Pet insurance / on benefits

Hi we have got a 5 Yr old French bull dog. Name rocco he is very loveable very playfull etc.. I had to take him to vets today due to his right ear was bleeding vets done a slide test after taking a swab and found out he has a ear infection total cost was £174 including 3 months flea and worm treatment which we get anyway but we didn't expect a heavy bill.. The vets practice knows we are on benefits.. But no help given we have looked around for insurance but due to preexisting condition eg folical infection which we use clx wipes every day to clean his folds on his face but insurance company's charged the earth for a pet with preexisting conditions this is the only thing which is preexisting.and then I phoned them up again as he was sick 3 times after coming home from vets they wanted me to take him back I said I just paid £174 we are on benefits they said that's the price of having a pet
Does anyone know how to get support for pets / vet treatment while on benefits in the Eastbourne Sussex area.
Thanks

 

Sorry to hear this Gizmo. I think Vets are a rip off there ... so different, care and price, than here. I am sure there are charities that can help you there, there are here. I hope someone comes along to advise. Good luck.

 

Thanks for your reply I looked on line about this there is eg pdsa blue cross but out of the area of Eastbourne.. Wonder what people do? As insurance for rocco would be between £200 and £300 a month due to folical infection its ridiculous

 

Try PDSA PDSA - Saving pets, Changing lives
Pets hospital at Brighton, they also offer insurance that may be more affordable.

 

Vets charges are very OTT, basically due to insurance, most people have insurance these days and that is a green light to charge stupid fees.
I think the PDSA is about the only place you can try.

A friend of mine uses them and they just ask for a donation.

 

Thanks for your replys.
We have tried pdsa on line and we are not covered as we live in Eastbourne Sussex..
We have tried rspca same issue or only help with the snip..
We have tried the blue cross
Same issue
Now with insurance and pre existing conditions like folical infection is there no insurance company that will insure with out spending hundreds or thousands..
In the mean time rocco was sick another 3 times over night total 6 to 7 times.. He was OK before vets visit eg not sick but vets didn't give him any meds while been examined
I am wondering if he has picked something up like a slug.. I did catch him before with a slug in his mouth but I managed to get it out .. He does tend to eat grass. Cat poo, etc I did say this to vets before but not interested it seemed...

 

Some dogs will eat all kinds of crap if they get half a chance.
Slugs is not good.

I can't see why you can't get a remote consultation with one of the above mentioned charities, admittedly they do want to know all about your financial status before you even get a look in.

 

thanks well we are on esa , high pip , full hoseing benefit , carers allowance , i expect if a remote consultation is done they would probley want to see him and i cannot travel to brighton this is why i said in eastbourne sussex i know there used to be something like chase in eastbourne that helped with pets but not anymore .. i have looked and looked on line for insurance the vets reception did say that he would have to be on life cover which for him is between 2 and 3 hundred a month in which we cannot afford , i went to vets again today to pick up some chicken and rice for his tummy and said again he was not sick untill he came to the vets i asked about possible slug issue and insurance not real advice given just asked for another 30 pound for his tinned food just didnt seem to care really just money grabbing all the time .. just makes me wonder how other people cope with large bills on benefits . .. with out giving there pets up and it seems everything else is going up as well according to the news no one cares who suffers in covid

 

I dont think you can take out insurance once your pet is ill.
Its a bit like crashing your car and then trying to find and insurer.

You can buy some chicken and some rice and make up a meal for him yourself, you don't need to get from the vet, I guess you are buying canned stuff?

Is he still being sick?

 

We tried to get insurance for him before all though he gets a folical infection around his jaw mouth area he is being cleaned twice a day with clx wipes that on advise from vet at the time as we continue to buy the wipes.. The vet he saw before tries his best to understand our problem as well with benefits.. Due to his folical infection we can't get insurance with telling them everything his folical infection is not there all the time but on occasions it comes back and needs tablets as well.. The vet before said for insurance it would be ideal to get cover around £5.000 incase he breaks a leg.. The reason why I took him to the vets was down to rocco scratching his right ear and making it bleed a ear infection was found on a test slide.. Tablets and ear drops given plus different flea and worm treatment so including tinned food bill was £207 now with insurance all though he get infection around jaw it would have to be exempt from insurance in which we don't mind as we get the wipes every month for him..
As I said to the vets today again he was not being sick until he went to vets and the vet did not give him and injection or tablet as I was in with rocco at time of vet exam.. It was not until about 90 minutes after vet he was sick 3 times and what he bought up was brown. Vets said bring him back I said you know we are on benefits and just spent £174 at the time today I got tinned food cost £30 for 10 tins there was no advise on how many to get. No advise on insurance really. No advise on possible slug issue..
Rocco was sick over night approx 3 to 4 times but it was more like saliva nothing else.. Not been sick since eating tinned food and drinking.. Playing like a clown as usual..
We are still looking for insurance for him but we are under a dmp as well so money can be tight..
Very disappointed in no real advice from vets just give me the money..
Thanks

 

We keep packs of reduced chicken pieces @ 30p/pack in our freezer and have Tesco Growers Harvest ('Value') @45p/Kg ready for when our dog needs it.

 

I think you are being ripped off. ... royally! Can you not buy chicken breasts and rice cheaper? Also, try to treat his folical problem with Witch Hazel or Aloe Vera, natural products. I don't know what your income is but it may be considered enough to look after your pet. I have had cats for 53 years and have had serious medical issues ... but never what you have encountered for simple issues. Try natural and prepare Gizmo's own food.