Comparison Shopping for a Vet

We posted recently about the high cost of veterinary care for your beloved pets and that there are ways to keep the costs down. Here’s another tip.

Sometimes the best way to save money at the vet is simply to find the cheapest clinic in town. We have already said that running a vet clinic is very expensive, thus justifying some of those big charges, but certainly vet clinics do compete for patients, so in some cases cheaper can be better. So, how do you judge if that is the case?

Ask your friends where they take their pets and ask what kind of prices they charge. Ask to see receipts if possible because some hospitals charge for things differently. How do your friends like the service there? Are the doctors knowledgeable? Is the staff friendly? Do your friends recommend their own vet to others?

If you want to know how much a clinic charges, just pick up the phone and ask! Sometimes you can get a good feel about the hospital just by talking to the person on the phone. Some hospitals won’t give prices out over the phone and will want to mail you the information instead. That’s fine—you’ll just have to wait a little longer.

Which brings me to my next point: always get prices and estimates in writing. This is hard to do over the phone, which is why some hospitals ask if it’s okay to mail you something. But if they don’t, ask to have a list of prices sent to you (or pick them up yourself). Veterinary hospitals can be quite hectic at times and sometimes the person on the phone will simply quote you the wrong price. It happens. Then when you go to check out—surprise! This is no fun for anybody.

If you are calling around to get estimates on surgical procedures always ask what’s included in the price. If you ask “How much to spay a 40 pound dog?” they might say $150. But that may be just the price for the actual surgical procedure itself. Things like anesthesia, bloodwork, pain medication, IV fluids, and e-collar are often not included in that price. Be specific and, as stated before, get it in writing.

Most clinics make you sign an estimate before dropping your pet off for surgery. That way there are no surprises come pick-up time. If there is no estimate given at the time of drop-off, ask to see one (unless you really don’t want to know how much it’s going to cost!). Remember too that an estimate is just that—an estimate. Some things just can’t be predicted ahead of time, but you should be notified if the bill is going to be higher than expected.

With a little pre-visit work, along with some advice from your friends, a visit to the veterinarian doesn’t have to break the bank. With the money that you save by comparison shopping, you can get yourself – or your pet – a special treat!