For decades, Consumer Reports was THE place to go for product reviews and advice on big purchases. But when they enter the area of pet care, they consistently give very bad advice. Their product-review algorithm simply falls apart when applied to living, breathing beings. Example: “get the cheapest pet food at the cheapest store, there’s no difference between that and the high-dollar foods.” Well, we know that’s absolutely false, and that ingredient quality makes all the difference in your pet’s health. Science proves it, experience proves it. Or as they say in geek world, “Garbage In, Garbage Out”!
If you fell for that line of illogic at the time, chances are that you now need a lot of veterinary services for nutrition-related diseases–problems that feeding your pet correctly in the first place would have prevented, such as diabetes, arthrtitis, urinary tract problems, and cognitive decline. Or maybe you just need to cut costs everywhere you can to stay afloat (a lot of us are in that boat!).
So now Consumer Reports wants to tell you how to save money on veterinary bills! Srsly??? And what’s their advice? It boils down to: “Go for the bargain, the cheapest vet you can find! Shop around! Get estimates!” Sorry, but veterinarians are not car mechanics, and all veterinary care should be tailored for the individual pet. Unbelievably, they recommend that, in an emergency, you get the pet stabilized at minimum cost, and then take it home, so you have time to comparison shop! If you have a dog with GDV (bloat) or a cat that can’t breathe–well, I guess you’ll definitely save money–but not necessarily your pet!
What can we say? You get what you pay for. If you want or need to go for least-cost, understand that you are not going to be able to buy champagne on that beer budget. Ask your friends and neighbors for referrals. Or check Angie’s List, which surprisingly lists all veterinarians in the area, even if they haven’t had any reports on them yet.
Veterinarians are ethically obligated to present all the options, whether they provide them or not. They should tell you what services and tests are available (including, if needed, referral to a specialist or hospital with a broader range of services), but they should also be able to tell you which ones are most needed–and more importantly, why they are recommending each and every one. For example, many veterinarians still recommend annual vaccines throughout the life of the pet, when the main vaccinate-able diseases affect only the young (and immunity lasts for many years). There’s a place you can save your money (and save your pet from potential harmful effects of over-vaccination; see our article on Vaccination for detailed information on cat and dog vaccines).
My rule of thumb for tests is: “Will it make a difference in how I treat this animal?” If they’re testing just because they can, or to pinpoint a disease when knowing will not help decide the course of action (oncologists and neurologists are the most guilty for this), then save your money.
It is always up to you to choose which, if any, tests, services, or products you want–and the veterinarian should gracefully abide by your decision and work with you to get your pet the best care within those limits.
Read the article here: http://www.consumerreports.org/Pets/
If you are in the Denver-Boulder area, I recommend the following veterinary clinics:
Longmont: Chaparral Animal Health, Dr. Dave McCluggage, 303-702-1986
Arvada/Northwest Denver: Harmony Veterinary Center, Dr. Shelley Brown, 303-432-8551
Central/South Denver: Hampden Family Pet Hospital, Englewood, 303-761-7063
Southeast Denver: Purrfect Health, Dr. Cathy Ortloff, Lone Tree, 303-790-2287
Specialty/Emergency: VRCC, Englewood, 303-874-7387
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For your information. A veterinary degree costs the same as a degree in human medicine, and we are actually able to practice when we graduate as opposed to a medical doctor. Our medications, supplies, equipment, buildings, etc cost the same as a medical doctor. We get paid less than a nurse, accountant, etc, and we will never be able to pay off our student loans. I would love to see another profession paying $1000 a month in student loans while living in a trailer or a 1 bedroom apartment for 30 years because we can’t make ends meet. Veterinarians do not go to vet school to make money. Let me make that very clear. When we got to vet school interviews, we discuss what a poor financial decision we are making. In what other profession to people work this hard for so little just because they love it and cannot imagine doing anything else. Don’t talk about veterinary medicine like you have a clue when all you’ve done is get on the internet and read what random people who also have no knowledge have written. And just for your personal reference, Science Diet, Purina, Iams, and Royal Canin have thousands and thousands of research papers supporting their diets. As far as I’m concerned NOTHING is better than Science Diet. I would LOVE to see the research supporting Blue Buffalo and all your other ridiculous diets. You go ahead and take your dog in heart failure off that cardiac diet because it’s not “sustainable.” Don’t listen to us when we ask you to feed your cat a urinary diet because it’s not “sustainable.” When your cat dies due to a blocked urethra, I’ll know that I did everything I could. That’s on you. Don’t follow our recommendations because you obviously have a degree in biology followed by a masters in science and finally a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Hey those ten years in college taking 24 hours a semester was just a joke. We obviously don’t know what we are talking about.
