sockmonkey, I didn’t mean I should literally get a good client discount – I was being tongue in cheek and meant to illustrate that even though I was paying into the “cash cow” appointment pot with my cat’s regular vaccinations, fecals, spay, etc. my bill for her illness was still extraordinarily high.
I think low cost vet services are the symptom, not the disease.
Whether veterinary costs are up solely because a certain percentage of clients are taking advantage of low cost vaccination clinics (which I don’t fully believe), simply passing on the cost to the consumer results in more pets being put down for treatable conditions (you’re REALLY losing money putting down a 3 year old dog that could have lived another 10 years with routine physicals and minor illnesses), more people skipping routine physical exams/vaccinations, and more people who decide owning a pet at all isn’t financially feasible. I would argue that those things are making much more of an impact than someone getting Fluffy’s rabies booster at a low cost clinic.
Is it possible that veterinary practices are laying the blame on the most convenient party rather than looking at the systemic issue?
I’m not convinced that people who go to vaccine clinics are really poaching your business. Aside from the previously demographic of people who wouldn’t have vaccinated at all if not for a low cost or free option, for some anecdata, most of the people in line with me at the “Vetco” clinic were people with adult pets that were overdue for their non-critical vaccinations that decided to take advantage of a cheap and easy way to make sure they were fully up to date on everything. They would NOT have been making this appointment with their vet either way. For some more anecdata, probably about 80% of individuals who already have a pet and want to adopt another from our organization have an adult pet that is behind on its vaccinations. Particularly cats. NO ONE keeps up to date with their indoor cats’ vaccs. (We actually refer these people to your practices for a physical exam and vaccinations before they’re allowed to adopt from us, you’re welcome for the business.)
I have many friends who work in your field and I understand the chip on your shoulder. Watching someone bring in a pet that is suffering (often from a preventable condition) and listening to them complain about the cost of care or wanting to cut corners really wears a person down. But I’m telling you, as someone who has a good job, is financially comfortable, and didn’t get in over her head with 12 cats or a Great Dane or something – the cost of care is too high to be feasible. I’m not saying that vets are going home and rolling around in their piles of money at night and I know for a fact that techs are underpaid, but I fervently believe that just passing on those costs directly to the consumer is leading to less people bringing their pets in for care at all.
I’m really curious about the poster who mentioned her practice does “wellness hours.” This seems like a win-win to me – the client doesn’t’ feel that they’re getting ripped off on multiple visit fees for a three-part vaccination that takes about 2 minutes tops each time, the practice benefits by ensuring that the clients are getting routine physical exams done, and they are to fit in more clients in those couple of hours.
I’d love to know if they find this worthwhile from a business perspective – although I’d assume if they didn’t they’d discontinue the wellness hours.
On one hand, if consumers don’t use their veterinary practice for basic preventive care, they will raise overall operating costs. On the other, if basic care was more financially feasible more people would do it.
