Dear Editor,

It disappoints me that people are so quick to pass judgement. I am also disappointed by the letter to the editor that slammed all veterinarians and accused them of having a hunger for money over a love for animals. First, how do you know that the extra costs incurred were not tests and medications that ultimately saved your animal’s life? I agree that the client should have been notified of the extra costs, but to assume that the vet is only concerned about the total bill, and not the livelihood of the animal, is not fair.

Second, I’d like to share a story about my vet experience. I have a 13-year-old dog. Sparing you all of his medical history, he basically has bad teeth. I assumed he needed a sedated dental cleaning and extractions every year. Twelve months after the initial procedure, I booked him in for another cleaning. After dropping my beloved pooch off at the vet and returning home, the phone was ringing. It was the doctor calling me to come and pick up my dog. I questioned the vet, and the reply was, “his teeth look great and don’t need to be cleaned. Given his advanced age, I would not want to put him under anesthetic when it’s unnecessary. I definitely wouldn’t do this if it was my dog.” I was surprised, but happy. After thinking about it a little further, I realized that not only did I not pay the vet for the “big dental bill”, but that time slot was not filled by any other clients. The vet and staff did not make money off me that day or other potential customers. This was done out of a profound love for animals.

So, although you had one bad experience, it is unfair to paint all vets with the same brush. I’d also encourage you to speak with your vet about the costs. All fees will be justifiable, I’m sure. These people do care about your animals. I will rescue an animal in the future and I will seek veterinary care here in Okotoks, where I trust the judgement and care of the professionals here.

Tara Casey

Okotoks

Comments

The Okotoks Western Wheel welcomes your opinions and comments. We do not allow personal attacks, offensive language or unsubstantiated allegations. We reserve the right to delete comments deemed inappropriate. We reserve the right to close the comments thread for stories that are deemed especially sensitive. For further information, please contact the editor or publisher.