Reasonable vet fees?

The vet wants to charge us $50 per cat for the initial exam. This seems kind of expensive to me...is it reasonable? If not, what is?

I would call around to other vets in the area and ask them what their initial fee is. If this particular vet seems to be higher then the rest, then just ask them "hey- why are you so expensive?" It could be that they have more training/ experience/ or something. I guess someone else will come along in this thread that knows more about vet fees then I do Good luck.

Well vet fees vary from place to place, so it all depends on where you live. Here it is 30$ for the initial visit.

Yeah, the other vets in the area are charging 48-55 as well. Starting to think we shouldn't have been pressured into adopting 2 cats instead of 1.

Originally Posted by ozziegt

Yeah, the other vets in the area are charging 48-55 as well. Starting to think we shouldn't have been pressured into adopting 2 cats instead of 1.

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it is 50 for each cat? My vet gives me a break if I bring in more than one! I only have to pay the one Visit fee, I just have to pay for their individual shots and such.

Originally Posted by Critter Crazy

it is 50 for each cat? My vet gives me a break if I bring in more than one! I only have to pay the one Visit fee, I just have to pay for their individual shots and such.

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Yeah, I called 5-6 vets around here and they were all saying it's $50 per cat.

I'm in the DC metro area and it's about $40 per cat, however I search around and found a Mobile vet (since I don't have a car this saves me tons of time and money) and she charged me just $50 for house visit (that includes exams) and then she charges me for any procedures she has to do ie stool samples ($12), labwork, nail clippings ($10) etc and she gave me discounts for multiple cats and also because I adopted them from the shelter. Look go to the pet stores in your area and the humane society should have given you a list of vets. In DC there is website called MetroPets that gave info on the vets in this area (there are quite a few mobile vets).

Hmm, ok thanks for the tip. We will call the foster coordinator and also maybe the humane society.

Calling the HS or any local shelters is a good idea! I live in a rural area...it's $22 at one vet, $18 at another...it's $24 at the third vet, but they have a rate of $14.50 per cat when you bring in multiples. Which....is rather helpful in my case!

We're paying $65 just for Sadie to see the vet

1 of my vets is $48 the other is $50. They are both more expensive than some of the vets around here but I absolutely love and trust both my vets and I don't mind paying an extra $10 for my piece of mind.

Here in the UK in London it costs me £40 (over $70) just to see the vet - that's before any testing or treatment costs! So I can't comment on whether what you have been quoted is cheap or not, I post as an example of how costs vary in different areas, and what seems expensive to some may be cheap in a different town.

Just in one little town...

31( this is my vet .. decision not priced based ) she also has a half visit for 24
45
48

Originally Posted by ozziegt

The vet wants to charge us $50 per cat for the initial exam. This seems kind of expensive to me...is it reasonable? If not, what is?

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That is what I am charged for my cats! My place is kind of expensive VCA (Vet Certified Associates in Pet Care)! Pet care in general can be costly! i would call around for quotes!

Here in the middle of the US...

A "first" exam would be $32 ...that's for rabies shot, feline distemper shot, and general exam of eyes, ears, mouth, listen to the heart...etc. I don't get charged for the office call with shots, but she may be giving me a break, I don't know.

I know it's higher at other local vets.

A regular office call is $32 ...when they are sick, etc. That's for the exam, without meds, xrays or anything else like that. Sometimes I just get charged for a recheck which is $18.

At another office in town, I once paid $140 for exam/shots/anal sac expression.

It can really vary, and cost isn't always related to quality of care.

I just took a new cat that we adopted to the vet, and the exam alone was $45. Since we adopted him, they waived it, or the Humane League paid for it. After the medications and other issues (ear mites, upper respiratory infection), the total bill was $160. It can be expensive.

I hate going to a vet because prices are just unpredictable.

In my area, just the visit itself will cost $40-$60. This doesn't cover meds, etc. Basically the cost for just having the doctor look at them.

Vet fees are expensive. In my area (Cleveland) my vet is the vet for a local suburb city shelter and charges only $25 for spaying or neutering. However when I took my cat in for what turned out to be a URI she charged $45 for visit and the meds. My cats were in the hosp. recently due to the food recall and one was there 3 nights, the other two. Both had IV's and blood work, meds & etc. The one had to be sedated so the IV could be inserted, that was $100. She said she only charged for 1 night and 1/2 day but the total bill was $1100. I'm looking into pet insurance it would have been cheaper. My MD said that one thing for certain, once I buy pet insurance they'll never get sick again. HeHe. But even though fees are a fortune I believe that we take on the responsibility of their health. I could not just stand by and watch them die or have them killed. These are my kids.

I have had Cammie to the vet 4 times and all total it was $710.00
but that was 1 visit that was $103.00 Vet ck, hydration, shot , and 1 prescription
2nd visit,X rays 4 days there, hydration everyday, flushed her kidneys 2 times,
2 blood panels, 2 shots plus I imagine a lot of care to
that was $515 and I got $74 off because I'm old Senior discount

3rd visit was for Hydration and a shot $23 shot

Yesterday it was an exam, Blood panel, hydration, she checked her all over and took her blood pressure $97.00

But I did take her 2 or 3 other times for hydration and they didn't charge me anything, and I did not think it was to to bad they took really good care of her to
Now were talking teeth I will just rob a bank I guess

I guess the price depends on the area. In my county we only have one vet and they charge pretty high prices. I can not remember the price for just a visit. But I do remember that neuters costed 50 for the procedure and then another 50 for sedation. Now ehat I did (and I don't know if this is an option for you) is a called several vets in the surounding counties. And I finally found a nice vet about 30mins away from where I live. She charges 15 for an office visit and most shots are well under the 20 mark. And neuters (I have no idea about spays or dogs) is 40 plus the 15 office visit fee. Also because this a smaller practice after I had Pingt neutered (about a week or so later) I noticed he had I think it was tape worms. They had to give me a pill and weigh him to get the correct current weight they only charged me 5 for the pill and no office visit fee. So yeah call around to as far away as you are willing to drive.