I'm not a vet so I can't give you all the dirty details... but as a
shelter operator I do buy a lot of meds and medical supplies for ferrets
and am fairly familiar with costs and with vet invoices.
 
>Physical exam------26.00:
ok... my vet is $30 for ferrets (normally... he does discount that for
shelters)
 
>hospitalization-----10.00:
my vet- $7 daily for boarding
 
>daily exam and eval----22.00:
my vet- no daily exam charge for hospitalize animal
 
>syringe infusor pump-----27.50:
$ my vet- $30
 
>flow 10ml in 4 hrs.-----14.00:
10ml of what?  Is this lactated ringer IV?  I normally expect a 30 to 40%
markup on the cost of medicines for my personal pets.  (Our vet only
charges his cost on meds for shelter animals.)
 
>refill port------14.00:
what was refilled?  A new lactated ringer?... a 500ml bag goes for about
that... takes nearly two days to use up that much
 
>mini-profile---59.61 (no evidence this was even done):
my vet- $40 & I ask to see it whether I understand all the numbers or not
(I'm learning)... a copy should placed in the ferret's medical record,
which the clinic will retain even though the animal is deceased.
 
>.9%sodium chloride----16.50:
This is nothing but sterile saline solution... a 500ml bottle retails
(not wholesale like vets get) for $2.95.... used to dilute the cefazoline
listed below.... highly unlikely that more than a few cc's were used.
 
>surgical prep fee----22.50:
vet techs get their part of the fee here
 
>surgery pack and disposal fee------15.00:
this is also normal
 
>vicryl 4/0---------22.78:
Don't know what this is for, have never seen it on an invoice, you'd have
to ask for an explanation
 
>anesth--major------30.00:
my vet- normally $25 for a ferret
 
>spleenectomy-----175.00:
my vet- $150 to $175 depending on complications
 
>hospitalization, icu-----25.00:
in addition to previous hospitalization?  or, I suppose, this is a second
day, now in ICU
 
>50%dextrose in water-----7.75:
I realize labor's worth something, but a 500ml bottle of 50% dextrose only
costs $2.99... They couldn't have given more than 50 cents worth in a
week.  Usually, this is given when an animal is not getting any other
source of nutrition, just to keep sugar in their system... says "in water"
as though it's not injected but given orally... at this point, injection
would have been more cost/time effecient, I'd think
 
>histopath-----45.00:
my vet- $50
 
>daily exam and eval-----22.00:
another daily exam charge in addition to a hospitalization fee
 
>clinicare liquid----10.84:
what is this?  cleaning supplies?  how much did they have to use to clean
up one cage?
 
>feeding needles 20#------10.50:
Let's see, at 35 cents each... that's THIRTY 20cc syringes... fed at 6am ,
9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12 midnight that's 4 days worth (I only see three "daily
exams")... but you might ask how often the ferret was fed... dollars to
donuts the clinic was NOT this conscientious... most clinics simply don't
have the manpower to devote 20 minutes every 3 hours to one animal the
way a shelter operator demands.  (They gave above 50% dextrose when the
ferret was eating this often?  Why?)  AND why is this charge in addition
to hospilization... what's the hospitalization charge for if not for daily
maintenance?
 
>hi-vite vitamin drops----6.98:
Let's see... a 4 oz bottle of Pet Tinic is $6.25... our shelter goes
through maybe a half a bottle a year... a gallon of Lixatone (the
equivalent standard in most clinics) is $49.95... so if they gave the
ferret 18 ounces (think a Coke bottle full)... that's probably about
right, duh
 
>amoxicillin drops-----7.75:
Must have charged for a whole bottle, which would be acceptable if the
ferret was expected to go home with remaining supply in the bottle for
continued dosage at home
 
>ferretone 8 oz-----7.79...
WOW... your ferret consumed an ENTIRE 4 0z bottle of ferretone.... how
utterly amazing
 
>daily exam and eval----22.00:
here we go again... I really think a daily exam fee is excessive in view
of the additional hospitalization fees.
 
>flow 10ml in 4 hrs. ------14.00:
Flow WHAT?  is this a med or a charge for the IV pump?
 
>refill port------14.00:
again refill what with what?
 
>intraosseous catheter----27.50:
Any catheter on a ferret can be a bear to get in place... this is probably
a reasonalble charge
 
>cefazolin-----21.00:
Antibiotic... why on earth is this listed as two separate charges... .9%
sodium cloride AND the actual med?  Some antibiotics are quite expensive
and I would not be incredibly suprised to be charged this amount for an
expensive antibiotic injection (for a non-shelter animal)  But I would NOT
expect the dilulent to be charged as a separate fee... especially such an
exorbiant fee as the charge for .9% sodium cloride(sterile, injectible
saline).
 
>.9% sodium chloride----16.50...
>wow... 5 and a half more bottles of injectable sterile saline?
 
>feeding needles 20$-----10.50...
ANOTHER FOUR DAY SUPPLY of feeding syringes?
 
>clinicare liquid----5.42:
Well, let's see... the most expensive disinfectant I could find was $105 a
gallon mixed 1oz to 1 gal water, that makes 128 gallons... so far they've
used 15 gallons or so of disinfectant to clean up 1 ferret.
 
>hospitalization, icu-----25.00
 
>daily exam and eval----22.00
more insult to injury on top of hospitilzation fees...
 
>hospitalization, icu----25.00
 
>record fax fee----10.00:
Just how much does it cost to make a phone call... where'd they send the
fax to... Egypt?
 
grand Total----$835.21
 
I HAVE paid up to $750 for a single surgery which included 2 days of
hospitalization... But THAT was a very delicate, complicated surgery
(surgery cost was $300 of the bill), fighting to keep the ferret alive on
the table (I was there) including a FULL blood profile, ultrasound and
xray, fighting a prostate infection, post surgical oxygen... the vet took
my ferret HOME with him WITH IV pump to feed at midnight, 3 and 6am.
 
While he also prefers payment at time of services, he will make payment
arrangements when it's necessary.  The animal's health comes before the
payment tendered.
 
Please print this out and take it to your vet for explanation.... NOT the
people at the desk that handle the billing.... It's even remotely possible
that these charges are justified.  You should ALWAYS ask your vet about
billing questions.  Sometimes, it's the staff at the desk filling in
things like: well, if he did this, he had to have used that, so I need to
add that charge as well... all in the name of "doing their job right."
 
I understand that the vet has to make a living and pay for the clinic
overhead.... this must be an AWFULLY nice-looking clinic.  And,
personally, I'd be inclined to punch him in the nose (figuratively
speaking) just over the charge for ferrtone.  I have NEVER been charged
for ferretone, and we use it for everything from ultrasound (up to 10mls
at a time!) on down to vaccination treats.
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
 
Practical & easy training, care, & maintenance articles available at
http://www.geocities.com/ferretsfirst/
[Posted in FML issue 3666]