Are vets fees gone more expensive

Rachel 999

Has anyone been to a vet lately to get a simple proceedure done or vacc's. You need to go to see the doctor when you get the bill.
What prices are people paying round the country for basic vaccinations.:):):)

Honey-ec

Rachel 999 wrote: »

You need to go to see the doctor when you get the bill.

Er, not sure what that means, but anyway, I recently paid €130 for boosters for 3 Boxers in Tullow. I used to bring them to my mum's vet in Dublin and prices there were definitely higher.

Obviously initial vaccines (3, 5 or 9-in-one) will be more expensive.

Sigma Force

Fees in general have gone up and some medication can be expensive.
I paid €35.00 the other week for my little dogs booster and her kennel cough vax. I didn't think that was too bad usually my bills are higher than that..always something with animals.

I find flea treatments are a ridiculous price now stronghold/advocate etc.

I have found that Parazole wormer is so much cheaper than buying wormer tablets.

PurpleBerry

When I got my puppy from his parents owner in Tipperary she said the vaccinations would cost approx €7. I booked them in in a Dublin vets clinic and the cost was €45. I don't know if this was a mark-up or a misunderstanding but I got one round of vaccinations and then a set of boosters two weeks later. It came to €90 in total at the worst time of the year, January.

I would need to be very ill before I spent that much on myself but I can't refuse it for the puppy!

Run_to_da_hills

Is it worth going over the border for pet vaccinations, operations etc?

Dental treatment for humans is a lot cheaper in the North.

wolfpawnat

I'm sorry but €35-45 for the basic checkup or vaccinations has been the price for at least 4 years. Its not that expensive really. But there is one place I came across that is far too overpriced in the South side of Cork city, and I mean basic vaccines DOUBLE the price.

My suggestion is shop around. But beware anyone under €30 for check ups, they are usually that low only because they are not up to par and it is the only way for them to get customers!

boomerang

Neesa wrote: »

When I got my puppy from his parents owner in Tipperary she said the vaccinations would cost approx €7. I booked them in in a Dublin vets clinic and the cost was €45. I don't know if this was a mark-up or a misunderstanding but I got one round of vaccinations and then a set of boosters two weeks later. It came to €90 in total at the worst time of the year, January.

I would need to be very ill before I spent that much on myself but I can't refuse it for the puppy!

€7 is the cost price of the vaccination. There is quite a mark-up by the vets. Each vaccination at the vet will cost anywhere from €30 to €45 euro. I know it's very expensive but you did absolutely the right thing - it's so important that your puppy is inoculated against parvovirus especially - I've seen many puppies die of parvo, it's an absolutely horrible virus and so common.

00112984

Have spent just over €170 on vets' fees in the past three weeks. €70 for initial vaccination, worm dose and check-up for our puppy, €50 to have our rabbit put to sleep and another €50-something for second round of vaccinations for the pup today along with a second worm dose plus one to give her in a month.

Have to say, it certainly is expensive but we're lucky enough to have a vet we trust. They keep excellent records, do their best to accommodate us for Saturday appointments and emergency appointments and always give our pets a very thorough checking-over when they're in for the smallest of things. Even getting the first vaccinations for the pup two weeks ago, we were in with the vet for a good half hour and he checked everything- eyes, ears, feet, heart, hips, stance, tail; everything! He also gave us loads of advice and things to look out for. We never feel rushed to get out.

Apart from that, I know that the area where the clinic is located is an expensive area to rent. It's about a ten minute drive from us and I'd imagine there are places ten minutes in the opposite direction who are cheaper due to lower overheads etc. but this one is ideal as there is parking nearby and plenty of space to bring in crates/carriers etc.

On top of that, there are always at least two vets working, even on a Saturday so we're never left waiting long and there's always a second opinion right next door.

Yes, vets are expensive but we pay for the service as well as the product and the peace of mind in knowing that my pets are in good, though not overtly-cheap, hands.

mossie110

got my fella his yearly booster and got him wormed 69 euros in tralee

Tony H

Got my pup vaccinated twice recently , €40 each time for the vaccination and he was wormed and given a quick check up and had his nails clipped for that ,
I rang a good few vets around the cork area and the difference in charges ranged from €35 to €70 ,

Sigma Force

Not saying anyone should not give their pooch the best of care (or any other pet) but here's a tip for anyone wanting to save a few quid nail clipping fees from a vet can be charged at around €5.00 depending on the vet so if the pets nails need doing regularly then have the vet show you how it's done then invest in a nail clippers..they aren't too expensive and if you feel comfortable do it yourself after that.

