New rules for vets in the UK are now in force, capping the initial cost of written prescriptions at £21.40 and requiring practices to publish price lists, after an official watchdog found prices had been rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.
Appearing on BBC Morning Live, expert Coletta Smith said pet owners had been getting in touch concerned about massively rising costs. She said BBC Morning Live viewers had been sharing horror stories about their own bills.
Viewer Anna emailed in to say she now takes her dog to France for dental treatment. Anna was quoted £1,700 for treatment in the UK but added: ”A vet in Brittany charged us £300 and performed a fantastic service.”
What the new rules require
Under the changes, vets must also tell clients if cheaper medicine is available online, write price estimates ahead of treatment, and publish price lists for services. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) brought the measures into force after its investigation into the sector.
Ms Smith said the changes had come into force, but it will take 12 months for them all to go live. People going to the vets within the next couple of weeks should see some changes beginning already, and by this time next year, all vets have to comply with everything.
Prescription fees and price transparency
On prescription fees, Ms Smith said: “The big one is a change to prescription fees. So, a prescription fee from your vet are now is now capped at £21. So, they can’t charge you more than that just for writing a prescription.”
Vets will have to publish a full comprehensive list of their prices for standard services. Ms Smith explained: “So, something like a a de-fleaing service. If you’re taking your cat or your dog, it’s a pretty standard procedure to take place. You will then be able to compare this because you’ll be able to see it in advance. They have to publish it. That’s one of the other changes it’s going to be that you they have to display those different prices both on their website and within the practice itself as well.”
Estimates, itemised breakdowns and ownership clarity
They should also give a written estimate in advance of any treatment that costs more than £500, with an itemised breakdown. Ms Smith said: “Not just give you the total, but tell you exactly what they’re charging for each bit. So it might be that the surgery costs this much and then care afterwards cost this much and the medication costs this much.”
Vets now need to make it clear if they are an independent practice or part of a bigger group. Ms Smith said: “Lots of people assume that their vet is an independent practice. It might be an individual name. They may have originally been an independent practice but then been bought by a bigger company. It’s really hard to find out.”
Vet Dr James Greenwood said: “My advice would be to talk openly with your vet about costs before any treatment begins. You know, we know the vets bills can be frightening, particularly when you’re already worried. You know, pets are a huge part of our family and being hit with the emotional and financial pressure of your pet falling sick or ill, you know, it can be really distressing. So, ask questions and ask about your options.”
