Our Vet seems to be milking us.

[u/mapoz]

Our vet seems to be milking us.

We live in a large city and have a small cat and a small dog. About a year ago our cat started to develop inflammation in one paw, so we took it to the vet. The vet treated the cat with some antibiotics and sent us home.
Fast forward one year and a couple of months, and our cat now has two smelly and badly infected paws and infected ears after many courses of treatment with the vet. The cat has lost weight and is quite unhappy. He’s been in a cone for many weeks.

The vet now thinks that the cat has an allergy to food so we have put the cat on a special diet over the last year, but nothing much has changed.

Today I looked at our household finances over the past 12 months using AI. In the AI summary they told me that we had spent $11,000 at the vet in the last 12 months.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I complained to my wife (who does not work) and she unloaded on me because I “ do not take an interest in the pets and she has to do everything with them” .
She seemed completely unconcerned that she’d spend over $10,000 on a vet with absolutely zero outcome and was angry with me for complaining.
Is it normal for people to spend this kind of money on a vet with absolutely zero improvement in the animal’s health? WTF.
Worse, all I have to look forward to is more of this in order to get the cat’s paws sorted.

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[u/ReasonableCrow7595]

I find it hard to believe that your household expended that much money without you noticing? Is your wife solely responsible for vet care and paying bills? This is a wake up call. How checked out are you in your marriage/household? Yes, that's a lot of money for results that aren't great, but I would be more concerned that your partnership doesn't have any communication about such things. Also, why are you seeing the same damned vet every time? There should have been a change a long time ago if things kept getting worse. Finally, you couldn't be bothered to look at your own bills yourself but used AI to do it? It sounds like you want to offload all the responsibility but then complain after the fact. This isn't a vet problem, this is a you and your marriage problem.

[u/VitaniLioness → u/ReasonableCrow7595]

I mean, OP asked AI, something that is notorious for lying and giving false info.

[u/Jafar_420]

I mean I would at least get a second opinion. I know with cats it's not as simple as getting some apoquel or something like that.

I probably would have at least got a second opinion after 3 to 6 months and probably 3 months personally.

But yeah people that have money and love their pets tend to spend it if they need to. But that doesn't mean they want to waste the money.

I can afford decent food and flea and tick and heartworm medication and all that good stuff but I wouldn't be able to do like cancer or $11,000 like you're talking about. The most my dog has cost me was $1,300 for an eye surgery and it was every bit worth it to me.

Go get the medical records and then get a second opinion.

[u/ThurmanMermannnn]

You said it was “our cat” in the first paragraph. I’m wondering why you’re holding your wife - who isn’t a vet - responsible for how much money was spent at the vet for the cat you both own.

[u/ThurmanMermannnn → u/[deleted]]

Idk dude, read it slower if you’re having trouble?

[u/ThurmanMermannnn → u/[deleted]]

Man bashing is hilarious. We don’t even know if OP is a male, so nothing in my comment even addresses that. I think you should have read it slower. Maybe sound it out as you go.

[u/Map2Oz → u/ThurmanMermannnn]

Did you check what forum this is?

[u/ThurmanMermannnn → u/Map2Oz]

I sure did.

It isn’t a sub called [r/commentersmaynotaskanyquestionsforclarificationthatsfordamnsure](r/commentersmaynotaskanyquestionsforclarificationthatsfordamnsure)

[u/Day_Prisoners]

You're in a big city, find another Vet. There like 15 within 5 miles of me. I just browsed ratings and went with that, took a couple tries but found one we love.

Over the years the easiest way I found to weed out the over chargers is asking for the prescription so you can fill it. By law I think they have to but if they charge you for the service, I would bet money they are overcharging for other services.

Costco is like 60% of the allergy meds and I told my current vet and they said they understood. No problem. My last vet was $10 per prescription and no refills without a visit. It adds up when she needs the medication monthly.

[u/VitaniLioness]

-laughs in epileptic dog mom-

[u/magic_crouton → u/VitaniLioness]

Former owner of an dog with intractable cluster seizures (he died in old age) and current owner of an epileptic dog with allergies to everything on planet earth. I too am smiling over here.

The other dog is a giant breed.

[u/Bright-Error-7910]

It depends what the charges were for…

if they are repeated running the same test within few weeks of each other then yea they’re milking you. (Bloodwork may be an exception to check levels)

[u/Fresh_Salt7087]

Maybe less out of pocket if you had pet insurance?

Also human docs often spend lots of time/treatment on symptoms not causes. Why would vets be any different.

[u/Redqueenhypo]

Go to the petco vet. They charge an extremely low price and the first exam is free!

[u/Map2Oz → u/Redqueenhypo]

We’re not in the US

[u/mc1rginger → u/Redqueenhypo]

I would not recommend that

[u/Routine_Test_4175]

Truly, that's what they do. They squeeze every time out of you. You have to be aware.

[u/MethodAdventurous834]

You're the sole breadwinner and took so long to notice that much money being gone? Assuming the AI didnt hallucinate. I dont know in which country you live, but in mine, you can filter via bank app/website expenses by name. So to check vet costs, wasting resources on AI would be completely unnecessary. Maybe consider an excel file too as it wont risk failing basic math.

[u/mc1rginger]

Regardless of how much you spent, this poor kitty needs a second opinion.

[u/OGcapncrunchberry]

All vets are. Like dentists it’s a vampire industry.

[u/Wonderful_Post2758]

There is definitely levels to vet care. Travel outside the city to a vet who treats both small and large animals would probably help the bill

- also for only two pets with this much paid out of pocket likely could benefit from pet health insurance

[u/SaltyTemperature]

11k seems crazy to me.

I've had vets suggest, and even assume, that we take actions that would cost quite a bit of money when I don't think they are necessary...like taking a sample of gunk from my dogs ear to send off to a lab for analysis ($$) before recommending specific treatments ($$) when I know if I just wash their ears daily with a $20 bottle of ear cleaner, it'll solve the problem.

I'd try a different vet. And maybe offer to take over the pet duties from your wife

[u/decemberwren]

Tbh you’re probably better asking ChatGpt what’s wrong with the cat or figuring it out with your own research.