Are vets cheaper?

[woolybanana]

A question put to me by UK cousin. Perhaps someone with experience of both UK and French costs could attempt an answer, svp?

Is it generally cheaper to get pets treated in France or UK? General treatment, I guess, not heavy emergency stuff.

[PaulT]

We have experience and the answer is yes. Plus last year it looked as though our dog might need a major op whilst we were in France. Fortunately, the op was not needed but if it had the cost would have been a fraction of it being done in the UK.

In addition, our French vet practice is superb. They detected a heart defect that our UK vet had not. And then a couple of years later said 'the heart condition has changed you need to see your UK vet and get some small white tablets. In both cases the findings were during a check for OK to travel under the pet passport scheme.

If our current dog was seriously ill and we could get him to our French vet then that is what we would do.

[woolybanana]

Many thanks PailT, very informative.

[idun]

I don't know how anyone can answer this, as with our animals I have spent a small fortune in France on various things, including surgery.

Surely it would depend on what it was that was needed.

Incidentally I have spent a little fortune in England too, but frankly never crossed my mind that it could have been cheaper in France.

[Martin963]

It probably depends on the individual practice,   but where we were (24) the vet was a one-man-band and his charges where tiny in comparison with here in Devon.  

Anecdotally I'm told that vet charges in Britain - already high - have risen in recent years in line with the increasing pressure on people to take out pet insurance.    I'm told that if you don't have pet insurance you should make that clear to a vet in no uncertain terms,  for reasons that I leave to you to work out.

Again - depends on the vet - but our French vet was kind,  skilled,  but also candidly realistic.   So unlike many British vets who offer all sorts of tests and ongoing treatments,   our French vet expressed himself honestly when he thought the time was up for an animal.   Put bluntly that approach does work out cheaper.....  (although if asked he would of course have done anything and everything to prolong life).

[PaulT]

The other thing is the time allowed for appointments. 10 minutes in UK and 30 mins at our French vet. This, in the UK the vet wants you in and out very quickly. In France then plenty of time to discuss matters and also time to calm the pet before doing anything.

In my previous post I mentioned that our dog might have required a major op last year which would have been carried out by another practice. Our vet outlined exactly what it would entail, what the problem was and possible ways that the op might not be needed (her advice worked). We contacted the vet would would carry out the op if needed - a rather specialised procedure - and had an hour meeting with him where he went over every aspect of the op and aftercare requirements at a cost of 50 euros.

The check for the passport when we return to the UK is far more thorough than when we go to the UK vet (and we have had a few) for the annual check and as I stated previously, our French vet twice picked up a heart condition that our UK vet did not AND without these being detected she would have died long before she did.

I will admit that the French practice has a very good reputation and I can only judge the French side on one practice.