Could any of you kind people or legal people who read this board help me out with a problem with my Vet. I have a dog who as been on medication for most of her life , she is 12 years of age who i adore. I have been paying £9-00 for her medication per month for the last 3 years. When her medication was due 2 weeks ago the receptionist at the Vets informed me that the cost of the medication as increased to £22-00 per month. The reason for this i was told is because computers have now been installed at the practice and they are updating all of the records. The Question is the Vet as demanded the full amount from me without any writen or verbal word to me about the increase of the price of the medication, havn't they to give notice to the client before this increase is implimented. Having stormed out of the practice, disgusted with my treatment, and having spent hundreds and hundreds of pound over the years on medication and check -ups to keep my beloved dog in good health. I am being ripped off. I say this because going on the internet and looking the drug up what my dog is on. I can get it for a 5th of the price what i have been paying and unknown to me and many more pet owners the vet is entitled to give you a prescription for the medication ,free of charge so you can get it elswere. I put this to my Vet, and with some silent and dumbfounded emotions was given a prescription free of charge for my dogs medication. It's now costing me £6.00 per month for my dogs medication, some 170 per cent cheaper. Are pet owners being ripped off i should say,ripped off fcucking big time.
Didn't know that about being able to get a prescription. Can anywhere do frontline for cheaper than about £25 for 6 months supply?
Legislation has changed Once upon a time you could only receive the medication required for your pet from the treating vet. Legislation has now changed whereby you can ask your vet to provide you with a prescription for drugs that you can collect from any other veterinary practice or chemist. Many veterinary practices face losing money because of this (drug charges are where the majority of veterinary profits come from)and not only are they not openly advertising the new prescription methods,they are looking at alternative ways of increasing profit. As far as I am aware, they do not have to notify you in advance that they are increasing their charges.Then again, they can't stop you from having a prescription and going else where for the product!
By the way, there is nothing stopping you from repeatedly requesting prescriptions for future medication. The vet does have a legal obligation where they have to see the animal within a certain period of time to classify the pet as 'being under their care' before they can dispense treatment tho'. In our practice that usually equates to every six months.
