I’ll chime in with the majority here.
Pay the bill. It’s $100. Not worth making a fuss over. You can choose not to use that vet again in the future, but I sure wouldn’t want to have a burned bridge with a vet capable (or near enough) to help you out in an emergency.
Yep… Sucks, but $100 is not worth it.
I’d be pretty ticked about the “checking for free” thing and then being charged, or him coming over to give shots without informing you that would be happening. My trainer told me that the vet had gone over to check on Odie after checking one of the property owner’s horses (she gets a bandage change three times a week or something like that)… If a bill had shown up, I would have complained then, because it wasn’t discussed. Instead, he’s an even better vet and I love that he went over to peek at my burrito out of concern for the critter :yes:.
I agree with pay the $100.00. It’s not worth burning the bridge. I’d be putting this vet at the bottom of my call list though, only to be used
as a last resort in a dire emergency.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;7395476]
I would pay that last $100, and then as you have already done, WALK away. If in the future you need to call him, I would try to pay on the spot. or if impossible exam all bills and deal with possible problems immediately.
I have paid on the spot with one vet who I like very much because the office invariably did expensive add-ons.[/QUOTE]
This. We had a similar situation but were overcharged by several hundred dollars - some of the charges were double billed for the same date of service and some were for horses we don’t even own, which all speaks to the sloppy record keeping. Our boarders had similar issues with being billed twice for the same services, call charge was supposed to be split for seasonal shots and instead four different owners all paid in total $140 for a routine call charge (usually $45), credits were issued verbally but never appeared on the actual account unless several calls were made…
Anyway, we tried to straighten the bill out with the head vet who owns the practice and he asked us to work it out with his office staff. After two months of back and forth with multiple members of his staff, we managed to reduce the discrepancy somewhat but still ended up overpaying by about $250. Finally, we just paid the bill and no longer use him or recommend his practice to others, which is too bad as I really like him (the head vet).
For $100, just pay it and find another vet for future needs. The horse community is small and $100 is just not worth it IMHO.
OPi feel your pain!! Wk t go I into too much detail but asked vet no 1 to come perform a specific task. Vet didn’t bring all he necessary equipment, charge a 2nd farm call to come back with the equipment then recommended surgery.
2nd vet for a 2nd opinion arrived with all the tools, did a far more extensive exam, charged less and said surgery was a last resort give 2 other options to try first.
Horse is now doi g great, without surgery.
I paid both bills, like others mentioned, because I may need vet no 1 for emergencies plus I find it really hard to owe anyone money however in future I will use vet no 1 only as a last resort.
Sorry to heat you had poor service. Taking care of our horses is expensive enough without unnecessary extras piling up.
I have. A similar situation to yours. My gelding had a little cut on his leg–no swollen, not inflammed, not sore, not red, nothing. The barn manager had the vet out (who I would never use) for someone else and had her look at him.
She tranked a 28 year old horse (who I have put stitches in without tranking) shaved his leg, washed it, wrapped the thing from fetlock to elbow so he couldn’t move, IV’d bute, and gave antibiotics.
I was pissed. I took off the wrap so he COULD move and he was fine. The bill was something like $400. I was going to report her to the vet board. The barn owner asked that I not, because, they may need her in an emergency some day.
So, I wrote her and explained my confusion with the bill and why she would do all of this in a mostly polite way, explaining it’s dangerous to trank and IV an older horse when there are no signs he needs it. She responded that she would reduce the bill and suggest I find another vet for the future. I thanked her and said I sure would make sure other vets were in line.
So, maybe try something like that.
I had a horse killed in a routine surgery due to a vet tech error. I paid nothing on that bill, nor was I expected to by the vet.
[QUOTE=Beentheredonethat;7395742]
I have. A similar situation to yours. My gelding had a little cut on his leg–no swollen, not inflammed, not sore, not red, nothing. The barn manager had the vet out (who I would never use) for someone else and had her look at him.
She tranked a 28 year old horse (who I have put stitches in without tranking) shaved his leg, washed it, wrapped the thing from fetlock to elbow so he couldn’t move, IV’d bute, and gave antibiotics.
I was pissed. I took off the wrap so he COULD move and he was fine. The bill was something like $400. I was going to report her to the vet board. The barn owner asked that I not, because, they may need her in an emergency some day.
So, I wrote her and explained my confusion with the bill and why she would do all of this in a mostly polite way, explaining it’s dangerous to trank and IV an older horse when there are no signs he needs it. She responded that she would reduce the bill and suggest I find another vet for the future. I thanked her and said I sure would make sure other vets were in line.
So, maybe try something like that.[/QUOTE]
IMO, that’s different because you didn’t have a vet-client relationship established. It sounds like your barn owner took it on herself to decide your horse needed vet care without consulting you - I would expect the barn owner & vet to sort out the bill between themselves in that situation.
The OP had an established relationship with this vet. She wasn’t pleased with the outcome of treatment - which is not a reason to not pay a bill. She was charged for a visit she was told would be free - which she should have called & discussed with the vet as soon as she received that bill. It sounds like there was again miscommunication about who would administer the Excede. Personally, I think she needs to reevaluate her communication skills, and if those are not lacking, then absolutely avoid that vet unless she has an emergency. It’s always a good idea to get everything in writing if there’s doubt about what you want to pay.
IMO, there’s never a reason for not paying a bill without calling the service provider and discussing why you think it should be reduced.
[QUOTE=GoForAGallop;7394257]
Regardless of everything, at this point in time, I am not sure I would burn a bridge with a vet over $100.
Issues with the bill should have been brought up immediately, not after you have already paid the majority.[/QUOTE]
Why not burn a bridge with an incompetent greedy vet?
