Vet visit

Louie, the Groodle, was at the vet again today. It is not that he has any chronic issues. He was there for an examination and his vaccination. When you add in the heartworm injection and some food, the bill totalled more than $450.00.

Louie's previous vet closed, and so we took him to a new local vet. On his first visit, they signed us up for an annual care plan for Louie, and we would get discounts on consultation and other services. True to their word, they discounted the bill today by $200.00.

I am not sure if this whole scheme is a scam by the vet or not, as I am sure they are inflating their consulting fees to offer a discount to those who sign up. It is hard to see the value in what they offer when they make it so complicated.

Some people might consider this type of scheme as insurance for your pet. I have always been happy to self-insure when it comes to our pets, and they have always received the necessary vet treatment they required.

Having a pet is fantastic, but it can cost you a bit of money when you need to go for a vet visit. I think Louie gets better medical treatment than me.
It would depend on how transparent the vets are in the area and whether you can assess the standard rates for pet services. I know some vets in the US have a markup when they provide a prescription vs taking the prescription to a pet store or filling it online. I don't know if I'd call that a scam, but it certainly falls under the category of buyer beware.
2021-07-14 13:17:14