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Veterinary Practice News Editorial Blog:
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
It Can't Be All Doom and Gloom Out There
By Neal Halter
Account Executive
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I can’t help but believe that especially with regard to the veterinary market, the “economic crisis” is way overstated.
Perhaps the four-doctor veterinary group we use for our pets is unusual as it does not accept appointments with clients. When you need to come in, you come in. Well, my dog had an infection on her foot. On my first visit, there had to be 15 to 20 people in the waiting room while we were there.
People were in there for a variety of things. One client told the receptionist she was there for a dental cleaning, something we in the industry have all heard that people are avoiding. After a long wait to see the DVM, my dog Phoebe was prescribed an antibiotic in pill form.
Later that afternoon, both my wife and I tried to get her to take the pill, but to no avail. She hates taking pills. We can’t fool her by hiding the pill in something tasty, and her jaws are impossible to open when she doesn’t want to. If you can manage to shove a pill down her throat, she spits it right back out.
So we went back the next day to explain our situation, and what a surprise--the veterinarian was just as amazingly busy the next day. Our doc gave us a liquid antibiotic for her to take, and we thought great, a terrific solution.
Unfortunately this did not work either, because she promptly threw up the next three doses we tried to give her.
Needless to say, we were back at the vet again, and again the office was just as extremely busy as it has always been.
Now our solution is to come in for a daily injection, and we are on our fourth day.
My veterinarians have been extremely busy every day that I have been there. You certainly would not imagine that there was any crisis if you gauged business by the number of people and animals in that waiting room each day; and I’m now there daily for the time being.
It really bothers me when I hear all the doom and gloom in this industry, and I read these polls from various sources where veterinarians report their business is down compared to last year, yet my vet seems to be going just as strong as ever.
I know this is hardly scientific proof, but I really wish the media didn’t blow things so much out of proportion and put unnecessary fear in consumers’ minds.
Bottom line is, at least in one Southern California city, people are taking care of their pets, even seeking preventive wellness treatments.
Mr. Halter is an account executive working from Veterinary Practice News' Los Angeles office.
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