Same with worming, as long as you are 100% sure on dosage, you can always pop into most vets and the scales is there free for you to weigh your pet then just ask at the counter what the dosage is and do it yourself.
Parazole wormer is a lot cheaper esp. when worming multiple pets or if you have a new puppy that you have to worm regularly for the first few months. You will pay around 8 euro for the bottle where as the tablets can cost you 4 euro or so per tablet (not sure of exact price because I have switched to Parazole).

I don't want to add up all the vet bills over the past 4 or 5 months I think I would have a little cry if I did

ergonomics

I got booster shots for my dog and microchipped for €69, which I thought was amazing. We've been going to the same vet for years and they really are fantastic.

lucky111

I live in cork [ southside ]
Had to bring Alfie my rotty to the vet today as he was "under the weather"
The vet gave him a dose of antibiotics there, worming tablets [2] and a weeks worth of antibiotics. Came to 68 euro....... Not bad;)

bikki

Got stung for 95 euro to have my cat neutared in Swords last week.

mr1983

fitzdragon wrote: »

Got my pup vaccinated twice recently , €40 each time for the vaccination and he was wormed and given a quick check up and had his nails clipped for that ,
I rang a good few vets around the cork area and the difference in charges ranged from €35 to €70 ,

can u suggest a good reasonably priced vet in cork? have been taking my two dogs to a southside vet that has me all but bent over a tree with a tennis ball in my mouth,its a big practice but they never seem to have the same vet on twice and i would prefer some one who would get to know my dogs and be aware of their histories...

hadook

I paid €78 yesterday for blood tests, antibiotics and a checkup for one of the cats. €35 of that was the vet consultation and I'm not going to complain considering I've called them at 2am in the past with an emergency and been charged no more.

Vets have to make money to pay the bills like the rest of us. I do sometimes feel like I'm personally paying their salary but I guess that's what happens when you have multiple wonky pets

mossie110

this is the reason why i asked of a sticky note for vets, but got reply.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055470607&highlight=vets
i just thought it may have been a good idea, guess not..

Munster Gal

mr1983 wrote: »

can u suggest a good reasonably priced vet in cork? have been taking my two dogs to a southside vet that has me all but bent over a tree with a tennis ball in my mouth,its a big practice but they never seem to have the same vet on twice and i would prefer some one who would get to know my dogs and be aware of their histories...

There's the vets in Blackpool in the Sunbeam Park. I've heard great things about them and as far as I know there's only 2 vets there so they'd get to know you fairly fast.

wolfpawnat

mr1983, where in the southside are you, if you are near Carrigaline there are 2 great vets there, or if you are near Douglas, I would suggest you keep away from a cdertain veterinary hospital at the roundabout near Dunnes, they are thieves(way overcharging fro basic services)!!!!

doolin101

bikki wrote: »

Got stung for 95 euro to have my cat neutared in Swords last week.

Got stung?:eek:
Are you mental?- it is a surgical procedure involving anesthetics, surgical skills, pre and post op monitoring, pain relief and antibiotic injection- €95 is cheap!!

indenial

If your only giving your pet a routine worm dose or innoculation you can do it yourself easy peezy.

If you think about it you basically paying somebody in one of the best professions in Ireland to do something a monkey could do. They charge you the same fee for the time it takes them as it would for them to do life saving surgery.

Quick tip for weighing your pet so you know how much worm dose to administer. Weigh yourself then pick up the pup/kitten and weigh both of you,minus your own weight = the weight of the dog........no more guess work.

anniehoo

indenial wrote: »

If your only giving your pet a routine worm dose or innoculation you can do it yourself easy peezy.

If you think about it you basically paying somebody in one of the best professions in Ireland to do something a monkey could do. They charge you the same fee for the time it takes them as it would for them to do life saving surgery.

