THE CANADIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL LA REVUE VETiRINAIRE CANADIENNE Volume 17

September-septembre 1976

No. 9

PROBE '76 SONDAGE "Sondage '76" fait partie d'un programme parraine par le chapitre de Guelph de r'association canadienne des etudiants veterinaires. Cette annee, le comite d'organisation se composait de: R. Hayes, V. Politi, S. Reesor et R. G. Thomson. On pria les conf6renciers de remettre les textes de leurs communications et R. G. Thomson les a remanies en tenant compte des exigences de la Revue veterinaire

Probe '76 is part of a yearly program sponsored by the Guelph Chapter of the Canadian Veterinary Students Association. The organizing committee for this year was composed of R. Hayes, V. Politi, S. Reesor and R. G. Thomson. Written submissions were requested from the speakers and these were prepared in the format of the Journal by R. G. Thomson.

canadienne.

THE EDITOR

LE REDACTEUR

THE VETERINARY PROFESSION: A PRACTITIONER'S VIEW OF THE PUBLIC'S OPINION R. W. Stonehouse* I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU for the opportunity to participate in the program today. Perhaps we are touching upon one of the most underrated and urgent problems our profession faces. I make that statement feeling that our public image is ill and requires radical therapy; this affects everyone in this room depending to a lesser or greater extent upon their direct contact with the public. The old adage of not judging a book by its cover is filled with great wisdom but unfortunately many minds in the public are relatively empty and they do just what they should not. A well considered opinion of small animal veterinary medicine is generally what we would desire the public to have. A legitimate overview of veterinary medicine, based on substantial factual impact and bearing in mind its various members and the great range of services they offer is what we wish to be the opinion of the public. However, in real life the public's opinion is most often not based on

*Amherst Veterinary Hospital, 3206 East. Toronto. Ontario.

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hard facts but impressions, innuendos, accusations and erroneous statements. The modem tools of communication - the radio, TV, media, newspaper, etc., can significantly change the image of any group if a directed effort is undertaken to mold public opinion. It is significant to note that our profession has for the most part in the past adopted a "head in the sand" approach to public relations and as a result the opinions that I shall outline, I feel, have been formed without significant input from organized veterinary medicine. In this respect our professional book cover has not been polished and cared for as required to reflect the quality of material. Having been given the topic of presenting the public's image of small animal medicine I should contain my remarks to relate how they feel about us. However, in expressing what must be an honest report revealing some areas of criticism of veterinarians, I must with the same certainty allow myself to say that I do not necessarily agree, and in most cases strongly disagree, with complaints I will bring

