Medication Prices

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I have had a sneaking suspicion for some time that we're being overcharged by our Vet on medication but Googling doesn't give me any answers. We have two animals on permanent meds, and one has recently been on ear drops.

I picked up some Neomercazole for the cat yesterday and was charged $43. I don't recall it ever being that expensive, I've had cats on that medication for literally years and was expecting to pay around $20-$30 for it.

We pay $200 for Vetmedin (100 tabs) and $91.15 for 14 tabs of Fortekor, and likewise I was sure they weren't that expensive when our dog first went on them. The Fortekor particularly is a killer because it's only a month's supply.

Bear came home from a reconsult with another of our dogs over his ears and had a $75 bill for the resconsult and a bottle of Dermotic. That also seemed extreme to me.

Are any of your dogs on these meds? How much do you pay? Let's do a little price comparison...

[Staffyluv]

You are probably not being overcharged by your vet.

Vets do not buy the quantity that the local chemist buys, therefore they pay a higher rate for medication - hence the reason why it is more expensive to get medication from the vet.

A lot of medications that are used for animals can be purchased at the chemist with a script from the vet.

Ask your vet if you can get the medication from your local chemist - we get four of Ollies meds (all human meds) from the local chemist and save about 30% on what they were costing from the vets because of his ongoing need for these meds.

[koolietas]

My vet sells the Feliway diffuser for $104. I can get it online for $64...

Anything that I need from the vet (obviously not prescriptions) I'll look elsewhere first.

[Mossie]

I had the same suspicion of being overcharged by my local vet. If there are other vets in your area it may be worth you doing a ring-around and getting some prices. I had three dogs on Metacam for several months due to orthopaedic issues. When it came time to get my next 100ml bottle I called four vets in my area. I found that there was a $40 difference between the cheapest and most expensive quote for exactly the same product. Obviously I ordered it from the cheapest vet - and have now switched to that vet for all their medicinal needs!

[Guest Willow]

do those prices include a consultation fee, or is that what you are being charged for medication alone??? (it should be itmeised on your invoice)

[noisymina]

Well, the vet we WERE going to was filling my dogs ongoing medication for about $25 every 3 months. With a check-up annually (unless we needed to take her for something else during the year).

Last year, at the 6 month re-fill they said no, there would be a need to come and do and pay for a consult as well. I questioned this, so they filled the meds and said that next time they would not unless we did a consult. At the 9month request, they said no, that I would have to come for a consult as well every 6 months. Well, in 3 months she was due anyway - for all her annuals.

Then they added that there would be tests to pay for as well - every 6 months. Well, at the last annual there were NO TESTS done at all. So I queried that as well. They stood by it. I told them they could re-consider and let me know within the next 24 hours or they would not be seeing us back.

Didn't hear from them. Dog is now off her meds and on herbs instead and I have fingers crossed!

BUT they did send me the notice for the annual visit. With some blurb about heartworm meds that she isn't even on! I've bee forking out for the annual one with them.

I'm going in tomorrow to pick up my parcel from the post office with all the cut-price wormers etc that I used to buy from the vet as well. I knew it was more expensive, but I also felt they were due some loyalty.

That has well and truly gone out the window now.

Well, if they were not overcharging before, they certainly would have been by now if I had gone along with their blackmailing agenda.

Yes, BLACLMAIL. Because during our last interaction they had the hide to suggest that I would not be doing the best thing by my dog if I did not comply.

So what changed? The only thing that changed was the ownership of the vet practice itself. And the vet I used to see there does not appear to be there any more.

So yeh - at least SOME vets are definitely chasing the bucks - and not always in an ethical manner.

[Tassie]

FWIW - $41 for NeoMercazole for the old cat - can't comment on whether that has gone up, as she's only just gone on it a few months ago.

[Guest Willow]

Well, the vet we WERE going to was filling my dogs ongoing medication for about $25 every 3 months. With a check-up annually (unless we needed to take her for something else during the year).

