Pet owners are facing a postcode lottery when it comes to vet bills. Research by this programme has found huge price differences at practices across the country. There are now calls to regulate vet pricing across the industry. Polly Bartlett reports.

@polly_bartlett More importantly they need to stop vets demanding full payment when collecting your animal even if you have insurance. Ours makes us pay then claim back from the insurers. It’s all very well if you have the money available to do that.

@polly_bartlett Complete rip off I can get medication for my dog half the price online why why why 😡😡

@polly_bartlett @gmb turning off since Nyles is still employed.

@polly_bartlett Vets are worse than Dentists with their extortionate prices...playing on pet owners emotions.. shocking #GMB #vets

@polly_bartlett As soon as you mention you have insurance, that it the vets will offer every test and medication going and then when you're renewal comes its gone up over 200 a year

@polly_bartlett Is it really postcode? Vets traditionally were small practices. Pet insurance has changed the business ethos. The small veterinary practice have been brought out by large corporations to exploit guaranteed payments from insurance. Check the business owners not postcode!!

@polly_bartlett They just charge random prices one thing the government must do is regulate these most the time there giving you stuff ye don’t even need or can get less than half the price off the net or stores

@polly_bartlett Don't have pets simple ..

@polly_bartlett Not a great problem. It is what it is. 🙄

@polly_bartlett About time it was regulated, Vet insurance should be too. Paid £280, for a consultation that lasted 15 minutes To be told the dog had gone blind,Pug has quick growing nails and so visit every 6 weeks .Since 2024 cost was £18 then 12 weeks later £21,then £23 and the last was £24.

@polly_bartlett My vet has just charged me £32 for 1 single use tube of glucose gel which I can buy on amazon for £10 for 3 tubes!

@polly_bartlett £57 a month I pay out, £90 on the 3rd month as my boy has to have a check due to having to have Prednisolone, all this for 14 tablets, that's gone from £25, probably over the last 12 to 18 months, to where we are today, it's crippling

@polly_bartlett Aye, it’s bonkers! You shouldn’t have to remortgage your house just to keep your furry mate healthy. Time for some proper regulation to sort this out, don’t you think?

@polly_bartlett I took my cat to a vet and because it was classed as an emergency because it was out of hours, the payment was £260 before any treatment.

@polly_bartlett One thing you never see is a poor vet!! The cost of vet bills is absolutely shocking!! Because they know a lot of people have insurances they try and max them out by putting prices up!!

@polly_bartlett Something should've been done sooner about these outrageous and extortionate vet bills prices.

@polly_bartlett Definitely they’re private and it’s just about money now my elderly dog is costing me a fortune bless her

@polly_bartlett Of course there’s a postcode lottery. Because god forbid your dog gets sick in a slightly posher area that’ll be £700 to look at his paw and say “keep an eye on it.” Regulate it. Immediately.

@polly_bartlett Thats capitalism

@polly_bartlett They just pick numbers out of thin air... And try to add things on. My cat went for a tooth out... And they said we will do a blood test 70 quid to see if he is ok, I said hes fine he's just got a bad tooth. All in all after infection etc cost 600 quid for a tooth out on a cat.

@polly_bartlett Vets are a complete rip off. They’ve realised people love their pets like family and have cashed in on this big time. Years ago nobody took their dogs to the vet and most lived to a ripe old age.

@polly_bartlett My friend was shocked that he got charged £200 for his dog to have one injection

@polly_bartlett Bring back the dog wardens & the old dog license for every single animal out there then ensure on that license mandatory pet insurance is included. That will cover the cost of vets. Yet again for those on benefits/low income they get free treatment for a donation at certain vets

@polly_bartlett Vet pricing is like the wild west, the swing between vets bills is 1000's depending on where you live. It's an absolute scam.

@polly_bartlett My little dog passed away just a year ago. I spent nearly £1500 at the vets and they still couldn't save him. I would go to a rescue centre (never buy from private) tomorrow for another dog but I realise if anything happens I could never afford any vets bills..

@polly_bartlett In the case of vets, they guess, they try this wnd that and they still don't know what's wrong with your pet and in the end owners pay the price.

@polly_bartlett Let's be transparent then - if the vets are owned by one of the big corporates, they are targeted with charging as much as possible. The independents are cheaper and more negotiable. It's not rocket science, and pet owners are largely wise to It.

@polly_bartlett Well done to Lindsay with her @Change petition re #vets & their high prices. Failings by our local vet who's part of @CVSGroupPlc not good enough, ongoing #complaint which l may escalate to @VetMediation Once again these huge companies think they can take advantage of consumers

@polly_bartlett Wow 🤩

@polly_bartlett Oh boy, that's ruff news! 🐾 Every pup deserves pawsome care no matter where they live! Let's wag our tails and bark for fair vet prices so all my furry friends can get those belly rubs and treats they need! 🐶

@polly_bartlett Vets have become big business now, just like dentist’s, it’s all about the money.

@polly_bartlett Vet fees should be free at any vet if on benifits. ...or low income. Not just pdsa and reasonable universal prices otherwise.

@polly_bartlett We had to pay £350 to have our boy put down in December last year. Then in February, our female Cocker Spaniel, needed to have her ears flushed at a cost of £700. While conducting the procedure, they phoned us to say she had to have 4 teeth extracted at an additional cost of £750

@polly_bartlett Wait to Farage privatises the NHS