Has the Vets Got More Expensive?

YES! The consultation fee at our vets a few years ago was £30 it is now £50! And the actual bill is always a joke.

Yes! 11 years ago we chose our specific vets for the price and quality of care.

Sadly prices seem to have rocketed and care seems to be lacking.

A consultation for a hamster or rabbit WAS £18.50 compared to NOW £48 and I seem to be more knowledgable than them, which is terrifying. I had to put in a complaint for someone, as someone I know went to the vets recently for a check up and came out thinking their animal was fine. They told me about the appointment and something didn't sit right with me. I went to visit their animal to find that my concerns were valid. Something so simple and obvious to me, knowing they needed antibiotics at the least. I have no training just experience, they went to their vets for advice, paid an extortionate price and their animal could have suffered for it.

I did notice that rabbit vaccinations have got pricer, but then they used to be a double vaccination and then 2 weeks later you had the second one, so it would seem a fair bit more if they now combine all 3 illnesses. Myxomatosis/RHD and RHD2 but yes £85 to £103 and a lot of people don't vaccinate rabbits and now I could understand.

I also understand why people give up on their animals a lot quicker these days and try and distance themselves. I've always been sick of hearing 'why do you pay that much for a hamster vet appointment, when hamsters only cost £10?'

I recently had one put to sleep out of hours as she was bleeding out and there was nothing I could do, she was super elderly and I came home to find her £220 later which I didn't mind as she was no longer suffering. I used to rescue them a fair bit as people tend to use tiny shop bought cages which are no suitable and more, and they get bored of them even though they tend to only live for 2-3 years. But with price hikes I can't afford to - having to work more, take more time to sell things, less time to my self to care for the animals just to live myself. I can't afford to for time or money to take in some animals that NEED people.

Hamster £10 to buy (from shops which I don't agree with, but that's another story)

£25ish to put them to sleep within working hours.

£48 just for a consultation (so I can see why people would choose to put them to sleep, rather than give them an extra chance!)

Prices starting at £180 out of hours, before even seeing the vet.

I mean I appreciate prices go up and vet care is suppose to be invaluable and at least you can get an appointment, unlike doctors for humans... but again that's another story

Vets fees have gone ridiculously high tbh. When I go, I always feel like they’re trying to get as much money out of me as possible which I really don’t like.

Doesn’t help that my local vet uses locums a lot so there is no consistency and a few times I’ve been recommended expensive procedures for my cats that the next vet has then told me was utterly pointless.

The worst was, last year paid £600 for x rays. Went to the appointment after to find out what they told us, only for the vet to tell me that they had lost the old x rays due to a system move over. Since there was no old x rays to compare to, having the new ones told us pretty much nothing.

They have us animal lovers over a barrel as they know we will do what it takes cost wise to save our furry pets...

Our dog needed an emergency appointment. Consultation and medication cost £120. She needed another emergency appointment. She needed an xray and unfortunately had to be put down. It was £650 for the consultation, xray, drugs etc. Luckily the insurance paid for it.

Absolutely. Our dog gets frequent ear infections, at least 2 a year. We used to pay £25 consultation & roughly around £40 for meds. Our last bill in January was £114.

Our dog had to see an eye specialist tgat was £125 just for consultation. He potentially will need eye surgery in the future we've been quoted that we'll be looking at roughly £6000.

Absolutely ridiculous what they charge, and why do they do it.... Because they can, rip off Britain at it finest

It's a bit like football, VETS have you by the emotional balls which is why so many now are owned by large corporations as they know pet owners can be fleeced of their money. In 2013 10% of vets were owned by large companies and now it is 60% and in some areas all the vets could be owned by the same large company, these large companies are looking for a high returns on their investments. The companies are;

CVS

IVC Evidensia

Linnaeus

Medivet

Vet Partners

Vets4Pets/Companion Care.

I suspect if you looked into the details many of these would be foreign owned entities that are exploiting UK consumers because of lack of regulation and control in pet services in the UK.

Like football we know we are being exploited by unfair prices but ultimately what can you do. I think a government initiative policy where VET corporations can only own up to 20 vet businesses would be quite good rather than 100s. However it probably needs a full review to understand all the issues and legislate to improve prices for consumers.

Glad I don't have a cat or dog these days. Costs are comparable with running a car!

Every single business has vastly increased their prices because 1, the publicity surrounding inflation has encouraged unscrupulous companies to hike prices 2, We can’t do anything about it. Vet fees should be regulated. Vets have become more interested in raising money than animal care. One vet tried to convince me that he needed to operate on my 16 year old dying dog. Instead of realising that my dog needed to be peacefully put to sleep.

Most certainly. I have a Yorkshire Terrier who suddenly became afraid of the groomers & became extremely reactive. He now has to be sedated whilst they groom him at the vets. 2 years ago this used to cost £210-£240 a time, since a year ago it is now approx £480 & as they state we are not professional groomers so it won’t be perfect. OMG most the time he comes out ok’ish/acceptable, but he’s also come out looking like he’s wearing leg warmers were they never cut any hair off his lower legs he looked appalling, but what else can I do.