrote: »

if i had to guess i'd say its only the smaller pets that need a yearly vac(soft touch market).

I find that highly offensive. There is a difference between being a soft touch and being a responsible owner.

whitser

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I find that highly offensive. There is a difference between being a soft touch and being a responsible owner.

wasnt trying to offend. just funny that the bread and butter pet patients need yearly vac's, and horses etc..dont.
if i offended you,sorry. get over it.
im a responsible dog owner by the way.

MsFifers

whitser wrote: »

i'd also say that the dogs you saw were never vac'd despite what the owners said.

She did say that it was her own vet practice's records that showed that the pups had been vaccinated once.

foxhoundone

my big tomcat called monty was havin a right go at his head. {as you are aware that,s were flea,s deposit the waste.} so iapplied some savlon to the area not only did it stop him going dementd it over a period of time it zapped the flea,s no more buying exspencive flea prouduct,s for me{ha ha one in the eye for racitering vet,s}
vet,s are just above estate agent,s in the food chain lol

whitser

look ok. as i said,we all have our own ways of doing things. i'll do things my way. im not pushed to try and convince anyone not to get the yearly vac's.

anniehoo

foxhoundone wrote: »

vet,s are just above estate agent,s in the food chain lol

Absolutely ridiculous statement! Also learn the difference between commas and apostrophes..

foxhoundone

anniehoo wrote: »

Absolutely ridiculous statement! Also learn the difference between commas and apostrophes..

sorry annie did,nt mean to offend. didn,t know you were an estate agent

MisterAnarchy

foxhoundone wrote: »

vet,s are just above estate agent,s in the food chain lol

You do realise that alot of Vets are more qualified than your local GP ?
People are more than willing to hand over 50-60 euro for 5 mins with the GP ,alot of whom I've found to be useless and disinterested.
People are also willing to be ripped off by tradesmen who charge obscene amounts for trivial jobs.
Who is more qualified,has higher overheads ?
Anytime I go to the vet I find the charges to be more than fair although I do agree basic medicine should be freely available without a prescription.

foxhoundone

ok i,think the point of this thread is to highlight the {closed shop} mentality of some if not all vet,s no offence to moral vet,s but it,s getting like dentistry you can,t go online an buy a simple bridging repair gear for your teeth, hence they are starting to become a closed shop and wrap up the market. iwas talking to a polish workmate of mine who is here to get his english cert {iknow what ur thinking he wont learn much from me LOL}
and he said he could get me a crown and bridging repair kit, for next to nowt. if i ask him about basic medicine for me pet,s and he quote,s me well do you think i,ll knock him back. also alot of these guy,s are very well educated and have more qualifacation,s than most, there only here as any other person would{ meself incluled }cause they can quadrupel there wage,s an make a better life for them selve,s and family back home

charlesD

anniehoo wrote: »

Also learn the difference between commas and apostrophes..

That is a pretty odd typo.

Ruby Soho

A latecomer to this thread, I can't believe what I'm reading!!!
The veterinary medications that used to be provided over the counter in pharmacies are not allowed anymore because they are, by law, prescription drugs only, that includes most spot-on parasite treatment, and all pain relief / antibiotics. This is for a reason. What pharmacists is qualified to dispense pain relief for animals? None. Do all pharmacists know for instance that aspirin based drugs are potentially lethal to cats? Are they aware that giving non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to an animal with compromised liver / kidney function can be detrimental to the animals health? No.
There is a reason that vets are the only people allowed to give out medication, its because they are the only people qualified to make that clinical judgement.
As for the vaccinations, these have been developed over years and years of research, each manufacturer recommends a specific duration that each vaccine is effective for. Say for instance that a dog vaccinated 2 years ago for Leptospirosis becomes infected and dies, do you think that any pet owners / veterinarians would have a legal leg to stand on? Absolutely not if the manufacturers have said that the vaccine's duration of effectiveness is 12 months.
And trust me, if any of the sceptics have ever seen a dog die of Parvo, lepto or distemper, you would hot foot it down to the vets for a vaccine tonight.

spottykatt

Ruby Soho wrote: »

A latecomer to this thread, I can't believe what I'm reading!!!
The veterinary medications that used to be provided over the counter in pharmacies are not allowed anymore because they are, by law, prescription drugs only, that includes most spot-on parasite treatment, and all pain relief / antibiotics. This is for a reason. What pharmacists is qualified to dispense pain relief for animals? None. Do all pharmacists know for instance that aspirin based drugs are potentially lethal to cats? Are they aware that giving non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to an animal with compromised liver / kidney function can be detrimental to the animals health? No.
There is a reason that vets are the only people allowed to give out medication, its because they are the only people qualified to make that clinical judgement.

+1, well said.

spottykatt

whitser wrote: »

just funny that the bread and butter pet patients need yearly vac's, and horses etc..dont.

Just for the record horses 'etc' do get annual vaccinations, actually most are now getting 6month boosters (as per manufacturer guidelines)

anniehoo

Ruby Soho wrote: »

And trust me, if any of the sceptics have ever seen a dog die of Parvo, lepto or distemper, you would hot foot it down to the vets for a vaccine tonight.

Better said than an Estate Agent :D

boomerang

The importance of vaccinating your pet rabbit both for Myx and VHD cannot be overstated... I know of a lovely lady who recently lost all three of her (unvaccinated) pet rabbits to VHD in 24 hours. It is a horrible virus and causes such a horrific death.

