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I have a 6 yr old healthy Boston Terrier who goes to a fab vet.....last month, preparing for vacation with our regular pet sitter unavailable, hubbie took him in for a kennel couhg vaccine and 2 weeks later, he's boarded for 8 nights at the vets.
On the day hubbie dropped him off for boarding, the tech unexpectedly told him Frankie (the Boston) needed his lepro vaccine updated before boarding so it was given and off Frankie trotted to the kennel area.....
WE get the bill and there is a charge for a full office exam on the day he was dropped off but all my hubbie witnessed was the lepro vaccine given by the tech....so we call and the vet office tells us hubbie had refused his lepro earlier in the month when he was getting the kennel cough vaccine so that's why they sprung it on him on drop off day and he most certainly saw the vet when dropping off Frank for boarding; he must have "forgotten"....to the tune of 45 dollars forgotten....
Now hubbie loves this dog like a kid and would never refuse a shot....and records show Frankie is good through 10/11 for the DHLPP....but they explained the lepro is now given separately every year and again within the DHLPP every 3 years.....
We can't figure out what happened here but love the fact we get "well the doctor would never say he did an exam if he didn't and we're not sayign your husband is lying......" HUH????????????? Why would he lie? He'd do anything for this dog....
Your husband need to go to the vet's office and speak directly with them. Since you were not there, you don;t know 100% who's remembering what correctly. it could be a mistake, or it could be what they said; only your husband can deal with the facts of this. It's possible the office made a mistake and assumed something not factual and your husband who was there can set the record straight and its equally possible your husband just forgot something that did occur and when face to face remembers something he just forgot.
True; forgetting is possible but our 16 yr old son was with him when he dropped off the dog and he backs up dad: tech gave the shot and took Frankie off to the kennel room...no vet was seen....yet up comes the vet exam charge.....and they claim,legally, they HAVE to exam before vaccine in case there is something wrong with the dog health wise and that was certainly negated once the tech gave the shot and even if the vet did an exam AFTER the shot and husband had left....I think they are covering their mistake and failing miserably at the "customer's always right" rule of thumb...and we are a well paying often visitor to the vet office and have never ???'d a charge...
True; forgetting is possible but our 16 yr old son was with him when he dropped off the dog and he backs up dad: tech gave the shot and took Frankie off to the kennel room...no vet was seen....yet up comes the vet exam charge.....and they claim,legally, they HAVE to exam before vaccine in case there is something wrong with the dog health wise and that was certainly negated once the tech gave the shot and even if the vet did an exam AFTER the shot and husband had left....I think they are covering their mistake and failing miserably at the "customer's always right" rule of thumb...and we are a well paying often visitor to the vet office and have never ???'d a charge...
I had a similar experience when boarding and it's frustrates me as well: they always insist that X vaccine be given and that the owner be charged a "vet exam" fee even though it is not a real exam (the techs always do them, and I get the same explanation: the dog/cat needs to be examined before being administered a vaccine). It's called a vet exam but it isn't really.
You can argue with them, but you won't win; believe me, I've tried. But, yes, it's a bunch of bullcrap. It sounds like they gave rudimentary shots on the earlier office visit, then gave the shots necessary for boarding when it came up. And charged you each time for an "exam."
Is the lepto a requirement for boarding? I've never heard of that and my two Bostons don't get that vaccine at all. We don't live near areas with standing water so it's not necessary. Plus, it's a well known fact that Bostons, in particular, are prone to having an allergic reaction to the Lepto vaccine.
I'd certainly dispute the charges, especially since this is your primary vet...it's just good business on their part to refund those charges or at least give you a credit for the next visit.
Thanks all...you confirmed what we thought here: we were semi scammed.....and this is a fabulous vet who truly loves his patients....but I have looked into the whole vaccine issue and found nothing about needing the lepro for boarding....he was due for it in Dec 2010 as a booster and I see we already did it in Dec 09 as a booster/exam (59$$$$) so they were just keeping us "current" but did it a bit underhandedly; he would have had his annual in June.....
But and the worse part was the inference that my husband declined the shot once and then "must have forgotten he didn't see the vet..." comments....this guy would walk on water for his little buddy!!!!
Losing faith in the veternarian world as they become more concerned about scaring clients into unnecessary treatments and then charging an arm and leg......and it's not that 40 bucks is killing me; it's the way it was done!!!!
Due to several unfortunate experiences with both human/animal health professionals who either tried to make unnecessary money (before anyone says I am not a health professional myself so I can't decide about that, I have always looked for second opinions when I am not sure or simply lack the knowledge about something) or scare me to the point I need the procedure done immediately, at all costs.
If I don't accept it, I know how it goes: they email me, call me, send me reminders about every single procedure under the sun, etc.
I had to email a secretary once and tell her I would contact the office if I needed assistance, "so please absolutely do not contact me unless I request".
Also, I always ask for a very itemized bill, and I simply will not allow a procedure unless I have read a lot about it or asked for a second opinion. For a long time I felt uncomfortable telling a health professional about getting a second opinion (to what the answer is usually a "this is urgent" comment or a "how dare you question my knowledge" look), but now I really don't care.
I will say it, plain and simple, since they will not hold back when it comes to harshness. After a vet told me, while I was washed down in tears at his office and could not quickly make a heart wrenching decision of putting one of my dogs who was very ill to sleep "how long will it take for you to decide that, or you can come back later?" I just will say it like I see it, polite but very honest and to the point.
I am sure there are many honest, excellent professionals out there (I have met a few myself). But due to countless negative experiences in doctors and vets offices I like to get as many opinions as I find necessary and will question most things.
Forgive my long post, I was just trying to make my point clear.
I too always scrutinize my bills and question things before agreeing..this whole issue arose from an exam no one witnessed.....the more I think about it, the more angry it makes me and it has my husband looking like a nut/liar....
What happened to customer service? This could have been addressed along the lines: "Excuse us Mr. Smith, but it appears the tech made a mistake and did not inform the doctor until after the lepto was given and he than went ahead with the exam after you had left....we will discount the charge as it wasn't done in the normal fashion...." All is well....
No, they infer he's either lying or forgetful so pay in full....urrrrghhhh....
And has anyone heard of the lepto being required for boarding and exams being required "by law" (their words) before vaccines are given? (even though Frankie had a complete exam in Sept 2010, only 6 months earlier, for his rabies update)....
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