Hi guys and girls looking for a bit of help or advice, my mums French bulldog has recently had an accident and hasn't been able to walk properly since Sunday...my mum since took the dog to the pdsa who informed her she'd need to take the dog to her vet who wanted £1500 for an X ray which could rise to £3000 should she need an op.... and as my mum works she doesn't fit the criteria for help ( as she works for a living) they can't do anything. Now obviously when she bought the dog she should of got insurance and unfortunately she didn't so she's literally snookered. She can't raise that sort of cash this time of year but could with maybe a payment plan of sorts I dunno. She's just desperate to get the dog the help without suffering long term. If anyone has any helpful information or vets that could help please let me know. Many thanks guys and girls.

£1500 for an x-ray, that is absolutely ridiculous even for rip-off vets.

Animaltrust are opening a vets in Ellesmere Port soon and here is an example of their prices to give you guidelines http://www.animaltrust.org.uk/prices/

I'd guess the small animal hospital at Leahurst (Willaston) might be a good bet but I'll check if there is someone else and get back later.

Highway robbery thanks so much any help would be appreciated, she messed up not getting insurance but she absolutely adores the dog and doesn't want it to suffer and if she can maybe find a vet who'll take installements she'll happily pay for her treatment just a lot to pay this time of year.

Ok, my contact suggests "Vets Now" in Liverpool but phone to double check they will take instalments.

https://www.vets-now.com/

Its disgusting that Vets dont have some sort of payment plan.Insurance is also expensive & lots of exclusions,theres always at the back of your mind "will I ever need insurance" .Much better to treat now ,pay later.Maybe then more animals would be rehomed.

Couldn't of put it better myself, my mum would give anything for her dog. She was stupid not getting the insurance granted but just wants to get her the help even if she has to do without to fund that help

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"Its disgusting that Vets dont have some sort of payment plan.Insurance is also expensive & lots of exclusions,theres always at the back of your mind "will I ever need insurance" .Much better to treat now ,pay later.Maybe then more animals would be rehomed."


Sadly a lot of people dont pay their vet bills though, once their animal has been treated , and just move to another vet if their animal gets sick again. Not usually cost effective for the vet to chase the fee through debt collectors.

You'd be surprised how useless some pet insurances are, especially if you have a thoroughbred that may get a lifetime problem.

The good insurances are usually claimed directly by the vets (and you pay excess to vet) but there are a number of insurances that the vets insist on you paying and you then claim from insurance because.

Petplan is probably the best but it comes at a price, if your animal gets a lifetime/longterm complaint you just pay the excess once each year (and the premium of course), the price of the premium doesn't rise except when the dog reaches 8 years old iirc. Certainly works out well if you have a thoroughbred that susceptible to notorious problems.

As much as I hate to admit it, Tesco also offer some good policies at a more reasonable price.

Mongrels tend to have less problems and its much more difficult to work out if a decent insurance is worth it. I'd tend to just get a cheap one to cover 3rd party and the unexpected breakage or similar.

I'm sure their are a type of "insurance" that pay the vet up front then you pay the insurance back in instalments (plus interest) which gives the best of both worlds.

Ring the RSPCA and see what their answer is. It will go something like this--if you don't get it treated we will take you to court, if you give it to us we will not treat it --just have it put down.

You've been reading the wrong newspapers instead of talking to the RSPCA and seeing what actually happens.

Enlighten me DD which are the right newspapers to read that criticise the RSPCA.

"2011 according to the RSPCA they euthanized 3400 animals for non-medical reasons" As they no longer accept stray or unwanted animals that figure may be reducing.
I do try to look at a range of sources for the information rather than say just the Daily Mail.
It is quite possible there is a conspiracy against the RSPCA with the Telegraph, Spectator, Former RSPCA workers, Dogworld, Countryside Alliance even the National Police Chiefs' Council all wading in about them.

Not saying they don't do good work but they are not above criticism

Put it in context.

The RSPCA does not have unlimited funds, the majority of people complaining about the amount of dogs euthanized for non-medical do not donate to the RSPCA. If you want less dogs to be euthanized then donate.

Over 50,000 dogs a year are abandoned in the UK.

Councils put down more dogs than the RSPCA.

What do you think the RSPCA is doing wrong that they could do differently?

They are just cheap media fodder.

Here is what the RSPCA also did in 2015 ....

rescued and collected 118,994 animals

found new homes for 47,651 animals

microchipped 51,337 animals

neutered 68,298 animals

treated 153,605 animals

investigated 143,004 cruelty complaints

secured 1,781 convictions by private prosecution to protect animals against those who break the laws.

Try Birch vets in Oxton , they could help, I think. Phone 0151 652 3284 and they are cheaper than most vets.

I think she might only need to raise about £350 -£400max for an xray. Unless the vet has told her he is pretty sure the result will mean the operation mentioned, then maybe get the xray and a proper diagnosis - could perhaps be something far less expensive to treat?

*Really pigs me off they charge so much as xrays are pretty cheap to do.