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  • A note about emergency vets.

    I'm not sure if this is standard practice, but when I took Scarlett to the emergency vet last night, I was require to pay a deposit of $550 at the intake desk then at the end of the appointment, I was given back the difference of the $550 minus the cost of the vet appointment. The $550 deposit is basically to allow the vet to give immediate care if an animal is in a critical position.

    Has anyone had to pay a deposit like this before - is it standard practice? I was stunned, but luckily I grabbed my Mr. Visa at the last second before heading out the door. Just a heads-up if anyone has to take their pets to the e-vet for any reason, even if it's a reason as small as allergies (which is what I had to take Scarlett in for - she was having a severe reaction to something). Obviously, if you're going in for something more serious (i.e. bloat, heaven forbid) you'd have a credit card or ample funds on you already.

    But I was NOT expecting to have to pay a $550 deposit before an allergy shot...
    Katie & Scarlett
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  • #2
    Poor Scarlett - I hope she is doing better!!

    I have not had to pay a deposit when we have gone to the Emergency Vet. I can imagine that this may become standard practice in some ER Vets, if they tend to get a lot people that are unable to pay their bills. $550 just sounds like an odd amount...I wonder how they came up with that.
    Melisa, Bentley and Ella
    www.landmarkdanes.weebly.com

    CH Divine Acres Livin' in the Fast Lane "Bentley"

    Divine Acres Busy Being Fabulous "Ella"

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    • #3
      For an actual emergency, I've never had to pay a deposit. However, when Sydney had her thyroid surgery, I was required to pay half of the estimated cost up front. Then, the balance of the final bill at pick up time.
      -- Mike

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      Owned by
      Sydney 11 Jan 2005 - 20 July 2011
      Sawyer (avatar) 07 Apr 2005 - 23 Sept 2009

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      • #4
        First...I'm so sorry about Scarlett....looked at the pix last nite and that has to be miserable! Hope she's feeling much better now!

        I have heard of ER vets charging a deposit...the closest one to us is $650...but we have never had to use them and have never heard anything good about them. Thankfully I have my vet's home and cell number so I can call anytime...and one of the techs is a very close friend.

        "...none of us know what private hell or hardships the next person may have endured or faces even now. We should never aim even the tiniest arrow at a heart that may be more fragile than we know..." Janice

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        • #5
          Personally I have never heard of this, nor has any hospital I've worked at done this. We require a deposit after we have examined the dog and given the owner an estimate but it is generally of at least half of full treatment, not some arbitrary number... I find this odd...
          sigpic

          Mom to: *Valkyrie - GD* *Signi - APBT* *Arkin - GD*
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          • #6
            I only had to use an e-vet once. This was about 3 years ago and they never charged me a deposit. They are open already anyways so it wasn't like they came in from their sleep. At the most, I had to pay a larger office visit ($65 instead of the normal $40) in addition to the actual vet bill. Maybe it is just that e-vet and they have been burned by ppl not paying their bills....or maybe they are just bastards .

            Glad you remembered to grab Mr. Visa .
            sigpicSteeler and Kelly

            He is your best friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.
            You are his life, his love, his leader.
            He will be yours faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.
            You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
            ~Anonymous

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            • #7
              First of all I'm just catching up... poor Scarlett, i hope she is doing better.

              Second of all, true emergencies they take the animal instantly (like our diabetic cat that had a blood sugar of 16). But then they take your money.

              We have always had to pay a deposit and sign the "your pet may die" waiver when we go. The deposit is usually 1/2 of the quote. I always have to look at the quote and say no to all the extra test they like to run (blood work, etc.) that aren't necessarily emergencies. The next morning I always speak to our regular vet and if the extra stuff is still recommended we go to our regular vet for it. Anyways, I've never made it out of the emergency vet for under $300. Usually the deposit is $250.00.
              sigpic
              What Tucker's up to now: http://greatdanetucker.blogspot.com/

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              • #8
                My current vet, does her own emergency calls. For $80 she will meet you at the office and then the charges start accruing from there.
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                Logan, Member GDCA and Past President GDCMF
                Int'l CH & AM GCH Legacys Killer Instinct, TT, CHIC (Kaos)
                www.lokenigreatdanes.com

