Trust Me, I’m Not A Veterinarian

A Review: The ‘Con’ in Vet Confidential by Louise Murray, D.V.M.

(By way of disclosure, yes, I have a recently released book titled: Trust Me: I’m Not A Veterinarian! - which is an antidote to misleading titles and books, in my opinion, like the one reviewed below)

Rather than it’s self proclaimed ‘insider’s guide to protecting your pet’s health,’ Vet Confidential is, at best a misnomer – a collegial bouquet to veterinarians and the veterinary business, and, at worst, a whitewash fraught with glaring omission$, coverup, and conflicted $pin especially on the subject of the economically driven harmful effects of continued overvaccination despite years of veterinary knowledge.

In the 25 page chapter, Give It Your Best Shot, Murray, fails to disclose that the small animal veterinary practice’s economic business model is based to shots (70% of feline visits, 63% of all canine visits). Nor does she disclose the economic incentive for continuation of overvaccination – the cost of the rabies shot alone is 60 -75cents – which the vet charges $15-$35 a 2500% to 5800% markup! But wait – there’s more. Only the rabies shot can be given by a veterinarian. Cost of office visit $40-$50 bringing the gross markup of shot and visit to 9000% to as high as 16000%. But wait – there is more! This doesn’t include the adverse reactions – which are underreported by the self reporting veterinarians (which even the veterinary association reports as under reported) let alone the upsell opportunity (blood work etc.)

In all 25 pages, there is not a word about the fact that vaccinations are 70%-150% of the small animal veterinarian’s gross profit. And in all 25 pages there is – just 1 throw away line (page 51) relative rabies vaccination that ‘in September 2007, for example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that the United States was free of canine rabies.’ The fact is by the Noah study (1980-1996) the incidence of rabies from domesticated dog to humans was 2 – making the overall incidence at 200 million average population approximately 11 billionths of 1%. Even the three year rabies protocol was an economic compromise. Only a duration (three years) was challenged not ‘the’duration of the immunity. (It is thought that none of the 7 dogs in one 3 year challenge exhibited rabies – so they were euthanized – thus not showing the longer duration of the shot!) Furthermore, Murray omits that even in the Vets own Principles of Vaccination is the statement (to paraphrase) ‘the practice of annual rabies vaccination is based to historical precedent and government regulation NOT scientific data.’

As far as ‘customization’ now advocated by the vets, this is an implied admission of standardized malpractice for 15+ years in light of the economic motivation and lack of science!

Also, in this vet Babbitt ‘boosterism’ (pun intended) Dr. Murray confuses input with results in her emphasis in selecting a vet practice. Like accreditation, which people mistake as the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval of value, competency, and credibility, her emphasis is on tools and equipment rather than outcomes. This is faulty logic – what good is a high power rifle if the shooter can’t hit the side of a barn? An ingredient – excellent marinara sauce – does not mean the spaghetti dish is excellent. Equipment is an inference – results are the acid test.

Dr. Murray treatise on pet health insurance is naïve at best – missing the scams and scandals.

Her apologies for malpractice by veterinarians (as there is no effective legal recourse) – are empty and disingenuous when the veterinarians hold themselves out to be companion animal pediatricians and market to ‘pets as part of the family’ and then contest the companion animal is merely a couch, a TV by law for liability purposes. She offers no constructive remedy which is not unlike most vets who cherish colleague collegiality over accountability and responsibility. This is a betrayal of trust especially when systemically the veterinarians have been in violation in the law and their canon of ethics of informed consent. For example, Colorado passed a law allowing the three year rabies option in 1999. As of September 2005, despite 6 years of the law being in place, despite veterinary canon of ethics of informed consent, 79% of those surveyed by Hill Research Consulting said their dog or cat was still getting the annual rabies shot – and 62% - 6 years later did not know of the 3 year option!

Is it any wonder, that in Colorado, a pediatrician has gross revenues of approximately $400,000 and pays $5000 to $11,000 for malpractice insurance, while the small animal vet practice owner has $394,000 of revenue and pays (and has paid) for $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 aggregate liability - $241 per year for malpractice (that’s approximately 9 cents per dog and cat in the average practice) And over 10+ years, the coverage has increased while the premium has effectively decreased!)

And yet, the second fastest growing consumer business (after consumer electronics) is our expenditures on companion animals (in excess of $40 billion in 2007 according to Business Week).

So much for credibility of Vet Confidential-

Sorry, this Vet Confidential – sweeps the dirt of small animal veterinarian medical practices under the run, keeps the dirty linen in the closet giving the companion animal guardian more ‘con’ than confidential.

Vet Confidential -great sizzle (packaging)– steak all grizzle (contents).

Where’s the beef?

Under the rug or buried.

Reader: I opine the above in light of my following background:

Author of trice defeated legislation in Colorado by veterinarians that would have established ‘loss of companionship damages,’ reclassification of our companion animals from being mere personal property (couches, TVs) to living property, and would have required informed consent (which the veterinary community despite its canon of ethics overwhelming disregards relative to vaccination).

Founder of the Next To Kin Foundation

Pet insurance patent holder of 1 of only 330 patents granted in the 705 area (financial services) since 1977 (440,000 patents are given a year!) – which will revolutionize pet health insurance – making it convenient, affordable (30%-50% less) with no games!

(Fee Only) Financial Planner of the Year 1985

Co Founder of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (the largest association of fee only financial planners)

Author (two editions) ENOUGH(sm) A Handbook for Your Personal Financial Planning

Author of just released, Trust Me: I’m Not A Veterinarian!

A companion animal guardian who needlessly lost 1 if not 2 of his dogs to overvaccination – without informed consent, in defiance of the law then and now, and betrayal of trust.

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