Vet Bill for Consult That Didn't Work??

Ljustbrowsing34 on 25/11/2021 - 09:32

So yesterday my parents dog and my dog got into some chocolate and i took them to my dog's vet. The vet saw them and gave them vomitting tablets ($54.89) and soda crystals. However both of the dogs were not able to vomit and the vet had run out of vomitting tablets. She then gave me a prescription ($29) for charcoal solution to give them at night and suggested that i take them to another animal hospital/vet. Mind you, this is 30 minutes after we got to the vet…

I left quickly and took them to my parents dogs vet and they administered the tablet and both vomitted ($160). I'm happy to pay for a service that worked but not so much to pay for a vet bill that didn't work and instead wasted my time. I also never ended up getting the charcoal prescription.

Should i pay the ~$80 fee for the other vet or try explain why i'm unhappy with the service and vet bill? I'm on some wellness plan with this vet so i don't have to pay the consult fee.

Poll Options

  • 106
    Pay the bill
  • 3
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Comments

  • elgrande on 25/11/2021 - 09:34
    +37

    Geez, you got away with paying less than $1k for a vet visit - should have posted it as a deal.

    • jv on 02/12/2021 - 14:55
      -1

      How else are Vets supposed to pay for their holiday house in Sorrento???

  • Crow K on 25/11/2021 - 09:39
    +11

    They dispensed $54 of tablets and a $29 prescription, regardless or whether they worked/if you used it, it's a cost you should pay, surely?

    If not using something meant it was free/entitled to a refund, my gaming backlog would be a windfall.

    • miwahni on 25/11/2021 - 23:45
      +1

      If you didn't get the charcoal prescription filled, you may be able to take it back for a refund of that part of your costs at least.

  • toomuchdogfur on 25/11/2021 - 09:43
    +4

    They gave you the tablets, soda crystals and a prescription for the charcoal solution. They also booked some time out for the consultation and examination. Surely this is worth $80?

    Dogs, like all creatures, are not 100% predictable in how they will react to medication (e.g. Just see how many types of antihistamines that exist for us humans). It is unreasonable to expect a service to only become payable if it absolutely works when said service includes things that have to be paid for by the vet regardless (that medicine and the vet's time ain't free). The only exception would be if their service was absolutely horrendous, like if they gave you the entirely wrong type of medicine… which they didn't.

      • GG57 on 25/11/2021 - 09:54
        +2

        And if you hadn't allowed the dogs access to chocolate you wouldn't have had to do anything.
        But they did get access.
        And you went to the vet and had the consulation.
        And they did all that they could do with what they had on hand.

      • toomuchdogfur on 25/11/2021 - 09:59

        Would this not be covered under the consultation fee?

        In short, probably not. You'd have to look at your own plan's T&Cs for certainty, but the consultation is generally defined as just the price of the vet's labour. If you had pet insurance then they might cover the medicine too.

        I would expect them to stock enough of the medication?

        I mean, they still gave you the medicine you paid for. Your dogs may have vomited at the second vet too because they already had a first round of medication + a 30 minute car ride.

        You can still complain about the above to them by all means, it's valid feedback. I personally just don't think its reasonable to come in with the view to not pay for the things you did receive.

        • Crow K on 25/11/2021 - 10:02

          username checks out for vet knowledge

        • justbrowsing34 on 25/11/2021 - 10:08
          -1

          Fair enough, thanks for the replies! I'll definitely pay the bill and just provide some feedback.

          • cookietime on 25/11/2021 - 11:49
            +2

            @justbrowsing34: I would think the first vet's treatment and advice were reasonable. What would you like them to do differently when you provide the feedback? Like someone already said, living things are not 100% predictable in how they will react to medication.

            I genuinely feel sorry for this vet. They tried hard and still got a complain. I hope there will be something nice cheering them up and compensating such entitled customers like you.

  • EightImmortals on 25/11/2021 - 10:16
    +2

    Geez how much chocolate did they eat?

    We had 2 dogs get into a pile of Easter eggs one year while we weren't paying attention, wasn't a problem.

  • Shazam82 on 25/11/2021 - 10:16
    +2

    You can pick up charcoal tablets at your local chemist. Very cheap and handy to have in case of emergencies as you can give it to the dog asap.