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                • #9
                  I've only been to the e-vet once, and I had to pay a deposit just like you did. Then they took the actual cost out of that and returned the difference to my visa.
                  sigpicAndre post run, and ready for more!
                  Loki 7/2002-3/2013
                  Clyde 3/2003-8/2013
                  Andre ~5/2006
                  Bob the cat

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                  • #10
                    The one time I had to use the e-vet was with the rotty we used to have. She got her paw under my recliner and when I rocked it sliced her pad open. She had to stay overnight because they had to put her under for the stitches as she wasn't cooperating. The bill was about $380 I think half due at drop off the remainder in the morning.
                    ~*~ Keppy ~*~
                    My Kids: Sydney - 10, Allyson - 8, Trey - 5
                    My Dogs: Megan (Basset Hound - rescued 12/07)
                    Tiamat Immortal (Great Dane) DOB: 06/12/09

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Steeler Jackson View Post
                      ....or maybe they are just bastards .

                      "...none of us know what private hell or hardships the next person may have endured or faces even now. We should never aim even the tiniest arrow at a heart that may be more fragile than we know..." Janice

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                      • #12
                        at school, we would work up an estimate (unless it was an absolute emergency, then we just take the animal to the ICU), and have the owner pay half the estimate before they leave.

                        I haven't yet had to have someone leave a deposit for where i work now, but we only see day time emergencies.
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                        Crystal
                        Owned by:
                        Dexter 8 year old GD, CGC
                        CH xxx's Top Gear AKA Studebaker (Baker) 4 years
                        Bagel 19 yr old Maine Coon
                        Lox 11 yr old Russian Blue mix

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                        • #13
                          I've had to use an e-vet twice, unfortunately. When my beloved fawn, Duke, was in/out V-tach, and when my beloved Scrappy was in resp. distress due to a medistinal tumor. And yes, they charged a $500 deposit up front both times.

                          I despise our most local e-vet. Not the best bed-side manner, one doc on one occasion was condescending, but mostly because any time I have to use one it's usually not a positive ultimate outcome so the memories associated w/ that office have left me jaded.

                          I've not updated myself either on Scarlett's situation, but I hope that she's feeling better.
                          Stella (Merle), Zeus (Blue)
                          Noogie-Boogie (Doxxie)
                          Kasey (Pug aka: the turd)

                          The Felines: Precious, Chloe & Ray
                          At the Bridge: Fluffy, Brandy, Tiffany, Gizmo, Woof, Scrappy, Duke, Shay, Cleo, Vader, Pepper, Conner

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                          • #14
                            When we took our kitty in for his urinary issues they gave us two estimates: a low and a high. We had to pay the lower amount before we left ($700-ish). Of course, it ended up costing the higher amount, so we had to pay the difference when we picked him up. I wish I knew how to tell what tests were needed or not, lol, that could have been handy.
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                            Alice 5 months old
                            ~*Bre*~

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by DaneyBopper View Post
                              Personally I have never heard of this, nor has any hospital I've worked at done this. We require a deposit after we have examined the dog and given the owner an estimate but it is generally of at least half of full treatment, not some arbitrary number... I find this odd...

                              Last time I used the E vet clinic they did the same thing..examined Pickles, then gave an estimate on the higher end. And I'm sure it's because of owners taking their dog/cat in and saying..Sky's the limit Doc,{when it comes to $$$}, just save my animal. Then when the bill comes they want to argue. Or skip out all together.

                              Last week over in Omaha, Nebraska a guy took his sick dog to the vet. Vet said dog needs treatment or put to sleep. The guy leaves saying..I'll take care of this myself. He was a stranger to the clinic so vet called the Humane Society, took them 3 days to track the dog owner down. Lead story on the nitely news was 5 cops using a battering ram to break his door down. Just like you see on all the cop shows..when they're busting a drug house. Dog was dead and buried, but they took the body for a necropsy. They don't fool around here with people that don't give medical treatment to their sick animals.

                              Dee

                              ETA..Sure glad Scarlett's on the mend. Pickle's outcome.. she had Pyometra and altho the operation was a success, the patient died. The clinic refunded part of the $2,000 deposit.
                              Last edited by Devil Dog; 09-14-2009, 09:01 AM.
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