How are Vet care payments arrangements done in your area?

[birdlady]

I pay in full when I leave with the animal or if it is a drop off surgery or overnight, I pay half of the estimate and the balance when the animal goes Home.

Thank god for care credit..i used it when my labs stay at Penn was over $3000, for bonnies multiple surgeries, and just this summer for both Bonnie and Clydes multi day stay at Penn. It is a great comfort to have...I have six months to pay off the balance with no interest and then it is ready for next time

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[Renae]

The AV I go to, you have to pay in full after, however, if the bird(s) need to be kept overnight or longer, you pay the full amount when the bird(s) is/are picked up. They used to do payment plans, but have stopped it now.

 

[Cyreen]

Same, I pay upon leaving the clinic. However, I have heard my vet on one occasion offering to discuss payment options with another client.

 

[MissLeigh]

My vet thank God lets you pay a little at a time. My parakeet gets shots of Lupron and it is from $50-100 every two weeks. I don't make a lot of money. So, I pay like $100 every time I get paid. I have like a $250 balance usually, for the past few months, it goes up and gets paid down. I also have Care Credit, which I had to use a few months ago. My vet is at a veterinary hospital in NJ. And she sees an Exotic/ Avian vet.

 

[Bailey]

Same here. We pay when the bird comes home. Even the big $1000+ bills are paid up front. For anything that could have a range of costs (like xrays) we sign an estimate acknowledging that the numbers listed are what the general range of cost is, but that the ultimate bill could amount to more. I signed an estimate for Allie one day for about $600, and ended up paying $1045.

My vet accepts Care Credit, and also credits to the account if you wanted to have money waiting in the vets account to be used.

I do think though, if my animals needed urgent care and I told her I was broke, I think she'd work something out with me. She has a big heart.

 

[keikoasmom]

I have 3 vets now. The first vet, the avian vet, expects payment before the "parent" leaves.
Once, though, when we had to euthanize our dog, and my daughter became hysterical (the meds to relax him caused a seizure)
they were happy to let us just leave. I paid 2 weeks later.
I now have another vet for the new dog, just because it is closer. I love the other vet, and he was so upset that
the seizure happened! But I have a hip issue, so have gone to the closer vet, recommended by friends.
and yet another vet, recommended by my daughter when I couldn't get our seriously ill kitty in
with the other two, and he is really good, and let me pay in two installments. Surprising, as I was a new patient, but they knew
my daughter and her "herd" of kitties!

The avian vet would probably work with me. His office manager= maybe. We took care of their aquarium for several years,
when we had a custom aquarium company. The office manager didn't seem to be a fan, lol!

 

[Macawnutz]

I think my vet offers installments now if it is a pricey procedure. ( KNOCK ON WOOD ) I have not had to test the theory yet. My vet is pretty easy going with me though. I send in samples sometimes and I pay at my next visit... he knows I'm not going anywhere I guess.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Most people don't understand nor do they have any understanding of how difficult it is for a vet to make a living commensurate with the investment he/she has put into his profession. One of their most burdensome responsibilities is complying with regulations and gooberment reporting requirements. I could list a mind boggling number of requirements placed on any self-employed person, but those faced by any professional are unbelievable.

I don't know how many hours of continuing education is required of vets, but I know that 80 hours of CPE (Continuing Professional Education) is required to maintain a Certified Professional Accountant certification. That doesn't come free, but generally at $100/hr or more plus travel and hotel/food costs. Plus for all of the hours you are fulfilling CPE you are not seeing clients and generating income. It is much more relaxing to just pick up a paycheck from an employer on a weekly/biweekly
Investment in equipment is significant as is insurance. As in every personally owned business, the vet is walking on a narrow ledge between bankruptcy and success.

I always pay my vet's asking price without any complaint - because it is worth it to keep my beloved Jasper alive and he is GD good.
.

 

[Wasabisaurus]

That's interesting to know, Mary Lynn.

Our vet is expensive and I really don't want to even guess what we have spent, but payment is due at time of service. I forgot my wallet once, so they just sent me a bill. I think we established ourselves as trustworthy clients years ago.

They will tell us what things will cost up front, but don't require permission forms except when we had to let our cats pass over The Bridge.

 

[Vincent]

Do any of your have avian pet insurance? I'm considering it, but would like to hear your experience.

 

[Lyzzi]

Do any of your have avian pet insurance? I'm considering it, but would like to hear your experience.

There are very few pet insurance companies that cover avian care.

 

[pinkdagger]

I've never read of pet insurance being available for exotics. Would be nice considering how expensive exotic pets are to treat.

All of the vets I've been to expected payment after the pet was seen, before we left the clinic, though I've never inquired about payment plans or the like. There's only been one occasion where my boyfriend's cat had to stay a few hours at the vet's, and they took half of the total cost as a deposit. He paid the remainder when we picked him up.

 

[thekarens]

VPI offers it for exotics.

 

[pinkdagger]

Wow, that's very surprising - thanks for sharing! Do you have pet insurance for your little ones, Karen? If so, would you say it's worth it? It looks like they have a plan that covers even the routine things, at least for cats and dogs... could be very helpful. I have a friend in Vancouver who has pet insurance for her cat and dog, and she was on a wild hunt for insurance for her parrotlet several years back and couldn't find a thing!

Are they just in the US? I don't know if there are any companies that cover avians/exotics around here.