Mia is being spayed tomorrow

[Ela]

and next tim

Lets hope another op is not necessary.

[Déborah]

Deborah - most insurance companies wont cover spaying or microchipping costs.

No, I know, that's what I meant, sorry, I wasn't very clear: I'll pay the £100 this time, and next time she needs an op (which won't be spaying obviously), I won't have to pay that much because of the insurance.

Déborah xx

[Desley (booktigger)]

Deborah - most insurance companies wont cover spaying or microchipping costs. In fact, I dont know any that do. What company are you with - £65 excess sounds a lot, I dont pay that for my oldies unless it is an expensive bill?
Forgot to say that my vets do chipping for only £15 if they are having an op at the same time - shame Tiger didn't need a dental doing, I could have had hers done then, but it is only £5.

[Déborah]

When we got the recovery pack through Kelly's vet, it was Hills i/d, so maybe that is what htey are starting to offer now.

Good, so I'm not going mad after all  I checked mine, and it said 'feline i/d recovery pack'.

Spaying at my vets is £57.75 (flank) or £86.36 (midline abdomen) - maybe they did a midline one which is why it cost more than expected?

Nope, it was flank.

Honestly, it's not that big a deal. I'm gutted it was so dear, but they did a really good job, and they're very friendly. Mia is insured, so if she needs another op, I'll only have to pay the £65 excess.

Déborah xx

[Sootyca]

My Lilly has just been in today for a spay.  It cost about £57 including microchipping, but that is with a deduction for a CPL voucher.  The spay itself would have been £64 I think, or thereabouts.

She is currently walking backwards round the house trying to escape the collar, whilst I try to stop Robbie from helpfully cleaning her wound.

No interest in food at all, other than a small piece of wafer thin ham which she nibbled at.  I know it's not white meat, but she wouldn't touch the rice that I made for her and we haven't got anything else in at the moment.

Karen
x

[Tiggy's Mum]

Glad Mia is OK after her op    Spaying at my vets is £57.75 (flank) or £86.36 (midline abdomen) - maybe they did a midline one which is why it cost more than expected? 

Big head kisses to the gorgeous Mia 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

In the olden days  most vets would just say it's £65 for a spay whereas now most will break it down (the new practice standards scheme - or wotever it's called - requires them to do that) so that the cost of the actual op and how much for ga is separate.  £65 doesn't sound excessive for a spay to me.  There was a thread on catchat about this about the time I had Mosi neutered and I think the average was round about £55 - £60.  Mosi's neuter was £37 or something and a spay is always more than a neuter. 

Is your vets in an expensive area?  If property is expensive where they are their prices will be a bit higher than average.

edit - ok just rang my vets cos I was curious and I was wrong - a spay is £40 plus VAT and a microchip is £17 + VAT so by that your vet is expensive!

[CurlyCatz]

small world !! its shaped like a boat isnt it, my most vivid memories of being there are of being drunk...very very drunk     up till 4 or 5 am then sitting in a lecture room for 9 am at telford college a few hours later.....my god hell would have to freeze over before i'd feel like trying stunts like that again 

[Déborah]

deborah, also i meant to say... when i was studying in edinburgh i stayed at the "jewel and esk valley college halls of residence" thats out the mussellborough way isnt it.  (wasnt that college i went to tho)

Yes it is, about 10 minutes on the bus from Musselburgh. I pass it fairly often, as it's on the 44 bus route    My partner got a degree from the college (community education), then went to edinburgh uni.

Déborah xx

[CurlyCatz]

deborah, also i meant to say... when i was studying in edinburgh i stayed at the "jewel and esk valley college halls of residence" thats out the mussellborough way isnt it.  (wasnt that college i went to tho)

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

they do microchipping for only a tenner if u have it done same time at my vets .

[Desley (booktigger)]

When we got the recovery pack through Kelly's vet, it was Hills i/d, so maybe that is what htey are starting to offer now. My vet still recommends chicken or white fish though. A female spay is £43 at my vets, and microchipping is £20 - that is full price.

[Ela]

Is that with a rescue discount, ela?  or is your vets just really cheap?!