LegacyUser

That's a bit OTTC isn't it. I don't see any reason why general animal medication cannot be sold over the counter - like pain killers.

whitser

spottykatt wrote: »

Just for the record horses 'etc' do get annual vaccinations, actually most are now getting 6month boosters (as per manufacturer guidelines)

well i did say that i stand to be corrected. any way, of course the manufacters want us using the vac every year or six months, that means we're buying them every year or six months.
just my opinion.im keeping dogs a long time and have seen all sorts but never once had a dog down with parvo etc..once it had been vac'd as a pup. and im not alone in that. and any time i did hear of a dog or pup getting the parvo,they werent vac'd at all.

lostinnappies

whitser wrote: »

if i had to guess i'd say its only the smaller pets that need a yearly vac(soft touch market) but i stand to be corrected on that.
i'd also say that the dogs you saw were never vac'd despite what the owners said.
but sure listen, each to their own. we all have differnt views on whats best for our animals be it feeding,kennelling,vac's,worming etc......

Obviously didnt read what i wrote properly i also said they were on our records ... infact one puppy I personally vacc and didnt see again for 5 years, low and behold guess what happened.

lostinnappies

bubby wrote: »

That's a bit OTTC isn't it. I don't see any reason why general animal medication cannot be sold over the counter - like pain killers.

Can you get antibiotics for a baby over the counter .... no, why not? Harbour a guess .... oh yes that right IT MIGHT KILL THEM. so why is it any different for an animal, 90% of what we give animals in the Vets is peadicatric medication and just as any child under the age of 12 asprin can kill a dog or cat (as previously stated). So why should someone who doesnt understand the complex interactions of the medications we give animals not dispence them (because of just that reason). Metacam and rimadyl for instance two very good and basic pain killers for both cats and dogs ... however if you give both at the same time your cat/dogs kidneys will fail... bet ya didnt know that, well neither does a pharmasist.

whitser

lostinnappies wrote: »

Obviously didnt read what i wrote properly i also said they were on our records ... infact one puppy I personally vacc and didnt see again for 5 years, low and behold guess what happened.

i've just googled "are yearly pet vac's necessary?" and there is a lot of opinion out there that they are NOT. which has been my experience. now im not telling anyone not to get them done,but research and make up your own mind.

lostinnappies

whitser wrote: »

i've just googled "are yearly pet vac's necessary?" and there is a lot of opinion out there that they are NOT. which has been my experience. now im not telling anyone not to get them done,but research and make up your own mind.

no they are not manditory, but neither is a having a tetanus how and ever i would certainly ensure my children have their tetanus every year why because it could possabley prevent them suffering later on. And if you are going to research perhaps you should post the url so we can see if these comments were put up on the web by qualified professionals who have seen the result of NOT having vacc. I mean how many times have you heard of a child not been given the right medical care because the parents have read some blog/post that said they didnt need it.

To get back to the origional post yes vets do overcharge and do tests that some animals dont need, yes research everything and make up your own mind, but the sole purpose of vaccinations is to prevent a disease there is no alternative motive out there, vets only go with the manufacturers recomondations of how often to vacc. After all isnt your pet worth the "what if?"

whitser

im not basing what i do on blogs,im basing it on keeping/breeding and working dogs for the last 17 years. of course manufacturors say we need yearly vac's,that way they make money,not beyond the relms of possibity that they have vested interested in us buying vac's every year.
same way pet food companys tell us dry complete food is the best thing you can feed your dog! i

gino85

my aunt had a vet ask her if she wanted her dog kept alive longer so she could spend more time with her, even tho the dog was riddled with tumers, struggling to breath, in aweful amounts of pain and very old, my aunt knew when bringing the dog to the vet she needed to be put to sleep. the only reason i can think of a vet doing this is to rack up the bill

bar that the main reason vet bills are so high is because nowadays most medicine is expensive to start with and i understand that vets need to make money aswell

Tupins

lostinnappies wrote: »

Can you get antibiotics for a baby over the counter .... no, why not? Harbour a guess .... oh yes that right IT MIGHT KILL THEM. so why is it any different for an animal,

Yes but you can get baby nurofen, teething medicines, calpol, rash creams and various other things for a baby over the counter - so why not similar for a pet?

If you read my original post you will see that I was refused a hairball treatment without prescription at this chemist and the reason I was given was that even these kinds of medicines now need prescription from a vet. I don't know anything about vaccinations for cattle or a lot of the other issues raised in this post, and as I've already said I can understand having to have a prescription for antibiotics etc but my point was that it seems to have gone to an extreme.

whitser

Tupins wrote: »

Yes but you can get baby nurofen, teething medicines, calpol, rash creams and various other things for a baby over the counter - so why not similar for a pet?

If you read my original post you will see that I was refused a hairball treatment without prescription at this chemist and the reason I was given was that even these kinds of medicines now need prescription from a vet. I don't know anything about vaccinations for cattle or a lot of the other issues raised in this post, and as I've already said I can understand having to have a prescription for antibiotics etc but my point was that it seems to have gone to an extreme.

like everything mate,some are robbing cxxts and some are sound. my advice dont go back to that vet again,vote with your feet as they say.
the vet i use is great but one of his junior vets that also can be in the clinic is a rip off, i just wait til the main man is on(provided its not an emergency)

MsFifers

Not really on-topic but there is an article in one of today's papers saying that vets have the highest suicide rates of any profession - 4 times that of doctors or dentists. They are blaming the isolation of the job.

foxhoundone

what id give for some isolation, but id have to get ,a prescription for it {LMAO}