Cheaper than your veterinarian

Today I was reading a newly posted Consumer Report (CR) titled "Tame Your Pet Costs" released by Consumer Reports July 5th.  In general, the report tells pet owners to shop around when it comes to veterinary care and purchasing medications and flea and tick products.  I even read their links to previous articles related to this report.  The business side of me shakes her head in frustration...the veterinary side of me is screaming out of fear for my patients and clients!


Don't get me wrong, on a personal level, I work to live within my budget and shop for 'bargains' too, but there are many things I just refuse to compromise quality vs. costs on.  Admittedly, I am prejudice about veterinary care and my role in this care for my patients.  However, I can honestly say that I would not compromise my pet's health and well-being by accepting 'cheaper' services and medications in place of quality, compassion and through veterinary care given by my trusted veterinarian and veterinary staff.


I have not always been a veterinarian or business owner.  In fact, I did not join the veterinary world until 1994 at the age of 37 years old, after having gone back to school at age 30 with 3 children still living at home.  Then as now, I had a lot of animals, all requiring care, sometimes from a veterinarian.  As a mother of young children, I had to live within a budget (still do, now I have grandchildren and retirement to save for).  Often times my animals had less than ideal veterinary care because of financial constraints.  The key was trust and loyalty in my veterinary providers, living within my means and acquiring good budgeting skills.  Whenever I had need for a my veterinarian, he gave me treatment options, estimates, honest prognosis' and communicated with me about my animals' needs.  He educated me, helped me make sound health decisions for my critters.  We developed a special team with the purpose to provide the best care possible (within my budget) for my animals.  I could not have said the same for the sales employee at Walmart or the local feed store.


The CR article encouraged owners to shop around for the best price.  I cannot deny this is sound advise on many levels.  It does not however, take in account many unseen aspects of veterinary care for our pets; the biggest being the special medical animal knowledge that your veterinarian and their staff provides for your pet.  With flea/tick products, for example, there are many different insecticides used in these products, all poisons and all potentially toxic.  Does your retail sales person have an expert working knowledge of these products, which is safest for your pet, which will work best for your pet's lifestyle?  Do they understand and share with you their education about insecticide differences, how they work and how to properly apply them?  Do you feel safe applying these products to your pets based on the information you may or may not receive from these retail stores?  Every year new products are placed on the market, do you or your retail sales people keep in the know about these products and their safety; your veterinary provider does.  When you compare prices between some of the products from retail stores vs. your veterinarian, you are not just paying for an insecticide, you are also paying for the expertise and knowledge of your veterinary provider.  A provider that cares about you and your pet....can you say this of Petco or PetMeds?  It's like comparing apples and oranges.


TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW!