Why are vets so expensive in the UK?

I think there’s a tendency for vets to adjust their prices to match the higher figures of their colleagues. It’s quite a common feeling that it’s a bit of a racket, someone’s making a lot of money. Most of the vets themselves seem to be really nice people, but it’s the big businesses they’re working for that are the problem. I think people in the UK are taking the mickey, because pet owners don’t have much choice. The cost of veterinary care generally is a huge burden for pet owners. It’s always very expensive, especially if you need medication. What’s the markup on veterinary medicines, are they actually being priced reasonably or are we being gouged. Using a vet is a service people can’t do without if they care about their animals, so vets have you over a barrel as you have to pay their fee because you don’t want your pet to suffer.

There is no NHS for pets and no government support for veterinary practices as there is in the field of human medicine in the UK. Our fees include VAT at 20% so a big chunk of your bill is tax to the government. Veterinary business owners need to ensure their practice remains viable if they are to continue to serve their clients and pets alike. Greenbay Vets is basically a small hospital, with all the running costs this entails. In brief, these include: Costs incurred by practice premises Rent/mortgage Maintenance Utility and service bills Fitting out and maintaining clinical areas such as consulting rooms, operating theatres, imaging rooms, dental facilities, pharmacies, laboratories and pet accommodation. Team costs Salaries including NI and pension contributions. Hopefully you will agree, that despite their love of animals, our team deserve to be paid fairly for their years of training, skills, knowledge and dedication. Other ‘hidden’ costs Compliance with legislation and industry guidance covering veterinary surgeons, procedures, medicines, health and safety, local authority requirements, employment, GDPR, and sustainability to name but a few.