Post by erpitrescue on Aug 12, 2009 14:51:10 GMT -5
For the record, this is a personal opinion, and has nothing to do with BBR, who I work for.
Since I've gotten here, I've notived the overwhelming underlying current of "vets are bad, they are money greedy whores." This isn't the only place I've noticed it. It runs around on other lists and groups as well.
I'm not sure if any of you have ever worked in animal medicine, but I'm hoping to get the chance to clear some things up. I get it. Care is expensive. But so is having my AC fixed. And my car woked on.
But the reason it costs more for my mechanic to put the transmission in my car than it takes me, even though I am qualified for it? Overhead. He has a receptionist.. and a clean up guy...and a part driver. I have none of those things. So while the actual work of doing it myself is cheaper (parts cost, and no labor costs), the truth is that I couldn't do the work, the way he does it, with the stuff he has, at any cheaper cost. I don't have a hydraulic lift that cost me thousands of dollars. And I don't have a receptionist to answer my calls. And I don't have to pay his electric or water, etc.
I hear people complain ALL the time about the cost that they paid at their vets office, and more so at an emergency and specialty office. Sure. Some of those costs are inflated due to the clinic...but the truth is that most of those costs are related to their overhead.
Your Evet has an EKG that your home vet does not. And your home vet says "That's not necessary" because he wants your money, too, even it is less than the money your Evet wants. And your Evet says "This is the best thing to do" because it is, in most cases. They follow the textbook case of everything that can go wrong and they test and treat and watch for it. Does that make them wrong? Not if you are the 5% of cases that result in complications. If you were those guys, you'd be kicking yourself in the behind for not following Evet rec's on additional testing. Picture the guy that says testin for Parvo is too much, but a simple dewormer should be fine because his friends told him so. Is it so far-fetched to put you in the same category as him if you are trying to find quicker faster ways to save on vet costs?
The Evet costs more for several reasons, including the equipment, the hours (it costs more to pay peeps to work overnight!), the size of the facility (they have to be prepared for all sorts of emergency, and often have separate areas for ICU, Surgical recovery and general patients).
It is unfair and biased to compare your regular vets fees to those of an emergency clinic, and I find that people are always critical of things they can't afford.
Having worked at and managed vet clinics over the last ten years, I only hope that those of you that are willing to be informed on so many other aspects of care don't forget that there is a difference between the employee that makes $6 an hour walking in of the street, and a certified pet nurse who makes $11 after completing school. Sure, those technicians are nice... but are they qualified? Who do you want watching your dog in the back, where you can't see? The guy whose last job was at 7-11 who needs to pay his rent, or the guy who just graduated from tech school, and is all about watching for symptoms? not all docs, not all techs, and not all clinics are built the same.
Since I've gotten here, I've notived the overwhelming underlying current of "vets are bad, they are money greedy whores." This isn't the only place I've noticed it. It runs around on other lists and groups as well.
I'm not sure if any of you have ever worked in animal medicine, but I'm hoping to get the chance to clear some things up. I get it. Care is expensive. But so is having my AC fixed. And my car woked on.
But the reason it costs more for my mechanic to put the transmission in my car than it takes me, even though I am qualified for it? Overhead. He has a receptionist.. and a clean up guy...and a part driver. I have none of those things. So while the actual work of doing it myself is cheaper (parts cost, and no labor costs), the truth is that I couldn't do the work, the way he does it, with the stuff he has, at any cheaper cost. I don't have a hydraulic lift that cost me thousands of dollars. And I don't have a receptionist to answer my calls. And I don't have to pay his electric or water, etc.
I hear people complain ALL the time about the cost that they paid at their vets office, and more so at an emergency and specialty office. Sure. Some of those costs are inflated due to the clinic...but the truth is that most of those costs are related to their overhead.
Your Evet has an EKG that your home vet does not. And your home vet says "That's not necessary" because he wants your money, too, even it is less than the money your Evet wants. And your Evet says "This is the best thing to do" because it is, in most cases. They follow the textbook case of everything that can go wrong and they test and treat and watch for it. Does that make them wrong? Not if you are the 5% of cases that result in complications. If you were those guys, you'd be kicking yourself in the behind for not following Evet rec's on additional testing. Picture the guy that says testin for Parvo is too much, but a simple dewormer should be fine because his friends told him so. Is it so far-fetched to put you in the same category as him if you are trying to find quicker faster ways to save on vet costs?
The Evet costs more for several reasons, including the equipment, the hours (it costs more to pay peeps to work overnight!), the size of the facility (they have to be prepared for all sorts of emergency, and often have separate areas for ICU, Surgical recovery and general patients).
It is unfair and biased to compare your regular vets fees to those of an emergency clinic, and I find that people are always critical of things they can't afford.
Having worked at and managed vet clinics over the last ten years, I only hope that those of you that are willing to be informed on so many other aspects of care don't forget that there is a difference between the employee that makes $6 an hour walking in of the street, and a certified pet nurse who makes $11 after completing school. Sure, those technicians are nice... but are they qualified? Who do you want watching your dog in the back, where you can't see? The guy whose last job was at 7-11 who needs to pay his rent, or the guy who just graduated from tech school, and is all about watching for symptoms? not all docs, not all techs, and not all clinics are built the same.
). I hold zero animosity towards vets, and the last thing I want is an anti-vet attitude coming across on this forum. I do not think anyone here fails to recognize how important and valuable the veterinary profession is. How expensive medical care is because of the schooling, training, euipment, insurance and overhead costs to the vets. 
I look forward to learning much here