Written Prescriptions: Are They Worth The Inconvenience?

Between  the financial crisis and rising costs, £100 feels like £10 these days  which is putting pet owners in incredibly difficult positions.   

The  financial strain to provide the best for our pets is becoming  increasingly difficult, and many people are having to make cost-cutting  exercises to relieve the strain such as buying cheaper food, cancelling  their pet insurance, stopping giving parasite treatments as routinely  and even avoiding going to the vet unless absolutely necessary.  

But,  when it does get to the point of being necessary, the lack of  affordable veterinary care drives people to surrender their pets to  rescues and rehoming centres…or simply abandon them because they can’t  afford to pay the bill.

Once upon  a time, vet care was affordable…but year on year, the costs have gone  up and now we’re in a place where people just cannot afford it.   It’s  understandable, to a certain degree, that the current financial crisis  has impacted on how much it costs to run a veterinary practice.  There  are probably so many overhead expenses beyond things like rent,  utilities, and staff wages.  They all need to be covered and that can  only happen by increasing the price of the provided services.  Vets are,  at the end of the day, business.

But  beyond the impact of worldly events, this issue has been compounded by  ongoing corporate buyouts in the veterinary industry, leading to  inflated prices even for the most basic of services because they are  driven by profit margins.  Prioritizing revenue generation over  affordable vet care and a compassionate service to their clients.

Consequently,  corporate entities may engage in aggressive marketing tactics to upsell  services and products, further adding to the financial strain on pet  owners compared to the smaller, independent practices that are a bit  more down to earth and still operating in a way that puts pets first.

Emergency  veterinary care, in particular, comes with exorbitant costs just for  walking in the door that are simply unaffordable for many households.   As a result, pet owners may find themselves grappling with feelings of  guilt and helplessness as they struggle to provide the care their  companions deserve until their regular vet opens…which if it’s a true  emergency, the stress of that situation is undeniable.  Having to  juggle, potentially, their lives with the bottom line.

So, what can you do about it?  

In  the grand scheme of things, not a lot.  Smaller independent vets are  restricted in how many clients they take on, which can make it harder to  change away from a practice that is part of a corporate chain.

Ultimately, we don’t want our pets to go without the best care, but we must be sensible about it.

One  such approach is for pet owners to advocate for transparency and  affordability in veterinary pricing when attending appointments or  booking to get any procedures done.  Pet owners are fully within your  right to inquire about itemised estimates for procedures and treatments,  enabling them to make informed decisions.  For instance, not every  sedation needs a pre-anaesthetic blood test.  That’s £80 straight off  the table!  

We realise that for  those of us in the welfare sector have an upper hand in this, as we know  much more about the veterinary sector and what is and isn’t necessary.   Vets tend to speak more plainly and pragmatically with us, as opposed  to clients…and it can often seem like clients are being taken advantage  of because of their lack of knowledge, and because they just want their  pets to be okay.  They’ll say yes to whatever the vet says, because they  trust them to know what is right…which is why you should question  everything.

Also, do not  automatically say yes when they tell you your pet needs to go on a  ‘prescription diet’…these are extortionately overpriced and definitely  not what they’re cracked up to be.  If they advise that a diet change is  in order, do your research first!

(Apologies to any vets reading this, we’re making your lives so much harder in advising this!)

Moreover, pet owners can request written prescriptions for all medications!

We  resisted this for a long time because it was just such a hassle in  requesting the prescription, going back to the vet 3 days later to  collect it, then ordering online etc etc etc…but in being prompted by a  friend to take a proper look into it, we found the savings to be  MASSIVE.

By obtaining a written  prescription, pet owners gain the flexibility to shop around for the  best prices on medications, including the option of purchasing them  online. Online pharmacies often offer competitive pricing on pet  medications, allowing pet owners to save significantly on their  veterinary expenses.  

It is 100%  worth the hassle.  One of our team has a hound on Previcox (lifelong  issue) and her vet was charging her £100 for 30 tablets…She is now  getting them online for £30.  Yes, she had to pay £20 for the written  prescription (this varies from vet to vet), but that is still a £50  saving that can be used toward her dog’s care.

Or,  if you are really struggling, there are charities that offer veterinary  support such as the PDSA.  There is always the option of getting pet  insurance, and while this might be an unneeded expense…it can provide  financial protection against unexpected veterinary expenses, offering  peace of mind for pet owners facing uncertain economic circumstances.

At  the end of the day, we want what is best for our pets and when finances  are tight any money saved is worth any inconvenience caused.