Office Visit Charges

[Guest oldNELLIE]

Hi All

 

So Miss Nellie wasn't feeling great when it came time to do her annual shots last month. She had an appointment scheduled, so I took her in but instead of doing her vaccines we dealt with the GI issues. At this time they did a thorough check up, since she wasn't feeling well. I made an appointment for 2 weeks later to do her shots. The bill was around $200, $50 of it for the office visit.

 

I took her in last Monday for the second visit, sort of assuming they would just take her into the back like they have in the past and do the shots. Instead we had another full check up and office visit. The vet told me they are also recommending the lyme vaccine and did I want to to do that as well, I said yes and she explained that there is a booster that has to be given in 3 weeks. Fine. This bill was $100, $50 if it the office visit.

 

I came home, looked at our calender and called to book the follow up booster appointment. The woman at the desk tells me it will be another complete exam, so another office visit and an estimated bill of $75. Nellie has never been so thoroughly looked over in all her life! 3 times in a month and a half.

 

Does this seem excessive to you? Has anyone else done the lyme vaccine and booster and had a full check up both times? I am happy to pay for whatever she needs, but this seems like a lot. Rotten puppy!

 

TIA for any thoughts.

[Anne]

My old vet checked them once a year. Things after that, like drawing blood for thyroid or other issues, or renewing a prescription, or getting a second rattlesnake shot, no office charge. This was my vet before she sold the practice, not so sure now that the new vet won't charge a full office call if you step foot into the office, seems like everything is doubled.

I think what this does, especially in times like this when money is short, it makes people avoid the vet because they can't afford a full check up every time they need a booster or a blood test.

I understand that a vet needs to make money, but I also understand that if you don't have it or you have a lot of dogs, you can't be paying 50$ every time you need a blood test etc. Heck, my dogs have been to the vet MANY MANY more times than I've been to the doctor in the last 15 years.

[dante2zoe]

If I go there for a shot or to run a test or something like that, I pay for the vaccine or the test. We don't even see the vet. No visit charge. The office charge is 50.00, too. In your situation, I doubt if I would have been charged the second time and definitely not for the booster appointment.

[winnie]

Our vet charges $50 for an office visit. We don't get charged the office fee for follow-up or booster appointments.

[kudzu]

It's $50 for appt involving vet & $15 for appt needing only a vet tech. The only catch is we need to schedule a tech appt. If you just ask for an appt you get a vet appt. Not a big deal, just something you need to be aware of. That seems fair enough to me. So if it is just a booster or vaccine not done at the last vet visit I just book a tech appt. Rabies vaccines are an exception because to be recognized by law these must be given by a vet, not vet tech.

 

So basically if there is no other health issue requiring vet attn then I think all the required exams are excessive.

[Guest greyers]

Our office visits are $40 and typically no charge for a follow up visit. Usually our vet is good about doing a full annual when they need bloodwork done for thyroid or liver in order to renew meds for an additional year. At that time they evaluate all shots needed and give them too so we do not need to come back. So usually office visits really are charged to us only 1 time a year for a fee of $40. Beyond that the only office visits they get are the ones where we have a problem and again any follow up visit is usually free.

 

Yours does seem a bit much to me!

[LakeshoreGreys]

I think that's excessive as well.

 

Our vet does have different "tiers" of office visit charges. For a full exam, it's one price. For a wellness exam (typically done when they do their heartworm testing or administer vaccinations), it's a lower price. Lower price also on a follow-up visit.

[LBass]

Our vet charges $50 for an office visit. We don't get charged the office fee for follow-up or booster appointments.

 

This. Through almost weekly visits from March through June trying to resolve MoMo's corn issue, I was so grateful for my vet's thoughtful policy of not charging the office visit fee for follow up visits. I'd pay for bandaging supplies and meds but that was it.

[DesiRayMom]

My clinic cuts $20 off the office visit for follow-ups within 30 days....if your're seeing the doctor. If you're just seeing

a tech for a quick check, booster, or bandage change, n/c for office visit.

[GeorgeofNE]

I think I pay $65 for a visit. A booster shot would just be the shot, I think. It's been a while.

 

I have to say, if she wasn't feeling well when you took her the first time, it's not outrageous they wanted to check her out again before her vaccines.

 

A third time for the booster is excessive I think, but my old vet charged $25 to shave a spot the size of a Post-It note on my old dog and called it "wound treatment."

 

He also started to charge $2.50 for disposing of the needles used in the vaccines that are already marked up at LEAST 500% (based on the cost of a vial of vaccine).

 

When I asked him to take off that charge, he refused and was very snotty about it, so I wrote a letter with my "send me my records" and told him that losing a client with a sickly dog and three cats over $2.50 was a really dumb business decision.

[Guest MyCody]

We are charged $54 for office visit.

