Hi everyone: There were syncing issues with the first version of the video that we uploaded but they should be fixed now. (In fact, I thought we'd originally uploaded the fixed version, but whatever.) Let us know if there are still problems.
My mother's a veterinarian in the Midwest. When the owners, two vets, retired four or five years ago, they sold the practice to a corporation. Since then, I've seen my mother, who stayed on despite the sale, grow more and more unhappy as she watches her life's calling be diminished by changes wrought by for-profit interests.
She's the only full-time vet on staff (it's been very difficult to hire new vets because so many are making more money as relief vets or else have left the industry all together) and is not young but is staying on in no small part because longtime clients don't want her to retire, nor do the corporate administrators; she is likely a key reason the place is still open. The corporate managers don't work at the clinic and rarely come in person to conduct meetings and observe the day-to-day. Prices have gone up and they've automated as much as possible (e.g. prescription refill requests go through a phone/computer system now). Support staff is disgruntled, and clients now routinely yell at them and at my mother, who is one of the kindest people I know (I'm not objective, obviously, but it's actually true). On the days when she's not on the schedule, relief vets pick up the slack, and they're itinerant, and so the quality and intimacy of the experience aren't the same as they would be if the previous owners were still there. Clients are understandably unhappy about the fact a previously friendly and welcoming experience, one often also defined by concern and fear for a pet's well-being, has become fraught in ways that ten years ago would scarcely have been imaginable.
She refuses to authorize tests or treatments she doesn't think are necessary. I don't think that's the case with all of the relief vets, however. The part of your interview where you talked about how long it took for a vet to prescribe antibiotics for Hugo's respiratory infection--I could imagine my mother exclaiming, "That is terrible! It's the first thing the vet should have done." (I'm probably throwing salt on the wound! But it's one of those things that I know drives her completely bonkers). Sorry this is such a long comment!!
Our cat engages in veterinary tourism. We split our time between Portland and rural Washington. He sees his Portland vet if we're in town and it's something basic like an immunization. For the annual teeth cleaning we save hundreds of dollars at the small town vet. The service is just as good and the availability is greater.
We changed vets in Portland several years ago because the vet in a posh neighborhood broached the possibility of homeopathic treatment. It should have been an episode of Portlandia.
I had a similar experience with trying to get a rescue dog as what was described by Meghan. They didn’t want someone with a town home, had specific yard requirements, etc. Eventually, I had to buy from a breeder.
Not a pet owner but can sympathize; a majority of friends and neighbors have them. I've a young friend in her 20s just starting residency in veterinary medicine; I should send her the link.
The poorly synced audio in this episode is unfortunate.
ffs Nestle - the poison water company owns a vet chain... Purina is crap food too.
I went from a bougie Eastern medicine vet in the pacific nw to a farm animal doctor in a super rural area... to be honest I miss the expensive vet because she indulged all my questions and did things like had a free visit for our cat just to get familiar with the office and staff w/o the association of being poked, prodded etc. The staff also gave free advice on the phone and they took a personal interest in the well being of our kitty.
But, I gotta say the farm doc is pretty great. He spayed and neutered the two kitties that showed up in our garage and adopted us. He insisted they be at least 8 months so their hormonal development wouldn't be damaged and he charged $128 for both kitties. He's the total opposite of the bougie vet (who I believe is private). No fuss no muss, but is clearly an animal lover and does a great job.
I just want to highlight, that a CANDY company owns animal hospitals and IAMS petfood, a brand with all kinds of additives linked with poor nutrition in animals.
There is a really good episode of "King of the Hill" that goes into the private vet vs. chain vet when Hank is strapped with the cat of a US veteran. Love that Mike Judge.
Hi everyone: There were syncing issues with the first version of the video that we uploaded but they should be fixed now. (In fact, I thought we'd originally uploaded the fixed version, but whatever.) Let us know if there are still problems.
So glad I came here and saw this post because at first I thought you and your guest were talking over each other, which seemed very odd!
I just re-downloaded the episode and it still had that sync problem.
My mother's a veterinarian in the Midwest. When the owners, two vets, retired four or five years ago, they sold the practice to a corporation. Since then, I've seen my mother, who stayed on despite the sale, grow more and more unhappy as she watches her life's calling be diminished by changes wrought by for-profit interests.
She's the only full-time vet on staff (it's been very difficult to hire new vets because so many are making more money as relief vets or else have left the industry all together) and is not young but is staying on in no small part because longtime clients don't want her to retire, nor do the corporate administrators; she is likely a key reason the place is still open. The corporate managers don't work at the clinic and rarely come in person to conduct meetings and observe the day-to-day. Prices have gone up and they've automated as much as possible (e.g. prescription refill requests go through a phone/computer system now). Support staff is disgruntled, and clients now routinely yell at them and at my mother, who is one of the kindest people I know (I'm not objective, obviously, but it's actually true). On the days when she's not on the schedule, relief vets pick up the slack, and they're itinerant, and so the quality and intimacy of the experience aren't the same as they would be if the previous owners were still there. Clients are understandably unhappy about the fact a previously friendly and welcoming experience, one often also defined by concern and fear for a pet's well-being, has become fraught in ways that ten years ago would scarcely have been imaginable.
She refuses to authorize tests or treatments she doesn't think are necessary. I don't think that's the case with all of the relief vets, however. The part of your interview where you talked about how long it took for a vet to prescribe antibiotics for Hugo's respiratory infection--I could imagine my mother exclaiming, "That is terrible! It's the first thing the vet should have done." (I'm probably throwing salt on the wound! But it's one of those things that I know drives her completely bonkers). Sorry this is such a long comment!!
Our cat engages in veterinary tourism. We split our time between Portland and rural Washington. He sees his Portland vet if we're in town and it's something basic like an immunization. For the annual teeth cleaning we save hundreds of dollars at the small town vet. The service is just as good and the availability is greater.
We changed vets in Portland several years ago because the vet in a posh neighborhood broached the possibility of homeopathic treatment. It should have been an episode of Portlandia.
lol - that might be the vet I loved... Two Rivers? They were great for me.
Wait. ANNUAL cat tooth cleaning? For real?
I had a similar experience with trying to get a rescue dog as what was described by Meghan. They didn’t want someone with a town home, had specific yard requirements, etc. Eventually, I had to buy from a breeder.
To clarify, I was looking at a 10lb dog. Those requirements can be more reasonable with a large dog.
French Veterinarians are so affordable. They saved the family golden retriever.
The dog went on to live 7 more years until put down, in our arms, at home and taken away by the traveling pet putter downers.
The parents were explicit that they wouldn’t have done the operation if we lived in America at the time.
If I remember, for diagnosing and removing a 3 kilogram tumor in 2003 it cost around $300.
Agree on the audio issue … it was distracting and surprising given your love of good sound.
One of my friends named her rescue terrier Betty Rubble.
It's also private equity behind chains like Aspen Dental - test first aggressively and then overtreat.
Not a pet owner but can sympathize; a majority of friends and neighbors have them. I've a young friend in her 20s just starting residency in veterinary medicine; I should send her the link.
The poorly synced audio in this episode is unfortunate.
I had to stop listening on audio. I switched to video... where it was easier to deal with the sync issues.
It should be fixed now but you can also go to the YouTube version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1tgtBazgJg
ffs Nestle - the poison water company owns a vet chain... Purina is crap food too.
I went from a bougie Eastern medicine vet in the pacific nw to a farm animal doctor in a super rural area... to be honest I miss the expensive vet because she indulged all my questions and did things like had a free visit for our cat just to get familiar with the office and staff w/o the association of being poked, prodded etc. The staff also gave free advice on the phone and they took a personal interest in the well being of our kitty.
But, I gotta say the farm doc is pretty great. He spayed and neutered the two kitties that showed up in our garage and adopted us. He insisted they be at least 8 months so their hormonal development wouldn't be damaged and he charged $128 for both kitties. He's the total opposite of the bougie vet (who I believe is private). No fuss no muss, but is clearly an animal lover and does a great job.
I just want to highlight, that a CANDY company owns animal hospitals and IAMS petfood, a brand with all kinds of additives linked with poor nutrition in animals.
For anyone who thinks there might be a pet shortage, I have a cat for you.
economic euthanasia. :cry:
There is a really good episode of "King of the Hill" that goes into the private vet vs. chain vet when Hank is strapped with the cat of a US veteran. Love that Mike Judge.
You can ask for "permission" to go around the treatment plan spit out by a computer. Gggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............