In a move that will surprise absolutely no one who has ever left a vet's office clutching a receipt and a vague sense of having been gently mugged, the UK's competition watchdog has decided that veterinary prescription fees should be capped at £21. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made its remedies for the sector legally binding as of Tuesday, giving vets up to 12 months to implement a raft of changes designed to stop prices from rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

Under the new rules, vets must also tell clients if cheaper medicine is available online, provide written price estimates ahead of treatment, and publish comprehensive price lists for standard services - including consultations, common procedures, and even cremation options. For any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, a written estimate must be provided in advance, including aftercare costs, plus an itemised bill. Emergencies are the only exception, because apparently when Fluffy is bleeding out, that's not the time to quibble over paperwork.

Vet businesses must also make clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business. To help pet owners compare local practices, price and ownership information will be made available through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' "Find a Vet" service, which will share the data with third-party comparison sites. Because nothing says "caring for animals" like a good old-fashioned price comparison website.

The timelines for when vets need to bring in the fixes depend on the exact regulation and the group's size. The CMA sets it out here.

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

However, critics say the measures will hit independent vets hardest and will benefit the six firms that own more than two-thirds of practices. Cate Titterton, owner of an independent vet service in Saltburn, told the BBC the changes will make trips to the vets more expensive for customers. "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. "So, things like services, consultations, surgeries - unfortunately, those prices are very, very likely to have to go up." She believes there is "one clear winner" from this - larger vet groups and the corporates.

Cat Henstridge, another vet, said it was "wonderful" that businesses must now make clear if they are part of a large group, but noted that such groups "have not actually been asked to change their ownership of any clinics or anything like that". Speaking on the Today programme, she advised pet owners worried about the cost of care to "be open and honest with your vet about what is affordable for you". "There is always going to be a bill. Veterinary medicine is private medicine. Owning a pet does come with the responsibility of paying for their care. [By] working with us, we can make it work for you, but you have to tell us about it first," she said.

British Veterinary Association President Dr Rob Williams said veterinary practices were already largely working to the CMA's remedies, including orders relating to complaints handling, price estimates for routine procedures, and prescription costs. "We've been clear with the CMA throughout its investigation that it must ensure its remedies do not disproportionately impact smaller, independent practices and we've pushed back where we've had concerns," Williams said.

One person hoping to see a cheaper, more transparent market for vet services is Clive Di Giorgio, who got in touch with BBC Your Voice. He says he was quoted thousands of pounds for treatment after a vet told him that a rash on his dog Louis' back was "definitely" a sign of cancer. However, after going to a different vet surgery, he says he was told Louis' rash was not cancerous. A treatment of steroids, antibiotics, and a spray cleared up the rash in two weeks, Clive says. "You just don't feel as if when you go to the vets now they're interested in the animal," he says. "You feel as if all the interest is how much money they can basically squeeze from you."

How have vet charges affected you? Do you welcome the changes?