Does the BCVMA investigate complaints about veterinary bills ?
Yes, if and only if there is evidence of the following: 1. Charging for services that were not rendered. 2. Failure to provide the client with a reasonable estimate of the cost of the recommended medical services. 3. Failure to obtain informed consent for the medical services rendered and actions taken. 4. Fees that are so high as to be unconscionable. 5. Failure to provide the client with a fully itemized bill, upon the client’s request. 6. Misleading advertising pertaining to the fees charged. This could happen for example if the ad listed a certain fee amount for a spay operation and did not make it clear that charges for such elements as examination, surgical tray fee, anaesthetic and sedation, pain relief, sutures, fluids, etc. were not included in the advertised fee.