  • MS Paint on 25/11/2021 - 10:19
    +4

    How much chocolate did they eat and how much do the dogs weigh?

    Sure, chocolate is not good for them but it's easy to over react after Dr Harry says they will drop dead if they lick chocolate.

    Use this calculator to see if you over reacted.

    • Switchblade88 on 25/11/2021 - 10:37
      +1

      see if you over reacted

      The OP has already over-reacted!

  • pe arl on 25/11/2021 - 10:35
    +1

    Sorry to hear. It would've been nice for the vet to give a partial discount if they gave less than what was required for the purpose. I know technically you're not entitled to any refund for these things, but when you've paid a lot of money for something that ends up being e.g. a misdiagnosis or flawed treatment option, it's not a good feeling.
    But maybe you're luckier than others. Some vets go with a vomit-inducing injection that costs upwards of $4-500 and don't suggest any alternative treatment options. Anyway you've done what's best for your dog which is the most important thing; better to be safe than sorry.

  • contrafibularities on 25/11/2021 - 10:47
    +7

    Yeah, I negotiated a “no win no fee” deal with my GP, if he doesn’t cure me he gets nothing, but if the cure works I have to pay double.

    • orangetrain on 25/11/2021 - 13:19
      +1

      Lucky you, mine took a large cut of my organ he cured for the "no win no fee" deal!

    • Guybrush57 on 25/11/2021 - 19:24

      Should've done it the other way around where you only pay double if you die.

  • Seraphin7 on 25/11/2021 - 10:47
    +1

    Vet Bill for Consult That Didn't Work??

    Hang on, if I've read this right, the "vet bill" in question is for the second vet?

    The first vet gives you a free consultation based on the wellness plan you are on and attempts to help you out.

    You are then referred to the second vet, who presumably has nothing to do with the first vet and your wellness plan, and that's the "vet bill" you're considering not paying?

    Or are you saying that you shouldn't have to pay for the consumables the first vet used in an attempt to sort out the problem for you?

  • mbck on 25/11/2021 - 10:59
    +2

    Maybe you should pay back to your employer for the time you didn't do any work?

    Or if you're on welfare, pay back for the time you're not looking for a job?

    • pe arl on 25/11/2021 - 11:13
      +1

      Perhaps a fairer comparison would be if a plumber came to your house to fix a leaking tap, tries to fix it but doesn't have enough washers or other supplies, leaves with the tap still dripping and tells you to call another plumber, and charges for the labour and the supplies that were used. In the end you end up paying almost twice as much because two plumbers had to be called instead of one.

      • Jolakot on 25/11/2021 - 11:29
        +3

        That's not a fairer comparison at all, it would be as if the plumber offered you a slightly dodgy $40 solution (cover it in a roll of plumbers tape, should be right) with a 70% chance of working and a $400 solution (replace the tap and related plumbing) that was 99%. OP picked the $30 solution and complains that it didn't work so they shouldn't get paid

        People here saying the vet should get stiffed will also complain that no vets offer 50% solutions anymore, if they risk not getting paid unless they charge you for the injection, then they'll only give the injection like a lot of vets do

        OP stick with this vet and thank them for trying to help you avoid a $500 bill, if you stuff them over it or complain they'll never give you the cheaper option again

        • pe arl on 25/11/2021 - 13:02

          Where does the OP say that the vet gave a more expensive injection option alongside the option of cheaper tablets? Many vets don't offer a range of options.
          Also, inducing vomiting via oral methods e.g. tablets, 3% hydrogen peroxide etc. is a common treatment method but needs the correct dose. You're comparing that to wrapping some tape around a leaking tap.

  • Drakesy on 25/11/2021 - 12:31
    +2

    Last time i checked vets are running a business that isn't supported by any government subsidies.
    Pay the bill
    FWIW what you got charged is a bargain.

  • Dont Care on 25/11/2021 - 13:36
    +6

    When you go to a brothel and you can't get it up, do you ask for a refund there too?

    • jv on 02/12/2021 - 14:58

      and you can't get it up

      OP is female.

  • Hithere on 25/11/2021 - 14:05
    +3

    Only if she vomits.

  • kb3woof on 25/11/2021 - 19:41
    -1

    There would be mixed replies on this, some say pay it and some say don't. I would say you should pay 50% of what they ask, after all, they have spent some time on it. Apart from that, you should have a first aid kit for your dog that includes all such items that are needed when there is an emergency.

