I was recommended a new vets in my area that is extremely cheap (£7.50 microchip, £24.50 full puppy vaccination course), vets seem OK however they insist on the money upfront for everything when I queried it they said its policy incase people don't pay afterwards. Very off and a little off putting. I decided I wanted the puppies microchipped at the first visit rather than second and I had to go out the consult and pay before they would microchip them. My old vets used to pay when the consult was over. Also when ultrasound scanning they don't let you go 'out back' because it's their policy and another weird one they don't put the stickers of the vaccine in the vaccine book for fraud reasons and write the Bach numbers manually. Anyone else vets have weird policies.

Not sure how they know what treatment might be required or which drugs might need to be prescribed before they have examined a dog?

I can see how this might work for vaccines and microchipping but other visits where medication is prescribed at the time of the actual consultation isn't so straightforward...people popping in and out of the consulting room to pay will affect how many patients they can see and will increase waiting times.

This all sounds very unprofessional and what on earth happens in an emergency! The concept of trust between you and your vet is vital  in the long term. I would find another vet.

Up front as in before being treated?   How would that work?    Was a time when we had a lot of hounds, we had a monthly bill.  Now down to just two, and not with that vet either (moved across country) all the vets we have seen down here want payment before we leave, AFTER treatment.   Obviously if there is lab work to be done, the cost isn't always known until the work has been done and the Practice billed.   Then I get a bill!

Yep I'd find another vet, these people maybe cheap, but paying upfront before treatment is ridiculous. I'd without a shadow of a doubt pay more for professional, quality care and advice for my lad.

I agree with a down payment before consultation.  This would be the vet's fee.  It is very difficult to get money from clients who do not pay.

My vets expect payment on the day after treatment and so they should really.  They do however if it were an emergency (I have rushed there from dog walking before, after one of my girls was stung badly and once one slashed a paw open ) and then I popped in later in the week to settle the bill. My vets know me well and also know I will always pay. If I go on holiday I tell them and any treatment that may be needed while I am away would be done (Dog sitter and dogs at home all the time) and I would pay once we got home. Its all about trust realy. My vets are brilliant and I would't change them. They do their own OOH calls and I always see a vet I know.

I queried it they said its policy incase people don't pay afterwards.

It makes you wonder what kind of people use vets today.............have they started getting lots of problems with people really not paying? Or is that just a cop out as they are getting greedier?

My vets, like a lot of others won't do any operations etc without payment upfront first now, even with insurance..... gosh, that doesn't happen with a car, your insurance just pays, but not at my vets now, you have to have the money ready and then claim it back,

Must admit that's a new one though KaneFizz to pre-pay before even seeing the vet.

Have we got any vets/veterinary assistants left on the board as I would really be interested from their perspective as to why many vets are so untrusting of being payed now..........is it really that bad...........people not paying up today?

Kind of never seen that, the image of people grabbing their pets after treatment and dashing for the door. Grab and run........

Kind of never seen that, the image of people grabbing their pets after treatment and dashing for the door. Grab and run........

Its a criminal offence to do that with fuel from a garage ..............maybe a few arrests....

My vet is brilliant, at end of life visits there is never a request for payment, accepts staged payments for big bills etc Sometimes I'm not able to face paying after losing a dog, when I'm ready I just ring up give my card details & it's done. I can understand paying on the day for treatment, vax etc, but how can you pay for drugs before the vet has seen the animal ??? It won't work with farmers, wonder if the vet's do home visits & get paid beforehand.

My vet doesn't overcharge or mark up drugs & he doesn't sell animal food either, I'm very very lucky.

I pay for a relationship, for trust and cooperation
with my vet.
A 'cash grab' vet like that goes against
all those principles .....
I'd be disgusted that they would think I'd run
Off without paying. What sort of people do they deal with?

Mine have now got a notice saying anyine who doesn't pay after the consult they will purse through legal channels.unfortunately  theu have had too many problem when allowing credit I gather. They still will use discretion  if u are well known to them .alps they will only accept direct payments bow from one insurance  company after too many complicated claims .it's not tje area either as it's incredibly  mixed

My vets you pay after seeing the vet the same day...

Facebook replies:

Jan Bardey says: It wouldn't surprise me if you're allowed to pay afterwards once you've been there a few times and have built up a good payment record.Is it an independent vet practice or part of a large chain?

Jules Magee Burton says: People are scum and don't pay! And they'll lie then not pay, or lie and can't pay.
They are rewarding you by being cheap for you paying upfront! If you don't like it go somewhere else!!
I'm sure you wouldn't like not being paid all the time.

----- Sybil Kempster says: Bit rude

Stephanie Presdee says:  When I worked at a vets, clients paid as they left, a few had running accounts.The exception was a PTS where they left via the back door and an invoice was sent to save them being in floods of tears in the waiting room and us having to ask for the payment.But I do think times have changed. Bit wary of vets whose first question is ''Is the dog insured?''

Emma Judson says:  Payment policy has varied depending on where I live and if I am a known customer or not. I don't mind paying up front in a vets that don't know me or know where I live etc. However, not putting vaccine stickers in your vaccine record is utter bollocks and I would not have that, no way! All too easy for someone to write down the wrong number, the stickers exist for a reason and their 'logic' there stinks!

There is no way I would use a vet who doesn't put the vaccine stickers in the dog's record book. How do you know what vaccine they have used as they could be writing anything down?  There would seem no honest reason not to use the stickers provided unless they are getting vaccines from a dubious source. Everything about this vets screams to me to not use them. They are cheap for a reason! When I changed vets recently I had a complimentary consultation and was taken out the back to see the operating theatre, where the dogs are housed after the operations etc. and a nice friendly chat with the vet and his Head Nurse. I would never pay up front.