My partner was told he would have to pay £5k just for an exploratory scan for his dog’s cyst below her eye (he had insurance but they wouldn’t cover it because they said it was possibly dental related, which wasn’t included in the insurance). They rang him up after a referral by his regular vets on a Sunday to get it booked in they were so eager for the business, and wouldn’t give him a quote until he asked several times on the phone how much this would cost him. (God knows how much they would then have charged for whatever surgery they recommended too). He said no, so in the end his vets came up with a solution of making the cyst self-draining, but only because he stood his ground.

He took her to the vets last week because of an unrelated eye problem - she’s an old dog - and they charged him nearly £200 for the consultation and medication, and told him to come back two days later for a check up. All they did when he came back was repeated the eye drops and antibiotics he’d already given her less than an hour ago on their instructions. That was £67 extra in their pockets - for unnecessary inconvenience, stress for the dog, and an extra dose of medicine that she’d already just had.

Eleanor

My rescue had 8 teeth out this week - roughly £100 per tooth plus sundries. Insurance won’t cover it. Checked - my local family run vets was taken over last year by a European wide company - they’ve got you by the shirt n curlies grrr.

Emma

Took our sausage the vet last week for annual vaccine. £64. Vet gave him kennel cough then his anal glands a squeezing that we didn’t ask for. Got to reception to pay. £128 They don’t tell you anything costs extra they just do it and charge. Scammers

John

My little Alfie, 10 years, has an ongoing situation... will soon exceed what my yearly pet insurance contributions to cost limit is. Vets know you will do anything for your pet, so exploit it.

My mum's vet is now owned by the hedge funds, reception staff there tried to upsell various unnecessary tests when her perfectly healthy puppy was in getting neutered. It's so unethical and she found it distressing too. Vets badly need proper pricing regulation.

Laura

What is totally wrong is the mark up on reselling prescription medicine, they have ordered it and stored it , for a 200/300 mark up - that is so wrong.

Shaun

I've spent £2,000 on my dog in the past month, I don't make that kind of money to spend but there's no other option. Still ongoing!