Business ProfileforSageHills Veterinary Clinic

BEWARE OF BAIT AND SWITCH BILLING: find out how a $76 vaccination visit turned into a $168 hijacking: I took my dog to get a growth on her abdomen checked. We were put into an exam room and a vet's assistant came and spoke with me about my reason for the visit and took the dog's temperature. She informed me that the cost of this office visit would be $44. Then, she left, and I waited but the vet didn't come into the exam room. Instead, the girl said she would be taking my dog to the back so the vet could examine her. My dog was back within 10 minutes. The girl said that the vet could remove the mass. However, I would need to schedule the surgery, and bring her back. We talked about vaccine updates while I was there, and the girl said that she believed the office visit fee would be waived if I agreed to the vaccinations: The cost was rabies $30 and parvo $46. I agreed to the $76. The vet came in and spoke about the mass and the procedure to remove it. I agreed to an estimate for the surgery and scheduled it. I went to the front desk to settle my $76 billing for the visit. The vaccinations were billed, the office visit was not waived as I was told it would be. I had agreed to the vaccinations because I could remain within my budget. Also, there was an additional fee that was not mentioned for something that she said was done when my dog was out of the room, billed as a fine needle aspirate at $48. The first that I heard of that $48 fee was when the bill was presented for $168, I said this was not the quoted amount. The girl claimed that she had clearly told me of the cost, and I had agreed to it. Of course, I was not told about the procedure, nor did I agree to allow it to be done. ************* demanded that I pay $168 for a service that I, in good faith, believed would cost $76. If the office visit fee were not deducted and I had received a bill for $120, I wouldn't have sent this review. I'm compelled to write of their unsavory business practices to warn the public.