Vet question - Need help asap.

[Bolvangar]

Okay, I found a stray cat about 6 months ago. Called about a month ago to get her spayed.
I bring her in today, and tell them I found the cat on the street awhile ago. I then proceed to ask if the cat has allready been spayed, we would be able to see some kind of scar, correct? They say yes, you would be able to.
So, about 15 minutes ago, they call me, say they did the surgery, opened her up, and found out she had allready been spayed, all this after them telling me they would be able to tell if she was spayed allready because there would be a scar.

They then tell me I am going to have to pay the full 200 for the spaying.

My question to everyone is, do you think I should have to pay the full 200? Or should I throw a fit when I go to get her?
Only reason I am not happy about paying this bill, is because they said they would be able to tell if she was allready spayed.

chris.

Update
Went to the vet this morning, told them I wanted to compromise on the charges, because they did not do 75% of the work, they only cut the cat open. They say no way, whatsoever, you will pay full price. They also give a nice comment about how if I do not pick the cat up by saturday they will "Hand the cat over to the police and file abandonment charges"

Anyone have any suggestions as to what to do next, these guys are being total d*cks now, and I absolutely refuse to pay them the full price for the surgery now, no way, no how. Before I was going to pay them the full price if they wouldn't compromise on the price, but the nice abandonment charges comment sent me off the edge.

Oh by the way, I called 5 diffrent vets in my city today, they all said about 98% of the time you can see a scar from a past surgery. They also said in the rare chance that you didn't, there's no way they should be charging me full price for the surgery ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD TELL 100% OR NOT IF THE CAT HAD ALLREADY BEEN SPAYED!

Not sure what to do at this point, any suggestions would be helpful.

thanks!

 

[caitlion]

yeah thats pretty stupid. they are supposed to be professionals right? so shouldnt they have been able to tell beforehand? in my opinion, it was their mistake.. why should you pay for it?

 

[Bolvangar]

I called them again, now they are telling me it was just the receptionist who told me that, not them, so its not their problem.

 

[Fausto]

Hmm....that's kinda BS in my opinion. I was a vet tech for a few years and the biggest PITA about doing a spay is fishing out the uterine horns and then doing the cutting and suturing to remove everything. Opening and closing the cat (all they had to do) is the easy part. I can see where if it were an older cat the scar might be hard to see (should only be about 1-2" long on the midline of the lower abdomen) but most vets would see the damn thing as soon as they shaved the cat's belly.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Drat. Double post.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Well, if that is the case with the receptionist, ask how the vet did not see the scar when the belly was shaved and prepped for surgery or did he do it with his eyes closed?

 

[Bolvangar]

Vet says, he saw no scar on the cat, nor anykind of indication that the cat had been spayed before. The cat is also a max of 3 years old.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Bolvangar
Vet says, he saw no scar on the cat, nor anykind of indication that the cat had been spayed before. The cat is also a max of 3 years old.

Scar could have faded some if the cat was spayed early on and the sutures were done neatly. It's still BS to charge you the full amount when he didn't have to do 80% of the operation.

 

[StageLeft]

I would pay them some becuase it's not their problem (although the receptionish is probably a dumb dumb), but in terms of them charging you the entire surgery that doesn't sound fair, based on what fausto says.

 

[Azraele]

It doesn't sound fair. AT the very least you shouldn't have to pay full price since they service was not rendered.

It also makes me happy to hear stories of people helping strays and spaying them.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I would pay them some becuase it's not their problem (although the receptionish is probably a dumb dumb), but in terms of them charging you the entire surgery that doesn't sound fair, based on what fausto says.

FWIW- You're probably not going to get out of some kind of payment since they're still out the prep time, the vet's time, the anesthetic, etc. unless you come after them with a small claims court suit or something. The "I didn't see the scar" thing is pretty suspect IMHO, but it'll be your word against a vet's.

I'd just see if you can whittle down the payment to something reasonable and then never, ever darken their door again. That is truly the best revenge since vets make all their money on regular patients and word-of-mouth recommendations.

