Don't think anyone said anything about NOT having a dog if you're disabled! I'm disabled and I've got 5! We pay to go to a private Vet, I don't have a problem with paying for care...BUT anyone owning a dog is doing it out of choice, they should decide for themselves if they can afford it! What really gets my goat is seeing all the Pedigree dogs on Animal Hospital or Pet Recue, going to the PDSA for free treatment!

In Liverpool we went past the PDSA clinic and guess what...2 Mastiffs, 3 Rottweillers and numerous small pedigree dogs...makes you wonder eh?(also interesting to see all the 'pitbull types' but that's another story in Liverpool!)

It's a choice, I don't care if anyones paid off their mortgage or lives in a Council house...wherever and however they live having an animal is a CHOICE! No one forces you to take on a pet. If you are unlucky enough for circumstances to change whilst you own a pet then that's where the PDSA step into the breach.

However you see it, Vets spend a long time qualifying, they have premises to keep warm and open 8 hrs or so a day. Staff to pay, whether they're needed or not on a particular day, equipment to buy, to my mind it's a no brainer...if you need a Vet you have to pay the going rate! Interesting to compare to say GP's, our Senior Partner in our Surgery earns around £80-100,000 per year! Not bad eh?

> Fail to see where that came from when we're talking about greedy Vets fees. 

We are talking about reasonable professional fees - that is the point.

> Am disgusted mind that folk believe those of us who are disabled should NOT have a pet, which is the alternative!

I fail to see where that came from at all!!! Apart from anything else that has nothing to do with it. I am disabled but I don't feel that means I have a 'right' to a pet - that's the same sort of attitude as people thinking they have a 'right' to breed. If it was an assistance dog that would be different. :-) Having a pet - same for everyone - comes with responsibilities, including paying for treatment when it's ill.

> I'm sorry not all of us use the PDSA I'm firmly of the belief that you have what you can pay for

If you are eligible then that's your choice - but if you are firmly of that belief then why are you complaining about paying for what you have? I have been making perfectly reasonable points and you are trying to twist this debate into something completely different!!

If my GP fills in a form its £35, a perscription is free but will cost £7.10 (7.20p) when its filled at any pharmacy. Extra travel injections cost as well.
But, NHS do pay GP's and no one apart from us pays vets. We have several in Winchester and at various different charges. I use the one at Pets at Home it opened about the time we got our two and Finn, the vet is great I have absolute confidence in him as well. But no way is any vet treatment cheap.. Cosequine cost £90 through him and £35 on line and Jakes on it for life (he's 18 months now!) so I count the pennies and buy online.

Thats cheap ours is on £200K GP that is.

Well, I suppose ours is a Christian practice so that says a lot!!! 8-) It's why we go there! At least we get treated properly, as do non Christians of course! But the ethos of the place is really nice.

Read part of this thread but can tell you that our vets will be charging £12.50..