Vets of today

[Jelinga]

‘The vet presented it as: if you care, you pay’: who really profits from poorly pets?

A friend sent me this link, I think most of us know about this, but it does make very disturbing reading.

 

[JES72]

I think a lot comes down to the fact that with progress in vetenary science we now treat animals for conditions that they would have been put down for. This has certainly been the case for us with Homer.
With this comes along an increase in pet insurance. To be fair our insurance costs a lot but they have paid out close to £20,000 this year.
It's difficult for vets too as they do not own their own businesses anymore. My Brother-in-law owned his own practice and was able to send his two children to a private school, my niece (his daughter) who finished training as a vet last year will not be able to earn the equivalent as an employee of a vet group. The industry has changed a lot and the vets also feel the pressure.

 

[Selina27]

It's immoral in my view what is happening in the veterinary world - both for vets themselves and pet owners.
I hope the fair pricing people can do something about it.
My son was telling me about a friend of theirs who works as a vet for a corporate set up, she made a mistake in totting up a bill in the region of £3,500 - a £2 deficit. She was hauled over the coals and really feared for her job.
As for increases in knowledge and procedures, I don't believe that just because you can do something you should. The welfare of the animal should still come first.
It seems a crying shame to me that the simple pleasure of pet ownership has become so complicated.

 

[Jacqui-S]

I can totally relate to that article both personally as a pet owner, and professionally.......

I feel that our vet isn't too pushy, for instance, though Lilly had blood tests related to her Lupus previously, I haven't been pushed to have tests based on age, or prior to starting Gabapentin. Which I am happy with.

I had a look to see who owned our vets, and registered address is "The Chocolate Factory". (Independent Vet Care Ltd).

My main issue over the years is the huge turnover of vets, but this seems worse as I use one of the branch surgeries rather than the main surgery. I feel that this is a sign of a poor organisation....either they don't pay great or the structure/interpersonal relationships ain't great. And of course as a result, they don't know my pet.

In GP land however, there is a similar situation.....New GPs want to shop around, see where they want to work, where they fit it, but shun the responsibility of partnership with its financial commitment, responsibility, and commitment to the longer term generally. I guess I may have fallen into this group too if I was starting again, who knows......?

I do absolutely think it makes it MUCH harder deciding on what is best to do for your pet, there are so many options, so much conflicting information, and nobody to hold your hand through it anymore. Yeah, many parallels with human medicine, sadly.

I don't have insurance any more. I have no confidence in insurance companies, but that's another story.

 

[Atemas]

It seems a crying shame to me that the simple pleasure of pet ownership has become so complicated

Says it all

 

[Cath]

Yes it does @Selina27 and @Atemas

 

[Selina27]

either they don't pay great or the structure/interpersonal relationships ain't great.

I think there are so many factors at play here, with a shortage of vets and retention of staff adding to the issues. It's a tough profession. According to an article I read recently in Horse and Hound both the suicide and divorce rate are shockingly high amongst vets. Incredibly sad.
However, there has apparently been an increase in the number of "phoenix practices" , where individual vets have set up their own. In fact I can think of 2 locally, one set up as an equine specialist and was still getting asked to do cats/dogs. She now employs one part time vet and has a regular locum, and has recently opened up a premises for small animal, although she won't be doing out of hours for that side of the business.
My daughter and OH use a young man who went it alone 3/4 years ago, for the farm. Seemingly successfuly.l
There is also an increase in Employee Owned Trusts, like our local practice, so I read.
So perhaps hope is on the horizon!

 

[SteffiS]

Both the vets I use are part of the same massive group (cvs). The one nearest to us seems to have a high turnover of vets and I am not particularly enamoured of them. However, Toffee’s vet (we see them because they have an eye specialist) , is brilliant and the whole practice has a much more personal feel. The only downside is it’s an hours drive away, and I have to drive through a tourist area which can be a nightmare in the summer.