LETTER: Is there any wonder so many animals are abandoned?

As a pet owner of long standing, I have become increasingly concerned at the rising cost of veterinarian care, particularly regarding the cost of medication purchased directly from the vet practices and the cost of written prescriptions.

For example, recently I took my dog to the vets regarding his eyes and as a result he was prescribed eye drops and because he needed to start on the treatment straight away I purchased them from the vet’s practice concerned. They cost me £14.05 for a 10mg tube which only lasted me for four days. When I returned home I rang a chemist which also deals in veterinarian medicines and was told the same medicine for the same amount would cost me £5.97. I then rang a second local veterinary practice to see how much it would charge and was told £16.13. Now, in order to obtain this medication through the pharmacy chain I have to obtain a written prescription from the vet’s. From the first vet’s a written prescription with one item on costs £9.49.

However, a second item on the prescription would cost me a further £5.83 and this same charge would be added for every additional item for the same animal.

The second vet practice charges £12 for the first item on the prescription and £6 for each additional item.

I wonder how many pet owners out there have any idea of the huge mark-up they are paying for on medicines their pets are on? If their pets are on long-term medication they would do well to pay for a written prescription and obtain the medication from somewhere else.

However, I don’t believe these huge mark-ups are acceptable and I believe that these charges will undoubtedly be having consequences regarding animal welfare throughout the UK.

I don’t mind paying vets’ fees and I expect to pay them. However, I do feel that these fees are not reasonable and pet owners are being taken for a ride. Is there any wonder so many pets get abandoned?

I would be most interested to know what other pet owners think.

J.A.Ainsworth

By email