# Vet Bill Question



## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

Not sure where I could put this...cat chat, health, behavior...

Took Delia to the vet this morning. I'm trying to get down to the bottom of her peeing all over in the basement. :roll: 

They took a blood and urine sample. My total for the visit was $196. Here is what I was charged for. I think that seems right...but just curious on what others think they get charged for this kind of stuff.










They said the blood and urine would be sent to the lab for testing. Now, my question is, will I have to pay again for the actual testing or is that already covered in my bill?

And as far as Delia goes, she was a good girl at the vet. We think the peeing is territorial and will probably be able to lean more towards that once these results come back. The vet didn't think it was UTI.

So, that's that...I'm off to return some clothes I bought at Old Navy the other day...I feel guilty after buying them now that I've been slapped with a near $200 bill.


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## horseplaypen (Apr 1, 2004)

What's a geriatric profile?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

A geriatric profile is a more comprehensive blood test. They have a standard blood test and then this one for 'older' cats that will test for more problems.


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## Mom of 4 (Jul 29, 2006)

Things are done differently in different parts of the county.
The office visits here are much higher, but we don't get separate charges for drawing the blood, collecting the urine or disposing of medical waste. It probably evens out in the long run. 

Since they already charged you for the UA and bloodwork, I would expect that they are paying the lab that does the work. I'm surprised that they aren't being done at the vets though. My vet is in a single person practice and does most things in-house - UAs, basic blood chemistries & CBCs and Xrays. Tests that are rarely done or more difficult are sent out.

Positive thoughts for good results.


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## Kelae (Sep 4, 2004)

I've had a urinalysis done for one of my cats a few times and the $23 is about what I get charged. I don't know if they'll charge you more to send it out or not but it doesn't seem to me like they should. I think all the charges are up front. If they aren't the vet really should have gone over what you can expect the additional charges for the out of office lab work to be.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Normally the lab work and results are included in the fee paid up front. Compared to what I pay here, the office fee is a little higher, the bloodwork about the same, and the urinalysis a little lower. All in all, I'd say reasonable, things being what they are in health-care-land.


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## Avalonia (Oct 7, 2007)

Omigosh over a hundred bucks to do a blood test on an older cat? *faints* Last time Cleo went to the vet it cost us over $300 but we also got Frontline for all three cats; plus she got three different types of medicine. 

It seems kind of high to me but maybe it's just me.


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## OsnobunnieO (Jun 28, 2004)

Most of that seemed about right to me except the bloodwork. Mostly because they call it a geriatric panel and (at least looking at her birthday) she's only 3? I'm sure it tests a lot more than a regular panel, but to me it seems a little excessive on a young, assuming healthy cat who has just started with urinary issues. Most of the "extra" on senior bloodwork is for thyroid (at least with our clinic).

I've never been a fan of charging extra to collect blood, and the medical waste fee... I think it should just be worked into the price of the bloodwork. Its not like you have the choice to draw it yourself and bring it to them :roll: 

I see it a lot coming from other clinics, so it might be the norm and we're the odd balls for not charging for it.

Hope you get some answers soon!!


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## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Seems right on to me too, our office visit just went up to $52...but that's NY for ya...

I would questin the "geriatric" label for the bloodwork, but perhaps they are just trying to be more thorough and rule out any other causes. Sometimes in the computer system they have certain codes listed for certain things and maybe their "full blood panel" is listed as "geriatric" or something and that's why it's bugging us that they used this term. 

Personally, if I was paying for bloodwork anyway...it's rather pay the extra $30 bucks or whatever to get the whole sha-bang! This way there is no question when you get the results back...

Good luck!


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Seems reasonable to me...I just paid $200 for a full work up on Maggie.

The $41.48 for the office visit cracks me up...how do they arrive at these numbers? Make it $41 or $42...where the heck does the 48 cents come in? You'd think if they're charging over $100 for something the extra quarter is chump change...


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

Its seems like overkill to charge an exam fee and then on top of that charge for blood collection and haz waste disposal. Shouldn't that be covered under the office call fee. Or at least, in the bloodwork fee? 

IMO, you were overcharged by $20, thats just padding the bill.

You shouldn't have to pay for anything else now, that is, unless they charge extra to interpret the lab results for you. :roll:


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Here's what I was billed for Rocket's bloodwork:

Animal profile 1 $65.90
CBC $36.90
Blood draw $4.50

Total $107.30

I have to do that every six months as long as he's on Prozac.

I think the CBC is too high because they do that in house. The ANP1 is sent out to an overnight lab. It's picked up by courier and returned by courier so I can see how that can get expensive. In this case, I can see splitting out the blood draw because it's one blood draw for two separate labs. If you bundle the blood draw, which one are you going to bundle it with? And what if the client only gets one test -- the other one?


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## Janice (Jan 12, 2007)

Good Lord... I was charged way more than that for blood work and urinaylsis on Pebbles... you guy's have it cheap in the States. If I can find a bill, I'll post it later..... 8O 8O


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

When we took Rookie to the vet for the exact same problem -- peeing outside her box -- the bill came to $178. It probably included the same stuff yours did, except there wasn't a geriatric component because she was 2 at the time. At any rate, I thought that was high. As a matter of fact, we stopped going to that vet because of that. Maybe it was more normal than I realized.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Mittens was marking and spraying around the house. I took him in to make sure he didnt have UTI. I just checked the bill. It was $188.94.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Mittens was marking and spraying around the house. I took him in to make sure he didnt have UTI. I just checked the bill. It was $188.94. Included the blood panels


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## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

How did you get Mittens to stop marking?

Thanks for the replies everyone...looks like my bill isn't about average for what everyone else pays. Delia's birth date is a little skewed on that print out...she's really around 4 years old. Although, still not "geriatric", however, at this point, if they need to run more tests, fine by me...I need to get to the bottom of why she's not peeing in the litterbox. :?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

The vet ruled out it was UTI from the tests. His marking around the house was a stressed out behavior problem. He is alpha and I had so many fosters plus a feral living outside the house. Plus ferals recovering from TNR on my screened in porch. Mittens was trying to control everyone which stressed him out.

I solved it by moving to a new home. No previous animal scents. I only will foster & hold ferals in my garage which he isnt allowed out there so he doesnt get whigged out. He is happiest with just me and Mz Tess.

Im sure I could push the envelope with one more foster in the house but dont want to risk him starting to marking again.


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