Vet treatment estimate

[PositronicRay]

Hi all, I'm not mean and if our dog needs anything he'll get it but this seems expensive to me.

Our dog (2.5 yr 15kg terrier cross) since a puppy he often lifts his left rear leg when trotting, fine at full pelt and okay when walking or pulling hard on the lead.

He never seems to be in any pain, you can manipulate the joint without fuss and it's never stopped him from running, playing or being generally exuberant. The main suspect is a luxating patella or maybe a hip problem, Vet said he felt a "thickening of the knee"

He also has some plaque which we know needs doing, so the sensible thing would be carry out xrays and a full examination whilst under GA. This took my breath away.

Dental therapy 45 mins inc GA £194
Radiographic interp+ 1 view £103
Radiography addiional view £88
Additional 15min Anaesthesia £62
Total £447

I'm not the type to shop around for this type of thing but does this seem expensive or about right?

Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 1st May 15:03

[Xtriple129]

That sounds like the vet is charging like a wounded rhino!

Having recently had LOTS of vets bills, the last one was for 2 xrays, anaesthesia etc and was for less than £200 including views and such.

My dog is much bigger than yours (26kilos) so the drugs are more. But your quote sounds expensive to me.

[PositronicRay]

I've just paid £40 for his booster shots, I didn't query it but it's got me thinking.

[moorx]

It can depend on where you are in the UK.

My greyhounds have had a lot of dental treatment over the years and it is expensive, but it is cheaper here (west Wales) than it used to be where I lived previously (north Somerset). Vet charges in general over here are lower - I used to pay in excess of £30 just for a consultation; here it's £17.

[bexVN]

My main query is how much plaque does he have on his teeth to warrant a dental at 2.5yrs. Are his gums affected by the plaqu? Just be aware that he will need them done again in a years time unless you start brushing 4x a week, descaling can be vital but can also speed up plaque formation once done.

That aside it is difficult to know as depends on area of country. I would say it seems a bit higher than where I work and we are a higher priced practice (I think if memory serves it'd be about £50-£100 less)

[Thevet]

PositronicRay said:

Hi all, I'm not mean and if our dog needs anything he'll get it but this seems expensive to me.

Our dog (2.5 yr 15kg terrier cross) since a puppy he often lifts his left rear leg when trotting, fine at full pelt and okay when walking or pulling hard on the lead.

He never seems to be in any pain, you can manipulate the joint without fuss and it's never stopped him from running, playing or being generally exuberant. The main suspect is a luxating patella or maybe a hip problem, Vet said he felt a "thickening of the knee"

He also has some plaque which we know needs doing, so the sensible thing would be carry out xrays and a full examination whilst under GA. This took my breath away.

Dental therapy 45 mins inc GA £194
Radiographic interp+ 1 view £103
Radiography addiional view £88
Additional 15min Anaesthesia £62
Total £447

I'm not the type to shop around for this type of thing but does this seem expensive or about right?

Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 1st May 15:03

Dental fee is probably ok but 45 mins suggests either teeth awful or vet too slow!
Xray fee is high, we spent £40k on a new digital xray machine 5 years ago and it has to be paid for but not to the extent that people can't afford xrays. £88 for a second plate is rubbish.
Additional 15 mins is fine but the hourly rate is too high.
I have this sort of argument all the time with my small animal department, they estimate high so that clients don't turn round and say "you said it would only be £x and now you saying it is £x plus y"
So, I would say it's a bit expensive but worth querying with the practice manager, as it could be just a worst case scenario.

[Jasandjules]

Xtriple129 said:

Having recently had LOTS of vets bills, the last one was for 2 xrays, anaesthesia etc and was for less than £200 including views and such.

I see your two x-rays and raise you six, oh, and £900...........

[Simpo Two]

PositronicRay said:

Dental therapy 45 mins inc GA £194

My excellent private dentist can make me a superb hand-crafted composite filling in the same time and only charges £120.

[bexVN]

Simpo Two said:

PositronicRay said:

Dental therapy 45 mins inc GA £194

My excellent private dentist can make me a superb hand-crafted composite filling in the same time and only charges £120.

Assuming you don't need a GA for that though.

[Simpo Two]

True, but I'm getting a hand-crafted composite filling not just a scaling.

I suppose that if a separate anaesthetist is required for the animal then that would account for the difference. There are no poor anaesthetists...!

[glasgowrob]

yup vets in general are ruddy expensive.


i'm convinced ours just pulls prices out of thin air as the prices seem up and down every visit.


that said the emergency vet we use is taking the mick. place is staffed 24/7 but we got hit with a £120 consultation fee because it was between 6 and 11pm I dread to think what the bill would have been after 11

[PositronicRay]

Thevet said:

PositronicRay said:

Hi all, I'm not mean and if our dog needs anything he'll get it but this seems expensive to me.

