A curious question about vet bills.

[Pawz]

I was just wonder what different members vet bill experiences are, I don’t mean in terms of cost but rather the payment options.

For example with my vet: You pay the full bill at the same time as you pickup/go home with your pet. Regardless of how large that bill might be you are expected to settle the full amount before you leave the premises. It can come across as a bit shocking to those used to more relaxed vet practices.
Oh and they are not too subtle about it either, they will flat out ask you to pay up if you haven’t waived your bank card at them within a few mins of you fussing over your pet.

My guess would be they had some issues with people paying in the past and this is why they are so strict about it now. If an animal needs an kind of surgery or expensive treatment they ALWAYS give you a quote up front so the bill is never a surprise if you decide to go thru with whatever it is.

 

[Merab]

I’ve never had a huge vet bill fortunately so have always paid in full when leaving.
However, when I was going away once and Jemimah was only just over an abscess, I did ask if anything happened while I was away would it be ok for my pig sitter to bring piggy in and for me to pay when I got home.
They were fine with that.
I would guess they would be open to payment by instalments if needed.
It may be the difference between one of the national, commercial vets and a small local surgery or group.

 

[Eriathwen]

I have been allowed to pay next day a couple of times, although at the time that was because I was going in pretty much every day anyway. My practice quite often seems to knock off cost for either consultation or something random, I'm not sure why..maybe because we're such regular visitors!
I find the best way to be able to negotiate cost is to build a good relationship with them, my old practice once opened up in the dead of night purely to see one of my piggies Patch who got a UTI after being spayed and wasnt doing too good. They told us to come in and if she needed putting to sleep they wouldnt charge us, they cleaned her up, gave us medication and when we went to pay they just waved us out the door with a 'you were never here, dont worry about it'

But in general, I find payment in full is expected at the point of collecting the animal.

 

[teddymouse]

l have used my vet for over 35years, and pay in every month so that there is money there when needed,and because of adoting resuces,the st fanice trust help me .olny time l had a promlem was when they had a new manager,we had had rush Poppy in late at night, she was kept in for op. next day went in to see her,and as soon as we walk in the door this manager collared me and said "how you going to pay we don'nt give credit" l was mad and told her " first things first,hows poppy did she make it though the op?".lucky my vet and long time friend came out to meet us. l ne ver saw that manager again after that.

 

[Flutterby]

At my vets I have to pay before I leave unless I am claiming off the insurance (dogs) in which case I have to put down the deposit thing and fill in the documents to give them.

 

[Betsy]

With my vet it's "Pay as you go". Once I was so concerned about my guinea pig after a follow up consultation, I left without paying. I got a letter within 2 weeks saying I had to pay. I honestly thought the follow up was included in the initial consultation fee as I had paid more than £34 initial consultation fee. I was soon to find out this wasn't the case!

 

[Dill&Pepper]

Mine are pretty relaxed. Normally I pay straight after appointments, but if they’re busy they’ll suggest I call and give payment over the phone or invoice me, and they do direct insurance claims if you speak to the accounts department first.

 

[Swissgreys]

We use 2 different practices.
The small vet in our village never mentions payment (although she does say how much things will cost up front) - she just sends a bill within a month.

The larger practice we use when we need a specialist or out of hours consult usually asks as we are leaving if we want to pay something. It doesn't have to be the full amount, just something. If not then they also send a bill within a month. But they have made it clear that payments can be spread if necessary in the cae of large bills. After Ruby's recent illness and bills totaling almost 1000 Swiss Francs, we were asked if we wanted to pay it off over several months or all in one go.

Payment for services here tends to be very relaxed, and having a bill sent after you have recieved soemthing is fairly common practice still.

 

[arcticfox34]

I tend to find small animal vets like payment on the day, whereas my equine vet is happy to take installments once they've sent a bill by post. On one occasion, our cat was very sick and needed an urgent operation, so the small animal practice agreed to let us pay in installments. We managed to settle that bill the day after bringing her home anyway.

