my dog got hit by a car

[uquillas06]

What is the name of your state? NY

I need some minor advice. My dog was hit by a car yesterday and he was pretty bad so we took him to one of 2 emergency hospitals in the area (E hospital) and before they even took the dog they asked if we could pay...they check the dog out and came back with 2 estimates one for 2150 with surgery for lacerations on the skin and one for 450 that only included cleaning and bandaging the wound and administering of pain med and antibiotics. They said they could not do the surgery (1st estimate unless we could give 1700 down payment and sign a paper saying that we would have the balance upon pick up of pet). The same thing with the second estimate they wanted $100 down and they made my hubby sign a paper which says that the remaining 350 will be paid upon pick up of pet. We had no choice but to take the 2nd estimate because we only were able to take out 500 from atm and our credit card has a limit of 1000 so we were 200 short. My dog had lacerations deep enough to see bone and they simply bandaged him up and gave him some pain meds and sent him home. today I had to call them to get the chart for the dog transfered to my regular vet, my vet gave me an estimate of 980 for the whole surgery including over night stay which according to elmhurst would have been an extra 92/ night, but the most out rages part is that "E hospital" has the nerve to tell me over the phone that if we bring the dog back they are prepared to drop the cost of the surgery (now 1700) to 1000 which would have been exactly what I had the night before when they refused to take my dog.
i understand that vet care is expensive and they were 1 of the only places open 24hrs but is what they did right?

[fairisfair]

Originally Posted by uquillas06

What is the name of your state? NY

I need some minor advice. My dog was hit by a car yesterday and he was pretty bad so we took him to one of 2 emergency hospitals in the area (E hospital) and before they even took the dog they asked if we could pay...they check the dog out and came back with 2 estimates one for 2150 with surgery for lacerations on the skin and one for 450 that only included cleaning and bandaging the wound and administering of pain med and antibiotics. They said they could not do the surgery (1st estimate unless we could give 1700 down payment and sign a paper saying that we would have the balance upon pick up of pet). The same thing with the second estimate they wanted $100 down and they made my hubby sign a paper which says that the remaining 350 will be paid upon pick up of pet. We had no choice but to take the 2nd estimate because we only were able to take out 500 from atm and our credit card has a limit of 1000 so we were 200 short. My dog had lacerations deep enough to see bone and they simply bandaged him up and gave him some pain meds and sent him home. today I had to call them to get the chart for the dog transfered to my regular vet, my vet gave me an estimate of 980 for the whole surgery including over night stay which according to elmhurst would have been an extra 92/ night, but the most out rages part is that "E hospital" has the nerve to tell me over the phone that if we bring the dog back they are prepared to drop the cost of the surgery (now 1700) to 1000 which would have been exactly what I had the night before when they refused to take my dog.
i understand that vet care is expensive and they were 1 of the only places open 24hrs but is what they did right?

morally maybe not, but it is not illegal

[Zigner]

An emergency hospital will charge more than a "regular" vet. That's a given.

[CJane]

Was your dog in any way harmed by not receiving the procedure you CHOSE not to have performed?

A bone deep laceration certainly SOUNDS bad, but as with real estate, location is everything. Where were these injuries? Your dog clearly survived the night and is (I assume) still alive. So the vet performed his/her duties within the scope of what you were willing to pay for.

Use the money you'll save w/your regular vet and buy a leash or fence your yard or something.