Vet Fees - Over the top?

gerrymadden1

Today I took my dog to the vet for his annual booster. After a cursory examination, he was given the jab and I returned to reception to pay my bill... I couldn't believe it when I was asked for €40.

I'd only been with the vet for about 3 minutes. I know for a fact that the booster retails for €7 if I was prepared to inject the dog myself... (my brother does his own dogs all the time).

Is this kind of fee standard or am I just going to the wrong vet??

ISDW

I would expect more than a cursory examination at the annual booster. My vet checks hearts and lungs with the stethascope, takes temperature, looks in mouth and ears and generally gives them a good going over.
For that, and the booster I wouldn't think €40 would be too much.

gerrymadden1

Ok... the inspection did involve the stet, mouth & ears but in all fairness, I still think €40 is excessive.

I wonder what it would cost in the UK or Europe? I just think that, in general, professional fees in Ireland have gone bananas. (Doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants, vets, the whole shooting match!)

star-pants

ISDW wrote: »

I would expect more than a cursory examination at the annual booster. My vet checks hearts and lungs with the stethascope, takes temperature, looks in mouth and ears and generally gives them a good going over.
For that, and the booster I wouldn't think €40 would be too much.

Ditto - my vet checks them out in all those things, talks to them, to me asking how they are etc. I don't think €40 is unreasonable.
Considering it's €55 to see my GP and that doesn't cover your prescription!

Spitfire666

most professionals regardless of the area they work (doctors/mechanics/painters)
charge about 40-70 euro an hour with a minimum of 1 hour fee so maybe thats what the situation is here?

i have no experience with vets as my dogs where taken to the vets by my parants as i was too young at the time but €40 doesnt seem overly expensive if he did examine the dog aswell as giving him the shots?

Inexile

I took my dog to vet for a minor ailment. I spent about €60 euros which included medication. I got an itemised bill and the consultation was priced at €36. Not too bad - so I dont think your bill of €40 was excessive.

Acutally I dont think that comparing mechanics and painters with doctors is a fair comparison. I think you will find that the cost per hour for doctors is way higher than €70. Given that it takes more points in a leaving cert to become a vet than a doctor I am sometimes surprised that vets are more expensive.

Blueprint

Boosters at my vet are 42 Euro for both cats and dogs. They always check their general health as well.

Since any vets visit is 40 Euro for consulatation anyhow, I guess this is reasonable enough...

magenta73

Hi guys, yesterday I was in a state over my cat and after ringing around some emergency numbers, I could of been charged in the way of between 80 to 100, I canced my own vet and found that they we're open and payed at total of 45, that was for the consulatation and 2 injections. If one of my daughters had of been ill yesterday (sunday) I would off payed 80 to the Dub-Doc in StJames hospital, and my normal GP is 55, but my point is that my cat IS part of our family and I thought it was very reasonable. But if my vet had'nt of been open I would of gladly payed the 100 or maybe more, and please dont get the impression that I'm well off as there is only me working in the house after my husband lost his job.

cmf86

I took my pup to the vets last week, few days after i got him, to get him checked over. He got a check, 2 vaccinations, a worming tablet to take home and it only cost me 26 euro! Are vet charges down the country far dearer? Im in Donegal.

I think it was the same price for a kitten I took down last year. It got an injection as it was sick and it was only 20 something euro.

Spitfire666

Inexile wrote: »

I took my dog to vet for a minor ailment. I spent about €60 euros which included medication. I got an itemised bill and the consultation was priced at €36. Not too bad - so I dont think your bill of €40 was excessive.

Acutally I dont think that comparing mechanics and painters with doctors is a fair comparison. I think you will find that the cost per hour for doctors is way higher than €70. Given that it takes more points in a leaving cert to become a vet than a doctor I am sometimes surprised that vets are more expensive.

Way Off Topic but points are based on the ammount of positions available and the amount of people applying for those places. has not alot to do with the amount of money they get.
i was generalisine with the hourly rates but there are plenty of low skilled jobs that cost way more then 70euro an hour that wouldnt be seen as "skilled" as a doctor.
I'm not talking about the doctors earnings compare to the mechanics by the way, i mean the cost charged to the customer by the dealership for the mechanics time.

Boomtastic

Spitfire666 wrote: »

I'm not talking about the doctors earnings compare to the mechanics by the way, i mean the cost charged to the customer by the dealership for the mechanics time.

Wife was looking to replace broken CD player in her RAV4. Went to Toyota dealership for quote - (are you sitting down?) - €3000.00 :eek:

Bought a secondhand one of the net and had a friend fit it - €150.00 :P

Spitfire666

tell me about it

Magenta

OP 40 euro is not expensive at all, if you think it is then please get pet insurance as costs can go into the thousands for some illnesses/injuries.

I agree that some vets are more expensive than others but I don't see why people make such a fuss sometimes. The option for insurance is there and if we didn't have national healthcare for ourselves, or insurance, we'd be paying similar prices to doctors when we are sick/injured.