Vet practices: Have you noticed changes ?

[Blaze]

This BBC article today prompts my posting :
"Vets have told BBC Panorama they feel under increasing pressure to make money for the big companies that employ them"
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8j3020kl04o

When we arrived in Saint-Malo, we were recommended a practice called Brocéliande by VetRef, a vet-only referral clinic in Angers.
We received excellent service and felt that our dogs were in good hands. The practice had several specialists and we got to know the vets. It felt personal and we always felt they remembered our dogs when we went there. That of course may be due to the fact that we were virtually the only Brits who spoke French !

Two or three years ago, things started to change and it was only a year ago that we really noticed a difference. The turnover of people working there is bad news - gone are the familiar faces both veterinary and admin. The prices are rising and whilst we have no complaints about the expertise, we aren't happy with the increasing feeling of being just a number.

This has all come about with the practice being bought up by Anicura, a pet care business which is now American. Anicura buys up thriving practices to make money - even VetRef in Angers has succumbed.
We are now considering going to another practice which has been well-recommended. Being seen by a stranger every time doesn't inspire confidence howeve good they are.

[MAD87]

The best vet I ever had was near to my last commune - a real James Herriot dump with just one vet and no "table" to put your cat or dog on. The vet got down on his knees to talk to dogs and gently examine them. Cats were put on the floor and scolded for disappearing under his shelves of meds, sheep dips, etc. Calves were examined in the back of farmers' LRs and bills were low. Ops were performed in his garage. One day he rushed out to show me some bloody male bits he'd removed from a (queen) cat I'd asked him to neuteer - he was thrilled as he'd read of some cats having both sets of sex organs but never seen it himself. I just felt sick.

He was deservedly regarded as something of a vet god locally, dealing mostly with farm animals but also dogs and cats if asked. Once or twice I was forced to go to a different vet when he was away. Think gleaming everything, machines for everything, hardly any real examination and a penchant for giving your animal the final injrection.

[RobertArthur]

It's the same old story everywhere in Europe I'm afraid. The free market in action in The Netherlands. Copy/paste translations from official press releases:

Large international chains such as IVC Evidensia and AniCura have acquired many Dutch veterinary practices in recent years, often financed by private equity and investors such as Mars. This has led to concerns about rising prices, independence of research, and pressure on vets to maximise profits, sometimes resulting in staff dissatisfaction and clinic closures, as in the case of Evidensia. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is investigating the situation.

In brief:

The ACM wants pet owners to be better protected against the risk of higher prices and overtreatment.
Veterinary practices have become more commercial, partly due to the emergence of chains owned by private investors. ACM advocates, among other things, a ban on commercial incentives for veterinarians.
The ACM wants pet owners to be better protected against the risk of higher prices and overtreatment, i.e. treatment that goes beyond what is appropriate for the animal and owner. This risk is increasing. Veterinary practices have become more commercial on average, partly due to the emergence of chains owned by private investors. In its draft report on the pet care market, the ACM advocates a ban on commercial incentives for veterinarians and measures to strengthen the position of pet owners and improve emergency care. The ACM invites all stakeholders to respond to the preliminary findings and recommendations.

In recent years, many independent veterinary practices have been taken over by chains, often financed by private investors. The ACM has observed that chains are employing various commercial business strategies aimed at increasing their profitability. Some chains are expanding the range of care they offer, stimulating demand for care and encouraging referrals within a single chain. Veterinary surgeons are given less scope to make their own choices. This creates the risk that they will no longer act exclusively in the interests of the animal and its owner.

[Wilbro]

We are fortunate. A Belgian vet who speaks fluent French and English. Works from a surgery below her living accommodation and resides in a tiny hamlet. Very reasonable rates and will make home visits only charging for her fuel. Extremely kind with the animals and rails about French cruelty.
The town vet is appalling, only used once and very expensive as well as being rough with the animals and rude to humans!

[Blaze]

When we had horses, and they needed a course of injections such as antibiotics, the vets were quite happy to give us the vaccine. It saved their time and our pocket. I couldn't imagine any such thing with dogs/cats - but then a lot of their medication is tablet form. Domestic pets are real money spinners. Farmers often have their own medicine cupboards and will only call the vet if there's something serious that they can't handle themselves.

@Mad - I know the feeling ! The légiste used to love showing me his latest human part in a jar .... the smell of formaldehyde was nauseating enough. He was always thrilled to bits to find something unusual ... and loved showing it off.

[Loup-garou]

We are fortunate without a doubt. Our vet (15k away) is owned by a husband and wife, both vets, and they have another qualified vet in the domestic animal team. The majority of the nursing and reception staff have all been there many years.That's the domestic facilities; there is a separate team for farm animals. Perhaps we stick out, having had five dogs (now four) so visits have been/are frequent plus the many call ins for repeat medications as dogs age. That said, two other households in our village have four or more dogs but they are used for hunting, rarely walked, seen or taken to the vets perhaps.

The practice was the ground floor of the vet's house but several years ago a purpose built surgery was built and they have most of the latest stuff available. Despite that, prices are very good and their care is first class. I make one exception, having had much experience of poorly or injured dogs over the years, we often find it necessary to suggest further or additional checks or referrals to specialist vets (Dijon or Nancy in our case). If an Xray or blood test is advised the vet always asks if that is acceptable - I've always put that down to other local owners being reluctant to spend money on their animals.

The only down side is that the owners are of an age and who can predict what will become of the practice if they retire.

[exile]

Our previous vets were excellent. Husband and wife, both Belgian so had some command of English when things got complex. They however were bought out by a group and after a time were moved on and replaced by a single vet. As far as we could ascertain he had severe sight problems - never did the paperwork, handing it over to the secretary, and looked to be feeling his way around the animals. After the third visit like this we upped sticks and moved to the other vet in town. A year later, the original vet had closed - what a surprise!

The town now has only one vet and we have noticed that they have recently been taking on a lot of newly qualified vets to support them and with a degree of turnover. I hope this is just to deal with the increased demand and not a sign that an external company is sending in newbies for training.

Prices have risen, but then they do and I haven't noted any extreme increases and we still get our "bulk buying" discount.

[Wilbro]

@Blaze and
Our vet gave me antibiotics to inject in one of our cats and I managed fine. Her who oversees everything was well impressed. I've watched the vet do it so many times on our two cats I found it quite easy.

[Hotrodder]

This topic was discussed on LBC radio this morning and some eye watering fees were mentioned. For example a charge of over £500 for a simple injection to make a dog vomit some (toxic) raisins it had eaten. The owner later did some research and found the cost of the drug was about £30. The reasons for the huge increases in vet bills also apply elsewhere in Europe.

Panorama explores the topic tonight on BBC1 if you have the means.

[Loup-garou]

I was listening to Radio 4 one morning a couple of weeks ago when vet bills were being discussed. The Today Programme had invited some Bod who was a spokesperson for an/the association of veterinary practices or some such organisation. During the interview, he said in justifying vet bills "The public has to realise that a domestic pet is a luxury item and so can be expected to be expensive".

Absolute arrogance, in my view, which denies a huge swathe of reasons why people keep/need pets.