Vet bills: How to cut the cost of pet treatment as rules change

When a pet is unwell, the high cost of vet treatment can make a worrying time even worse.

In fact, vet bills can easily run into thousands of pounds, posing a real problem for pet owners struggling with the cost of living.

However, new rules are set to make it easier for pet owners to compare prices, understand treatment costs and avoid unexpected charges.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the UK veterinary services market and found a lack of transparency over prices and treatment options.

Reforms will now mean vet have to publish standardised price lists for common services, while prescription fees will also be capped.

Businesses now have 12 months to make the changes.

We look at what the changes mean and how you can cut bills.

Vet prescription costs will be capped

The cost of getting a prescription from your vet is set to become clearer, with the CMA introducing caps on certain prescription fees.

Under the new requirements, veterinary businesses will be able to charge a maximum of:

• £21 for a primary prescription

• £12.50 for each additional item prescribed at the same consultation

These amounts include VAT. The caps apply to prescription fees charged by veterinary businesses and are separate from the cost of the medicine itself.

This means pet owners could potentially save money when their vet prescribes medication, particularly if their pet needs several different medicines.

Can I get my pet's medicine elsewhere?

If your vet has prescribed medication, you can ask for a written prescription and may be able to buy the medicine from another authorised supplier.

The CMA's reforms require veterinary practices to provide pet owners with information about the option to obtain medicines elsewhere, including a link to the government's register of online veterinary medicine retailers.

This could be worth considering if you are paying for expensive or long-term medication.

However, you should compare the total cost, rather than simply looking at the price of the medicine.

You may also need to pay the veterinary prescription fee, so check how much this will add to the overall cost.

How much does a vet cost?

There can be a huge difference between veterinary practices and locations, making it tricky for pet owners to navigate costs.

However, current published price lists show just how much costs can vary.

Some vets, for example, charge £60 for just a consultation whereas others are free.

There are also big variations in simple treatments, such as dog boosters, with a quick search showing prices ranging from around £50 to around £90.

As treatments become more serious, the difference in prices is even more stark.

Why can vet bills vary so much?

The initial price you are quoted may not be the final cost.

Depending on the treatment, your bill could also include medication, consultations, and x-rays, for example.

A procedure may also cost more if your pet is larger or if the treatment is more complicated.

The CMA's new requirements recognise this problem. Standard price lists will need to show typical prices for defined services and explain what is included.

Prices must include VAT and should represent what an owner can reasonably expect to pay for a standard case, while practices will still be able to charge more where cases are more complex.

Ask for a price before agreeing to treatment

If your pet needs treatment, to avoid bills shocks, you should ask for an estimate before giving the go-ahead.

You can also ask whether there are different treatment options and what each would cost.

The CMA's reforms are designed to make this information clearer, with veterinary businesses required to give owners more information about treatment options and prices.

Get expensive treatment estimates in writing

Under the CMA's new rules, veterinary businesses will have to provide a written estimate where recommended treatment is likely to cost more than £500 including VAT.

The estimate must also be updated in writing where the cost is likely to increase by 20% or £500, whichever is lower.

This should give pet owners greater protection against being presented with an unexpectedly large bill.

The reforms will also require veterinary businesses to provide itemised bills.

Compare vet prices

If your pet doesn't need emergency treatment, shopping around can save you money.

This could be particularly useful for predictable costs such as vaccinations, neutering and flea treatments.

The CMA is introducing requirements designed to make this easier.

Veterinary businesses will have to publish standard price lists for a defined range of services, including consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dental treatment and diagnostics such as X-rays.

The information will also be supplied to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), which is developing an enhanced Find a Vet service that could allow pet owners to compare practices and prices.