[Guest simile]

Office visits are $34 at my vet and if you're just getting vaccines, and your dog has been seen in the last year, you can ask for a tech and there's no office charge. There isn't an office charge for follow up visits, either. And they give discounts to rescue.

[Guest avadogner]

Our vet has a sliding scale depending on how much time the visit reqires. It is goes from $40 -$75. The vacines are usually $50 each, lab tests begin at at $40 and then there are the hazardous disopsal fees. Our well visits run $180 to $250 per dog. I compared our recent visit charges against previous bills. Every year the fees have increased atleast 10% every year. I think the fees are too overpriced and the service has been poor lately, thus we are looking for a new vet.

alicia

[Guest greyers]

 

 

When I asked him to take off that charge, he refused and was very snotty about it, so I wrote a letter with my "send me my records" and told him that losing a client with a sickly dog and three cats over $2.50 was a really dumb business decision.

 

:yay

[Sambuca]

I was at the vet yesterday and I think it was $50 for the appointment. But it does depend on why I'm there. I've walked out not paying a dime with a free toothbrush on top of it to paying just $20 for other things. My vet is a family friend though so they try to give me a break. I also get what I call a "frequent flyer discount" of 20%. I have 4 cats, 2 greys and I'm a pet sitter so I refer as many people as possible to them because they rock.

[Guest KennelMom]

Our vet charges $45 for an office visit. Follow-ups are no charge if they're a quicky...if it's a thorough/involved follow up with additional testing or significant time/effort on the doc I think it's, like, $20. I don't think we've ever been charged an office visit for shots unless I specifically request a physical exam and there is never an office charge for euthanasia.

 

I think your vet is being excessive. We have left practices over billing protocols we didn't agree with or felt were excessive.

Edited October 21, 2011 by KennelMom

[Batmom]

I'd call and speak with the vet. You're being charged for 3 office visits when you should've been charged 1 (or at most 1 and a lesser follow-up). That's absurd.

 

I pay $30ish? office charge for the first visit on something, $20ish for an involved follow-up, varies for tech-only time (e.g., shots, anal glands, scaling teeth). Follow-ups on an involved, costly procedure like surgery are usually no charge unless new medication is prescribed.

[Guest BrianRke]

My vet never charges me an office visit. I've often wondered why, but I dont question it.

[Tallgreydogmom]

How old is Miss Nellie? The greyhounds that raced have had always been updated on their shots. We are back to the debate about shots.

[Guest Yankeegreyhound]

Yet another thing we pay through the roof for here in NY! Office visit is $75.

[Guest Fasave]

I honestly don't know the office charge although being in Boston, I think it's between $65 - $75. I'm generally happy to leave with a bill under $200 these days The annuals for my boys generally run around $200 but includes heartworm testing & meds, as well as any vaccinations they need. I do know my vet once hulled a corn for me for $25 with no office fee and it took much longer than many of my visits. That to me was a sign of him being fair with charges so I've never felt the need to questions other charges.

[Guest oldNELLIE]

Thanks everyone for confirming what I suspected! It is not so much the cost of the office visit that is the problem, it is more that I am being asked to pay for 3 when it doesn't really feel necessary.

 

I do also agree with GeorgeofNE that the second office visit could be considered necessary due to the fact that Nellie had been sick, so maybe the vet wanted to check her out before giving the vaccines. It is this third one that is not sitting 100% well with me. It just seems like too much. I think I will call them and talk about it.

 

How old is Miss Nellie? The greyhounds that raced have had always been updated on their shots. We are back to the debate about shots.

 

Nellie is 9 1/2 with a sweet grey face I am not sure what you mean about a debate about shots...I know she has to have them. That's not the concern.

 

[duncan41]

I think that's excessive as well.

 

Our vet does have different "tiers" of office visit charges. For a full exam, it's one price. For a wellness exam (typically done when they do their heartworm testing or administer vaccinations), it's a lower price. Lower price also on a follow-up visit.

 

Same here. ETA: When were her last shots?

Edited October 21, 2011 by duncan41

[seeh2o]

I think that's excessive as well.

 

Our vet does have different "tiers" of office visit charges. For a full exam, it's one price. For a wellness exam (typically done when they do their heartworm testing or administer vaccinations), it's a lower price. Lower price also on a follow-up visit.

Here, too. I think the range is $35 (sometimes $0) to $50 for an annual exam.

[Guest oldNELLIE]

I think that's excessive as well.

 

Our vet does have different "tiers" of office visit charges. For a full exam, it's one price. For a wellness exam (typically done when they do their heartworm testing or administer vaccinations), it's a lower price. Lower price also on a follow-up visit.

 

Same here. ETA: When were her last shots?

 

She goes in annually for them. So, last year, I guess.