    • Jolakot on 26/11/2021 - 11:55
      +1

      The second vet clinic did their job well and had nothing to do with the first clinic, no idea why you'd justify stiffing them for a job well done?

      The first vet is only charging them for two vomiting tablets as they're on a plan, the second vet is charging them for labour and another two vomiting tablets

      The tablets would be Apomorphine, a derivative of morphine which is pretty expensive as it's tightly controlled with very few suppliers.
      People forget that there's no PBS for pets, that's full price, and most clinics barely cover costs on prescriptions to avoid people refusing them for financial reasons

      The first vet clinic spent money on that medication, regardless of whether they worked they're still out of pocket for it, so they absolutely deserve to be paid back.

      If they charged for labour then I'd be asking for a discount though, as only having 2 tablets of Apomorphine on hand is incredibly negligent.
      A lot of common poisonings are from things that act as antiemetics like Marijuana, which often requires 2 tablets administered through IV to have an effect.
      If this was something more serious then it could have lead to the death of a pet, or having to resort to pumping the stomach when it wouldn't otherwise be necessary

      But the second vet also spent money on the medication and spent expert time administering it, so at a minimum they deserve to be paid back for the tablets and a fair price for their labour, especially given they did a better job

      You're absolutely right that people should keep a dog first aid kit at home, giving them an activated charcoal solution immediately after a poisoning can literally save a dogs life

  • MontyMacaw on 26/11/2021 - 10:15
    +2

    Your dogs having chocolate is like playing roulette with them. Most likely nothing will be a problem. When I was a kid we used to give our dog chocolate all the time as nobody had heard about this. He lives to a ripe old age AND has good teeth.

  • WT on 26/11/2021 - 11:01
    +1

    I voted wrong, you should pay the bill

    $80 for a consult is normal price we pay at our current vet

    Problem is sometimes meds take time to work so you really dont know what made them vomit

    what you did do is get ripped off going to a 2nd vet. The correct thing to do would be to do the charcoal tablets first and then if no vomit see a 2nd vet. Better yet dont leave toxic foods around pets

    You got off lightly in some ways, less then $500 to save 2 pets. Our cats vet bills total to over $2.5K since mid this year, stage 4 renal (less then 3 months to live) but now is stage 3 luckily and will live with treatment

  • OzHunterNSW on 26/11/2021 - 12:45

    So, the many years of Uni sacrifice racking up insurmountable debt, to you, in your opinion, is worthless.

  • payless69 on 02/12/2021 - 14:53

    Looking after someone else's 2 dogs they got into rat poison. I sent a text to the owner followed by mms's and asked what to do. Got told to google it! Vitamin K is the solution so asked every vet if they could sell me some but none stocked any. So eventually just one chemist had some for humans and bought all their stock. So we got a super good tasting human quality sausage like stuff and off we went to administer it over the next 2 weeks.
    Aparantly the rat poison was just strong blood thinner and the vitamin K counter acts it. And it worked! Both dogs never shown any symptoms so how about this one? Vet bill: Zero!

  • jv on 02/12/2021 - 14:57

    Why did you let the dogs each chocolate?

    • payless69 on 03/12/2021 - 11:29

      They totally crave for it. Mum used to give my sisters Irish Terrier buttered bread. No matter how many times we told her that the dog's stommach is not made for bread of dairy products but the dog never got sick from it. Personally I get eye crap from eating Cadbury chocolade ever since the Americans bought the company and use cheap ingredients. I have made some test on wheter a vegan diet makes a dog suffer. Came to no conclusion. My personality disorder is controllable so I do not need a pet.

      • jv on 03/12/2021 - 11:38

        wheter a vegan diet makes a dog suffer.

        I but a piece of tofu next to a chicken neck in front of my dog.

        Guess which one she ate?

  • Nucleus Acumbens on 31/10/2022 - 13:59

    Took my old dog to the vet. It cost $460 to be told he had an upset stomach and if he didn't eat tomorrow, bring him back and they'd put him on the drip feeder.

    Paid the $460

    Dog died 6 hours later.

    Vet charged $80 to take possession of his body.

    RIP Arthur

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