Currant Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Hi, just been to the vets as Brenda has an infection of some sort (she didn't seem to know what it was) and it cost £45 for anti-biotics and avipro for a tonic in her water. Was a bit shocked tbh - is this a bit steep or do you all pay the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Too much, there is a lot of profit in the charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I paid about that when I took Poppy to the vet hospital with peritonitis. Consultation, antibiotics and a powder for poorly creatures (can't remember its name!). I thought it was pretty reasonable - they are very highly trained after all and drugs ain't cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammy72 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 At my vets the standard consultation rate is £20-something then you add on medications. Haven't been with the chooks yet but dogs and chickens are registered at the same practice. Other people in my area go to a cheaper vets but ours is a really good one with a hospital attached and just round the corner with 24-hour cover. When we have needed a specialist for the dogs (joint probs, eye probs) they have a resident vet with that specialty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I think ours are similar and sometimes it feels like I should just hand over my salary to the vets. Having said that, one vet very kindly dispensed with fees altogether when we had to have one of our sablepoots pts after she had struggled with mareks disease. This was on a Sunday when the consultation alone should have been £120 Another vet in the practice has "forgotten" to charge us before now as well. I have to say I think we are immensely lucky to have an up to the minute vet practice on our door step.We have used this practice for about 25yrs and wouldn't dream of changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 £40-50 sounds pretty average from my experience. That said, if you're sceptical about the amount don't hesitate to ask for a detailed bill. I used to be charged varying amounts by the vet at different times for what I thought was the same thing (have had a couple of poorly girls in recent past so have sadly been a regular customer), and when I eventually plucked up the courage to query this it turned out that there had been a problem with my account and I was sometimes charged the pet rate (£30), and sometimes the commercial rate (£40-odd) for consultations (they are poultry specialists so I imagine the vast majority of their customers are commercial farmers). They were extremely nice about it and refunded me immediately. More recently I've taken my girls to a mixed practice (where our dogs are registered) and I paid around £30 each time, medicines included. The vet there seemed pretty knowledgeable too, plus it's much closer to us, so I may go there again. Funny isn't it, I tend to feel somehow less satisfied than usual about paying the fees on occasions when the vet just confirms my suspicion that it's an (unspecified) infection, and just prescribes a broad spectrum antibiotics. (The antibiotics invariably does the trick.) But they are professionals, and chickens being chickens and hiding their symptoms, it's not always possible to get a precise diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaKiw1 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 We go to a general 'household pets' practice. Last night we paid £27 for an examination of Daisy who has been limping badlly and he gave her a Metacam injection which i think is either antibiotic or an anti-inflammatory (he just said it would reduce any pain and make her more comfortable). About 6 weeks ago we paid £42 to have two chooks with peritonitis PTS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I've only needed a vet once or twice for the chooks, they are not very open about their fee structure but I think thar for PTS they have a different rate for small animals, e.g. Hamster, mouse, and I've got a feeling the chickens were treated at that. Having said that, they have to spend just as long examining, diagnosing etc as with a cat or dog so there's no reason why they should charge less! I think a basic consultation is £25 or so, so with antibiotics that sum sounds about right. It is an expensive business, but there have been times when I have been so grateful for their help, I don't begrudge it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 My vet would probably have charged about £25 for what you had but he is a livestock vet and the average chook owner round here wont pay pet prices I am really lucky with my vet, when they didnt have a vet available to come and see my pregnant ewe they sent a sheep experienced vet nurse and only charged me for that rather than a vet They trust me now to administer injections etc.. so I can avoid the consultation fees but they do check our knowledge first and do see the animals and birds fairly regularly A good vet is worth their weight in gold, I have the utmost trust in my vet and thats more important than price to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 A good vet is worth their weight in gold, I have the utmost trust in my vet and thats more important than price to me Hear hear. I use an wonderful vet for whom nothing is too much trouble. She is worth every penny. If you want a professional service, you have to pay the going rate I'm afraid, and whilst there does seem to be a variation in fees, it is no different to lawyers, accountants,etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Mrs Chicken Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Just around the corner from where i live is a fairly cheap vets,its always busy you don't make an appointment just turn up.The usual wait time is about 1 to 2 hours though.Took my hen there the other week,the vet examined her but she didn't need any treatment and i was charged only 4 pounds for the consultation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dahato3 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 We have had to visit the vet twice this summer as our chickens started to sneeze and cough. The first visit cost £45. There was no real improvement so we returned a week later. The consultation lasted 1hr and 20 minutes. ( the vet was incredibly thorough!! ) This second consultation cost £50. We treated 13 chickens in all. 11 seem to have fully recovered and have come back into lay. The remaining 2 are still sneezing although, 6 weeks later, they seem happy in every other way. Am at a loss as to what to do next.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Too much, there is a lot of profit in the charges. er really 20% of this would have been VAT. £45 for a consultation with a professional person, antibiotics (costing perhaps approx £20) and Avipro (costing approx £8 minimum) + VAT (£9) is very good. Many vets charging less are treating chickens for no profit and more of a 'charity case' out of the goodness of their hearts. I am afraid that with the increase in ownership of chickens, vets can't go on doing this for ever. They are after all, running a business, not a charity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I'd say "price isn't everything" too. My "local" vet is a very "state of the art" practice and HUGELY expensive - i would not mind that at all but I felt very let down by them on the one occasion I went there with my dog (a few days after I "adopted" her). I really felt they were taking me for a ride, I was shocked and to be honest, quite hurt. Since this happened, i have spoken to others who have had similar experiences. The vet I use now is truly fantastic. I found the practice based on recommendations, it's much less "posh" and I'm pretty sure her prices are a fair bit cheaper, but that's not the point, I have absolute faith in her, which is simply worth its weight in gold.. You simply HAVE to be able to trust your vet 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 We took Gloria to our local vets in Winslow this week - not sure what is wrong with her, but she is hunched up sometimes - anyway Vet was AMAZING.... Gloria had a full examination, and with that and the Baytril the bill came to about £45.00. As there was a delay in getting to see a Vet (think they had some emergencies in the afternoon), we were offered a cup of tea while we waited Dolly was at the same Vets in August with an ear infection, and again she had a full examination and some anti biotics and that was about the same price. Dolly made a full recovery and is currently giving the local starlings what for... If you live in or around Winslow, I would seriously recommend Windmill Vets. They are amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Reading the above, I'm starting to think that my vets are super-cheap. A consultation is about £9 - however, they don't know anything about chickens, so not really useful. However, we were charged 75p for the antibiotics for her. They didn't work, but I can't say that 75p is expensive. Dogs cost more, but then they seem to know what they are doing with dogs. I have to agree that a good vet who you trust and who knows about chickens is worth their weight in gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Our vets are doing chicken courses as there is a demand for chicken vets. One of our vets wives has chickens and a rooster who he told me was a nuisance. Not sure his wife would be happy knowing he calls her boy that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavysqueak Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Wow ... I won't complain about our chicken vets fees anymore. We go to a general practice with many branches & a vet hospital. We usually can't go to the local branch as the 'chicken specialist' vet works in a different branch, but they charge small animal rate. Usually £10 consultation fee, add roughly £5-£10 for antibiotics (dependant on which type & if there is enough for one chicken, or the flock). We only got charged £28.50 for PTS & cremation a few months ago. I think I need to say a huge thank you to the vets' practices who don't overcharge, but have the expertise you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
