Should The Cost Of Animal Treatments Be Regulated?

[naomi24]

My husband has just collected two worming tablets and six flea treatment tablets from the vet for my two dogs - that's one worming tablet and three flea treatment tablets each.  Cost £116.  
 

With charges like that it's no surprise people don't bother.

[Boto]

I paid £55 last week for one flea tablet and one worming tablet.  He's worth every penny.  The over the counter ones from Pets at Home don't always work as a friend of mine found out.

[jourdain2]

PDSA is one of the miniscule amount of national charities that I support. Our local vets are very good.  They put on-line recently their scale of charges and there was an outburst of rage!  I admit to wondering 'Well, he's 15 and a half, does he really need boosters?'  Answer 'Probably not, but the kennels demand it'.  I'm beginning to understand people who don't register with a vet and hope for the best.

PS Alf Wight (James H.) used to visit the herd of a sort of cousin of mine a couple of miles from where I grew up. He would be turning in his grave. 

[Tuvok]

Local chemist (when it was Lloyds) stocked pet stuff.  Not sure if they still do since they changed hands.

[Buenchico]

The Competion & Markets Authority is currently investigating veterinary fees:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-presses-ahead-with-full-investigation-into-vets-market

However I've found that over-the-counter flea tablets containing Nitenpyram are cheap and work really well with my cats.  (Unlike the dreaded 'spot on' treatments, which are almost impossible to apply to my lot, I can simply crush the tablets and hide them in their food.  Any fleas on the cats then start to drop off within 15 minutes or so).  At £10 for 6 tablets (from Pets at Home), they're well within my limited budget.  [They're available for dogs too].

I've also found that pumpkin seeds, ground up in a pestle and mortar and hidden in food, make an excellent dewormer for the cats.  (Once again, they're said to work with dogs too).  Only a very small quantity is needed, so that a £2 bag will last well over a year, even with three cats to be treated.

[Gill1941]

As Chris said vets fees are currently being investigated.

The extortionate prices are because most vets belong to conglomerates, I think.

Took my cat to the vets a few weeks ago as she wasn't eating or drinking. Cost £1,500 over 4 days. They never found the reason.

In the end I said enough you're just whistling in the wind.

Have now found family run vets in local town so will see in the future.

[Ringlet]

No wonder there is now a shortage of qualified vets. 

Anyone with compassion for animals and their suffering could not bear to see what is happening in the veterinary world. 

Animals are being left untreated because their owners/carers cannot afford the extortionate prices that vets are now forced to charge by the large companies that control them.

It is heartbreaking for both animal carers, and for the qualified staff who try to look after them. 

Vets are not heartless demons, nor are the veterinary nurses, receptionists and others in the vet practices who care deeply about what is happening to innocent companion animals who are now the helpless victims of corporate greed.