Consumer Watchdog: Vet those pet fix prices

Corrina Dixon was stunned at prices for desexing her cat. Photo / Doug Sherring

When tomcats from far and wide began to descend on Corrina Dixon's Westmere property, she realised it was time to take young Meow Meow to get "fixed".

But the 24-year-old student teacher was shocked to discover desexing her female kitten would cost $200 at her local vet. Other Central Auckland vets confirmed the bill would be at least $150.

"Everywhere was so steep," Dixon said. "I couldn't believe it."

Just as she was about to dip into her savings, she discovered Great South Vets in Otahuhu charges just $89 to have a female cat desexed, less than half the cost in the city.

Such prices at the cheap end of the spectrum, represented by businesses such as Onehunga Vet and Supplies and Mangere Bridge Veterinary Clinic, show the benefit of shopping around.

Procedures that cost less than $100 at cheaper clinics can cost close to $1000 at the more expensive ones.

"It was just the same, they were really nice and I was able to get an appointment the same day," Dixon said.

"They even offered to take the stitches out free of charge in a follow-up appointment,"

A Herald on Sunday survey found Great South Vets was a fraction of the price of other practices in every treatment available.

A standard consultation was just $29, compared with the average fee of $49.50. The priciest was $64 at Vet Care Grey Lynn.

One of the most expensive, Parnell Vets' Dr Mac McKay, said his prices were on a par with the four other vets nearby but acknowledged it was at the more expensive end.

"We like to think we go the extra mile. We try to provide value in terms of knowledge, time and experience," he said.

Micro-chipping also ranged greatly in price. It cost $25 at Great South Vets, $65 at Pet and Vet in Milford and $103 at Ponsonby Vet Centre.

This gap was wider when it came to dental care - $98 at Great South Vets, about $200 ($8 a minute) at Pet and Vet and $400 to$900 at Ponsonby Vet Centre.

Vet Association spokesman Pieter Verhoek said consumers could be assured their animals received quality care even at much cheaper clinics.

All veterinarians had to have a recognised university degree and industry codes were rarely broken, he said.

"Shop around and find out exactly what is included in the price. Some of the figures blow me away. It's a free market, vets can charge as they please."

He said some practices employed specialist vets and some areas had significantly higher rent.

SPCA executive director Bob Kerridge said he often saw heartbreaking cases of animals being left to suffer because their owners had not been prepared for the cost of vet care.

"Most of the incidents we attend relate to people being ignorant of the needs of their pets. They say, 'It's an animal, it can heal itself' or 'We can't afford the vet'.

"I'm all for pet insurance. Some policies will cover the day-to-day things that you would be paying for anyway."

The SPCA endorses Pet-n-Sure, which costs $20.95 a month for a cat and $27 for a dog, and covers 80 per cent of vet fees for emergency and routine visits, as well as vaccinations, alternative medicines, desexing, micro-chipping, a $15 discount on dog registration and euthanasia and cremation of your pet.