[QUOTE=GottaQHFilly;7395870]
Why not burn a bridge with an incompetent greedy vet?[/QUOTE]
Because in a true emergency a greedy incompetent vet (which is a pretty strong call based on the OP’s info) is better than no vet at all. And I’ve known several people who have lost horses when they were unable to get any vet to them at all.
First of all, this has been an important lesson for me- never trust anything that is not put down on paper. For those of you attacking my communication skills- sorry that I am naive and innocent enough to just trust people. Are those such bad qualities?
After reading through your responses, I do think that I will pay the $100 but send a letter to the vet explaining my disappointment and why I will not be using his practice again. The $100 was just the last bill in the mail and really pissed me off after everything, which is why I have not paid it as of yet. IMO, vets get away with many things human doctors never could, and we need to hold them accountable. I have known some really great vets, and other vets such as this one who take advantage of the fact that there are laxer regulations overseeing the veterinary industry than with human healthcare. And since I am paying my dues- I will say this- the vet is Buckeye Veterinary Service in Burton, OH. Reputable vet, but after having been warned by several people that he changes prices based off of what type of barn he sees your horse in (and has no set prices), and the experience I had with him- I would not recommend him to anyone.
Writing a letter is burning a bridge. If you are going to burn it, fight the charge and tell him why.
[QUOTE=englishcowgirl;7395788]
I had a horse killed in a routine surgery due to a vet tech error. I paid nothing on that bill, nor was I expected to by the vet.[/QUOTE]
So sad to hear this. 
I’m curious to know what the vet tech error was, if you don’t mind sharing.
OP - I haven’t experienced this. But I agree with the group. Pay the $100. No letter, etc. Lesson learned and don’t use that Vet again if at all possible. Seems Vet #2 took care of the issue. Use him. Not worth it fsince you have already paid the bulk of the bill.
A phone call to the vet PRIOR to paying the bill would be due dilligence.
There was an instance recently I called the vet about a bill that seemed high. I was polite, explained my concerns and when they reviewed the bill, there was an error.
If you are short on funds, perhaps they would let you pay it in installments?
I would caution against a letter to the vet if you are paying the bill. Just my opinon.
No.
I have not paid a full bill in the past for a vet.
I had a vet out twice for a mare in a rather dire situation. It began with an insect hypersensitivity, and she ended up having a horrible reaction to the dex he prescribed for treatment. 3 days after the initial visit, she was refusing to eat or drink, had stopped sweating, and was neurologic. I called asking for an emergency appointment at 3pm in the afternoon and he said he couldn’t make it until the following day.
When he did arrive, he stood leaning against a wall in her stall and told me she needed her hocks injected. He drew blood for a CBC/Chem at my request and left me with a tube of bute. Then I get a bill in the mail for farm call, emergency fee, physical exam, bloodwork and bute.
I sat down and wrote a letter stating what had happened with the appointment and that I was not going to pay for an emergency fee or physical exam because neither had occurred. I did write a check for the farm call, bloodwork, and bute. I let the letter sit for a couple days, then went back through it to make sure it was professional and non-emotional. Then I mailed it along with my check to the clinic.
A week later, I got a call from the clinic owner apologizing for his associate and stating he waived the fees I did not feel I should pay and my account was up to date.
I have used the clinic again since that time, though not that particular associate, and all is well.
You can certainly challenge a bill, and should, though if you’ve already gotten this deep, and if you can’t be specific about what you are not paying for, then you’re better off just writing the check and saving yourself the hassle of collections.
I will simply repeat what almost everyone else has said - do not burn bridges. Pay the bill. No letter, just pay the bill.
If you do not think things on your bill are correct call the vet immediately to discuss.
If you see the vet leaving supplies or using supplies, assume you are going to pay for them. If you do not want to pay for them then tell the vet right then and there. Do not wait for the bill and complain about it.
I am confused on the visits where you complain the vet did nothing and later on it seems like the vet did antibiotic injections at those visits.
When the vet needed to come give my horse antibiotic injections daily they very nicely saved me money by only charging me the farm call and for the medications. No exam fee or such.
Again, if the vet said no charges for stopping in, when you received the bill you should have called immediately and told them that the vet had told you there would be no fee for stopping. You do not pay the bill and then use it against them.
[QUOTE=ihearttbs;7394208]
Pay the vet and choose another.
[QUOTE=GottaQHFilly;7395870]
Why not burn a bridge with an incompetent greedy vet?[/QUOTE]
First, we don’t know that he’s incompetent. Nothing about the OP’s post suggests that, and in the quote below this, she even says that he’s a well-respected vet.
Second, you have no idea what the vet situation is like in OP’s area. I am lucky enough to have six different large animal vets that I can call in my area in an emergency…OP may have two, and the last thing you want to do is not be able to call a vet if you’ve got a horse down on the ground who needs to be put down.
Burn a bridge over $10,000? Sure. Over $100? Absolutely not. Not unless you’re absolutely, positively sure you won’t ever cross that vet’s path (or need his help) in the future for any reason.
Yep, they are in the business world, sorry. Or whenever money is involved.
[QUOTE=ihearttbs;7396340]After reading through your responses, I do think that I will pay the $100 but send a letter to the vet explaining my disappointment and why I will not be using his practice again.
And since I am paying my dues- I will say this- the vet is Buckeye Veterinary Service in Burton, OH. Reputable vet, but after having been warned by several people that he changes prices based off of what type of barn he sees your horse in (and has no set prices), and the experience I had with him- I would not recommend him to anyone.[/QUOTE]
This is burning a bridge, whether you pay the money or not. Do so at your own risk.
GoGallop - yes a bridge burning moment. Especially if someone here knows the vet and sends them a heads up. :winkgrin:
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