Why I Hate Vets!~

[sharky]

I have care credit , it has been a life saver in regards to dental work....I have saw a few vet s in the area including the er vet clinic take it .... I have always work with my vet most of the time I can pay but for the time s I cant I tell them on the phone and get something worked out before hand

 

[libby74]

First, Bob, I am so very sorry for your loss. I know how much you're grieving, having lost 2 kitties myself in the past 6 months. Luckily, I'm an established customer and my vet had no problem with a pay-plan.

That being said, may I offer 2 bits of advice? You still have Wizard, and the day will come when he needs a vet. I would take him in for a "well-kitty" check-up, so that you can become acquainted with a vet in your area. At least in the future they would recognize you as someone who has an account with them, and would probably be more willing to work with you.
I would also get a credit-card for use in emergencies. I'm not advocating the use of a cc, but it can certainly make a difference in a critical situation.

I know you're angry right now, and I don't blame you a bit. Please, if nothing else, find a vet for future use.

 

[iluvcandy]

Bob, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I can't blame you for being angry. Sometimes your life is going great, you have a decent job and decent pay, and then all of a sudden something unforseen happens, like an injury, and you lose almost everything. I had something happen to me, I was between jobs and moving back to another state, when my cat became very ill. Turns out she had a severe liver infection and that first time I owed over $1000 in vet bills. I had to use the credit card. I got a job shortly after and thought everything would be okay for a while but less than a year later she got another liver infection, (new vet said she was born prone to these infections, along with an enlarged heart and breathing problems). Almost $1000 in vet bills again. This time I got Care Credit, which has a promotional offer that if you pay the amount in 6months, you don't have to pay the finance charges. However, (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) if you don't pay this balance off in 6 months you have to pay the finance charges also, and pay almost 23% in finance charges for future payments.

I am now waiting for her next infection, and anticipate another $1,000 vet bill. I'm watching every penny, don't have the latest gadgets that everyone else has, don't go to movies, etc, and even though I'd love to have another cat, I know I just can't afford it right now. My vet knows me (I think he's great, takes time with her, and takes the time to explain everything to me)and I have no doubt that he would let me pay off in installments should she have another emergency. But I do understand that a vet can't let anyone that he or she doesn't know pay later, I'm sure they've been stiffed plenty of times, and it takes alot of money to run a vet clinic. New medical equipments alone costs a fortune, not to mention the staff's salaries, etc.

I hope that you recover soon and that Wizard (he's grieving too) will remain healthy for a very long time, but you should develop a relationship with a good vet, as the other posters suggested. Cats need to be seen at least once a year, as they hide illnesses very well. Good Luck!

 

[scamperfarms]

I do want to note that not EVERY vet will work with you even if your well established. Private vets i am sure are better than the big time vets.

I used to go to Banfield. My local branch was very great with wonderfull vets. I paid about $200 a month for all my kitties to have insurance through them ect..

and than I had an ER...$1000 was the expected bill for TESTS only...not includeing treatment. I always paid upfront, brought my kitties in for well over 2 years...

they flat out said. Nope no way no how.

 

[reddicequeen]

...but since this is not a perfect world...one would think that there would be some alternatives. Some truly poor people are able to get on medicaid and have fairly good health coverage. There isnt anything like that for your pet if you are unemployed.
I am not unemployed, I can afford to pay for my pet care but I truly sympathize with those who are on tight budgets.
I also know that sometimes doctors do get burned by patients who do not pay for whatever reason. If you are in that field you know it is annoying, however, it doesnt mean the clinic will close or that anyone will be out of work. Its more an occasional thing then a regular practice. Mostly because they usually dont get through the door to be seen without the money. The established patients....who dont have the money...usually don't stiff the doctor.
I think that it should be part of a doctors rotation in the residents program to volunteer X amount of hours in free care to those who cannot pay for it. I am talking both vets and m.d.'s , d.o.'s etc. They could make it part of their training. The suggestion didnt fly when i was working and probably won't now. There are so many good people around that volunteer their time for resuce work. Perhaps its something to think about for a time. Perhaps you are in a position to make the suggestion?

 

[beckiboo]

Originally Posted by CommonOddity042

It sucks, but it's the fault of dishonest people who scam vets for free care, not the vet's fault.

I agree, it is really the fault of dishonest people who take an animal to a vet, and say they will pay later...then decide $100 or $1000 or whatever is too much, and refuse to pay. And saying keep the animal until paid...too many people would give up the pet rather than pay, and then the vet is stuck with the bill AND a recovering pet!

My heart breaks for you, Bob. I am not in your shoes, but my husband did just lose his job. Last year we spent a LOT of money on the vet for our horses. We almost lost one horse, and she was under the vets care for about a month. And I just spent over $300 on surgery for my dog. Although we have a credit card, if something catastophic comes up, we may not be able to easily afford the optimal vet care!

Also, while annual check-ups and vaccines are recommended, many people don't believe in annual vaccines, so put off the vet visits. Maybe it isn't the best choice, but it happens sometimes. Especially when money is tight.

