Ugh, I hate vet clinics!!

roxsam

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I feel like they are always trying to rip you off with hidden charges they don't tell you about until it's too late! !!


Here's the brief story from today: (yes, this is brief!! lol)

When we first got Samson, our dog, I took him to a highly recommended vet, had a negative experience with one vet there and decided to take him somewhere else. So for a few months I have been taking him somewhere else. Well I was not impressed with the new vet either so I was looking for another one when Samson got really sick and was diagnosed with Addison's Disease. The vets did a great job getting a diagnosis of AD but I was not happy with how they were dealing with his treatment after that. So I continued to look and "interview" clinics on how they wold do treatment for AD. With AD I have to get his electrolytes tested frequently, right now pretty much every 2 weeks. This is not cheap (on top of his super duper expensive monthly injections). Well his first vet clinic was again highly recommended by more people ( a different veterinarian though). So I looked up their website which had been redone and I was highly impressed with their beliefs and missions and what they support. I also found out their electrolyte tests were 1/3 the cost of the other vet!!!!!
So I decided to try it again, just not with the vet Ididn't like, since it would save us a ton of money!

Anyway, I went in this morning to get his electrolytes tested, clarified on the phone and in person this morning what they cost of today's visit would be. Every time the answer I got was $17. I even asked if there would be an extra vet charge since they were making me see a vet(usually he gets blood drawn and then we leave). They said NO, just $17. So after waiting for a ridiculous amount of time we finally get seen, I am very impressed with this vet, Samson's blood is great, and I go to check out and pay. Well, when they tell me the cost I about flipped out...$62.50!!! That is nothing close to $17 like I had been told 7 times!!
When I question it they say he had an exam, and I say I didn't have an appt for that. SO she explains he hasn't been there in a while...blah blah blah...and I explain that I had asked MANY times about the cost and was only told $17!! NOBODY ever said anything about a stupid exam fee, or a waste fee!!! So she goes to get the practice manager who is a total jerk and he says he can't help me. I say I would be fine paying it if I knew ahead of time I would have to, and even asked to pay the $17 now and the rest later since we had only budgeted the $17. They say no. So after trying to straighten it out a few more times and getting nowhere, I pay the bill, tell the lady to forget getting his records transferred over b/c I will not be back to that clinic. She just looked at me and did not have a clue what to do. I said if they can't treat their clients right, work with them or tell them the the truth then that was not the place for me, and I walked out. (throughout this whole thing I was very calm, not yelling at all).

So I head to the car and immediately call my husband for help. He called them and was told the practice manager was not in! BULL CRAP...I had just walked out of that clinic and he was there. Anyway, he is still talking to them, but they tried ot feed him a bunch of lies to justify the charges. Said the exam was to clarify that he did in fact had AD (umm, AD is ONLY diagnosed through blood tests, not a 2 minute physical exam!!!)

Wel, I am fuming and am sick of vet clinics doing this. They ALL do this. Charge for every little stupid thing, and don't even tell until they've already done it and it's too late, and then they rape you with charges!!! I have not been to one clinic where they didn't do that.

Sorry that was so long, once I got going I could not stop. Thanks for reading and letting me vent!!!!!!!!!
 

mews2much

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Thats terrible. My Vet charges alot more then that but she told us to make tech appointments for shots so we only pay for the shot. She also didnt charge me for a ultrasound last time. I hope you find a good vet that dosent lie about rates.
 
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