The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: bigchicken on February 16, 2012, 12:19:15 am

Title: Vets
Post by: bigchicken on February 16, 2012, 12:19:15 am
One of my Whippets cut her fore leg at the front top joint bad place vets estimate to clean and sew up anaesthetic, pain killers, antibiotics overnight kennel etc £240.   Cheep or what.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Sylvia on February 16, 2012, 09:19:41 am
I'd say that was pretty good :)
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: sabrina on February 16, 2012, 12:09:18 pm
That is a bargin  :wave:
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: onnyview on February 17, 2012, 04:12:14 pm
Just priced this up where I work and it would have cost approx 275.00 :thumbsup: ;)
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: bigchicken on February 17, 2012, 04:40:00 pm
Price crept up a wee bit when I collected her it was £280 , have to go in again to get bandage changed so it will be a bit more.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Small Farmer on February 17, 2012, 04:41:54 pm
Our vet has a scanner attached to the card authorisation machine which estimates the contents of our bank account and works from there.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: bigchicken on February 17, 2012, 04:51:38 pm
My son was out with the dog when she cut herself and was full of remorse saying I,ll pay for the vet, when he found out how much he could hardly speak.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: deepinthewoods on February 17, 2012, 04:55:16 pm
my poacher/gamekeeper mate carries a suture set for his whippets, at that price i can see why.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: doganjo on February 17, 2012, 06:22:52 pm
Our vet has a scanner attached to the card authorisation machine which estimates the contents of our bank account and works from there.
Could you explain that a bit more please?  I do hope you don't mean that your vet checks your bank account then estimates what to charge you depending on how rich or poor he reckons you are?  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Fleecewife on February 17, 2012, 06:26:01 pm
Antiseptic wash and superglue would work for small cuts, but if it's a biggy the vet will have to see what other internal structures are damaged.
Were it a sheep it would cost about £30  :sheep:
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Small Farmer on February 17, 2012, 06:35:35 pm
Our vet has a scanner attached to the card authorisation machine which estimates the contents of our bank account and works from there.
Could you explain that a bit more please?  I do hope you don't mean that your vet checks your bank account then estimates what to charge you depending on how rich or poor he reckons you are?  ;D ;D ;D

Probably not, but it's always felt that way ever since my first dog Rufus was treated by Mr Giles, one of the vets who dealt with the aftermath of the Household Cavalry bomb.  In those days we paid cash, and didn't have any!
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: doganjo on February 17, 2012, 06:53:05 pm
 ::) ;D
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: bigchicken on February 17, 2012, 07:14:38 pm
In days gone by I would have stitched small wounds but this was in a bad place and over three inches long. I thought it would be a job for a professional. Its quite important that this bitch is put right and price is not what matters to me. Hope this doesn't sound like I am minted because I,m not. :dog:
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: princesspiggy on February 17, 2012, 08:08:38 pm
Our vet has a scanner attached to the card authorisation machine which estimates the contents of our bank account and works from there.
Could you explain that a bit more please?  I do hope you don't mean that your vet checks your bank account then estimates what to charge you depending on how rich or poor he reckons you are?  ;D ;D ;D

nah, im skint and still get massive bills...lol  ;)
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Sandy on February 17, 2012, 08:08:53 pm
 I never think our vet overcharges, he puts a fair price on stuff and you get what you ask for, nice honest practice not like down south where they do eye you up to see how much you can pay  ;) ;)

I think a lot of people could repair a small wound, I remember my brother sewing black cotton when he cut his had very badly, it healed very well whereas my hospital sewn jobby went septic tank!!!
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Small Farmer on February 18, 2012, 02:25:39 pm
I think one of the real problems is that, like doctors, vets have got into the habit of prolonging life at any cost, after all the insurer will often be picking up the bill.  There's always a time to say goodbye, but that time is a lot later than it used to be.  Sometimes it seems to be less to do with the animal's interests than the owner's emotional needs. 

We're fortunate to have a vet practice that does both domestic and farm animals: I think they're better linked to real life that way.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 19, 2012, 12:17:18 am
We're fortunate to have a vet practice that does both domestic and farm animals: I think they're better linked to real life that way.
I agree with that.  I don't now like to see the small animal specialists at our surgery, as they seem, on the whole (with one notable exception) to think all owners will want to prolong life at any cost - and with a working collie who works on the farm, that is neither appropriate nor in the best interests of dog or owner.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: funkyfish on February 22, 2012, 03:37:06 pm
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should......
I'd never put my pets through chemo for example. If they needed an MRI scan, they probably need putting to sleep.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Brucklay on February 22, 2012, 09:00:16 pm
Ahh - there's always the exception to the rule funkyfish - my German Shepherd has a cancerous lump removed when she was four and is fighting fit at 10 and happy with it - but I do admit it may not have been the case - at 4 years old it was worth a go - on the other side of the coin when we made the decision that Tess at 18+ year old collie was no longer 'happy with life' we called the vet out and he asked several times 'if we were sure' made me feel really bad!!
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Small Farmer on February 22, 2012, 09:49:22 pm
You make the best decision you can based on huge knowledge of the animal.   

Vets need to be firmly put back in their boxes sometimes.  Perhaps reminding them that their opinion of the animal's health is from an exceedingly narrow perspective is necessary.  But when you have decided it is grubby to question your decision.

I feel very fortunate with our current vet practice.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: montana on March 29, 2012, 12:04:58 pm
You make the best decision you can based on huge knowledge of the animal.   

Vets need to be firmly put back in their boxes sometimes.  Perhaps reminding them that their opinion of the animal's health is from an exceedingly narrow perspective is necessary.  But when you have decided it is grubby to question your decision.

I feel very fortunate with our current vet practice.

I totally agree, we recently bought a isds registered collie pup, booked him in for his jabs and it came with a free first wormer.

Vet jabbed the puppy and did a health check listened to heart etc everything fine. I mentioned to the vet that we had sheep and enquired about tape worm don't worry i was told shouldn't be a problem till he is 6 months old.

OK I thought, took pup back for 2nd jab 2 weeks later, to be told pup had a heart murmur, first words out the vets mouth (different vet, same practice)  was is he insured ? no i replied well it will cost £275 for a ultrasound.

I asked if like children ( i work for the ambulance service) might he not grow out of it, begrudgingly he replied yes, so I agreed  to have him checked before having him neutered.

Finding he wasn't getting any money out of me he turned his attention to worms,  He's not been wormed for tapeworm he stated, I told him what the other vet had said, but he might eat one of your sheep's carcasses he replied ( i kid you not ).

Very true I replied but as we only have 5 sheep i would like to think i would notice if one was missing. Again he went on about eating carcasses, obviously not getting the point the first time. So i held up my hand and said we still only have 5 sheep and I can count that high, so i would notice if one was missing!

Blooming cheek needless to say I am changing vets.
Title: Re: Vets
Post by: Sandy on March 29, 2012, 12:32:41 pm
I suppose in every walk of life and trade there are those with whom you get honest prices from and those who will find lots of extras!!!!!!!!  I would be peeed off too,  mind you.....  maybe you should ask if he has a family and if yes, say, have you ever left one on holiday because you did not notice they were not there!!!