Do check with the shelters and rescues. My vet does spays and neuters of ferals, including shots, for $25 per cat. That is his way of giving back to the community. Other vets work at spay and neuter days, where they are on their feet for hours, doing one surgery after another. They are compensated, but I'm sure it isn't enough to be worth giving up 8 hours on a Sunday once a month! I have another vet near me who does low cost spays and neuters to anyone within 10 miles of him. He is basically a vet for racehorses, but takes time in the mornings to do some surgeries, to help out. I'm sure he makes a little profit, but not much. There are good vets out there. You may not have found them yet...but they do exist. And you will need a vet at some point for your other kitty. Better to find him/her now!

A final suggestion...difficult if you are already struggling financially, but start that savings plan. My 22 y/o daughter has never been able to save a dime in her life! However, when I threatened to take her kitten if she didn't get it neutered by 6 months, she managed to save the money. (In fact, she saved enough to cover some medical bills of her own, too! Had to borrow from the kitty fund for a week until she got paid...but she paid it right back! LOL!)

Again, condolences on your loss.

 

[commonoddity042]

Originally Posted by reddicequeen

...but since this is not a perfect world...one would think that there would be some alternatives. Some truly poor people are able to get on medicaid and have fairly good health coverage. There isnt anything like that for your pet if you are unemployed.
I am not unemployed, I can afford to pay for my pet care but I truly sympathize with those who are on tight budgets.
I also know that sometimes doctors do get burned by patients who do not pay for whatever reason. If you are in that field you know it is annoying, however, it doesnt mean the clinic will close or that anyone will be out of work. Its more an occasional thing then a regular practice. Mostly because they usually dont get through the door to be seen without the money. The established patients....who dont have the money...usually don't stiff the doctor.
I think that it should be part of a doctors rotation in the residents program to volunteer X amount of hours in free care to those who cannot pay for it. I am talking both vets and m.d.'s , d.o.'s etc. They could make it part of their training. The suggestion didnt fly when i was working and probably won't now. There are so many good people around that volunteer their time for resuce work. Perhaps its something to think about for a time. Perhaps you are in a position to make the suggestion?

Don't misunderstand this as an attack, but even in that theoretical world, there'd still be problems. Some people would just be too lazy to take their animals in (seeing it as a waste of time), and others would not be able to get transport there.

I agree that alternatives should be available, but they should be set up in a way that makes it harder for the dishonest to be successful, while not hindering the rest of the population. Perhaps some sort of quick identity/info verification system. This may sound harsh, but there should also be some system which keeps track of the scammers as well. The actions of the few DO affect the many, and it is terrible that it happens, but that is reality. Once bitten, twice shy.

I am sorry for his losses and hope that he's found some way to get help for his cat.

 

[april31]

i guess my thing is most vets would gladly donate the time they spend with the animal but someone has to pay for the stuff they use to treat it. the vet has to pay for the supplies. its not fair to him to have to pay for the supplies. ive worked at a animal hopsital for 8 years the vet i worked for woul always try to help even if they idnt have money either by donating or even offering the person to work it off by doing some odd jobs around the hospital. when we take in a animal its our responsibility to make sure we can care for it just like our children. that even means asking the vet before hand his rules for a emergency and if they will take payments. not just expecting it.

 

[casa de gato]

I have to agree with what has been said about building a relationship with your vet. When I was in England I used the same vet for 25 years and had an excellent relationship with them. I had several horses, dogs & cats they always accomodated me on payiment plans when I had annual boosters for the horses even when they changed the rules for others I was still allowed to pay monthly.

One night a few years ago I found a cat in the lane which had been hit by a car. I went to move it to the side of the road and was horrified to find it was still alive and in a dreadfull state it was 3am in the morning.

I rang my vet emergency line and Rod (the vet and by now a good friend) came down to the surgery to see the cat. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do and the cat had to be put to sleep. I offered to pay him but he refused payment, I never found out who owned the cat despite visiting several houses in the lane.

This just illustrates the importance of a relationship with your vet (the cat was not even mine) while I sympathise with you Bob for your loss and feel for you and your cat I cannot blame the vet for turning away a complete stranger. I beg you Please please think of the long term heath of your cat. Instead of comdeming all vets in general, make plans, put a little money aside get a credit card for emergencies, find out where to go in am emergency who offers a 24 hour service where the local shelters are. I would do anything for my animals I would even sell belongings to pay for their care if totally desperate I would take my animals to a local charity and beg for help (in the UK RSPCA or PDSA).

Here in Lanzarote I am still building that relationship with my vet, I have had emergency treatment with a 24 hour vet hidden in the back streets of the capital where they spoke no English and at that time I spoke no Spanish.

I made it my duty when arriving here 18 months ago to make sure I knew where to get treatment.

This week I had to take my boys with colds and one of my boarders who had had some sort of fit and then our stupid dog when it jumped in a cactus bush ...... they immediately allowed me to pay a bit at a time.... relationship established