Vet prescription fees capped at £21 as new rules become law

Why vet prescription fees were capped

Vets must also tell clients if cheaper medicine is available online, provide written estimates ahead of treatment and publish a price list for standard services, including consultations, common procedures and cremation options.

According to BBC News, practices have up to 12 months to bring all the changes in.

A written estimate must be provided in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, including aftercare, along with an itemised bill, and emergencies are the only exception.

Practices must also make clear whether they are part of a group or independent, and price and ownership information will be published through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' "Find a Vet" service, which will share the data with third-party comparison sites.

The Competition and Markets Authority made its remedies legally binding after an investigation found prices in the sector had been rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

"The changes that are being required are changes that will help inform pet owners about prices," said CMA panel chair Martin Coleman.

Critics say the measures will hit independent vets hardest and benefit the six firms that own more than two-thirds of practices.

Cate Titterton, who owns an independent vet service in Saltburn, told BBC Your Voice the changes would make trips to the vet more expensive.

"Veterinary practices still have to have a pharmacy that is fully stocked, so if we're not making that tiny profit on the drugs, we're going to have to make some profit elsewhere," she said.

The cap arrives with household bills forecast to rise substantially next January.

A pet owner should at least be able to see what a consultation costs before walking through the door.