Vet bill limits?

[SLW]

[QUOTE=Marshfield;8274922]
Please keep in mind that you’re paying for having someone available after hours. Just as the human ER costs vastly more than seeing your GP, the same applies on the companion animal side. Just as you would expect to get paid more for working the crap hours and giving up normal life and time with your family, the same is true for those who do ER work. I worked Friday overnight, I lost track of how many I saw, though most had a tab of under $350 and many of those were under $200. Mostly urgent care vs critical care patients. But earlier in the week, I worked a shift and nobody came in. My tech and I still get paid. It’s often feast or famine. But the overhead to keep the small ER I work at (only one doctor on at a time) comes in at 150k per month.[/QUOTE]

I know, I know, really and I do understand. The specialty clinic’s business model is working because even though they got “0” out of a $1000 service their doors remain open. I’m always glad when owners shop around for estimates after being given one from this specialty clinic. We have done at least 5 cruciate repairs after owners received a quote from them.

I agree, critical care is totally different than urgent care. I feel for owners who have an urgent care event, like the above dog, and face critical care fees. In the end it all worked out. The specialty clinic DID do a terrific job of bandaging the wound and the dog did not remove any bandage. The skin margins were in perfect condition for the repair in the morning.

[Field_of_Dreams_Mini]

[QUOTE=SLW;8274381]
I am getting so SOUR on the emergency/specialty animal clinic in our area, so sour. A lady calls doc the other night and explains she has brought her Dobby home from the emergency clinic with a large laceration that they wrapped. The dog cut it’s shoulder on something in their fenced back yard at 6:30 p.m. The clinic cleaned the wound, provided IV pain meds and said the repair to stitch closed the 7" skin wound- there was NO muscle cut- would be $1000. She couldn’t afford that so took her bandaged dog home by 8:00 p.m. and called my boss. Boss said "bring the dog in first thing in the morning.

Dog and owner arrive the next morning, the bandage is removed, laceration examined. Owner given a quote of $200-$250 to anesthetize dog and repair laceration. Owner agrees, the effin 20 minute repair is done and the dog goes home at lunch time.

There is so much GOOD that happens at specialty clinics and there is a bunch of bull shit passed off to owners who don’t know any better. That owner was one of the smart ones.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I hear ya! Took my kitty in years ago (15?) after he broke his leg to the clinic as my vet was out of town. $500+ later, he came home. Within HOURS he had his cast off- and it was soaked in urine. No way was I taking him back. My vet was back in town, she came over and using my $500 splint <grin> she patched him back up. $50. He was fine. A friend and I even took he cast off eight weeks later by ourselves.

I did write a letter to the clinic but never got a response.