No,  a spay at my vets is £39 something, chipping is at the most £20 but the often have a special offer on. We charge £10 ish but will charge just the cost of the chip if necessary. The recovery food for a 2 day supply is £2.62 (I have just checked the bill as I did get some last month to see exactly what is was, the cat didn't like it) The neuter/spay cost includes a check before the op, a check 3 days later and obviously stitches out.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

yea they do open surgery here too , the vets i go to do a pre op check about 3days b4 they give u the appointment for the op but the one my mum went to they do the health check on the same day as they operate .

[ccmacey]

It cost's £30 at my vets for a neuter, don't know how much for spay. They also do open surgery times so you can take your pet and you don't have to pay a consultation fee.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

Down here it cost £47 for the spay
that includes the lampshade collar ,the recovery pack of food u need to buy aswell
or they say to feed them chcicken or white fish .

[CurlyCatz]

PS i didnt realise Mia was scottish aswell LOL

oh and i meant to add i think theres nothing wrong with the old advice of white meat/rice after an op. also regardless of how routine it seems to us its still a full blown ga which affects gut peristalsis (my god cant believe i can still remember words like that LOL)  and also major surgery into the abdominal cavity. (cat castrates dont have that i know but are under ga)  So probably the likes of hills a/d will be "better" but the light meal of white meats still ok.  Also with the higher moisture content in the hills (i dont know about the rc type) and the mineral / electrolytes etc it will prob help replace losses incurred because of the ga which chicken wouldnt to the same degree, i cant remember precisely why but more fluids etc are lost under ga..perhaps used up because of the liver etc working harder to metabolise the drugs and there will always be a slight blood loss which the body will respond by balancing blood volume and draw fluid into circulation.  Of course in practically every healthy animal we will never see much of a difference regardless what you feed but i do believe a/d would be better.
One of the reasons we offered it was on a convience level for the owner aswell so they werent suddenly panicking about what to feed and leaving puss/doggie in car while they stopped off at the supermarket for some tasty bits on the way home, also i think owners felt some how better coz they had "special" food for that night.
Part of their post op discharge we explained the benefits of this food but at no time were they forced, if they didnt seem keen on the extra pound or two then we'd put their mind at ease also by saying that a small light meal of chicken etc would be fine.

[CurlyCatz]

thats where the expense has come from deborah and too be honest i'd give them a ring to check up that the pricing has been done correctly.. I'd say 45 quid is pretty reasonable for the spay withouth the extra 20 for ga...Where i worked going back 6 years it was around 38 for the spay and that included the ga.  the only things that were costed out separetly and they had to be for the veterinarly computer system that was used was the painkilling injection and the owners had the option of hills a/d  so that would have taken it to just a few pounds over 40 quid.

(by the way i believe i/d can be used aswell as its still kinder on the stomach, altho i think of a/d as the recovery food)

on our computer the pricing out of routine every day ops such as neuterings were listed quite straight forwardly ie cat castrate, cat spay etc and only on all the other non routine surgerys where you couldnt have a standard listing was it priced out as GA, then everything else added on ie materials used, time of op etc.

[Déborah]

I live in Musselburgh (right next to Edinburgh). I don't know if that vet is more expensive. The other prices seemed very reasonable (consultations etc.)

Do you have an invoice that breaks it down so that you can see how much everything was?

Aye I do, but I don't have it on me right now. If I remember properly, the anaesthetic was around £20, the spay around £45 and the microchip around £30. The food was £3.

Déborah xx

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Here that lot would have cost no more than £64, possibly less

Is that with a rescue discount, ela?  or is your vets just really cheap?!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Where do you live?  Is vet care generally above average where you are?

I can't remember how much it is for a spay at my vets as I've never had a female cat but I think it's about £60.  I can't remember exactly how much Mosi's microchip was but I think about £20 or something.  so that would bring it up to £80+ without any of the recovery food.  Do you have an invoice that breaks it down so that you can see how much everything was?

[Déborah]

Here that lot would have cost no more than £64, possibly less

Yes, that's pretty much what I was expecting, so the actual cost was a bit of a shock. Ah well...

