I wouldn't pay that Bill either. I understand your anger. I am glad to see you back on Here Maggie. Sending you virtual hugs and peace.
Paying the vet
- Thread starter leigti
- Start date
The emergency vets always charge more than your regular vet. They work after hours and have to pay their people more. You brought your tortoise to them, they examined him and listened to your story, trying to figure out what was wrong. They administered sub q fluids. Yes, $448 is quite a bit much for an exam and fluids, but you brought your tortoise there and they provided a service. You owe them the money.
You should have asked for an estimate prior to them performing those services. If you did not like the estimate, you should have declined to have them do the work. Not every outcome goes the way we hope. People and pets get sick and can not always be saved. That doesn't remove you from responsibility on the bill. They did the work, they are entitled to be paid. Those fees are not out of bounds. Suck it up and pay it.
I truly do understand the feelings that come when you have to pay a large vet bill and the animal dies anyway. I've done that recently.
However, not paying it just brings on a lot of problems and makes the entire situation even worse.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2012
- Messages
- 99
I have worked at a veterinary office for 15 years. It is very hurtful when people accuse us of killing their animals. We dedicate our lives to helping animals. We unfortunately cannot save them all. We lose those animals too when we cannot save them. I always pay a business for services I agreed to. I paid the hospital $3000 when my unborn child died.
~ This is the bottom line, vets are not free. We have had vet bills exceeding $5k, however we now know who is competent with tortoises. I don't think we would ever consider taking a tortoise to the local emergency vet!
Did you have to pay up front or make payments?
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
- Messages
- 491
Sorry for your loss.
~ I prefer to pay in pennies!
LOL!
With (in the past) five dogs, two cats, a ferret, cockatiel and the rest of our zoo, our vet knows us pretty well. If we are ever in a bind we usually pay half and pay the remainder within the next week. We did have a rescue pup that had to go to the ER and they were very clear about what they needed to do to stabilize the dog and what it would run before admitting him. All monies for THAT were due before discharge.
That would be a whole lot of mason jars
I dear you Pay your next big vet bill all in pennies. Or spice it up and just pay it all in dimes nickels and quarters along with the pennies. They would laugh for a minute at least.
~ LOL, All kidding aside, we have plenty of resources for any bill that comes up. I know many are financially challenged and maybe a payment plan is an option for both the vet and customer. I know of a lady that has made a deal with a local vet a type of credit type account for rescue rabbits. She takes all her rabbits to him and he applies it to her account. She pays him every chance and anything extra she can, usually zeroing out the account on a regular basis.
~ We know her well, her heart is in the right place, however she is on disability and truly has minimal resources in life. She works for us at times and usually a secret Santa clears her account at Christmas!
I have been in the situation where I literally did not have the money to pay. Luckily the vets would take payments. Today if all else fails there's always the credit card. But I No many people do not have that option. I only hope I never have to not treat an animal because I can't pay.
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
They did no exam. He called the surgeon who told him Bob was bleeding to death and there was nothing to be done. They charged me $28 for a f'ing cage. Like I said, I could have done the sub q fluids here. He should have told me they knew nothing about tortoises when I called him. (they examined him and listened to your story, trying to figure out what was wrong.). They did none of that, or I wouldn't hesitate to pay them. But they didn't do anything. I did some research, and they added more than $80-90 for a fluid that cost $15. They did that to 5 different fluids, yet OSU gave him the same fluids when they did his ultrasound and they charged $5 to $10 for the same amount of the exact fluids. All my income is judgement proof. I know you are a straight up honest person and would pay them even if you thought they did wrong. But I am not you and I will not pay someone who should have told me they knew nothing about tortoises when I called and don't charge me for an exam he did not do. He didn't even look at Bob, some teeny bopper gave him some fluids. I have 3 different kinds here, I could have and should have done it myself. I feel like the next time I have a sick animal, I'll just kill them myself and save the money. I want to sue that last jerk something horrible. How can he charge me almost $500 when he did nothing, and my tortoise died??? I think this is one of those things we should just agree that you don't like it, I know it and from now on I'll keep it to myself.
M
Maggie Cummings
Guest
That's Neurontin, what milligrams does he take? I have a huge bottle here.
She takes 400 mg twice a day.
~ Several options, one is you pay the bill, one is you contest the bill (maybe they would simply write it off), one is you just ignore it (They may contract a debt collector service and your credit might be damaged), not likely they would take civil action in small claims, litigation is usually not cost effective!
~ Several years ago a vet performed surgery on one of our police dogs and did a pathetic job, the repair made things worse and the canine was in pain and could not perform his duties. A second surgery was performed and the condition was manageable. I was so mad at the agency for paying them twice for the same surgery, however our finance department paid twice. At the time politics was present and my position would have been in jeopardy if i can pressed the issue. Honestly, in this case if it was not a Sheriffs canine i would have probably not payed them twice and welcomed a civil case for judgement for the second set of charges!
Last edited:
Similar threads
New Posts
-
-
-
Setting up for a Russian Tortoise - Constructive comments welcome
- Latest: The_Four_Toed_Edward
-
-
