Comments on: Why We Can’t Afford to Lose Trust in our Vets http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/4221/why-we-cant-afford-to-lose-trust-in-our-vets/ the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:23:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Roger Meacock MRCVS http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/4221/why-we-cant-afford-to-lose-trust-in-our-vets/#comment-65225 Roger Meacock MRCVS Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:28:57 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=4221#comment-65225 There are some legitimate reasons for price discrepancies. Practices that have hospital facilities, offer more than a skeleton 24 hour service, branch surgeries, specialised vets with higher levels of qualification etc have higher overheads and offer a higher level in in-house care. It is up to clients to balance the level of veterinary cover they want with price. Some practices may load the overheads onto time/surgery charges, others onto pharmaceutical costs or prescription charges which makes comparisons very difficult and in many cases comparing 2 practices solely on price will not take into consideration these other factors. Owners must also consider that internet pharmacies may not be selling legal drugs in the UK and may not even be what they claim to be as there are reports of bogus preparations. If a cheap bogus preparation is bought on prescription owners must also consider that vets in the UK cannot be held liable for any deterioration in health that may result from an incorrectly followed prescription. Having said that there may be cheaper options for chronically ill pets by exploring alternative options provided by vets specialising in various alternative practices such as homeopathy, herbs, scenar, acupuncture etc where treatments are frequently cheaper than more conventional pharmaceuticals. In some cases even expensive orthopaedic surgery can be avoided. It is up to owners to look at all the options available and take all factors into consideration when deciding what options of treatment they decide is best for their pet. There are some legitimate reasons for price discrepancies. Practices that have hospital facilities, offer more than a skeleton 24 hour service, branch surgeries, specialised vets with higher levels of qualification etc have higher overheads and offer a higher level in in-house care. It is up to clients to balance the level of veterinary cover they want with price. Some practices may load the overheads onto time/surgery charges, others onto pharmaceutical costs or prescription charges which makes comparisons very difficult and in many cases comparing 2 practices solely on price will not take into consideration these other factors. Owners must also consider that internet pharmacies may not be selling legal drugs in the UK and may not even be what they claim to be as there are reports of bogus preparations. If a cheap bogus preparation is bought on prescription owners must also consider that vets in the UK cannot be held liable for any deterioration in health that may result from an incorrectly followed prescription.
Having said that there may be cheaper options for chronically ill pets by exploring alternative options provided by vets specialising in various alternative practices such as homeopathy, herbs, scenar, acupuncture etc where treatments are frequently cheaper than more conventional pharmaceuticals. In some cases even expensive orthopaedic surgery can be avoided.
It is up to owners to look at all the options available and take all factors into consideration when deciding what options of treatment they decide is best for their pet.

]]> By: Fran http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/4221/why-we-cant-afford-to-lose-trust-in-our-vets/#comment-65154 Fran Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:21:37 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=4221#comment-65154 I would prefer us all to have a choice as to where our prescriptions are bought from. I used to like my vet to write out a prescription and for me to be able to purchase the drugs online, where the costs would be a lot less. Now I am forced to pay £5 just for the priviledge of a prescription being printed out. Another local vet charges a £25 fee for printed prescriptions. This removes our freedom of choice to shop around for drugs and does nothing more than line the pockets of the vets. Last year a moretorium was placed on the veterinary profession forcing them to issue printed prescriptions if required. Now this moretorium has come to an end, I now have to pay a lot more for my pets drugs as I no longer have the freedom to shop around. It is this kind of thing which looses my respect for the profession. I would prefer us all to have a choice as to where our prescriptions are bought from.

I used to like my vet to write out a prescription and for me to be able to purchase the drugs online, where the costs would be a lot less. Now I am forced to pay £5 just for the priviledge of a prescription being printed out. Another local vet charges a £25 fee for printed prescriptions. This removes our freedom of choice to shop around for drugs and does nothing more than line the pockets of the vets.

Last year a moretorium was placed on the veterinary profession forcing them to issue printed prescriptions if required. Now this moretorium has come to an end, I now have to pay a lot more for my pets drugs as I no longer have the freedom to shop around.

It is this kind of thing which looses my respect for the profession.

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