Well if Indiana is seeing the same trend we're seeing at work, the ER hospitals are the only ones going to be booming with business.
For the last 2 years we're seeing an increase in the number of people forgoing heartworm preventatives, wellness check ups, and vaccinations until the animal is sick, then they think they can catch up on everything. They don't seem to understand that we can't be vaccinating a sick animal.
The other really bad thing we're unfortunately seeing more and more of is people waiting a week to several MONTHS when they notice a problem with their animals. I'm sure their thoughts are
'it will go away on it's own' or
'I just don't have the money right now'. But what's happening in reality is that the simple respiratory infection that could have been treated for less than $100 is now full blown pnemonia that requires hospitalization, lots of treatment, and can cost several hundred dollars. Or the dog that needed a simple dentistry a year ago now has such infected gums that the teeth are falling out, the animal is in great pain, requires lots of antibiotics and a major dentistry as well as lab work since the animal now has kidney, liver, or heart problems due to the infections. The animal hogging water for 2 months is now full blown diabetic and requires hospitalization, lots of lab work, return visits to get going on insulin injections and also has bad kidneys from waiting so long.
The really, REALLY bad part about all this is we're seeing a big increase in the number of people who are electing euthenasia as opposed to treatments because of the above.
Preventatives, vaccines, check ups, and timely dentals do more to save you money and pain for your pet than what waiting is going to cost you both.
Now if we could just get our clients to understand that.
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