 

[piggieminder]

Our vets always quote prices as they discuss treatment options during consultation. Payment is before you walk out the door, although I think if you had a large bill they would talk terms if you needed to. I suspect they have had problem payers in the past!

 

[anyar.dris]

We haven't tried paying for installments yet. We have 3 vet surgeries we use. One local (which is mostly farm vets and for general pets like dogs & cats), one exotic vet which is around an hour away from us and the Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton.

Our local vets are quite very cheap. We usually go there if the piggies' issues are minor and also to buy prescribed medicines. One time they only charged us 89p for a medicine which surprised hubby coz he usually jokes to them to charge us just a pound!

The exotic vets, Birch Heath in Chester, is where we usually take the piggies for emergency (like the same day emergency treatment). They are quite expensive but if it's an emergency, they are the best place to go to near us. We always pay the same day. But we can always ask for procedure quotes beforehand and decide whether to do it there or take the piggies to Northampton.

Many know about Cat & Rabbit here. We always pay the same day as well but if we are on holiday and we left the piggies at TEAS, they allow us to pay when we get back, either in person or just via phone.

 

[VickiA]

The rescue’s vets have never asked me (as a foster carer) for payment. I understand they send Helen a bill each month and expect it to be paid in full or substantially reduced each month.

My own vets require payment before you leave. It’s on all the signs on display in the practice. However when I have on occasion been very upset about a very poorly piggy or a PTS I have been shown the utmost respect and kindness. I’ve been allowed to leave out of the staff entrance with no mention of payment and I’ve always returned the next day or a couple of days later to pay the bill.

The emergency vets (second mortgage required) insist on discussing costs before you even turn up and make sure you know before you arrive that you have to pay in full before you leave irrespective of the outcome....

 

[Guineapigfeet]

I pay on the day at my current vets - but never had a big bill.
My old vets knew us very well as our (various) dogs had been going there for 20 + years. When I took my dog in straight from a walk (he was bleeding all over the place!) they let me pay the next day. It wasn’t a big bill, but I didn’t have my card. We’ve only ever had one unexpected bigish bill - emergency x-rays when Tig collapsed but we paid when we collected him. Fortunately we’ve always been able to settle up straight away

 

[flintstones]

I definitely think it depends on the vet, although similar to @VickiA if they've PTS they also allow us to leave through the side entrance and pay later. I have had occasions where someone else takes them and I just call up and pay. Generally I pay when we're leaving, I know in the past my vet has mentioned when they did payment plans people didn't pay.

 

[Merab]

That’s the sad thing - people who don’t pay spoil it for everyone.
I always get a sympathy card from my vet whenever a pet has died, even if it’s a natural death.
It’s such a kind gesture.

 

[Freela]

My vet is 'pay at the end of your appointment in full.' If you don't do so, they will send you a bill pretty quickly (I know because once I forgot to pay, having walked out frazzled after an appointment that contained some bad news, and I got a bill pretty quickly!)

 

[Abi_nurse]

Very very dependant on vets. Unfortunately all veterinary practices are in a considerable and constant amount of debt. And we are talking tens of thousands of pounds a month or more and I'm not joking here at all.

A lot of places are beginning to ask for payments upfront (especially if your not a regular and trusted owner they know), or at least some sort of deposit for a procedure.

Unfortunately many vets are struggling even if it seems like a fortune in bills. (I know no one here is moaning about costs but just putting it out there)

 

[Pawz]

The vet my mom visits in another province is much more lax, although my mom always pays before she leaves if she did not they would just mail her a bill. She has been a customer of theirs for decades and has had some pretty hefty bills but has always paid without issue so they seem to be more relaxed with her and trusting.
They are actually a really nice practice who even send hand written sympathy cards out when a pet passes away.

My vets are nice but not quite as relaxed as hers and not as friendly. But then she is in a more rural area to me and its village vs city life so no surprise my vets is a it more uptight