 

[bernse]

I'd threaten to sue them. That'll probably pi$$ them off enough just to give you the cat back and take a hike.

 

[Bolvangar]

Well, we went up there to get the cat. They have the nerve to tell me they should be charging me for more than just the spaying.......
I told them there's no way I'm paying the full price when they didn't do anything but cut the cat open.

They say, well your not getting the cat back until we recieve payment in full.
I said fine, you'll either be hearing from the cops or a lawyer. And walked out. I'm getting really f*&kin pissed off now.

Does anyone know if I called the cops and explained to them they did work on the cat they were not supposed to do because they are incompetent and I refuse to pay, if they would do anything, or should I not even waste my time?

 

[wedi42]

leave the cat there.
its not worth it.
you can get a new kitty from the humane society for $50

 

[sharkeeper]

What do they charge for boarding? They WILL charge you that until the cat is picked up! You would have been better off paying with a CC or even a check just to get your cat out of there and then take necessary steps afterward. The position you're in now is definitely NOT to your advantage at all.

Cheers!

 

[Bolvangar]

hehe, my friend told me I should goto bank, and get 200.00 in pennies and pay them, hehe. if nothing else, I'm going to do that tommarow. I'll take digital cam and take pics for you all tommarow

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: Bolvangar
hehe, my friend told me I should goto bank, and get 200.00 in pennies and pay them, hehe. if nothing else, I'm going to do that tommarow. I'll take digital cam and take pics for you all tommarow

I would be surprised if the bank gives you that much in pennies. Even if they did give you the pennies, you're still paying the vet out of your own pocket.

 

[notfred]

Can you sue a vet for malpractice?

 

[Bolvangar]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: Bolvangar
hehe, my friend told me I should goto bank, and get 200.00 in pennies and pay them, hehe. if nothing else, I'm going to do that tommarow. I'll take digital cam and take pics for you all tommarow

I would be surprised if the bank gives you that much in pennies. Even if they did give you the pennies, you're still paying the vet out of your own pocket.

Well, i"m going to have to pay it out of my own pocket no matter what atleast for now, unless I leave the cat there, and I really don't want to do that.

 

[Azraele]

Free the kitty.

You have every right to pay them in pennies, although perhaps it would have been better to pay by CC and dispute the charges.

 

[gooseman]

Pay with a credit card, then dispute the charge with the credit card company. You didn't get what you paid for.

 

[tcsenter]

$200! Damn, our Vet charges $90 for spaying.

In most cases there should be a discernable scar from a previous spay, not always. If the animal was young at the time of spaying, the scar can be virtually invisible after a few years.

Although I would complain to the Vet about receiving bad advice, you still owe them something. Reason being, if they would have told you "More than 90% of the time, there will be a visible scar, but in some cases the scar is virtually invisible, so we can't be 100% certain based on the scar or lack thereof" would your decision have been any different?

Would you have went with the 10% odds or the 90% odds?

I would ask for a discount since they didn't have to actually do any internal surgery. However, the discount can't be much, because 85~90% of the cost is anesthesia and opening the cat. The actual spay procedure takes about 2 additional minutes.

 

[KidViciou$]

IT IS THEIR PROBLEM!!!!

how the hell can they say it isn't??? THEY ARE THE ONES WHO HIRED THE RECEPTIONIST, AND IT IS THEIR EMPLOYEE, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR BUSINESS!!! :|:|:|

Use an Amex wiht benefits card, and CALL A LAWYER! don't threaten to sue, never do that. contact a lawyer.

aren't you supposed to sign something prior to a surgery?

 

[Bolvangar]

bump ^ for the update

 

[Alchemist99]

Man that is total B.S first try to do some background checks with the better business bureau on these guy see if there are any complaints.
Then tell them your cousin is some local T.V anchor or newspaper columnist and say he/she is interested in the story.

Get a sign and start picketing in front of the Vets office {these people are holding my Cat hostage} you might want to check local laws first on it though.

Also step in some dog shite before you go into pay them and track it all over their office, tell them you stepped in it before you came in and they should clean up their sidewalk.

These guys are jerks and someone needs to make them wake up. GL+HF