I must apologise in advance for this post which is not about veterinary CPD at all; however I just have to say something on this issue. I expect most vets and nurses have seen Matthew Watkinsons ‘expose’ article of the veterinary profession by now- if not see the link below.
The article starts with the question ‘are vets the saints they are made out to be?’ In the article, Matthew goes on to say how ashamed he is to be part of our profession. He describes how pet insurance has assisted unscrupulous vets in forcing expensive, unnecessary and cruel treatments on unsuspecting pet owners.
Quote from the article:
‘But, however you look at it, insurance is simply a licence to print money. Unfortunately, the only creatures insurance helps are vets. If you are a loving owner you will not want to put your pet through cruel, lengthy and costly procedures.’
Hmmmm……Then he goes on to describe a greyhound that was recommended an amputation and chemotherapy because of ‘bone cancer’.
‘And even if it did give that greyhound an extra year or so of life, how could anyone explain to it that the suffering was for a reason? That lying in a small cage, surgically maimed, and hooked up to a drip for weeks, perhaps months, would be ‘worth it’.
Oh please! Where has this man been working? Who keeps a dog in a cage hooked up to a drip for weeks or months after an amputation? It’s far more likely to be home within a couple of days; much happier because it is now pain-free. Matthew also conveniently does not mention any of the multiple instances in which pets have been saved from extensive suffering or being euthanased unnecessarily. How about the dog with a fractured femur that requires plating; the crippled Labrador with hip dysplasia or the dachshund with multiple disc extrusions? All of these and many many more can be successfully treated and go on to have a much better quality of life. However money is required to pay for the practice facilities, theatre, equipment, gases, drugs, nurses, surgeon, cleaners, receptionists, etc etc. There is a lot involved in providing surgery and ongoing medical treatments effectively. And they have to be paid for.
Matthew’s clinical knowledge is decidedly suspect. I was relieved to see that he has not attended any of our veterinary CPD courses! And did I forget to mention that he is promoting a new book? I’m sure that has nothing to do with this sensationalist, inaccurate and misleading article, which is far more likely to have a negative effect on pet welfare than pet insurance, as owners (or Daily Mail – reading owners) resist treatments that would benefit their animals.
Please comment- I would love to hear what you think on this issue.
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I believe that after graduating, he worked in Large Animal Practice at the RVC initially (see UK Vet volume 7 issue 6 – article on cattle respiratory disease) and very much doubt that he has every worked in small animal practice (hence his apparent attitude of “if it’s lame, euthanase it”). Sadly I had the misfortune of graduating in the same year as him from the RVC, and can honestly say that i’m not particularly surprised by his recent behaviour. He wrote a similar letter to the Veterinary Times a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully I still believe that the vast majority of my colleagues are honest, hard-working professionals with sensible ethical views – unlike him!
I just read the article since it was front page on the VIN network. I can’t believe that someone would be so unfairly critical of our profession. I have worked in some aspect of the vet practice for over 14 years and have been a veterinarian for the last 3 years. I have worked in many different practices and have seen a variety of different ways to approach vet medicine however I have never seen blatent disregard for animal life or welfare in the hopes of making money. I am sure there are some vets out there that do this, however I’m sure they are in the minority and sadly people like that are in every business facet regardless of what job. The majority of us went into this profession because we love animals and want to help preserve the human animal bond, not because we thought we could get rich. Do I think that vets deserve to make money? Heck yes I do! We have worked just as hard as MD’s but with a lot less of the respect and prestige, have overwhelming debt from 8 years of school, and every day face new challenges that force us to go above and beyond. Not to mention dealing with fractious cats, anal glands, and grumpy clients that want nothing more then to sue you! We are constantly trying to educate the public about our profession and why certain treatments are now recommended (such as dental extractions when needed) and sadly this article just undermined the trust that clients should have in us. If we didn’t continue to move forward in treatment and advances we would still be in the dark ages of “bleeding the evil spirits out.” And really if this guy was such a saint then he should be giving his book away not selling it. Unbelievable!!!