Veterinary industrial complex

[sonia]

My cat Lilac has inflammatory bowel disease, controlled with a vet-provided food and vet-provided prednisolone. I don't like my vet, but haven't been able to find a satisfactory replacement, so I decided I was willing to keep giving them money periodically to buy food and medicine.

This time, when I went for a medicine refill, they said I had to bring her in for a checkup "by law" and went off on a long rap on all the horrible things the medicine could be doing to her. Funny, they didn't harass me about that last time I got a refill. Anyway, it was a horrible, bullying conversation and now I need a new vet.

There is a local home-visit vet whose staff is wonderfully respectful, but they charge $150 per appointment. I can't swing that if Lilac ever needs several visits in succession.

I talked to another home-visit vet who "only" charges $95, but she didn't seem to understand the concept that I do not have the spare energy to hand-prepare Lilac's food. It was also way too hard to contact her by phone. I think she's too earthy-crunchy for cell phones or something.

There is a vet clinic that has been recommended to me repeatedly, but they're nearly 6 miles away. I don't mind biking that far, but I don't think Lilac will appreciate the trip in a bike trailer. Oh well, I guess she'll have to put up with it once a year to get the medicine she needs.

I find it chilling to be at the mercy of people I fundamentally disagree with about health and healing. Lilac needs the medicine, so I have to take her in to some vet. I don't believe in doing tests unless they'll change my actions, and I don't believe in interventions that destroy quality of life. Most vets seem to believe in tests as "prevention," and expensive, painful interventions as a matter of course. They're running a business, you see. They seem to enjoy their power over animals and their owners.

I suddenly feel lucky that I don't need medicines for my own health that would put me at the mercy of the human medical industrial complex. My sympathies to everyone who is dealing with that!

Comments

[laughingrat]

Oh gosh, that's really creepy and sad. I'm very sorry. I wish you had better vet options in your area; it's a crummy feeling, having to worry about pet care choices. :(

[sonia]

Thanks for understanding. I'm surprised by the lack of good options myself. I've been asking people for recommendations and doing internet searches for years and nothing better is showing up.

[jesse_the_k]

Ohhhh. I am so sad to read about your cat's and your suffering.

[sonia]

Thank you.