Indenial, i agree that simple things like worming every owner should be able to do. Many just cant or wont learn to do basic things like that. Their fault not the vets. But, regardless whether its a routine "monkey job" as you put it you still have to pay for the vets time. Its the same as paying for a plumber or electrician to fix something simple in your home. If we could all fix that leaking tap by ourselves then we would, but they have to earn a living just like anyone else. Just because its a routine job doesnt mean they should provide the service for pittance! Theyd be a long time making money charging next to nothing for every minor issue that comes through their doors of which id say theres a lot.

indenial

Anniehoo, I do think vets charge a lot but that's not what I was saying in my post. What I am saying is that people should take it upon themselves to worm & vaccinate the pups/ kittens themselves.

First time you would want to see a vet do it but it is simple to do yourself after you have seen it done. I do all my pups myself without any hassle and it saves a lot of money. I just think some people run to the vet too easily when there is no need.

Munster Gal

If you vaccinate your dog/cat yourself you won't be able to kennel them because you need a vaccination cert from the vet. You also won't have any comeback in the case of vaccine failure or (rare) vaccine reactions. I agree however that every pet owner should be able to administer worm doses and flea treatments themselves. Any vet worth their salt will show you how to do it and give you some tips on holding the animal etc. In some clinics you don't have to see a vet for minor routine stuff like vaccines - you see the nurse and the cost is lower.

doolin101

indenial wrote: »

If your only giving your pet a routine worm dose or innoculation you can do it yourself easy peezy.

If you think about it you basically paying somebody in one of the best professions in Ireland to do something a monkey could do. They charge you the same fee for the time it takes them as it would for them to do life saving surgery.

Ok so I will scome clean- I am one of those 'Monkeys' you describe who are in the 'best profession' in Ireland. 2 things I would like to address- 1. Of course it does not take as long to do life saving surgery as it does to do a vaccination. At a vaccination consult you do not just get the product of the vacc but you get a full health check, a disscussion regarding your animals care and welfare. Granted €40-€50 euros for a 'jab' may seem steep but scratch the surface to see exactly what you are getting- oh and also the certifaction for kenneling/insurance purposes. Did you know that if you vaccinate your self you are not covered by pet insurance should your animal contract a vaccinatable disease?

Secondly, I would like to know what you mean by 'one of the best professions' in Ireland? In some aspects I would totally agree with you. I love my job, I studied long and hard to qualify and nothing gives me more pleasure than to send a recovered animal home or to welcome a new family member into a household. That said, I often work 90 hours a week + (not including on call hours), I regularly see instances of cruelty and simply avoidable messes from peoples ignorance. We have to help people make some really hard descisions, sometimes for the welfare of the animal but oftentimes simply for financial reasons. As a profession- it is well documented that we have one of the highest rates of suicide and alcoholism per head of practicing vet. If you work out our hourly rate- it is clear that most trades people would/could earn as much as we do and I am guessing they dont have to pay profession indeminty insurance!

This is not meant to be a rant at people who feel they have been ripped off- but please if you have a problem with costs talk to your vet. Pet insurance is well within the grasps of most people -for a cat it works out about €8-10 a month and a non pedigree dog €12-15 a month- not a lot in the grand scheme of things! Of course for those that this is simply too much to pay Vets and the Blue cross are happy to help- but all to often we hear the poor mouth from people in Mercs (this is not an exaggeration- i used to work in a charity Vet clinic and would regularly have people with pure bred dogs costing €500-700+ and mercs and even once a fur coat turn up looking for freebies!).

So to all who read this-please take it in the spirit it is intended, vets love animals, love their jobs and really dont go out of our way to rip off the public!

luckat

My vet bills have soared. I'm actually tempted to go and get my dog vaccinated at the Blue Cross next time, and have it on the vaccination form; maybe it would make my very expensive (though very good) veterinary practice see a little sense about the prices they charge for basic stuff.

