Vet charges...

Rubyclipper the names of the drugs does matter as I could check the prices for you..also how much of the drug was administered?

Don't worry Oscar... Worked in racing for many years... the drug prices are, um, lets say acceptable. But I object that I am being charged a professional fee to sedate my horse for the dentist (which is necessary), and then I get charged for the vet to actually put the hypodermic needle into the vein!!! If that is the charge for the syringe and 18 gauge, then I'm in the wrong flipping business!!! That's like paying a consult fee at the GP, and then when he listens to your chest with the stethoscope, you get charged again! Daylight robbery... and then I (along with 30 other owners in the yard), am still charged travel!!! If I put my horses in the float and take them to the vet myself, I am charged stabling... Can't win! *sigh*

I know for a fact that owners/trainers in Durban are loading horses into a float and driving to Mooi River to have their horses gelded there, at a fraction of the cost even if you add the cost of the trip.

Isn't it time that we all stopped complaining and being so complacent and we all
actually did something?????
Maybe we should take a leaf out of our African brothers and sisters book and strike no racing for a week i am sure the mighty P might just notice that we are part of racing and maybe none of u are as fed up as i am.
Just for the record i was billed R2400.00 for ulcer powder for a horse, I still cant find the gold in it .

Also the amount of steroids and other banned substances that is being used in racing borders on the ridiculous.

Please don't let me forget the Vet that refused to attend to my horse because my trainer has not settled his bill with Vets in another town this specific Vet pointed out to me that he was informed that I pay my bills but he was still not prepared to attend my horse.(My trainer must be the only trainer in the country that has owners that have outstanding vet fees.)

I love Racing but i love Horses more.

Ruby accepted. However there is a set price by govt on drugs and practitioners are only allowed to markup 17%.

I get the sisters in the hospitals to go through my bills on drugs for horses..you will not believe some of the markups that are being charged by vets.

They say they dont fall under the SAMA dispensing Dr rules but I disagree.

Govt have managed drug markups very well in the industry and need to do the same with the equine market,

By the way how much did he charge you for the syringe and needle and what brand were they?

The syringe and needle are apparenly included in this "Injection I/V" charge. They can be bought at my local co-op for less than R5 for both. And that is for Promex.

Wow, so the vets think they are exempt from the law which limits the drug mark ups for normal practitioners? Shouldn't we be making a louder objection about this with the relevant Gov Dept? I think this is across the board in the veterinary world. A very good friend had her dog knocked over by a car in Dec. She rushed him to a vet hospital in the Northern suburbs, and x-rays determined that he would have to have the top of his femur amputated, but that he would not lose the leg. They quoted her R3800, without complications, to perform the operation. Honestly, who has this kind of money lying around? OUt of desperation she called the JHB SPCA, to ask their advice, and they said that they would perform the operation at cost for R1100. The dog styed in their care for 4 days, and he is now quite fine, even though he is still healing.... how can you explain the difference in cost here??? So the drug mark ups, in the veterinary world, seem to be across the board.

You have opened my eyes to yet another rip off... but the sad thing is... it will be six of one... half a dozen of another... the vets will put up their consult fees to make up for the loss, if their drug mark ups are restricted. And the honest small practice vets, who are battling, will be the hardest hit.

Consultation fees will also more than likely be under review soon Ruby..they are even more deyermined than Obama to control health care.