Integrity In Veterinary Medicine, by Geoff Tucker, DVM.

Welcome to The Horse's Advocate Podcast Episode 140: "Integrity In Veterinary Medicine" By Geoff Tucker, DVM. Recorded on November 6, 2024

Forgive me as I rant about veterinary care. This week, I experienced or heard of four events between veterinarians and their owners that have me asking: Are the schools teaching integrity along with veterinary medicine?

There are 13 new vet schools in America, spawning 55,000 more veterinarians in the next decade. Most will go into small animal practice. Driving this growth is a demand for pet owners to access care everywhere and corporate strategies to use more veterinarians at higher salaries to remain competitive. In essence, the forecast is for ample demand for services and a need for more veterinarians to meet this need.

Stepping away from this "supply and demand" model, I now see evidence that integrity is being replaced with a "fix-it" mentality. New veterinary graduates are well-trained in the science of "fixing" an animal's problem; however, are they also advocating for the animal and, importantly, the owner?

Regrettably, the era of the "country vet," who took the time to educate, advise, and console the owner, seems to be fading. The high cost of training and the standardization of care have led to a "cookie-cutter" approach to animal care. This approach, while efficient, may seem superficial to older vets who, though impressed with the knowledge young vets bring to the practice, miss the days of explaining how to prevent problems and advocating for the animal above all else.

DISCLAIMER:
This content is for information and entertainment purposes only, NOT for medical diagnosis. Contact your veterinarian for any questions regarding a diagnosis, medical condition, or treatment.

The Horse’s Advocate LLC, The Equine Practice Inc., and Geoff Tucker DVM assume no liability for your use of this content. Reliance on the website or any materials is at your own risk. Our website and forums do not supply medical care or medical services. For medical services or medical emergencies, please call your veterinarian immediately.

The articles, text, graphics, images, demonstrations, presentations, links, and other material in this video are only for informational and educational purposes. They should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice.