OK
 

I have kept quiet with all these posts about vaccines, titers, abstracts, and such. And I am NOT, repeat NOT going to debate anyone on what is best for their dog. But, as a veterinarian, I have to say that some of these supposed guidelines from AAHA have been taken completely out of context. And some of the research articles are not repeatable findings. Anyone can report a study to look favorably towards their position. Drug companies do it all the time.

Just as I do not generalize about breeds or people, nor do I support those who do, anyone who insinuates that veterinarians as a whole are out to make money (by vaccinating or otherwise) is not only insulting, but obviously misinformed. If you feel that is what your veterinarian's intentions are, then get out of that practice. Move on to someone who cares about you and your pet more than money. Are they out there? Of course they are. Are they the majority? God I hope not. I do not believe that to be the case. Do you need to be informed? YES!!! It is your responsibility to your animal companions to do so! Absolutely be an advocate for your pet's health! Do you need to imply that we are all out for one thing and it is money? Please...

The AVERAGE veterinarian, currently, graduates with somewhere between $100,00 - $200,000 in debt from student loans in vet school ALONE (not including the years before that... which for me was 7 years with 3 other degrees). The AVERAGE veterinarian will make approximately $46,000 A YEAR upon graduation (large animal vets make even less). Anyone with the intention of getting rich in this profession had better think again. And, sadly, when you factor in the hours put into a job like this, you are looking at less that $15/hr, if that. So, I am afraid to say, that anyone with realistic expectations from this profession are NOT going into it with a honest goal of making money.

At our practice, we are on a 3 year vaccine protocol and carry very few vaccines as it is. We do many titers and take each case into consideration as far as whether to vaccinate or not. It is not, nor has it been in many, many years, the "cornerstone of our practice". And yes, we have a few vets in the area that are all about the money. That is true in any profession. Take issue with individuals, not professions. Like "punish the deed, not the breed"... to do otherwise isn't going to do anyone any good.

You are entitled to your opinion. And you don't know me from the bag lady down the street. But, I have to respectfully disagree with a lot of what has been posted in this "health" section, and it has nothing to do with money. Be informed, be educated, but also realize that anyone and anything can be posted to look a certain way or favorable from a certain perspective.

We need more studies about vaccines. I'm all for unbiased, well done research studies. And when I see them, I will learn all about it. I am open for new ideas. I want to hear my clients out. I want to address their concerns.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to rest up so I can go to work tomorrow and sell more vaccines while I fight off the 102 fever and probable bronchitis I have because I just love the money so much. And I make so much of it. :p

Apologies
 

I don't mean to offend you, but I hate to say I believe you to be the minority. I adore my current vet, but I only go to her for health reasons, not vaccines, which I do not believe, through experience, are not as necessary as we, the uneducated public, have been lead to believe. I applaud those who are willing to go the extra mile for their patients, but most don't. I get the yearly rabies as required by law from the mobile vet, who charges $5.00, as opposed to my regular vet who charges a $35.00 office visit, then wants to give a whole series of unnecessary vaccines, also potentially harmful, for another $30? $40? I can buy the 6 in 1 for less than $6.00 at the feed store, administer when needed. And as I have also stated before. I absolutely take young puppies and kittens for the whole series of boosters because I don't knowhow effective they are or how much they truly need. I want them to be covered. I went through Parvo with the last batch of puppies I found and my dogs did not catch it. Although I kept them separated, I am not set up with a quarantine area, and I doubt it is 100% efficient. My dogs had their puppy boosters and again at one year. The older one had been about three years, so I went ahead and innoculated her again to be safe. All are fine over a year later. And I did a lot of kennel work when I was younger, four vets, then a guard dog company. I have had two vet tech jobs as well. And of all those vets, they were all about the money except the one I go to now, who works with me because she knows I find homes for dogs. I believe wholeheartedly you are in it for the pets, but I'm sorry, I absolutely believe you are the minority, not the majority. The results speak for themselves.

