Dogging it

I have had the privilege of working in many therapeutic markets, including the vet market.  So I learned a lot about all of the marketing in human and vet businesses.  I mean good, bad and ugly.  So the example.  My mom has my dad’s cat, Sambuca (after my dad’s fave closer).  She (the cat) has a wound that would not heal.  So she asked me about what to do.  Sambuca had gone through a round of antibiotics and wasn’t quite healed, so needed more.  But the vet charged $69.73 for the antibiotic.  My mom was torn by the cost and benefit.  So I said to my mom that she should get the prescription directly and fill it for cheap (or free) at the local market.  She had some trepidation, but ask for a prescription, not just paying the vet for the drugs.  When my mom asked, the vet was kind of taken aback (as who asks that sort of thing) and said she didn’t know where her prescription pad was, but my mom insisted and they produced it.  Turned out is wasn’t a free antibiotic, but got it filled at the local Wegmans for $9.00 (but a number of other antibiotics would have been free).  She was livid that her vet did this to her.  Playing on her emotional commitment for profit. 

Well, that’s how it works, pets or people.  There is a business being run that leverages its ‘authority’ to generate income, even if the ‘patient’ pays  a premium.   I don't’ begrudge anyone making a profit (that’s the way we all roll), but gouging folks, because they love their pets and trust their ‘doctors’ is a bad business model.  An evil business model.  Think about that the next time you go to the vet.