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As a result the image of our service is before you. I chose to be a veterinarian originally. I'm happy being a practising veteri- almost constantly clouded by the willingness narian. If I had the choice of being any other of the consumer to spend his dollars, and any professional today I would still be a veter- comment invariably reflects this issue. When inarian. To relate criticism is only helpful if purchasing a new Ford truck $76 for white the positive steps required to change the pres- stripes on the side of the box is considered ent state will be taken in the future. I trust "chic" but $68 for a one time neutering operathis is our purpose here today. It is with this tion in the life of your supposed loved pet is conviction I shall now discuss with you at your considered outrageous. The increased sophistirequest my thoughts on the bad news to cation of our practices, the increase in number of veterinarians and the cost the public must follow. My thoughts reflect, first, the general views pay for our services all contribute to the conof the overall public and then I shall try to cept that we are a well paid few given a outline various groups of people and their monopoly to practise by virtue of our educamore specific opinions of veterinary medicine. tion. I give you the words but these are the In the shaping of our public image we must realize that we are offering a service to thoughts from people's minds. If I had the the public that it does not really want to con- same opinion of myself, I assure you I would sume but for various reasons is forced to by not be here today. If all my clients had that circumstance. In this respect we are all simi- ignorant concept I could not practise on a lar to the dentist, to the funeral director, to daily basis. Within society there are special the automobile and TV repairman. For the groups of people who by virtue of their special most part, our service I feel would be regarded interests have different opinions of veteras adequate and indeed perhaps sometimes inarians. Fortunately some of them are enoffering more service than is required, at an lightened people, they are the small percentage especially high price, which allows the small of animal owners who utilize veterinary seranimal veterinarian to live exceedingly well vices. For the purpose of this presentation I think that my clientele can be broken down off the problems of people and their pets. Why does the public think that we are a into two groups. Firstly, the consumer who boom industry? Allow me to expand this im- pays, appreciates and is grateful and secondly, pression of mine with specific examples to the one who pays and feels ripped off. The illustrate the point. There has been an obvious consumer who feels ripped off, believes the rise in the standard of service for pets from fees charged are excessive even more so when the early 1950's to the present day. During he figures the dog was just a stray mutt and this time small animal facilities have under- he did not really have to pay for it in the first gone the transition from small offices often place. He justifies his opinion by equating the associated with the veterinarian's home to cost of repair to some intrinsic value of the large self-contained hospitals accredited by dog or cat. He is unaware of the sophistication official bodies such as the "American Hospital of medicine required to heal the ailment beAssociation". The message to the public is cause in his own mind he believes "animals clear then: it would appear that there must heal themselves" and had it not been for the be "good money" in the service, otherwise why constant demands by his children and his are the buildings bigger and better each year? wife, his own dog would have recovered his It is well recognized almost as a public health at home as dogs used to do years ago platitude that people are devoted to their when he was a child. He has been forced to consume, does not animals and will spend anything to take care of them. With the growth in the number of appreciate the service, and likely is just close veterinarians in Toronto from approximately enough to the red line of the family finances 20 in 1950 to 150 in 1975 again the public is that the veterinarian represents a devil he assured that this must be the case. We can must live with but not really by choice. accept our growth in numbers but why must Thoughts of the extent or expertise of the the public always feel that we grow rich at service rendered never enter his mind, only the ultimate unnecessary cost. their expense. In the opposite corner finally (thank goodIt follows naturally when human medicine is all paid for by the government the cost of ness!) is the friend of the veterinarian, the veterinary medicine becomes a greater source animal lover, the concerned owner, the aware of irritation for owners. Indeed, in the same consumer, formally educated or not, young or way, people now begin to expect the govern- old, who realies the cost of land and medical btuildings, the length of training necessary to ment to allow free dental care for all. 224

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become qualified and the extent of medical skill that must be applied to repair a cruciate ligament in the knee of a five pound Chihuahua or a 175 pound St. Bernard. He or she appreciates the ancillary staff that must be present to ensure an efficient hospital and demands that the patient not only live through the ordeal but do so with minimum discomfort. These people insist that aseptic technique be used to assure the best results, are aware that short steps could be taken in our procedures but demand an organ profile on the patient before elective work is carried out so that they and the veterinarian can best foretell the outcome. The pet comes first and cost they know will be significant but not out of line with other services offered to the public today. They are my best friends. I wish there were more clients like them, but every practice has a few of them. They make my life a challenge and our medicine fun. Consumers dealt with, we must deal with smaller groups within society. Perhaps the most visual groups would be the humane societies. Traditionally they have been the saviours of many animals from death in the street, starvation and sickness. They have sheltered animals, found homes for them and taken them to veterinarians when they needed medicine. Our relationship has not always been the best. They required services many times for little or no money and sometimes it was given but all too often it was turned down. They ask the question "Why couldn't the veterinarian fix the broken leg, just this once?" and then again and again. They were stopped for financial reasons and the veterinarians became cruel, unhelpful, cold, money conscious and on the opposite side of the fence. Our suggestions to "put it to sleep" have created hard feelings that are still present today and many people in the humane movement presently feel that veterinarians do not really care about their own business. Fortunately the current humane society organizers are more aware of daily cost to operate pounds with paid attendants and they themselevs have tried to give health services to the animals and have failed because even with donations from the public they have found that they could not withstand the expenses of subsidized medical health services for all animals. It is now readily realized that many animals must be euthanized for financial reasons and there is a general mood of expanding cooperation between humane groups and veterinarians. The most critical public opinion comes from these people who have a vested expressed interest in animals. It is a great failure that

