Eileen Denver, Executive Editor
Consumer Reports
101 Truman Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703-1044
Dear Ms. Denver:
On behalf of the more than 69,000 members of the American
Veterinary Medical Association, I would like to take this
opportunity to express my concern and indignation about the
Consumer Reports July story, "Pets and Vets—Veterinary Care Without
the Bite." The article failed to report the most important
component of modern veterinary medical care. That is, how to
provide high tech, quality veterinary service at a fair and
competitive price for today's animal owners. Your report could have
been more beneficial to pets and their owners if value, rather than
dollars alone, was used as the measurement of good care.
The sidebar "20 Ways to Cut Vet Costs" includes many of the very
same suggestions that the AVMA and most practitioners routinely
recommend to animal owners. However, I deplore the overall cynical
tone taken toward veterinarians. This profession is committed to
providing owners and their pets with the highest quality healthcare
at a reasonable cost. Over the years veterinary medicine has been
used as an example of how the human medical community could deliver
exemplary care in a cost-efficient manner.
Because pets cannot speak, veterinarians must use diagnostic
tests to determine the cause of a medical problem. Ultrasounds,
x-rays, blood tests and biopsies are often the only way to
accurately diagnose a medical condition. Owners do not want their
pet's doctor "guessing" at what the problem might be, especially
when modern diagnostic tools are available. As veterinarians, we
must be exact in our assessments and writings; our patients' lives
depend on it.
Veterinarians, unlike other doctors, must purchase the
diagnostic equipment for these tests. Community-supported hospitals
do not provide this equipment for veterinary use. The cost for an
ultrasound machine at a private practice is approximately $30,000
to $50,000, and an x-ray machine costs approximately $15,000 to
$40,000.
Veterinarians choose this profession because they care for
animals and the people who love them. Most are math, science and
biology scholars with the potential to earn triple what a career in
veterinary medicine offers. They know they have chosen a profession
where they will graduate, with a basic veterinary education after
approximately eight years of college, with a mean educational debt
of $72,719 to be covered by an average starting salary of $46,339.
Doctors who pursue advanced degrees and specialty recognition
require more education and incur greater debt.
Your article lacked a balanced perspective. It suggests that
veterinarians are looking to "get rich quick." Suggesting that most
veterinarians increase the price of a prescription by 100 to 250
percent is a disservice to the veterinarians who offer many
products at little or no mark-up as part of their practice.
All medicine is based on trust and a strong relationship between
doctors and the people and animals they serve. Veterinary medicine
is a very public service-oriented profession. In emergencies,
veterinarians have an ethical responsibility to provide essential
medical services necessary to save life and relieve suffering.
Unlike our colleagues in human medicine who practice from tax-free,
community, or endowed hospitals, veterinarians must often absorb at
least a portion of the cost of these emergency medical services
themselves. The cost of these services comes directly out of the
net profits of their hospital.
Trust is critically important. Your article compared prices of
select animal products from on-line pet pharmacies, without
acknowledging that one of the most visible on-line pet pharmacies
is on probation as a result of disciplinary action by the state
licensing authority. Would you want to obtain drugs for your pet
from a provider whose license is on probation? Many pet owners do
not, and choose instead to buy locally from a veterinarian who
offers good value rather than test the "buyer beware" atmosphere of
some Internet businesses.
The AVMA was pleased to assist Consumer Reports by providing the
statistical data we have available. We are disappointed that the
care, concern and compassion of our more than 69,000 dedicated
members was not communicated to your readers in your July article.
Sincerely,
Joe M. Howell, DVM
President