I am sorry you have had such a negative experience with the veterinary profession. I have been in the business as an animal care provider, apprentice dog trainer, receptionist, veterinary technician, and mostly as a veterinarian, and I can honestly say that I have only had the displeasure of working with one veterinarian who seemed to be all about the money. And yes, there are an awful lot of vets in my state (CT) that are less than willing to work with people. My only comment would be that by law, in CT (I obviously cannot speak for other states other than CO) by signing a rabies certificate, I am putting my license on the line and am saying that this said animal is HEALTHY enough to warrant getting a rabies vaccine. If you were to believe all these posts, you would come to the conclusion that vaccines are not to be given arbritrarily. They absolutely can be dangerous. And I would want a veterinarian to throroughly examine my animal before administering it or any injection. If the mobile vet can do all of that for $5, so be it. I am glad he can provide a service like that for people who either chose to or cannot afford it otherwsie. If he is just popping the vaccine into the animal, like is done with some vaccine clinics, then they are part of the problem, not the solution. As far as doing your own vaccines, more power to you. :) You sound more than qualified (I would say that the AVERAGE pet owner is not). I have lots of clients that do that. As a side note, I had three or four that had severe vaccine reactions. And when they called the company to report it,as should be done with every reaction otherwise we cannot learn from our practices, they said that had the vaccine been given by a licensed veterinarian, they would have not only supported them medically (which they did anyway), but financially as well. In other words, because it wasn't done at a hospital under "controlled" circumstances, they couldn't speak to the condition of the vaccine, the way it was administered, etc. Right or wrong, that is what they said.

Instead of attacking the profession, why not direct the energy into something constructive like mandating more continuing education for veterinarians (my state, CT, has ZERO requirements, by the way... but I grew up and went to Colorado State University and they have much higher standards for vets... a coincidence that those are the vets I had the privilege to work with? I doubt it). How is labeling a profession doing any good? Because I have had a few nasty German Shepherds, does that mean I should be ranting and raving about them all being bad? Because I have had a few rescue groups that have done some pretty unscrupulous and unethical acts, do they all deserve that wrath? Out of the 1,000's and 1,000's of vets that are practicing in the United States, should a select few (even 20) that you have unfortunately been exposed to, be the poster children for the profession? Of course not. Some people would call that discrimination. ;)

I'm not trying to change yours, or anyone else's opinion. That is why we live in this great country of ours, because we have freedom of speech and are allowed to agree to disagree. But, instead of directing anger and misdirected information at the profession, why not direct it at those that deserve it?

And, although I believe it is not only the right, but absolute repsonsibility of animal owners to be informed and advocates for their pet's health, taking out of context what other's publish, and then criticizing veterinarians for disagreeing with said abstracts, is not going to anyone any good. I am not saying that anyone is doing that, but diplomacy would work wonders there. It should be a team of health care providers for pets. Not just the vet, not just the owner, but both communicating and discussing what options are available.

Just my thoughts. Good luck to you and your rescue group. It sounds like you have had a lot of success in finding good forever homes, and that is a hard thing to do! :D

My Vet is like part of our family! We adore and respect him and appreciate the hard work he does. I know, as a retired Emergency Room Nurse that there is also a lot of sorrow that goes with the territory. We appreciate you Alisa for your contribution.

I think there is a huge misconception on how much it cost to run a state of the art veterinary facility. Yes, the vaccines may only cost $2-3 but paying good employees, having state of the art equipment, and running basically the equivalent of a human hospital for animals cost a whole lot more than you think. I'm sorry you think that all Veterinarians are out to make a buck but you can't say that based on the fact you can buy vaccines for a few dollars at a feed store. I know when the hospital I worked for bought a CT scanner each of the doctor's in the practice had to put up a portion (some even mortgaged their houses). That little scanner was used and still ran over $500,000. They certainly didn't buy it by getting clients to vaccinate. They also didn't buy it with the hopes of making money, they bought it so that they could provide better care to their patients. This particular hospital to some seems very expensive but GOOD HIGH quality care cost alot to provide. Perhaps you have never had surgery but perhaps you should look at how much human health care cost because veterinarians are forced to buy all the same equipment and still manage to charge a lot less.
Just my two cents
JJ and crew

To Labpaw
 

I don't disagree with you on most points you make...and perhaps location and guidelines are part of the problem. I've been in Orlando, Florida my entire life, barely visited elsewhere, so my little corner is truly all I can speak to. You definitely seem dedicated. I agree the mobile vet doesn't give the care a vet would, but the sad truth is...without him, a lot of pets would simply go without any type of protection. Unfortunately, money is an issue for a lot of people. I know if one of mine came down with cancer or hip displaysia as I've seen in some of these posts (And I feel for all of them and hope all goes well) I would be completely unable to pay for the thousands of dollars for that type of care. I cannot do that for myself or my children if it came down to that. As I also said, I do adore my vet, but we also disagree on some points. She's a great lady, and discounts me when I find a litter of pups with Parvo as happened last year. She charged me cost for supplies, and I took everything home and treated them there...intravenous fluids and antibiotics to five pups...four made it. One was already too far gone. It breaks my heart, but somebody has to do it. But I also think the vaccines are overdone...my children are proof if my dogs aren't. I see you do rabies every three years. Here it is required by law to be done yearly. If you are caught without a current rabies you can be fined. So why can't it be three years? And some think it should be five years. My point is...we don't know who to believe. And the vet's say every year...I assume because that's what the law says, or their guidelines? I just wish there were more dedicated health providers for both humans and animals. And I do respect a good vet over most human doctors any day. But with doctors part of the problem is the government...and part of it is the insurance companies. My company recently changed insurance.... I told my husband no one better get sick because we can't afford it. The insurance is virtually useless. (And the old insurance wasn't fabulous by any means).