I have the dog insured with PetPlan, which saved me a lot on a big operation she had, but it's relatively dear, and climbing.

doolin101

Again, unless you literally cannot afford it the Blue Cross is not there for people who feel the fees are pricey. You could shop around but bear in mind cheaper is not always better. It is great that you have pet insurance- I have it on my pets as even I know for specialist procedures costs can mount into thousands. As regards vaccinations...has anyone recently paid for travel vaccinations for humans- I did, cost over €200 just for the vacc-consultation was more on top of that. In that context €50 in the vets is not bad?

kazza90210

If you are willing to spend money on pricey pedigrees then you should be prepared to pay for their vet costs too. Everyone knows when getting a pet there are costs involved so please dont be using the blue cross who are a great charity if you dont really need it otherwise they will run out of resources and wont be able to help animals who really need it.

siobhan.m

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Is it worth going over the border for pet vaccinations, operations etc?

Dental treatment for humans is a lot cheaper in the North.

Yes, it is FAR cheaper - I took in a stray cat last month, took him up north and got him neutered, wormed, tested for HIV and leukemia and got worming tablets for my other two cats. Cost? £65.

Rnag my vet in Dublin today to book him in for his second vaccination - €66!!! It'll cost me less to drive up to Belfast again and get it done there, which is exactly what I am going to do.

microchipping up north is not an option though, as the vet up there told me there would be different databases here and in the UK.

Munster Gal

siobhan.m wrote: »

Yes, it is FAR cheaper - I took in a stray cat last month, took him up north and got him neutered, wormed, tested for HIV and leukemia and got worming tablets for my other two cats. Cost? £65.

Rnag my vet in Dublin today to book him in for his second vaccination - €66!!! It'll cost me less to drive up to Belfast again and get it done there, which is exactly what I am going to do.

microchipping up north is not an option though, as the vet up there told me there would be different databases here and in the UK.

€66 is very expensive for a 2nd vaccination!!!!

siobhan.m

Munster Gal wrote: »

€66 is very expensive for a 2nd vaccination!!!!

That's what I thought, but I guess that's Dublin for you! I have to go up north to do the shopping on the weekend so i'll take him then. It's only £20 or so up there.

Clare Bear

I probably shouldn't promote this being a Veterinary Nurse but a lot of people are vaccinating their cats and dogs themselves now. I know some vet supply places sell the vaccination for €5. It's very easy to do. Now obviously some people will do it wrong so it should be researched first, easy to do online or even ring up your Vet and ask them, if they're any way decent they'll tell you the correct way to do it.

Anything else I would say go to the vet but vaccinations are an easy thing to do yourself if you want to save some money.

Harris

Slightly off topic but....

My golden retriever swallowed a whole block of bakers yeast :eek:

Two injections and €75 euros later, she vomited it all up, and it had started to rise (the yeast not the price!). Really scary

And I still had to buy a loaf of bread after.

siobhan.m

Clare Bear wrote: »

I probably shouldn't promote this being a Veterinary Nurse but a lot of people are vaccinating their cats and dogs themselves now. I know some vet supply places sell the vaccination for €5. It's very easy to do. Now obviously some people will do it wrong so it should be researched first, easy to do online or even ring up your Vet and ask them, if they're any way decent they'll tell you the correct way to do it.

Anything else I would say go to the vet but vaccinations are an easy thing to do yourself if you want to save some money.

Wouldn't this affect you being able to bring your pet to a kennel or cattery? It sounds like a good option as I know there is not a lot involved in giving the vaccinations but I would be worried that if I didn't have the vets signature/stamp on his record card that I wouldn't be able to bring my cat to a cattery if I went away, as they're normally fairly strict on that sort of thing.

Munster Gal

siobhan.m wrote: »

Wouldn't this affect you being able to bring your pet to a kennel or cattery? It sounds like a good option as I know there is not a lot involved in giving the vaccinations but I would be worried that if I didn't have the vets signature/stamp on his record card that I wouldn't be able to bring my cat to a cattery if I went away, as they're normally fairly strict on that sort of thing.

That would be my biggest concern also. The kennel/cattery we used were very strict about vaccinations and if they weren't bothered I'm not sure I'd leave the furballs with them.

Corb

Would some kennells/catteries not take your pet if you did the vaccination yourself then? A very good Kennell (one that's been mentioned on here as one of the best a few times) took our dog, my father vaccinated him himself and brought the empty bottle and receipt with him and they accepted it.

