Newsflash! Some vets will cheat you

Let me say it right at the beginning – if you’ve had a bad experience with a veterinarian in the past, don’t let that stop you from getting the necessary care for your pet. The majority of vets are honest, trustworthy and competent. Many of them are great healers and compassionate animal advocates. Your pet can’t find them on his own; that job is up to you.

Having said that, I’ve heard it more than once from friends that “Vets are greedy.” “Veterinarians are money-crazy.” “All veterinarians care about is getting rich.” “They want to get every last sen out of you.” I’ve heard so many accusations in particular that vets run too many tests on our pets just so they can rack up your pet’s bill and make some extra cash.

Is this really what’s going on? Are some veterinarians greedy? The simple answer is yes. Do some vets run more tests than are absolutely necessary or required? The answer is again, yes. Here is the truth, based on my own experience recently.

Just like any profession, there are good and bad vets. I have to say, after interacting with people in thousands of different professions, most vets are pretty darn good people in general. Most veterinarians I’ve met are honest, fair, and kind; they only want the best for the pets they treat. However, there are definitely some bad apples.

Imagine this: a dog walks in the door on Sunday morning, having vomited 3 times on Saturday night and once more that morning. The dog arrives around 10 am, running around the room and acting more energetic than it did at home, possibly from the adrenaline of being somewhere new and seeing other animals.

The physical examination of this dog is unremarkable and the dog’s temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate are normal. The dog’s abdomen did not seem painful when touched and nothing “seemed wrong.” Different veterinarians will almost certainly respond differently to this scenario.

Based on their recommendation, the vet can generally sway a pet owner toward one option or the other if they really believe one is a better solution for the pet. For example, they can ask tons of questions, such as “Was there a diet change or new treats?” “Does the dog get into the trash?” “Are they taking any medications?”

Questions such as whether the dog has a history of eating things he can’t digest can let the vet know whether there is anything in this history that really makes them worried that this is something serious and not just a minor viral or bacterial infection.

If there is no history that raises concern for the vet, such as ingestion of a toxin or substance the dog can’t digest, this information helps them decide how serious the problem is.

What would the vet recommend in this case? He may suggest symptomatic treatment. This could consist of an injection or a drug to control vomiting and maybe some fluid therapy like a saline drip to optimize hydration. Typical symptomatic care may also include instructions for the pet owner to withhold food or water for a few hours followed by a bland diet.

Your total bill depends on the veterinarian’s prices but also includes the consultation, the injection and the fluids. A visit of this type would have cost RM200 maximum in total. This vet should clearly communicate that tests such as blood work and a radiograph can be done to help determine the severity of the problem and let the pet owner make the final decision for or against testing.

In fact, for this dog with mild symptoms, symptomatic treatment can work great. The vet just needs to make sure the owner understands that if the dog is still symptomatic and does not recover or gets sicker, they need to return for additional care and testing. Most pet owners will try symptomatic treatment and return if necessary.

Another vet may be inclined to recommend more tests. He may recommend blood work and x-rays. Regardless of what is wrong with the dog, this would not be incorrect. To know that everything is ok with your dog is a good thing.

The vet could even recommend hospitalization to give fluids and ensure that the dog’s vomiting is under control, releasing the dog only after it is eating and the vet is sure that the problem is solved. This isn’t necessary wrong, but it could be considered over-treatment or over-testing. Be prepared for a bill running into thousands of Ringgit in this case.

Some owners like this option because they want to know absolutely everything about their pet’s health. To them money is not a concern when it comes to their beloved pet. Other owners will do it if they think that it’s a serious enough illness, but would otherwise prefer to wait.

So what can you do to prevent over-testing? If your vet strongly recommends testing, then consider it. If you are concerned about the necessity or the cost, then ask your vet to explain the pros and cons of the different tests and what each test will determine.

Be honest with your vet. If you have financial limitations, tell them. Explain that you want the best for your pet but don’t have a lot of resources right now. Sometimes it helps to ask them if they had to choose one test which one they would do first. Try one test and decide on the benefits of further testing based on those results.

If you are really concerned that your vet is over-testing, you might want to consider a different vet. I personally think that it is important to have a good relationship with your vet and feel that you can trust him, as distrust doesn’t foster good communication and ultimately, good care for your pet.

Personally, I like vets who give owners all the options. They usually get more information about the condition and recommend a few courses of treatment based on their professional opinion, and not by how much money this dog and owner will bring into the clinic. All vets know how attached humans are to their furbabies and unfortunately there are some who will milk this love for their own monetary gain.

– Dave Avran

18 Nov 2021