Keep doing what you do. You sound like you're on the right track.

Vets are Life Savers
 

First, Texas now has 3 year Rabies vaccinations. I know that is because many concerned pet owners and professionals made that happened and educated the legislature here.

I love my vet and would not put my dogs in any other hands. I watched my vets save my dogs lives and many times after closing hours. My vet certainly is not out for money when she gives me her home phone to call if there is a problem and cries when my dog passes away. She does what she can to help me with cost. And I ask her plenty of questions.

My pup, now 6 years old, had TPO surgery and we have an outstanding Vet... Surgical & Specialist facility in Dallas. I apparently was lucky to be in Texas but it still cost. However, at no time did I feel the specialist was "out to get me" and he even said the other hip did not need to be done.

I look upon vets as life savers not moneymakers.

I'm a Texas Aggie and have been and will always be proud that Texas A&M has one of the best vet schools in the country. I was in classes with those talented individuals fighting for a limited spot at the Vet College.

Now, I just want to thank Alisa (aka Labpaw) and others in the DOCK JUMPING community who share their knowledge with us on a daily basis and are concerned for both our pets and us. They certainly don't have to do so but go out of their way to help us. You guys are awesome!!

Thanks everyone. I know that you would do the same for me. What comes around, goes around, right? ;)

The problem is that you do have some unscrupulous vets that take advantage of unsuspecting customers. Take a look at this expose: http://www.knbc.com/news/15377166/detail.html

While I'm not a vet, I've been around dogs doing dog rescue long enough that I am at least aware of what needs to be done (and not done) for routine things that come up (lose stool, kennel cough, etc.) and I've still had vets try to take me to the cleaners.

In the end, the best way to prevent being taken advantage of is to get as much information as possible, ask a lot of questions, do research and even get a second opinion. If the vet you are using is reputable, they should welcome you wanting to make sure that their recommendation is the best one. You really have to be your pet's advocate. And don't be afraid, if you don't like the vet you're using, to shop around. This is the person that is going to make your babies well and maybe one day assist in sending them to the Rainbow Bridge; they are important and you owe it to yourself and your animals to find one that you are all comfortable and happy with.

You are right. There absolutely are some very dishonest, unethical, and flat out disgusting veterinarians in this world. Not even going to argue that.

I did watch the video. And it makes me sad. But, although I will not defend any of those doctors, I can't help but wonder some things that weren't really addressed in the piece. For example, how different are the biling fees? For example, what is the difference in the exam fee? $10? $15? More? What is included in that exam fee? Ear dicharge analysis? Ear cleanings? Etc? My point is that to compare bottom line to bottom line is not the way to judge whether a vet is taking you to the bank or not.

For example, when one of my clients comes in for a check up, I charge a set exam fee, of let's say $50. In that exam, I am going to not only look at the problematic areas (ie: the ears, skin, etc), I am also going to palpate the abdomen and all of the internal organs, I am going to do an ophthalmic exam including a fundic exam, I am going to auscult the heart, auscult the lungs, I am going to examine the mouth, I am going to do a rectal exam and check/express the anal glands (much to the dismay of my patients, sometimes :p), I am going to examine any ear discharge under the microscope (for probably another $12), I am going to educate my clients on how to clean the ears, I will clean the ears for them, I will probably do a courtesy nail trim if needed, and address any of my client's concerns, etc. If there is a need for it, ie: there is an infection, etc., I will prescribe any medicaitons that are necessary.

For $20, you can go down to the vet down the street, have him ONLY look in the ears (if that is the presenting complaint), not listen to the chest, not palpate the organs, not do any of the formentioned procedures, probably not look at the discharge under the microscope, give you medications he/she assumes will work (not knowing if there may be another physical reason why your dog, for example may not be a good candidate for a medication that has a topical steroid in it) and have a bill that on the surface, it less. But, when you have to come back for recheck after recheck, or worse yet, your dog has an adverse reaction and becomes really sick from the medication, who is really doing a dis-service here? So the total bottom line is not a fair way to compare.

I'm not saying that this is what happened in the video, and obviously there are some awful things being shown there, but my point is that you are not comparing apples to apples if all you are looking at is the bottom line. And as it is with a lot of media, and bogus research studies, it will only show what it intended to proove.

I agree. The best thing is to educate yourself and be aware of what is going on around you. The same TV crew could probably show that and worse for many other professions.