# UK vet prices



## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

Just saw a post about vet charges in the us and they seem very high compared to my experience here in Scotland.

Just wondering what experiences other folk in the uk regarding vet charges for say a general check up, and maybe other stuff such as tumor removal, neutering etc. Just really for reference/curiosity sake. 8)


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

general check ups / appointments normally are around £19-25 
Castration typically £30-60
Spaying £60-150
Lumpetctomy £60-90

Thats fairly average it depends a lot on where you are, where i live now in a town with pleanty of other rat owners and several vets i am at the cheaper end, where i used to live with 2 vets and me being one of only 2 rat owners they saw a year i was at the higher end


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## aimleigh (Feb 7, 2014)

yeah I was going to say the same price as isamurat, they quoted me for my two rats to be castrated between £150-200 but that's with pain relief too.. and my consultations cost around £20-30. expensive for such a small animal like.


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## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

My recent check up for my three boys cost me £15. I wonder if it was a new customer price or if I just got lucky.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Here in canada, it varies from $58.00 to $85.00 just for a check up. This of course does not include any treatments that might be needed. It is a huge rip off IMHO.


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## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

Yikes! Ridiculous prices!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

The cheapest vet visit is about $58.00 and a mammary tumor removal was quoted at $300.00 to $600.00 (cheapest price) The small animal specialist was $150.00 for the exam with surgery most likely around $900.00.

Basically if you see vets and dentists as underpaid doctors and surgeons they are cheap. A normal mammary tumor surgery on a human, same procedure and likely even easier, due to the size of the patient, can run thousands. I had a 15 minute biopsy done that cost over $6000.00 with the extras, it may have come to twice that but the insurance paid it.

I've talked to dentists that feel they are the most underpaid doctors, I have to think some vets feel the same way... But I've done mortgages for surgeons clearing over $600,000.00 (20 years ago) over expenses and staff per year and it was not unusual that some practices to made 7 figures. I've met nurses that make over $100,000.00 per year with extra shifts.

I hate to say that doctors and vets and dentists and nurses should make less money. I'd love for everyone to be rich... But the system is broken from the top down. If a Vet wants to make $300,000.00 per year his office has to clear well over $3,000.00 per day, that's nearly $400.00 billable dollars per hour or $100.00 for a 15 minute check up. And depending on the rent overhead, taxes and staffing prices in the area, my numbers might be conservative, in areas like Manhatten the office might need to bill twice that so a 15 minute vet visit might run closer to $200.00, or the vet will earn substantially less.

I was a commercial banker, analyzing businesses was my job. $2000.00 dogs can fit neatly into a vet's business plan but $10.00 rats don't. When looking for a vet to treat my rat, some were honest. They don't do rats because they know rat owners aren't going to pay their rates. The only vet that was reasonable was one that owned it's own building and was in business for decades. They had low overhead, two vets and a shared staff, so could do $58.00 visits, and because they felt Fuzzy Rat was special would do her extreme surgery at "normal" rates... $300.00 to $600.00 was giving me a break... But one of the vets took me aside and sternly reminded me that the chances for a recovery was very low and that her tumors would most likely grow back and spending $600.00 on a two year old rat that would most likely not last three more weeks was a very bad investment... And he told me that Fuzzy Rat was likely to live longer without the surgery and the suffering it would entail. I could have gotten offended, but he even called in a second vet for a second opinion and when I realized he was NOT making money on this advise, I decided to take it. Fuzzy Rat lived 4 more months... 

For the most part, rats don't fit a vet's office's business plan. I'm thinking most small animals don't. Big ticket dogs and cats that live long lives are the target market for most modern vets. When they tell you your rat will cost $1000.00 to treat, they don't really expect you to write a check. If you do they will certainly take your money, but they aren't going to do a discount visit or procedure for an inexpensive animal. It's not their fault you own a "cheap" short lived pet.

I have a friend that spent $900.00 on a 9 year old bunny to keep it alive for 3 additional days... Both her and her husband were out of work at the time... While I applaud her commitment, seriously.... what's wrong with this picture?


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## Bronte18 (Jun 2, 2014)

I have a really good vet, she's so genuine. A check up at my vet is about £9 per rat and then it gets reduced for how many rats you have... My last vet visit which was a 40 minute consultation for 3 rats was like £17 and I was quoted £30-40 for a large mammary tumour removal. She's the best vet I've ever been to  I'm really lucky to have found her!


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## portkeytonowhere (Dec 24, 2007)

Wow I guess I'm really lucky. My vet costs $50 a check up visit. She neuters each rat for $50 and when Templeton was being neutered she charged me $13 additional to remove a small tumor and it was $10 to get the stitches removed. She loves all pocket pets which may be why it's so cheap but she does a phenomenal job

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