Frequently asked questions
How much will it cost to treat my pet?
Sorry to say there is no National Health Service for pets. Abbey Veterinary Centres and Abbey Equine provide the equivalent of private health care for pets and horses respectively.
Abbey Veterinary Centres is a PetAid practice so if eligible, dog, cat and small animal owners may receive subsidised help. See the PDSA website for details.
We charge in order to provide an Abergavenny based small animal 24hr emergency service and dedicated equine only 24hr emergency service; consistent staffing of the veterinary and nursing teams, clinically up-to-date, motivated staff with expertise in small animals and equine species; high levels of hygiene and modern equipment working from Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accredited facilities.
We provide a value service: not the cheapest if it might mean cutting clinical corners; not the most expensive because it might mean an animal may suffer; just the best we can, 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
We expect you to want to discuss costs of treatment and be kept updated throughout the course of treatment of your pets and horses until they are well. Some costs are fixed and we can be far more accurate with these. Some of the commonest procedures we perform are listed below:
Small animal consultation £29.99
Repeat consultations £22.00
Canine yearly booster £42.00
(includes clinical health examination, dental examination, flea check, weight check, free claw clip if necessary)
Cat yearly booster from £30.00
(includes full health check, dental examination, flea check and wormer administration if necessary, weight check and claw clip if necessary [able!])
Dog castrate (male neuter) from £117.43
Cat castrate (male neuter) from £44.35
(prices correct at Feb 2012)
All procedures are carried out by one of our vets - this is not the case with other veterinary practices where nurses and lay staff are involved in anaesthetic procedures.
All procedures have an RCVS qualified or supervised trainee veterinary nurse monitoring and recording anaesthesia.
All general anesthetic procedures are performed under ISOFLURANE or SEVOFLURANE, given pre-operative pain relief, intubated and maintained using BOC Oxygen and/or Nitrous Oxide carrier gases.
If you wish an estimate for a procedure we will provide it if we have clinically examined your animal. We cannot give telephone estimates without seeing your pet.
What about insurance?
Abbey vets are an accredited PetPlan practice. We find them to be a reputable, specialist pet insurer commited to providing veterinary cover affordably. For this reason all new puppies, kittens and rabbits undergoing an examination will receive 4 weeks insurance cover immediately from Pet Plan.
In addition we realise even the burden of a sudden credit card bill can be a concern and for this reason we accept direct claims where you simply pay the excess on the policy and we take over and claim the rest. To ensure rapid and efficient insurance claims we have a dedicated staff member to process and manage claims - quickly and efficiently, with minimum fuss while we care for you pet.
How do I get repeat prescriptions for my pet?
The frequency of examination by a veterinary surgeon for him/her to be able to supply Prescription Only Medicines or Prescriptions is 3-6 months depending upon the illness.
If you contact us for a repeat prescription you may be invited to come for a check up to enable us to review your pet's progress and to make sure the treatment is effective.
If you require a repeat prescription, please give us at least 24 hours notice. Pharmacy medication (POMs - prescription only medicine, and PMLs - Pharmacy and Merchants' List) can only be dispensed to animals registered with us and only under authorisation from a veterinary surgeon.
We also stock a wide range of pet-care products available without prescription, including the most effective environmental flea control products, shampoos, specialist foods and nutritional supplements.
Some special prescription diets have to be ordered from our wholesaler, so it is best to let us have a few days notice for these.
Why have I been charged a repeat prescription and yet another consultation charge?
In clinical terms using the analogy of seven small animal years equivalent to one human year, a six month exam for an elderly dog or cat is equivalent to approximately a 3 to 4 yearly clinical examination. One of these examinations will be an annual vaccination and health check for which the examination is included free with the vaccination consultation. So most patients require one extra yearly examination to keep their re-prescriptions open.
Some conditions require more clinical monitoring and drugs that have to be dispensed as injections or as a controlled substance. Re-examination ensures that the Health and Safety aspects of re-prescribing are adhered too - an example being if you cat requires insulin injections daily we wish to ensure you are using the syringes and drug responsibly and discarding them safely into the correct sharps container.
We appreciate the continuing costs of treatment can be a problem. If eligible the PDSA PetAid scheme can help. However, if you are ineligible talk to us and we will attempt to find a solution.
What is a pharmacy dispensing fee and why have I been charged it?
Abergavenny - St. Arvans Chambers, Hereford Rd., Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. NP7 5PR.
Tel. 01873 852391 (24hr) or 01873 854308 (office hours). Fax. 01873 856426
Crickhowell - 31 New Road, Crickhowell, Powys. NP8 1AY. Tel. 01873 810425
Tredegar - Unit A, The Business Centre, Shop Row, Tredegar. NP22 4LB. Tel. 01495 711277
Abbey Equine Clinic - Llansabbath Barns, Llanellen, Nr. Abergavenny, Gwent. NP7 9BY.
Tel. 01873 840069 (24hr). Fax. 01873 840772
