# xray fee?



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My sister took her (new) cat to the vet, who recommended xrays (chest xrays, I believe, for a possible heart issue). She doesn't have a lot of money, and this was an unexpected, unbudgeted amount of money. (Long story, but she took this cat out of a bad situation.)

She paid a little over $200, called to get results, and was told, oh, the vet doesn't read xrays, you'll have to pay another $80 for a specialist to read them.

Are you kidding me??? Needless to say, she's switching vets. 

I've never heard of such a thing. Shouldn't they have told her up front??? :-?


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## Julie Carvill (Jun 30, 2010)

I believe so. Find new vet. I agree.


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## its.alice (Jun 15, 2011)

Take the xrays with her when she goes.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

What a complete scam. Get a new vet and get one of your lawyer mates to hit them with a stupidity lawsuit.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

> Shouldn't they have told her up front???


 *YES!*


When I took Zenobi to the vet, he took Xrays and viewed them and saw patches on her lungs, which he didn't think were anything much, but he asked if I wanted to have them sent to a radiologist who is an expert at diagnosis. Unfortunately, the results from that were very serious cancer.

Xrays are not like a snapshot, pften it's not easy to diagnose the disease. A broken bone, yes, that's easy to see. Even with people sometimes an xray has to go to a specialist. The problem I see is that this should be explained and the costs mentioned before the initial xrays are taken because often without the specialist's opinion the xrays are useless.

It would be good for people to remember to ask before ordering xrays.


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

You would think that some interpretation of the xrays would be included. But...It isn't in humans. I've a lots of pics taken this year and there is always a bill from a radiologist whom I have never met


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## Mom of 4 (Jul 29, 2006)

It is standard practice here for x-rays and scans to be read by a radiologist.
But it would have been nice for them to mention the cost.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

its.alice said:


> Take the xrays with her when she goes.


Many xrays these days are digital. The xrays may be sent to the radiologist via the internet. It's my understanding, that in some cases, xrays are sent across the country.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

She should have been told up front about the radiologist fee. When we quote for x-rays we always quote the radiologist fee on the high end in the event that we see something abnormal and want an expert opinion. Many times it isn't needed but when it is, the owner is aware up front what that fee will be. Its usually between $75 and $95 for the radiologist, so that price seems about right. The radiographs are $90 each view, always at least 2 views taken, so $180, and that includes a CD with copies of the xrays on them for the owner to take with them. So yes, even if they are digital, she should demand copies of her xrays. 

Sorry this happened to her. No good deed goes unpunished as they say.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My sister is still looking for a new vet. She took her kitty in this morning to get all the matts out (she was in horrible condition when my sister got her), she thought she'd be picking up a lion-cut kitty, but her groomer is as great as mine! :grin: Here she is with a new toy when she got home!


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

Marie, I don't see the pic, just a little box with a blue circle in it.


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## love.my.cats (Jan 29, 2009)

OMG she's soooooo cute!!


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

OMG CUTE! WANT! She's a doll! i hope her xrays are clear and her heart is purrrrfect!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

She really is the coolest cat! Talkative, lap kitty, starting to play, even by herself.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

OMG, gorgeous kitty!!!


I would take the xrays with me and take them to a vet who is going to be upfront about the costs and pay them the fee. When we had to get xrays done on Sinatra the emergency vet read them right there in front of us. Of course, he was looking for broken bones or slipped discs which I suppose are fairly easy to spot. He even gave us a little tour of Sinatra's organs!


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## katlover13 (Apr 15, 2008)

I had Orlando's leg ex-rayed a while ago and my vet gave me a CD with the pictures on it to keep - no extra charge.

Your sisters cat is gorgeous!


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