Ruby Soho

No Clare Bear, you should definitely not be promoting that!! I'm also a qualified veterinary nurse, and there are a few things that I would worry about.
I frequently get clients coming in with dogs that are vomiting / under the weather etc who want the animal treated and want the vaccinations done at the same time. We always recommend against this because there is a chance that the vaccine will be ineffective or may even compromise the sick animal even more. Who's to say that as soon as a pet falls ill, that the owners won't run out and buy a vaccination thinking that it will help them? It's downright dangerous.
Also, if a pet seems relatively healthy and only comes in annually for vaccinations, surely the owner wouldn't mind forking out a measly 35-40quid for a vaccination carried out by a professional who will run a complete health check or clinical examination at the time. I certainly wouldn't. I'd be happy with the peace of mind.
Vaccines can also cause bad reactions in animals. They are extremely rare, but I've seen them happen. At the time of the vaccine the owner should be informed of any possible reactions / side effects that might occur, so they know what is normal, and more importantly, what is likely to be very dangerous and require immediate treatment.
What if a breeder has a litter of puppies and decides to vaccinate them himself with intent to sell. Theses pups have not been seen by a vet and had the necessary health checks, next thing you know, a puppy is brought into the vets with his new owner with a potentially life-threatening heart defect which is going to cause hundreds and hundreds of euro in treatment, or possibly even a dead puppy at the end of it. That's not really fair is it? If I bought a vaccinated pup, I would expect that they have had a check up by a vet too.
Animal vaccinations are POM, which means that they can only be administered by a licensed veterinarian. The only circumstances where it is legal to buy them over the counter in say, a pharmacy, would be if the person had a valid, signed prescription from a veterinarian. These are being sold off label, and in many cases, illegally. The manufacturers have strict guidelines about storage, handling and administration, and if these are not adhered to, the animal will not be legally covered in case of ineffectiveness of adverse reactions.
Yes, vaccines are expensive, but In my opinion, pets are a privilege that should only be afforded to those who are willing to pay for appropriate healthcare. And if someone rang my clinic looking for advise on administration, I would refuse to have anything to do with it, and be party to something that may have dire consequences for the animal.

Clare Bear

At the end of the day seeing as it is getting more popular if people are adamant to do it I would rather advise them on how to do it properly than let them do it themselves with no advice. People will do it if they want to, that's what I'm saying. And it is getting very popular lately. Not saying it's right, just stating facts. I wouldn't hang up the phone on someone asking me advice about it because they'll do it regardless.

Ruby Soho

I wouldn't hang up the phone, I'd tell them to come down and have the vaccine administered properly! If course I know people are going to do it themselves regardless, but with litigation the way its going, you could literally HANG yourself and get struck off the register by giving someone advice over the phone about something they are not legally supposed to be doing!
If the vaccine was given to the client over the counter, from our own refrigerator by my own vet, and reconstituted in front of me, it might be different, but hell, I don't know where these people are getting these vaccinations! They could be sitting in the glove compartment in their car for three days and administered using a non-sterile syringe to a 5 week old puppy for all I know!

Clare Bear

I do know what you're saying, believe me I do. However I would rather someone did it themselves than not do it at all, which I've had many people say to me when we've asked them to come to the clinc instead. Nothing against breeders but they're the main people that I've spoken to that do it themselves.

If I had to pick between someone doing it themselves or not doing it at all (sad but true, some people are actually that stupid/stubborn/stingy) I'd rather give the dog/cat some chance in life with having the owner do it.

pukeymcpukerson

cat spay usually round 60- 70 euros.... you were robbed... i no of a vets where its nearly 110 euro.... ridiculous!

reality

over the last few years, i think vets fees have gone up a bit - but so has everything else: minimum wage, fuel, bread, milk - just to name a few!! as the cost prices for the vets themselves are increasing the whole time, it's unreasonable to expect them not to increase the price the consumer pays!

imo, the reason there are so many complaints about the price of vaccines (including healthchecks etc) is that unless some illness is found, the owner doesn't see a change in their pet, so they feel like they've recieved nothing much in return for their cash - would people complain about 40 euro for a vacc and healthcheck if during that healthcheck, the vets trained eyes picked up on a lump that led to a malignant growth being discovered/removed? i mean, just because they don't always find something, doesn't mean that years of work and training didn't go into that five minute check!

