Is this common practice ?

Not sure if this is in the right section apologies if not.

Mark took their cat to the vet on Thursday because she was suddenly very ill. The vet needed to admit her and Mark had to pay the consultation fee. He was given another bill rough estimate of what they might need to pay but of course they did not know the final figure.

They run blood tests warmed her up because her temperature was low and a few other things. They were not hopeful Thursday evening and were preparing them for pts Friday.

She had rallied round a bit on Friday so they asked for another day and night to keep an eye and run a few more blood tests which they agreed too but they were then getting worried about the bill as Mark is self employed and had not had any work over christmas. Tracey works part time. We had already told them we would lend them the money if they needed it neither cats were insured Dizzi is now.

Well yesterday they said she was not going to improve and while on the drips etc and drugs she was holding her own but when they took her off she would die and be in great pain very high potassium levels etc.,

We went down later yesterday the boys went in to say goodbye then came out while Mark and Tracey stayed with her. They got some discount off the bill as Tracey works for the NHS but they wanted to hold on till Monday re: the bill as Tracey had learnt they might get some help from the RSPCA as they get some some small benefits but the woman who deals with it was not in till Monday so although Tracey tried Friday they couldn't help her. They explained this to the vet who said he would have to ring his practice manager to check it would be ok in the meantime we paid £100 off the bill.

He called them back in we thought to pick up Shadow but they cannot take her till the bill has been paid. They didn't mind too much they said the poor vet was so embarrassed but they didn't want to pay all the bill because if they do and they are entitled to some help they cannot claim the help they might get once bill is paid.

So tomorrow they have to ring the RSPCA to see if they are entitled to any help if not we are paying the bill and picking
Shadow up. Even if they get help we are sorting the difference for them as they cannot really afford the whole bill in one go so they will pay us back at a reasonable rate they can afford.

I was wondering if anyone knew if this is common practice as bless her heart shadow is not worth over £ 100 she was not a pedigree cat. Gorden said they are playing the emotional game.

Some vets would have insisted on payment up front - I think the vet is being pretty reasonable tbh. I very much doubt the RSPCA have any scheme that would help so maybe a credit card is the only option?
I`ve run boot sales and fundraising events before now to cover vets bills. Sometimes you have to think outside the box if you have to get the money.
I always talk to the vet about cost at the outset. One vet wanted to MRI scan one of mine and I said it was too expensive (£2000+)- so another vet got the same information with x-ray (£100).

We can help with the bill in fact we will pay it and they can pay us back.

Tracey heard someone the other day when she was in there asking for something and this woman went in with a vet bill and they took it and gave her some help with it so they thought it would be worth asking. Bt the woman who deals with it is not in work till Monday when they enquired they were not told such a scheme did not exist.

My non pedigree Cat has cost me over a thousand pounds in the last couple years, Im still spending.

I think they would have had to go to the RSPCA hospital in te first place. The pdsa use to help though
ATD x

Doesn't matter at the end of the day if you get them free or have to pay loads if they need the vets you find a way don't you ? Mark and Tracey are lucky it is usually the bank of mum and dad.

To be fair they are very good they rarely ask to borrow money and if they do it is always for a very good reason and paid back very quickly. Gorden said right from the beginning if the cat needed treatment to get better and they hadn't the money they were to do it and he would foot the bill till they could pay us back.

I was meaning as far as worth and the vet what is she worth to them ?

Ours isn't a hospital as such it has a small treatment room and is only open a couple of days a week. You get vouchers from them for taking them to a vet to neuter or spay and the same for treatment. We have no PDSA here either or nearby.