Last year, at the 6 month re-fill they said no, there would be a need to come and do and pay for a consult as well. I questioned this, so they filled the meds and said that next time they would not unless we did a consult. At the 9month request, they said no, that I would have to come for a consult as well every 6 months. Well, in 3 months she was due anyway - for all her annuals.

Then they added that there would be tests to pay for as well - every 6 months. Well, at the last annual there were NO TESTS done at all. So I queried that as well. They stood by it. I told them they could re-consider and let me know within the next 24 hours or they would not be seeing us back.

Didn't hear from them. Dog is now off her meds and on herbs instead and I have fingers crossed!

BUT they did send me the notice for the annual visit. With some blurb about heartworm meds that she isn't even on! I've bee forking out for the annual one with them.

I'm going in tomorrow to pick up my parcel from the post office with all the cut-price wormers etc that I used to buy from the vet as well. I knew it was more expensive, but I also felt they were due some loyalty.

That has well and truly gone out the window now.

Well, if they were not overcharging before, they certainly would have been by now if I had gone along with their blackmailing agenda.

Yes, BLACLMAIL. Because during our last interaction they had the hide to suggest that I would not be doing the best thing by my dog if I did not comply.

So what changed? The only thing that changed was the ownership of the vet practice itself. And the vet I used to see there does not appear to be there any more.

So yeh - at least SOME vets are definitely chasing the bucks - and not always in an ethical manner.

from the other perspective (I'm a vet nurse)...now, I'm not saying you're right or wrong, and I wasn't there when you had the conversation with your clinic, so it would be hugely wrong of me to assume I know all the ins & outs, but it sounds like that clinic runs on a similar basis to my own. Nor do I know how well the staff handled your situation, but going on the reasons our clinic bases their decisions on, might explain why your clinic did what they did....

Our vets insist on a 6 monthy check up before re-dispensing meds. The reasoning behind it is that 6 months in a dogs life is like 3 years (give or take) in a human, and a lot of things can change within the body in that time, and they want to assess if the dog is on the correct dose (would explain the tests too)

If the practice in under new management, it will take them a while to get to know you & your dog, and vets are really conscious of doing the right thing in terms of diagnostics, which is probably why they insisted on the tests, to make sure they were covered.....if they just prescribed meds randomly, and something happened to your dog, they could have been in trouble for not doing the right thing.

Vets are bound by certain codes of ethics as well as laws, and while the treatment from the old vet who knew you well worked for you both, a new vet might not be so willing to compromise with someone they don't know well yet.

Obviously this should have been handled sensitilvely by the staff, and it does sound as though they may have been a little blunt with you (again, not there, so I'm just speculating) but from personal experience, I know that I have been badly abused by clients who have been angry they can't have repeat medications, and the vet has said "I haven't ever seen the dog before, I feel really uncomfortable doing this, I want to do a full examination first if they are to be my patient". Which really, is the right thing to do....most vets really do want to offer the best possib;e treatment, and aren't just seeing dollar signs (again, I know a lot of people will think this is crap.......)

I can see both sides......as a pet owner I can understand that you feel let down by a clinic you had trusted, and feel that the rules have suddenly changed, and on the other side of the coiun, as a nurse, I can understand why the clinic has said what they did.

Perhaps if you had a good relationship with the previous vet, you could find where they had gone & go to that clinic.?

I would also suggest putting your grievances on paper......it will make you feel better, and the clinic needs to know that they have upset a client, so perhaps they can review the way these queries are handled. It's unlikely to change their poilcy, but there are nice ways & nasty ways of telling people they can't have something!

[Kelly_Louise]

$248 for a prescription of Trilostane, which lasts 50 days. But that is from a big pharmacy, not from the vet direct as they know they can not complete with that price.

Chloe will be on them for life, and the cost is a killer.... but she needs to have it. I pleaded for a discount as legally Chloe belongs to my 90 year old Granny and my parents care for my Gran... to no avail.

I understand it's an expensive drug, and we are luckier than most.... but how are people in an even tougher situation able to help their dogs? I feel bad for them...