Our dog (2.5 yr 15kg terrier cross) since a puppy he often lifts his left rear leg when trotting, fine at full pelt and okay when walking or pulling hard on the lead.

He never seems to be in any pain, you can manipulate the joint without fuss and it's never stopped him from running, playing or being generally exuberant. The main suspect is a luxating patella or maybe a hip problem, Vet said he felt a "thickening of the knee"

He also has some plaque which we know needs doing, so the sensible thing would be carry out xrays and a full examination whilst under GA. This took my breath away.

Dental therapy 45 mins inc GA £194
Radiographic interp+ 1 view £103
Radiography addiional view £88
Additional 15min Anaesthesia £62
Total £447

I'm not the type to shop around for this type of thing but does this seem expensive or about right?

Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 1st May 15:03

Dental fee is probably ok but 45 mins suggests either teeth awful or vet too slow!
Xray fee is high, we spent £40k on a new digital xray machine 5 years ago and it has to be paid for but not to the extent that people can't afford xrays. £88 for a second plate is rubbish.
Additional 15 mins is fine but the hourly rate is too high.
I have this sort of argument all the time with my small animal department, they estimate high so that clients don't turn round and say "you said it would only be £x and now you saying it is £x plus y"
So, I would say it's a bit expensive but worth querying with the practice manager, as it could be just a worst case scenario.

Thanks, time for a second opinion methinks.

[CaptainMorgan]

Urgh, Luxating Patella, Vinnie my boy has had 3 of these ops. The vet diagnosed it in a matter of seconds feeling his knee, he did say he does a lot of them but being a common issue most vets should be able to diagnose it without the need for xrays etc I'd have thought?

[PositronicRay]

CaptainMorgan said:

Urgh, Luxating Patella, Vinnie my boy has had 3 of these ops. The vet diagnosed it in a matter of seconds feeling his knee, he did say he does a lot of them but being a common issue most vets should be able to diagnose it without the need for xrays etc I'd have thought?

3 opps? How come? As a matter of interest how much were the opps? My Vet was estimating £1100+

Edited by PositronicRay on Friday 1st May 22:40

[Mexican cuties]

Thank god for insurance, Davies amazing specialist put our chihuahua nali back together again after loose dog got out and he came off worse and £4k later he can still walk not good before, only problem now he is on lead and !overly keendogs off !ead not welcome despite us telling the owners to call their dog off the !ead away and then when he has a go back they are surprised,looked like a Frankenstein dog when he cou!d come home back to us

Now other problems, but we have found some vets are salespeople and others are go!d dust

[bexVN]

A lot of luxating patellas don't need surgery. If surgery is to be considered xrays should be done just to ensure no other issues aswell.

[PositronicRay]

bexVN said:

A lot of luxating patellas don't need surgery. If surgery is to be considered xrays should be done just to ensure no other issues aswell.

This was my thought.
The Vet says "lifting his leg is his way of telling us he's in pain"

But, no sign of pain to me. Running, playing, rough and tumble, manipulation, always keen, never squeals or winces. But if a twig gets caught in his fur he'll go mental till it's off though.

[bexVN]

Sorry I don't completely buy that, it may feel odd hence the hopping but they rarely exhibit pain as such unless chronic changes etc. If limping after back in place then that's different.(or if yelping when happens, or if more than just luxating patellas) vets can sometimes pop the patella out and back in and the dogs barely react.

If we did surgery on all hopping dogs (I mean those with luxating patellas so most yorker and jrt's!) it'd be an op a day!

Edited by bexVN on Saturday 2nd May 10:16

[PositronicRay]

bexVN said:

Sorry I don't completely buy that, it may feel odd hence the hopping but they rarely exhibit pain as such unless chronic changes etc. If limping after back in place then that's different.(or if yelping when happens, or if more than just luxating patellas) vets can sometimes pop the patella out and back in and the dogs barely react.

If we did surgery on all hopping dogs (I mean those with luxating patellas so most yorker and jrt's!) it'd be an op a day!

Edited by bexVN on Saturday 2nd May 10:16

Thanks Bex, I've lost confidence with this VS. We've had another one recommended so we'll get another opinion.

[bexVN]

No harm in doing so as not urgent situation. Could see another vet in the practice first and see what they say or seek different practice (you should tell them it's a second opinion as they should get history) if they reach the same conclusion then fair enough, at least xrays will ensure no other problems with the leg. Hope you get reassurance soon.