Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:46:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: stephanie talbott
Subject: Veterinary medicine vs. Human medicine
My take on the frequency of veterinary vs. human physical exams; I pretty much know when my body is acting out of sorts, or hurts, and I have a voice to tell someone about it.
It is my understanding that animals can have/often have high thresholds for pain/discomfort (unlike thresholds for humans), AND, I have not had one pet call me at work or tell me upon my arrival at home how and when they are feeling under the weather. When I have “missed a beat”, and their behavior is in fact “speaking” the truth, they are pretty sick.
Generally, and hopefully, we find our pets pretty healthy at each annual exam, but once in a while, learning of that infected tooth or budding arthritis gives us time to avoid a systemic lethal infection or early-in-life incapacitation. Keep in mind also; much of the expensive technology for human medicine is now available for veterinary medicine; lab tests, Xrays, MRI’s, high-end surgeries, etc., but there is no 3rd party payer (insurance) for most of these expenses, hence, all this is out-of-pocket for us pet-owners.
The veterinarians are still making payments on their loans for the capital/equipment they purchased and which needs servicing. Realistically, we all need to do our own risk-cost-benefit analysis depending upon our means and numbers of pets. AND, market forces will ultimately determine how much veterinarians will charge…. as long as there is the demand, the pricing will rise to meet it.
If you do not like the fees, perhaps pet ownership is not your cup of tea. Fewer pets and demand for their services will bring down the pricing.
Stephanie Talbott
Personal Servant and Housestaff for 2 dogs and 4 cats
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