The Costs of Veterinary Care

Bear in mind that your veterinarian is not only your pet’s general physician, but also its surgeon, radiologist, dentist, dermatologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, psychiatrist, ears/nose/throat doctor, and Veterinary pharmacist. Your veterinary bill is a reflection of the costs of maintaining suitable facilities, equipment, and trained and experienced staff to provide the level of care that is expected in animal medicine today.

The cost of veterinary care has actually risen very little during the last 20 to 30 years. However advancements in both research and technology have allowed us to offer your pet better healthcare and prolong their life through surgical procedures and drugs. When compared to the rising cost of human health care, pet care is not at all unreasonable.

Remember too that the original cost of the animal has no bearing on the cost of services rendered.

Although it may feel as if you are paying more for your pet’s health care than your own, chances are you may be used to Medicare rebates, prescribed pharmaceutical scheme benefits and health care insurance for your own medical services. Consequently, you often do not see the total bottom-line figure for your own bills. When human health care costs are added up – there is no comparison to the much lower veterinary care costs.

For the same reason a medical doctor won’t, it’s both unethical and illegal. Without physically examining an animal, it’s impossible for the veterinarian to come up with an accurate diagnosis and rational plan of treatment.

A veterinarian can’t make a diagnosis based on symptoms only as observed by an owner. The outward signs may be an indication of any number of internal causes with a wide variety of clinical treatments. A complete physical examination and possibly other diagnostic tests are required to determine the cause of the symptoms and best course of treatment. And some medications are considered prescription medicines and it is illegal to dispense such items without a physical consultation.

The extent of care given to any animal is ultimately determined by its owner. As a responsible pet owner, you place a high value on your animal and will want to consider what’s best for your pet.

Every pet owner has different ideas about what is acceptable pet care and how much they are willing to spend on their pets healthcare needs. We can only make you aware of the services and products that are available and then provide guidance in their choices and decisions. The owner is given options; the owner makes the call.

It’s important to understand that our veterinarians can and will go the extra mile for their clients, but they simply cannot jeopardize the quality of our practice by discounting or waiving fees. We must cover our employees’ salaries, costly equipment, the expense of years of professional training, and the expense of continuing education for staying up-to-date on the latest research.

The prices we charge for desexing cats and dogs are based on the quality and amount of services we provide for your pet.

We strive to ensure that your pet’s surgery is as safe as possible. We use the best quality anaesthesia presently available to veterinarians, similar to that used for human anaesthesia. A pulse oximeter, and respiratory monitor is attached to your pet during the entire surgical procedure. An IV catheter is placed so that fluids can be used to keep your pet’s blood pressure at a safe level during surgery. A warming pad is used to reduce the danger of hypothermia.

We use high quality suture material. Sterile gloves, gowns, drapes and surgical instruments ensure the cleanest, germ-free operating area.

On a one-to-one basis, our qualified nursing team monitors your pet’s post-operative recovery until your pet is breathing safely on their own.

The surgery fee includes a pre-surgical exam, a one day stay in our hospital, post-operative pain medications and a post-surgical checks before discharge. Optional services include pre-anaesthetic blood work to more thoroughly examine your pet’s health status before surgery.

We are very proud of the high quality of service we offer pets and their families.