Luvachicken Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I'm a bit cross. On Thursday last week I had to take my rabbit to the vets. I asked for an itemised bill but the lady forgot to give it to me. Today I had to take my lovely, rather poorly old doggy to the vets. I asked for an itemised bill and asked for the one I didn't get the other day. I was shocked to see I had paid the same consultation fee for my rabbit and my dog. I asked shouldn't I have been charged a small animal fee for my rabbit to which the receptionist said she thought so and would get the vet to refund me. She went to check with the vet and he said small animals were things like mice, rats, guinea pigs. My rabbit is only diddy. Does that mean a huge dog like an alsation or something pays the same as I do for my rabbit and small dog ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I am sure my rabbits have always been classed as small animals at the vets So that doesn't sound fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 I'm told so many times "life's not fair"................but when it comes to animals, obviously size does matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 When we had a rabbit & had him neutered, the pricing was as for a cat as the surgery involves actually opening up the abdomen (or groin?) unlike a simple castration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Maybe vets should charge the same fee for whatever animal and work out a fairer way to pay for the drugs. Surely a mouse seeing a vet for 20 minutes say, should cost the same as an alsation seeing the vet for 20 minutes. The cost of the drugs should be charged by weight of the animal. One of my chickens is bigger than my rabbit and she was classed as a small animal If you see a solicitor you get charged per hour/ unit of time. Doesn't matter if you are 4' nothing or 7' 4'' - you still pay the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) Maybe vets should charge the same fee for whatever animal and work out a fairer way to pay for the drugs.Surely a mouse seeing a vet for 20 minutes say, should cost the same as an alsation seeing the vet for 20 minutes. The cost of the drugs should be charged by weight of the animal. One of my chickens is bigger than my rabbit and she was classed as a small animal If you see a solicitor you get charged per hour/ unit of time. Doesn't matter if you are 4' nothing or 7' 4'' - you still pay the same. My vet does indeed charge the same for a consultation whatever the animal (£30, but I suspect if it's a mouse or similar they'd reduce it!) and if I'm honest he often knocks off a bit if I take in a chicken... (I spend a LOT of money with them!) To be fair they have to do the same diagnosis whatever the size of the animal so it makes sense to have them the same... And drugs DEFINITELY cost as per the weight of the animal! Martha (my 70kg Newfoundland girl) had to go yesterday because she has a bladder infection and the antibiotics alone came to £83.50 (that's 2 x 500mg pills twice a day for 10 days!) Thank god for insurance! Edited July 3, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Does that mean a huge dog like an alsation or something pays the same as I do for my rabbit and small dog ? Vaccination time of year is my favourite! I always feel like get a great deal because it costs the same to vaccinate a teeny toy dog or one of my huge heffalumps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 If you see a solicitor you get charged per hour/ unit of time. Doesn't matter if you are 4' nothing or 7' 4'' - you still pay the same. That really made me laugh. I suddenly imagined a sort of measuring thing in the entrance to my solicitors to check how tall all clients are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 If they're going to have different consult fees then I thought they would have come under Small Animal or Exotics, not the same as a dog though. Rabbit castration doesn't involve opening up the abdomen, or not the few I've seen whilst on work experience anyway! It cost me £57 to have Sherlock the rabbit castrated, including meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Change vets if your not happy, Mine charge me a small animal fee for Noel and Ruby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Rabbit castration doesn't involve opening up the abdomen, or not the few I've seen whilst on work experience anyway! No I was going to say the same! I've seen quite a few rabbit castrations on work experience and they've never involved opening the abdomen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Change vets if your not happy, Mine charge me a small animal fee for Noel and Ruby. It's not that I'm not happy, just a bit cross. The vet we go to is open on a Sunday - not many that are round here - and they have a big waiting room. That is a big thing for me because I don't like big dogs and I can stand where there is space. Apparently they changed their fees slightly so rabbits are no longer a small animal fee. I had a good moan and said that they should've informed people first that their little pet was no longer in the small animal zone. I also asked about if I took in an alsation and she said the price would be the same as a rabbit I moaned to the vet that if you went to a dentist that you only pay for one check-up and then pay for the treatment. You don't pay each time you go in the door. She then said it was because it is more private, but I figured even at the private orthodontist my children went to you still only paid one consultation fee and then for the treatment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I must admit I fail to understand the idea of a small animal fee, to me seeing a vet is taking the time for a consultation, and whether the animal is small or large doesnt make a difference to how long the consultation lasts. I have taken small pets to vets, who took a lot of time as they were exotic lizards and the vet took his time looking stuff up and contacting other colleagues about our problem, so siza was no sign of less time or cost. Recently one of my guineas was taken in with a swelling and the vet took time to do a full scan there and then, and again although the animal was small the problem wasn't straightforward. On the other hand, I once took my irish setter for a problem that took only five minutes to discuss and solve. Why should that be more expensive than my guinea pig's tumour? And if size came into it, surely my irish setter would have to be more expensive to be seen by a vet, than a chihuahua? I understand your frustration if a surgery offers small pet special fees and your rabbit didnt qualify, I just dont understand the actual policy of small pet consultation fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Totally sympathise! I took Augusta to the vets yesterday (to basically be told that she was just a drama queen and is fine,) and was in there for 5 mins at the most. No medication or anything. £33!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Totally sympathise! I took Augusta to the vets yesterday (to basically be told that she was just a drama queen and is fine,) and was in there for 5 mins at the most. No medication or anything. £33!! Oooo, that is expensive. Wispa's consultation was 27.50. I thought that was bad enough. So far, my chickens have been treated as a small animal and only cost 15 pounds. Next time they need to go to the vets though I will check to see what they come under first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Yes, think I need to try and find a poultry vet - they are fab with my cats but I did feel like she maaaaybe wasn't very confident with a hen ...will have a look and see if there are any locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 In what way is she a drama queen? Laughed out loud at that - I have visions of her wing over brow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
