I just received an invoice for pre purchase x rays done for a horse I bought. The cost for 38 xrays was $2,000. A tech at the practice took the films and my vet interpreted them (which I paid for separately). This averages out to $53 per shot. I paid for some xrays a few years ago and the price was $28 per film. Does this price seem reasonable to you? Have you ever negotiated a vet bill?
What are you paying??
Shot, processed & read in 2007-- $60 each.
And to answer your other question, no, I don’t negotiate vet bills. Perhaps work out a payment plan, preferably in advance if we know going in it’s going to be steep, but not to negotiate on cost of service.
Last ones I had done last year for just the hocks (digital) the bill was 500.00
digital rads run 40-50 per shot around here. Most vets I know will include unlimited rads with a pre-purchase package for 2100 or so.
oo oo I can answer this one >< After having two horses xrayed in the past 4 months (one broken bone, one a diagnose type)… My vet charges $100 for the first 1 or 2 (so if you only get 1 done, its $100, if you get 2 done its still just $100 for them both) and each there after is $50. $80-100 for a lameness exam, and he can usually pin point where he wants to xray (or ultrasound, etc), I’m not sure if there is a package deal if you were getting a PPE xrays done.
My former Vet had his machine in it’s own car, with a Vet Tech to drive it around. I didn’t have many opportunities to use the service, but I know why the machine had it’s own chauffeur and ride! :lol:
But seriously, I think that the fees are about right- I would question why they did 38 films, perhaps- but maybe not, depending on age and use of the prospect- however, the machine and the tech are both costly, and they need to pay for them somehow…
Wow, I very recently had about 15 digital images taken and they were only $30 per shot. Did I get a deal or something? I thought $30 per shot was the norm.
My regular vet charges $40/shot no matter how many you do - digital. The lameness specialist that I (unfortunately) see quite frequently charges $45/shot for digital rads when you do just a few, but then if you are doing a whole series, there usually is a break – like recently I had a “foot series” done, which was 9 views of the foot and pastern and that was $300 (so $33.33/shot).
One of my horses was just at a bigger clinic/hospital for surgery and I notice that they charged me $80 for the first digital radiograph and then $48 for each add’l view – wow! I hadn’t noticed how much it was as the insurance was picking up the tab, but that is crazy high!
Our small animal clinic charges $80 set up fee and $50 per shot (rediculously high if you ask me). My horse vet charges $25 per shot, including the stupid set up fee.
“The stupid set up fee” involves the time and care in setting up the unit, finding the electrical source, making sure the power is sufficient, sometimes setting up a PIN tripod, and then putting the whole thing away. In the days before digital set up was crucial to the accuracy of the results. If they angle wasn’t right or the horse wiggled, it shower on the films and required another call.
Bless digital,but it is expensive.
I haven’t had digitals run but last year I had to have xrays (regular) pulled on two horses of mine and it was $38 per rad.
$2000??? How expensive is the HORSE??
$38 a shot for digital, read on site. Screaming deal, really.
I just had my mare at the vet’s this morning…6 x-rays and flex test , $55 total. 
I paid about $60 per xray recently, plus call charge and exam fees.
I pay around $60/shot (non-digital). No set up fee and I usually get to wear a lead apron and hold the film. 
I think film prices must have made a huge jump a few (5+) years ago because I used to pay $20/shot at the same clinic.
They range from about $34-$48 here, depending on if it’s digital or the old plate machine, and which clinic is.
When I get radiographs, I make it REALLY really clear - I want X, Y, and Z view and THAT’S IT.
Wow, I can’t imagine paying $2,000 just for the radiographs on a PPE. :eek: What on earth did you get yourself into???
I paid about $50 per shot last year, digital and at the clinic. The first shot was about $60 because of the set-up, and each additional shot was $40. And it did take them about 10 minutes to set the thing up.
The vet said the digital equipment was around $100k to purchase. So what I paid seems VERY reasonable.
If you don’t like the bill, I would say just don’t use that vet again.
[QUOTE=Hampton Bay;4007717]
If you don’t like the bill, I would say just don’t use that vet again.[/QUOTE]
I get prices up front for stuff like that. :yes:
good digital machine 150k…they can charge whatever they want if they are willing to put up that kind of money
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