fionav3

I would never vaccinate my pet myself. Worm her, yes, but not vaccinate. I'm not a qualified vet and I'm not willing to play russian roulette with my girl's health. Besides, isn't the peace of mind you get from knowing that your pet is safe and in good hands worth the cost? It is for me, she's worth it!

pukeymcpukerson

well lets put it this way..... ive seen what happens when you dont vaccinate your animals, ive seen dogs come in with parvo and corona virus and cats with calicivirus and fiv so i know that if they get it, its nearly impossible to cure once it gets to a certain stage... but i still dont vaccinate my dog or cat... it all depends on where you are. say you have a dog or a ca in the town or city, then yeah vaccinate cos you have no idea how many germs and viruses are around from the inumerable animals around you... whereas i live in the back a**e of nowhere so my risks are lower so i take the chance! also my cat is neutered so there is less chance of catchin cat flu.. the main route of transmission is in saliva and it happens most commonly when a tom is mating your cat and the scruff the back of the neck of the queen..... sucks to be a queen!!lol

RaeRae

I just made an appointment with Bairbre O'Malley out in Bray for her to see my Bearded Dragon (just want to get a check up on him to see if he's okay, hasn't been eating great) and my rat (clearly has a fairly bad respitory issue since I got him, god damn pet shop bred rats) and she's charging me 50 for the first animal consult and 35 for the 2nd. So before anything else (and I know the rat will need meds in the very least), this trip is going to cost me 85 euro =/.

The consultation costs far more than the rat even cost and I got the beardie off a friend of a friend who clearly took very poor care of him.

I'm a college student with a summer job and I'd clearly like to be using and saving my wages for better things seeing as i'm cooped up in work for the best part of the summer anyway but I'm glad I'm such an animal lover because most people I know would not even bother bringing these two to a vet if they owned them.

My point is, vet fees are ridiculous in some cases, nowhere I called would even see a rat for less than 50 euro for the consult. I understand about the bearded dragon as he's an exotic. Oh well, what can you do. My belieft is that if you take on the responsibility of an animal, you have to provide it with the best care (including medical) possible.. Be it a dog, a cat or in my case a rat and bearded dragon.

All I can say is thank god all my tarantulas don't need vet care. I'd be on the streets!


End rant. :pac:

harryR

I was charged 190 euro for a pain killing injection and scan,is this the normal price or was i ripped? bearing in mind ive spent hundreds already with the same vet in recent months and he still wouldnt cut me a deal as im unemployed,i will be taking out insurance very soon

reality

harryR it depends on what the injection was as the price would vary hugely depending on the drug, also, i've seen the cost of scans to range between 30 and 100 euro - depending on the type of scan, the vets skill at interpreting the scan and whether sedation was required!

doolin101

Just a note,
Irrespective of the animal presented the work is much the same- that is why the fees are around €50 for an examination. Rats are also considered 'exotic' species. Having any animal is expensive and if you take them on you are undertaking to provide for their health also. Owning an animal is not a right, it is a privilage and as such if you are overstreched regarding the costs of keeping animals perhaps you should consider not having as many.
PS tarantulas can cost quite a bit too...

nearly

we got our cats their initial shots and a worming tablet each for €52. this is in sligo. there are cheaper places out in the country, but i'm not convinced the savings would be worth it.

i am wary of country vets w/o alot of small animal experience. in my experience, they don't seem to have the patience or care, since companion pets don't matter as much.

my co-worker told me she took her 'female' cat to get spayed at a country vet near where she lives. they opened her up, and couldn't find 'the ovaries'. they said the cat must have been fixed already, and they charged her for the pleasure.

a few months later, the cat's balls dropped! surprise surprise. they told my co worker her cat was a HERMAPHRODITE. and she believed the doctor, and still calls her cat a 'she'. and she paid *again*, this time for a neutering.

um... what the...? what are the odds of a hermaphrodite kitty? rather unlikely.

more likely the vet didn't sex the cat properly before grabbing the knife.

this is not the first time i heard of this, either, sadly.