'Ashamed to be a vet'.

[ChrisH]

An exposé of the profession that puts pets through 'painful and unnecessary treatments to fleece their trusting owners'

Makes you think, well, it does me. The vet I take my pets to seems to be one of the good ones, even so it pays to be aware of what could happen if one is not on ones toes.

[moosmom]

There's one of THOSE vets in CT. I took Marina Mar there years ago for her Pemphagus Areolus. They gave me an "estimate" that was in the hundreds of dollars, all to find out what it was. I got a second opinion and it was MUCH less. This idiot wanted to treat her for ringworm to her ears. Turns out it was much more serious. I also took MooShoo to the same vet for a spot he had. The same doctor who, in my opinion should've retired years ago, misdiagnosed him with ringworm. It wasn't. It was dry patch of skin that some Sphynxes can experience. I bought Udder Cream for $8 and it got rid of it.

I could never work for a vet. For the simple fact that some of them you just can't trust. Of course, I trust hardly anyone these days.

You have to look deep in your heart and know when to say enough is enough, like I did with my beloved RB Mollie Rose.

[Medusa]

Wow, googling someone's home to see if they live in an upscale neighborhood? Funny but I've found that the people w/the least money are the ones who spend more on their pets. It's been my experience that the higher income families can't be bothered. That isn't to say it's like that everywhere, only that it's what I've seen.

I've had guilt pangs ever since my Puddy died because she became senile and although she wasn't suffering physically, she isolated herself in my bathroom. As a human, obviously I wouldn't want to live that way but I tortured myself w/the thought that maybe a cat doesn't care, maybe a cat likes to be left alone, especially my Puddy who wasn't all that sociable to begin with. After reading this article, however, it made me realize that, should I encounter that situation again, I'll know what to do.

I've been fortunate in having a spectacular vet who retired but I was able to find my current vet who is equally spectacular. He says it straight and I don't think he'd try to work on my emotions to get me to pay for procedures that aren't necessary but I know that type of vet is out there. Thanx for this article, Chris. It's an eye opener.

[Catlady711]

*getting on soapbox directed at author of article linked to*

I have no doubt there are bad vets out there, and maybe the UK has more of them I don't know...however I have ALOT of problems with this article!!

"We have daschunds bred with elongated spines so they look 'attractive' for their breed. But these sausage dogs are prone to slipped discs and back problems which, in turn, makes more money for vets who do many operations a year to 'help' these issues"

This article blames the vets for dogs with health issues in the breeding? Honestly that's like blaming our dentists because we are born with bad teeth!

"A humane death would not be the course of treatment offered to its owner. Well, at any rate, not yet. After all, didn't I realise the advances that had been made in veterinary medicine? There were 'options' that could extend this old dog's life."

A good vet is supposed to offer ALL possible options irregardless of finances and let the client choose. To do less is to presuppose the clients income and cheat them from an option they may have wished to pursue. It's not the vets job to decide, it's the vets job to give the client all their choices (and risks) and let them decide what course they want to pursue.

Believe me I've seen clients request referals to the pet cancer place from clients who you wouldn't have dreamed could afford such a thing, driving a rusted out bucket of junk that barely runs, let alone I don't know that it was good for the pet who is usually a mutt. I've seen clients who drive BMW's, wielding smart phones, dressed to the nines, with a overpriced 'purbred' not opt for a couple hundred dollar one time life saving surgery.

"So your vet discovers your cat has a seemingly innocuous chipped tooth? I have known of cat owners told that despite the fact their cat is perfectly fine - and frankly animals in the wild break their teeth all the time and do not need expensive dentistry work - that to remove the tooth is justified 'just in case' it later causes a problem."

Ok, I've also seen cats with torn off legs purring but that doesn't make them happy, I've seen dogs with teeth so loose the tartar was the only thing holding them in still manage to eat, I've seen cats drooling with ulcers in their mouth so bad I don't know how they ate but that doesn't mean they aren't in pain!

Animals are very good at hiding pain, and if a tooth has a sharp broken surface or is exposed to the root, I don't find that 'innocuous' myself. It means the vet is doing their job educating the owner to problems and giving the owner their options! If the owner doesn't want to elect to pursue that option, it is their right not to.

I don't know about the UK, but in the US you are entitled to a second, or even third opinon and the current vet cannot leagally withold your records or refuse to let you go to another vet.

