Following the passing of Bill 31 in December 2017, the provincial government and the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) are working together to develop regulations in an attempt to protect pet owners from unforeseen vet visit charges.

As part of Bill 31: A Better Deal for Consumers and Businesses Act:

  • Veterinarians will be required to disclose all fees for the prescribed type of veterinary medicine services proposed and obtain the client’s authorization of the fees before beginning the treatment.
  • Veterinarians will be permitted to advertise their services and publish their fees

“We are committed to engaging in a thorough consultation process to ensure that the regulations arising from Bill 31 meet the needs of the public veterinary practices and which ultimately protect animal health and welfare,” said ABVMA officials in a statement.

Courtney Sokal knows all too well how expensive veterinary treatments can be in Alberta as her family’s cats, Ripley and Tico, have undergone several procedures in the last three years.

“When you adopt a pet, you don’t realize that it’s going to be that much if something goes wrong,” said Sokal. “If something happens you’re looking at hundreds if not thousands of dollars if you don’t have pet insurance which is expensive as well.”

Sokal says the hip surgeries as well as procedures to address a suspected case of salmonella poisoning and a urinary blockage have resulted in a number of bills totaling more than $10,000. The fees came as no surprise to her as the clinic she visits, Fish Creek 24Hr Pet Hospital, provided her with an estimate before each procedure.

“It’s really nice to see it laid out ahead of time - what you’re in for, what you’re going to be paying for, how much it could cost –and then you can make that decision.”

Veterinary service fees can vary from clinic to clinic and, at present, the onus is on the pet owner to contact a clinic for a quote, even for standard procedures, due to the current restrictions regarding the posting of prices.

CTV Calgary contacted several vet clinics across Calgary requesting quotes for standard procedures for a medium-sized dog. The following quotes from the unidentified clinics found pricing variances:

  • Basic dental cleaning (without pre-meds or fluids): $400 - $900
  • Spaying: $410 - $650
  • Neutering: $340 - $465

Sokal says she wasn’t always afforded the time to shop around for prices in times of emergency and she hopes the province will set a pricing guideline, with caps, for veterinary procedures in Alberta.

“It would be nice if there was some sort of regulation where a blocked cat surgery is going to be within this (amount) and this (amount), in this parameter, and all the vets have to adhere to that.”

The lack of standardized pricing for veterinary treatment in Alberta has some pet owners in Calgary travelling outside of the city for their vet visits.

Dr. Gord Krebs and Dr. Andy Mencarelli, the owners and veterinarians of Didsbury Vet Services, say near two-thirds of their small animal clients are from outside Didsbury.

“It’s probably mostly price that is why people come here. Didsbury’s only 5,000 people so the majority of our small animal clients are from Calgary,” said Dr. Mencarelli. ““We just base our fees on what we think is fair and our service as well. You make your fees based on the idea of ‘Do you want this person to come back?’.”

Dr. Krebs says the price difference may attract new clients but its the services offered that prompt return visits.

“We get people coming back or bringing their animals here because we’re willing to spend the time and explain things to them and they get to know us on a personal level,” said Dr. Krebs. “That’s what drives veterinary medicine. It’s not the price.”

Dr. Krebs, who says he has no issues with allowing veterinary clinics to advertise their fees, encourages price shoppers to do their due diligence and ensure they are making a fair comparison between services before selecting a clinic for their pet.

The provincial government has not released a definitive timeline for the introduction of the new regulations.

With files from CTV’s Kathy Le