[Guest Willow]

If a dog was insured before a chronic condition was discovered, do you think the insurance company would cover the cost of the medication (at least partially)? Or would they suddenly make the condition an exemption when you renewed your policy the following year?

[Poodle wrangler]

Illnesses like heart failure change over time, so your vet SHOULD be doing regular check-ups before dispensing more meds.

Always compare prices online.

Vet meds seem so expensive because we forget that human meds are discounted (sometimes by 10s-100s of dollars) on the PBS. I'm talking about the discounts we all get, not just those with pension cards etc.

[noisymina]

OK - here goes!

from the other perspective (I'm a vet nurse)...now, I'm not saying you're right or wrong, and I wasn't there when you had the conversation with your clinic, so it would be hugely wrong of me to assume I know all the ins & outs, but it sounds like that clinic runs on a similar basis to my own. Nor do I know how well the staff handled your situation, but going on the reasons our clinic bases their decisions on, might explain why your clinic did what they did....

To clarify - I was with them some 3 years before all this started. Before I even started with them, I asked about these meds that she was already on and about the protocols they would follow etc. I was assured that the yearly check was sufficient and there would be no problem. And there wasn't.

At the annual check before the one mentioned here, the other vet did run tests and it cost a fortune that year for all the stuff I had done and all the wormers etc I bought from them.

The following year, got different vet and there was NO mention of tests. I wondered after I left, but just accepted that she SHOULD know what she is doing. That is the same one that, 6 months later is telling me she needs THREE month checks. No warning at the annual check that the rules were to be changed, no correspondence - nothing.

Our vets insist on a 6 monthy check up before re-dispensing meds. The reasoning behind it is that 6 months in a dogs life is like 3 years (give or take) in a human, and a lot of things can change within the body in that time, and they want to assess if the dog is on the correct dose (would explain the tests too)

The dog was on the same dose for many years. As I said, no tests were done at the annual prior to this "change". The main criteria being that they were working and dog was happy, which she was/ is. I won't go into detail - but I'm not silly. I know when any creature is not 100%. I will take her to the vet at the slightest indication things may not be quite right. Their record show that - even if the individual vet has never even met me!

If the practice in under new management, it will take them a while to get to know you & your dog, and vets are really conscious of doing the right thing in terms of diagnostics, which is probably why they insisted on the tests, to make sure they were covered.....if they just prescribed meds randomly, and something happened to your dog, they could have been in trouble for not doing the right thing.

The meds were not random. The records show the history. If she was really "conscious of doing the right thing in terms of diagnostics" she would have run "tests" at the annual consult - or at least mentioned them.

Vets are bound by certain codes of ethics as well as laws, and while the treatment from the old vet who knew you well worked for you both, a new vet might not be so willing to compromise with someone they don't know well yet.

Apparently that "code of ethics" does not cover the idea of warning clients about "policy" changes. It also says that it is OK for the vet to hide out the back and leave the receptionist to deal with the client when conveying new rules that the client will obviously want to question? I thought that was bad form and told the receptionist so - very politely, of course.

Obviously this should have been handled sensitilvely by the staff, and it does sound as though they may have been a little blunt with you (again, not there, so I'm just speculating) but from personal experience, I know that I have been badly abused by clients who have been angry they can't have repeat medications, and the vet has said "I haven't ever seen the dog before, I feel really uncomfortable doing this, I want to do a full examination first if they are to be my patient". Which really, is the right thing to do....most vets really do want to offer the best possib;e treatment, and aren't just seeing dollar signs (again, I know a lot of people will think this is crap.......)

The receptionist was very good. We did not have a problem with each other. I made it clear that what I was saying was to be conveyed to the vet hiding out the back and the poor receptionist went back several times to get instructions as to what to tell me. This was not fair on the receptionist either. I remember thinking at the time that she would have been dealing with far worse clients than myself. That did not make my mood any better, you can be sure - and was one reason I stood my ground. The way the whole thing went down was verging on blackmail, IMO. They were playing on my reasonable attitude. I am sure half the stuff they said would not have been suggested to a really angry client.