As a matter of fact, I *do* have a B.A. in biology and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University, as well as more than 17 years’ experience as a veterinarian.
However, all that education does not help me understand why you felt the need to take such a nasty tone. We can disagree without being disagreeable. Your opinion is that Science Diet is great. I disagree. Let’s just leave it at that.
I read the article, and also didn’t see it as that bad. While in the side bar they did suggest feeding dry food for dental health and no-one should shop around based mainly on prices in the case of an emergency, it did bring up some good points on general care and prevention. (I couldn’t read the food product review, as I’m not a subscriber.) Unfortunately, the advice on asking about prices is probably moot, not just because you can’t rate a vet by price (some of the most excellent are willing to give deals in cases of need, and some of the worst charge the most,) but because most vet clinics/hospitals won’t give quotes over the phone or will only assess the basic examination fees, as they don’t know what tests or treatments will be necessary without seeing the animal.
What I find appalling is how common it is among allopathic veterinarians to recommend and sell foods like Science Diet, Iams, et al. As someone who’s worked both in traditional vet hospitals and as an alternative pet care provider, I see this far too often. Vets don’t bother to learn more about nutrition than they were taught in school, or feel nervous about not toe-ing the old line. (In the vet tech school I attended, the nutrition section was taught by a representative of Science Diet!) The sweet sell the salespeople give (I’ve had free lunches on them more often than I can remember) and the profits involved in selling the product don’t hurt, either. The prescription diets for certain conditions can be helpful in some cases on a short-term basis, but vets should know that those foods are no substitute for proper nutrition. I’ve worked with a few vets who use alternative treatments and work with good nutritionists, and I hope, over time, their number will increase. As much as consumers should inform themselves (which readers of Consumer Reports are probably likely to do, anyway,) it’s perhaps important that vets be informed, so they can educate their clients.
Thanks for your comments! I agree that there were *some* good points made in the article.
Here’s the real issue I have: the readership of Little Big Cat is far more educated and discerning than the more general audience of Consumer Reports, which I think most people think constitutes all the research they need to do. Many people will read that article and not dig any deeper. Not only did CS make several poor recommendations, but there were some nasty (and false) allegations made; the whole tone was very anti-veterinarian. Now, you may have noticed that I don’t often have good things to say about the veterinary profession! But the CS article paints all vets as the money-grubbing enemy, rather than acknowledging what the relationship *should* be between guardians and vets: partners in creating health for animals. This does require folks to do their legwork to find a vet who is compatible with their wants and needs. But I totally agree with you that if people demanded a more cooperative, holistic attitude from vets, it would definitely make a shift in the profession. That, and the old guys need to die off…but that’s a topic for another day! ;-)
You’re absolutely right about the too-cozy relationship between pet food makers and vets/vet techs. I didn’t get any free lunches in vet school but I do have a little soft spot for Waltham’s (though I’m not soft enough to recommend their foods!)–other pet food makers fed my pets, but Waltham’s put a Snickers bar in every student’s mailbox for midterms and finals! ;-) Food IS the way to our hearts!
I’m not sure we read this article the same way. I saw nothing that suggested CS was saying take your pet home in a crisis and wait to find the best deal. I know the statement in the article you are speaking of: Even in emergencies, shop around: “That’s when you should do your shopping–after you get home with the initial diagnosis.” . Whereas I think this was presented/worded poorly, I don’t find it or most of what I read in this article unsound or unreasonable. I had one of my cats who knock a tooth part of the way on a weekend. I made sure his vitals were stable, had the hospital give him something for pain and waited for him to see his Vet a day and some hours later, partly due to the cost that would have been three times as much for the same quality procedure at the hospital. If it’s not life threading and/or if I am able to keep him stable at home and I can get him to someplace cheaper within a reasonable amount of time, why not?
I disagree that you should start shopping at that moment or in an emergency. The time to make and research these decisions are when everything is fine which is why I was confident in the choice in taking my cat home. The issue I read from the article was the need for owners to be informed well so they can make the best decision for the pets and for themselves.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments! You’re right, non-life-threatening emergencies can often wait…but I hate to put the pet guardian on the spot based on the principles in this article. If the initial diagnosis is incorrect, there may be significant danger in taking the pet home. A dog that’s been hit by a car may not look too bad right afterward, but lung contusions (bruises) take several hours to develop. If the dog is not monitored, it could decline and die quite rapidly. If the vet is not persuasive, or if the guardian is deciding strictly on a monetary basis, that may not be the best thing for the animal. It still worries me!
Your point about being prepared BEFORE the emergency occurs is right on! That’s the time to comparison shop, consider pet insurance, etc. We aren’t at our decision-making best when we’re frightened and worried about our best pals!