[Ela]

but they automatically included it on the bill 

At our vets when you book an op they send you a form telling you how much the op is and then asking you to tick any extras you want, bloods, food etc. it is not automatically added on the bill.

is £99.93 for a spay+microchip (+recovery food lol)

Here that lot would have cost no more than £64, possibly less

[Ela]

First of all Ela, I think you do know a lot

A lot of useless information is what I know

[Déborah]

However, I really am not convinced you really do need to give special diet food after what is a normal everyday procedure. Then again what do I know.

First of all Ela, I think you do know a lot 

I agree with you, it probably isn't necessary, but they automatically included it on the bill    so I gave it a try. Mia likes it, and she sometimes have digestive problems, so, well, why not?

Btw, is £99.93 for a spay+microchip (+recovery food lol) very expensive? Seems very expensive to me! The vet did a very good job, and I'm not complaining, but it does look like a lot! (not covered by insurance either)
 
Déborah xx

[Ela]

but they have always wanted to eat their own food and scoffed it down.  

Mine too, although I usually offer them some chicken breast or tuna as well.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

When I have had my cats done the vet said just give them some chicken or bolied fish as something light, but they have always wanted to eat their own food and scoffed it down.

 Same here!  Mine have always given me that "dont' you dare give me something light, I want proper food" look.  I try to make sure I always have applaws or almo nature chicken flake in now as that's just chicken, a small amount of rice and broth so that must be pretty light and easy on the stomach.  

[Ela]

I'll check when I'm home

You could be right, but recovery after an op is not the main reason to give the i/d. Perhaps the vet had no a/d or Royal Canin. However, I really am not convinced you really do need to give special diet food after what is a normal everyday procedure. Then again what do I know.

[ccmacey]

When I have had my cats done the vet said just give them some chicken or bolied fish as something light, but they have always wanted to eat their own food and scoffed it down.

[Ela]

Yes a/d is a wonderful standby we use it a lot in rescue, sometimes we get a cat in and it won't eat , so many times I have given a cat a couple of syringes of a/d and the cat has started to eat. It is a high calorie, high protein food to promote healing and speed up a pets recovery and can be given in a syringe easily, as although it appears solid in the tin  it can easily be placed in a syringe.

[Déborah]

Mmmmm, I remember reading i/d, but it did say 'recovery food for cats' on the tins so I'm not sure now. Guess it has to be a/d then and I 'm just being daft    I'll check when I'm home

Déborah xx

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I think the recovery food is a/d - there is an i/d too which is for something different (the one ela describes I believe).  I've never used a/d before either - never needed to - but it does seem to be good for when cats wont or cant eat.  Not a problem I've ever had! 

Glad Mia is doing well!

[Ela]

I thought Hills i/d is  to help  reduce or eliminating problems such as flatulence, diarrhoea (small intestinal and certain large intestinal types), pancreatitis and gastric disorders, but I suppose it could be used to aid recovery after a surgical procedure.

[Ela]

The recovery food? whats that

It is made by Royal Canin (maybe others make it also) and helps (or so they say) when a cat is recovering from digestive upsets, surgical procedures or other cases of when a cat needs a highly digestable diet. In all honesty I don't bother with it.

[Déborah]

It's hill's i/d (dunno what the letters stand for). It's easy to digest food meant for convalescing cats. Mia loved it!

Déborah xx

[ccmacey]

The recovery food? whats that

[Déborah]

Oh, also I think she's forgiven me, as she was very cuddly last night, she slept on my pillow, and she also cuddled next to me under the duvet  I love when she does that!

Déborah xx

[Déborah]

Mia is fine, Mia has been jumping on everything, all the time. She's jumped on all the window sills, and all the radiators, and most of the furniture. /

The wound/incision, whatever you want to call it looks very neat and clean and sturdy, so I'm really happy with it  Only two stitches.

Btw, they did make me pay for the recovery food, it was included on the bill  Thw whole thing was so expensive! But she was microchipped as well 

Déborah

[CurlyCatz]

Hows mia today deborah ?

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Ah right.  Jaffa loves his food all the time but I've never seen him so obviously ravenous as when he came back from his dental.