we have not had a better rapport with them because they are the greatest resource of general public concern on any animal issue. To point out their feelings I had a friend of mine at the Toronto Humane Society ask her friends to record their opinion of veterinarians. I feel in view of the foregoing discussion I shall repeat for you this material that was collected informally from five citizens who consume veterinary medicine but also by virtue of their humane work, are knowledgeable about our people. (a) Veterinarians: We need them, they should be open 24 hours. Animals do not get sick on an 8 to 4 basis. They charge too much. They should be trying to make animals well and not trying to make their pocketbooks bigger. Spay clinics should be made available at a reasonable price or free to the public. (b) Veterinarians: My public opinion of veterinarians is that on the whole they are thoughtful and helpful when someone is in need with a sick animal. On the other hand I believe they do absolutely nothing to prevent the pet overpopulation problem and I would have more respect for their profession if they organized low cost spaying and neutering clinics in the big cities such as Toronto. (c) Veterinarians: Although some veterinarians do have recorded telephone messages, on the whole veterinarians do not. Many veterinarians will respond only to their own clients. There should be more emergency clinics in the northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast. Veterinarians should charge less for spaying and support a spay clinic. The charge of $20 for any after hours emergency is merely to prod the veterinarians into responding and it discourages many many people. (d) Veterinarians: The veterinarian I take my pet to now is just great. I think his rates are quite good, reasonable. One of my cats was sick for three weeks. I called him on New Year's Day and he was willing to reassure me and even see the cat. He was sensitive to my worrying and he was kind to both my cat and myself. I don't mind paying inflated prices if the veterinarian inspires confidence in me. I have stopped going to a number of veterinarians because: (i) they were "show-offy" and (ii) they were rough with cats. I like veterinarians. I am inclined to like them. I feel that people who get along

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that we have not been able to communicate to these people that the services we render (e) Veteirinarians: If I had not encountered are by nature expensive and surgery cannot several experiences which proved me be performed at 1950 prices. The fault is ours wrong, I would still be under the im- not theirs. We have paid great attention to the pression that all veterinarians are great quality of our service. The students today are people. Some of them have proven to be better trained than ever before. The hospitals great and competent businessmen. Of in which they practise are subjected to stancourse you could generalize as with all dards of regulations that never existed before. people, there are those who take their Yet the public still expects fees to be charged work seriously and perform to the best of equivalent to those of the horse doctor of old. In summation, I feel that the general public their ability at all times and those who would rather get things done with as is ignorant of veterinary medicine in toto, its little effort as possible. The thing that many facets, its many services to the public. annoys me however, is that the average The city person is aware of my type of cliniperson has no way of finding out which cian, the farmer sees the large animal veterveterinarians are the former type and inarian and together this is supposed to be which come in the latter group, except of veterinary medicine. The regulatory officers, course by trial and error, or by referral, fisheries and wildlife experts, researchers, pubperhaps. Some kind of check should be lic health officials, university staffs, industrial kept to ensure high standards in veteri- veterinarians and veterinary members of the nary care, done by the public not CVMA. human health teams generally are lost to the Also vets should be more geared towards public's eye. It is not their fault. It is mine helping animals, by looking at their prices and as young people about to graduate it will I would suggest that their main interests soon be partially yours. With your help and enthusiasm, organized veterinary medicine may lie in their bank accounts. accept the challenges to enlighten the public. So those are five impromptu opinions from Progress can be made with a persistent and members of the Humane Society of a large consistent public relations program. With our city. The Humane Society itself dispenses head out of the sand we must tell the public veterinary medicine and really they should be about veterinary research to help animals and more aware of our services than they have man, about foot and mouth disease, be proud revealed themselves to be by their comments. and brag about our accomplishments in the In 1976 with high land and building costs, past and our plans for the future, explain hospital labour, drug costs and a standard of brucellosis, heartworm in dogs, lymphosarpractice expected by the public almost equal coma in cats and taxoplasmosis. We have a in completeness to the general medicine dis- great job of educating ahead of us and perpensed for humans, it is a complete failure haps today is one of the first steps. with animals will get along with me and

mine.

VETERINARY MEDICINE - THE PUBLIC'S OPINION VIEWS FROM A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION K. R. Kessler* THANK YOU FOR EXTENDING to the American Veterinary Medical Association and me the privilege of participating in "Probe '76". We are delighted to be asked to tell you what

*Public Information Director, American Veterinary Medical Association, 930 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60196. 226

organized veterinary medicine believes to be the public's opinion of the profession. This assignment might be fairly easy to fulfill if I could quote some official association statement or a public opinion survey, but we have no such documents. What I'll offer instead are some observations from a representative of one veterinary medical association,

The veterinary profession: a practitioner's view of the public's opinion.

THE CANADIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL LA REVUE VETiRINAIRE CANADIENNE Volume 17 September-septembre 1976 No. 9 PROBE '76 SONDAGE "Sondage '76" fait parti...
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