I can see both sides......as a pet owner I can understand that you feel let down by a clinic you had trusted, and feel that the rules have suddenly changed, and on the other side of the coiun, as a nurse, I can understand why the clinic has said what they did.

Perhaps if you had a good relationship with the previous vet, you could find where they had gone & go to that clinic.?

It's not a matter of objecting to changes. It's a moot point whether or not I would have acted differently if it had been done differently. As is often the case, it is not WHAT you do, but HOW you do it.

I would also suggest putting your grievances on paper......it will make you feel better, and the clinic needs to know that they have upset a client, so perhaps they can review the way these queries are handled. It's unlikely to change their poilcy, but there are nice ways & nasty ways of telling people they can't have something!

When the something the client asks for has been supplied happily for years, you can't blame them for getting narky at having to take the animal down (and pay for) for a consult every three months - which is what they originally told me I had to do. When they back stepped to six months PLUS tests - it was clear to me it was more about getting money in than it was about my dog's welfare.

I know you don't know me and all. But please realise that the fact that their "requirements" kept on changing, that there was no warning, that no tests were done or even mentioned at the annual with the same vet - and so on - it all reflects badly on their ethics and their motivation.

Just to add an interesting side line - the clinic is now owned by a publicly listed company. It is interesting to follow it up and look at who owns it, who is buying shares in it .....and how the share price is going etc. If it's not about money, I'll eat my hat! :D

Yes- they are on paper here for all to see.

If I were wanting to continue a relationship with them, it might be worth the time. As it is, it's just not going to happen. I don't continue to deal with people I have found to be dishonest or unethical.

As it turns out they may well have done me and the dog a HUGE favour.

For less than half the cost of the annual vet visit, I have the dog, the horse and the cats covered for wormers for the next year. The dog is on a herbs (which were heaps cheaper than the meds, even without the consult fee) and is happier than she's been for a long time.

If she look like she needs a vet .......well some poor vet is going to get the inquistion before I let another one within a mile of her! If she suffers in the meantime for any reason - well .................. So much for her "welfare".

[SkySoaringMagpie]

do those prices include a consultation fee, or is that what you are being charged for medication alone??? (it should be itmeised on your invoice)

No, it's just the meds. Sometimes they charge a $14 "dispensing fee", sometimes not.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Always compare prices online.

OK, I must be a complete nuffy because I have tried to do this and cannot find prices listed for prescription vet meds. Can someone give me an example of a site where I can do this?

[sandgrubber]

Vets charge for things other than the medicine itself -- as others have stated.

Eg, as a breeder, I buy worming tablets in 100 bottles. I pay ~ $2.00/tab good for 10 kg bodyweight. If I bought them from the same vet on a piece by piece basis, I'd be paying $6/tab or more. LIkewise, I had a long stay boarding kennel client with two dogs who used Sentinel. First time I bought it from a local vet at $120 for a 6 mo pack. Eventually I halved the cost by finding an online source that sold 12 mo at a hit. If I was a massive user of the stuff and could move up the supply chain, I'd expect to be able to come down to around $40 for what I paid $120 at the local vet.

But that's how markets work. Everything's more expensive at the end of the chain because there's more labour, more overhead, and more wastage when you sell small lots with slow turnover of stock.

If you compare to human meds, vet meds aren't bad. Eg, if I want to get a cortisone itch cream in a pharmacy, I'd expect to pay more per ml than I would for Illium neocort from a local vet . . . and in my experience, neocort is better than any drug I can buy over the counter for itchy bites that might get infected.

If you want to reduce costs, look for someone who will help you buy higher up the chain in bulk, or ask your local vet if they'll give you a discount for buying a whole year's supply at one hit (most drugs last a long time if you store them in the fridge).

[qashmir]

I have 5 dogs and used to pay top dollar for vet care but wasn't happy most of the time anyway. Asked around and changed to a friend's vet who is absolutely marvellous and i save OVER 50% on the original vet! It's actually cheap to visit the vet now! Been going there about 3yrs and couldn't be happier. Just ask around and change vets.