And while I know this is an unpopular thing with most pet owners, a vet is doing a JOB. Even if they love animals to death, foster 50 animals themselves, donate countless hours to the humane society, they are still doing a job. A job which requires forking over a LOT of money each week/month for electricity, heat, telephone, internet, computers, employee wages, equipment, maintanence, taxes, workers comp, social security, health care, supplies, stocking the pharmacy (you don't even want to know what those bills run), licensing, and a ton of other things. Not to mention vets that are also the owner have to pay for their own health insurance. That's not including the THOUSANDS of dollars they are in debt with when they graduate from all the schooling necessary to know how to help the animals.

They are doing a job, a job they happen to love, but still a job. And why do we do our jobs? So we have income to support our families, to care for our children, to care for our own pets, to pay our own bills, isn't that why we work? Sometimes we have a job we like, sometimes we have a job we just happen to be good at. Why should a vet be any different?

*getting off my soapbox now*

[Alysser]

I won't lie and say this article doesn't make me think, but really, any industry is bound to have 'bad' eggs - especially industries dealing with big money and ALOT of business. That isn't really surprising. While reading the article I was thinking about how it's important to lay out all options for the owner.

One local a$$ vet left his bird outside in cold weather and it died. He's finally facing animal cruelty charges and I believe they're trying to revoke his vet liscence. This just happened to be the same vet who put sassy down, need I go through how angry I was at this jerk? He was such a creep, in my opinion. Hell, maybe I was being over sensitive at the time but I would have NEVER said ANYTHING like that to someone whose dog was about to die. It wasn't really horrific but it was rude nonetheless. The news article about the bird was bittersweet, he's finally get what he deserves, but I realize I also contributed to this jerks life and apparently killing of animals. It only added to the guilt.

[kokopup]

It doesn't matter if your talking about a Vet, Doctor or Auto mechanic you have good and bad in all professions. I became suspect of this expose' when the writer referred to a cat as a canine. I am especially careful when reading anything on the internet as being gospel. There is no worst source than the Vet or ex-vet that suddenly saw the light. You can fill in the blanks with any profession you want to expose.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Kokopup I think the term Canine was used by the author to reference the canine tooth, which a lot of animals have (anyone know why that particular set of teeth is refered to as the canines as opposed to anything else? Im curious now...)

Personally, I think the author is rather jaded if he thinks all vets are this way. I also get the feeling that he makes a blanket statement about not wanting to ever prolong an animals life. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but the judgement call is ultimately up to the owner of the animal whom I would hope has the best interests of the animal in mind (although sadly quite a few don't)

For my animals I would do anything to make sure they don't suffer. Quality of life is better than quantity and I would hope someone would keep that in mind when dealing with ME in my final hours lol. Sadly animals can't communicate what they want just by simply filing a form with the vet and the can't sign (or not sign) consent forms for surgery, so it is left up to us to guess. Thats why second (and third and sometimes fourth) opinions are vital to making a decsion. I would hope a vet would be professional enough to understand that.

[Pinot's Mom]

I, too, have many issues with this article. This person is, in my opinion, at the very least jaded. I cannot and will not believe the preponderance of vets are in the state of mind described. I may live on the "sunny side" of life, but I'm staying there! I have a great vet, have for 25 years or so, and will continue to put my faith in her.

You, as the consumer, are in a "buyer beware" situation. You should know your pet and should have a vet you believe in to make the best decisions with your input and the pet's best interest in mind.

[kokopup]

I guess I haven't spent ebough time in the dentist office

Canine teeth

In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or (in the case of those of the upper jaw) eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth. However, they can appear more flattened, causing them to resemble incisors and leading them to be called incisiform. They evolved and are used primarily for firmly holding food in order to tear it apart, and occasionally as weapons. They are often the largest teeth in a mammal's mouth. Most species that develop them normally have four per individual, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower, separated within each jaw by its incisors; humans and dogs are examples. In most animals, canines are the anterior-most teeth in the maxillary bone.

The four canines in humans are the two maxillary canines and the two mandibular canines.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

sour grapes make bitter wine, and it sounds like this guy has enough to open his own vineyard

[pomtzu]

I believe there is good and bad in every profession, but this author decided to take all the bad and paint other vets with that same brush. I would want to know all of my options for an ill pet, but I wouldn't want expensive procedures pushed down my throat, and be looked down on if I elected not to extend the pet's life - just because it was medically possible.

I have a wonderful vet and have been with her for about 20 years. She's always been one to take a conservative approach first, rather than jumping in to some radical treatment with both feet.

The previous vet I used, was one that was in it for the money, and always pushed the expensive treatments, procedures, etc. I had a Lhasa with a broken tooth - it never bothered him - but she wanted to do a root canal. NOT!!!

[Twisterdog]

I believe there is good and bad in every profession, but this author decided to take all the bad and paint other vets with that same brush.

Agreed.