Vets

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this @Catherine21. I echo exactly what @MW123 has said.

When Natalie-Tiffany was in overnight last Sunday I'd signed a consent form and written on it was the anticipated cost (£250 to £1,000) depending if she had a scan and bloods. Might be subject to an insurance claim/may not be covered. The bill was £290.00 for 27 hours in-patient care, including pain relief and anti emetics, which I feel is very reasonable.

My vets are brilliant, I trust them, but I would still expect a detailed breakdown for a more costly bill like you've received and your vets should expect to provide it: you can only then determine if the charges are commensurate with the services provided to Fifi.

I once asked for a detailed breakdown for my Matilda (who passed away suddenly in the practice), not because of the cost but to see what had been done/procedures etc. It can be upsetting, once you've lost your pet, to scrutinise that but it does make sense to get a full breakdown off them so you can see and work out what feels fair and any further action you might need to take.

Very warmest wishes to you x

Thank you for asking Catherine she's doing ok, a bit subdued and tired this week.

It's difficult re teeth; Nat's had some out last year, as did Aloysius but Nat's was poorly for a few days after with a lot of coughing which exhausted her.

So I was reluctant for Snicket and Scarperlina to go in for theirs to be cleaned (the vet couldn't guarantee they wouldn't have any adverse effects from the anaesthetic so I didn't have these twos done. They've got flatter faces/airways too. It was a bit of a daft question from me tbh, as they'll always be a risk).

Now Snicket's been done and he's fine and Scarperlina I'll book for January probably. I don't think Snicket would have lost as many teeth if I'd have took him last year. The way I think now is it's not for 'cosmetic' reasons and Snicket was off his food and I have to just accept the anaesthetic risk for their ongoing comfort. It's very sad you lost little Fifi so soon after, I know I'd be devastated to lose any of mine.

If you pay your vet, I personally would not enter/agree to a payment plan until I'd got a breakdown of the costs/what was done and see what you're agreeable to as a total amount, or not. Otherwise, it's like writing a blank cheque - we wouldn't do that for any other services nor should we just because it's a vet. What I mean is if my car MOT for instance came to £600+ I'd get a breakdown of what's been done and would not pay without one. The emotional connection for our pets shouldn't exclude reasonable scrutiny of the charges. It's perfectly reasonable to ask xx

I understand @Catherine21 regret is very hard, I regretted Jack's leg revision surgery when he was 14 and then on morphine patches for a few weeks before he passed. We can only do what we feel is right at the time; it's often with the vet's advice but I'll listen to my own instinct first and foremost now.

As an aside, and for people who may not be in the catchment area of charitable vets (Blue Cross, PDSA etc) there is a 'not for profit' vets called Animal Trust. They're the most transparent I've seen with costs shown on their website. They're only in certain locations though, Barnsley, Ellesmere Port, Shrewsbury, Manchester, Liverpool, there's other locations I think but I can't remember them. I think they do free consultations too.

@Catherine21 oh im so sorry you are going through this.I obviously knew you lost your beautiful Fifi.But to have to deal with this is awful.Even if it is explained in black and white in a break down it doesn't make it any easier to accept and I understand how it has triggered all different emotions in you.sending love x