How to be upfront with your vet about money.

The Dr. House of Veterinarians

When I chose to pursue a career as a veterinarian, I imagined I would be like a Dr. House for animals, where I would use my detective skills to find out whether their precious mittens had fleas or ate too much catnip. I dreamed that with all of the knowledge I gained in vet school, my keen physical exam skills, and state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, I would diagnose even the most obscure illnesses and save patients from the brink of death. I imagined clients would thank me profusely and cry tears of joy as they saw "Spot" with a spring in his step and able to run again after two clinics couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.

The best Vets in life are FREE??!!

I have experienced these made-for-tv moments several times throughout my career. But the harsh reality that I never prepared for was all the times I would be called cold-hearted, money-hungry, or, worst of all, be blamed for the death of a pet because the owner could not afford the necessary treatments to save them.

I have discounted treatments and diagnostics. I've used animal care donation funds to help pets because their owners couldn't afford treatment. In some cases, I have even charged $0.00…and then finally, it hit me.

Why should I be made to feel ashamed and appalled by charging people for a service that few are skilled enough to provide?

Why is it my responsibility to find a way to pay for someone else's pet's care?

Why don't people understand that I, like most, have a family to care for, bills to pay, and an overwhelming amount of student loan debt?

In 2019, Veterinarians graduated with the average student loan debt balance of $183,302.

We don't all live in big mansions and drive Aston Martins…no, we are struggling…HARD...just like you. So yes, we are out here trying to make a fair wage, facing record inflation, short-staffed, just like your car mechanic, your CPA, your landscaper, and your kid's school teacher. We chose this career to save animals; unsurprisingly, it costs us a lot of money.

There is an opportunity to talk more about the costs and educate a bit more about why tests or diagnostics cost what they do. Remember owners don't understand why stuff costs so much. Let's go further to articulate why great veterinary care will cost you, and that's fair.

Take care of your Fur babies!

Pets are a responsibility, just like children. They require care that they cannot provide. When you adopt or purchase a pet, you should view it as taking on the responsibility not only to feed and shelter that animal but also to provide and pay for medical care, including preventive care such as vaccines, health checks, emergency and sick care. You should plan to set aside money for these pet care costs. You shouldn't assume you will never need to pay for medical care for the life of your pet. We, as veterinarians, understand emergencies can be scary and stressful, and the unexpected costs can be overwhelming. This is exactly why you should be upfront about your financial situation so we can work with you to provide the best possible care considering your finances .

It's not about the money.

Our job is to examine your pet and recommend diagnostics and treatments. If you are upfront with your vet about cost concerns, we can create a care plan to fit your budget. Please understand that this may not be the ideal diagnostic or treatment plan and that when you limit our abilities to perform the recommended options we discuss, you limit our ability to accurately diagnose and treat your pet properly.

How Inflation has affected the Veterinary Industry.

Complaining about how ridiculous our costs are or how you could "own a wing of the clinic" with how much you just spent on your pet does not show that you respect us as a profession. We use high-tech equipment(like?*), sometimes even more advanced than your doctor's office, to diagnose and treat various illnesses and injuries in multiple species. THIS COST MONEY! And because we are also people with lives outside of our jobs, inflation affects us too, and therefore, we have to occasionally increase the cost of our services to keep the lights on in our clinic and pay our staff. Here are some tips to improve your relationship with your vet regarding money and provide the best care for your furry loved one.

1. Get pet insurance

If you get a kitten, puppy, horse, etc, please immediately get pet insurance. There are many different companies out there now that provide excellent plans for a variety of budgets. Keep in mind that the sooner you do this, the less likely your pet will have "pre-existing" Conditions that may not be eligible for coverage.

2. Start an Emergency Fund

Start an emergency fund with a platform like Digit or another budgeting app that automatically takes an amount out of your account regularly so that it is set aside. Automated options are the best because you won't have to worry about forgetting each paycheck to put aside a small percentage toward your pet's medical care.

3. Be honest about what you can afford.

Be honest and upfront with your vet when presented with an estimate for care. We are not in the business of judging you for what you can afford. Nothing is more frustrating for us than to be clear about the cost only to find out after the fact that you cannot afford the services we already provided.

4. Don't take out your frustrations on us.

Finally, please avoid taking out your financial frustrations on your vet. We are only trying to do our job. We are not volunteers. We deserve the same respect as medical doctors and physicians. We are empathetic, more so than most other professionals you may encounter. Don't take advantage of that, be thankful for that. We really want to help you, we didn't enter this career to make a quick buck. We genuinely are in it for the love of what we do. Don't make us regret it, otherwise it will become harder and harder to find great veterinary care for your pet.