The Corporate Takeover of Veterinarians

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162 – November/December, 2022

By Amy Fernandez

Successful dog breeding requires the painstaking coordination of countless moving parts. Pedigree research, health screenings, uncooperative studs, whelping complications, maternal and neonatal care–the fun never ends. Of course, we don’t do it alone. There’s much wisdom in that old saying “take care of the dogs and the kennel takes care of itself.” And nobody figures larger in that deal than our vets. That working relationship is the foundation of this endlessly evolving project. Moreover, it’s nothing like the transactional nature of other professional relationships. Accountants, lawyers, plumbers­–for a fee–give a highly skilled expert diagnosis that usually solves the problem. With our vets, it’s different. It truly is a partnership of trust and communication.

However, some readers may have noticed that it’s getting harder to tap into that crucial vet/breeder relationship. According to my vet, Dr. Hank Travis, communication is half the battle when it comes to accurate diagnosis and treatment. The patients don’t say much. As he explained to me during one of our longer than expected consultations, owners provide critical details–even when they’re not volunteering a lot. And after almost 50 years of practicing veterinary medicine, from a professional standpoint, he admits that achieving that essential rapport requires time and patience. Although his observation makes perfect sense, those critical elements of the deal seem to be getting scarce. Many vets don’t or won’t devote 30 minutes of face time to one client.

Dr. David Johnson and his wife, Judi, have been a perennial part of our local dog scene forever. Like Dr. Travis, he has been a practicing veterinarian long enough to see a clear pattern of change in his profession. He says, “Maybe I should just quit and go off and enjoy life, but the most unfortunate part is that I love what I do. We’ve been on many great vacations but after awhile I need to get back and check in on my clients.”

And that’s the thing, like Dr. Travis, Dr. Johnson has established relationships with his clients over the decades, getting to know generations of both clients and their animals along the way. (And from a breeder’s standpoint, nothing resonates more powerfully than that level of firsthand knowledge). He says, “We have built a big family around here. Clients will say things like, ‘I remember when you took care of that old horse for my kids’ or maybe a client comes in and you hold their hand when you need to break the news that you can’t save their cat or dog, or maybe they are crying because you just saved their dog.” Veterinary care doesn’t always bring good news. Even so, the relationships built through that work exceeds the normal definition of a professional service. Dr. Johnson calls it “an indescribably wonderful feeling.”

Click here to read the complete article
162 – November/December, 2022

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Posted by AnthonyA on Nov 18 2022. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.