food opinion from a veterinary nutritionist

[Ginny Nightingale]

My daughter, who is a vet and hears me sing the praises of grain-free dog food, posted this article online today from a veterinary nutritionist...grain-free is not necessarily better according to her...but the other foods seem to be all corn or wheat--what is best?

http://now.tufts.edu/articles/grain-free-diet-healthier-my-dogs-and...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It seems this discussion has gotten pretty far off track, lol, Unfortunately, I don't know very many young doctors and if I did, I probably wouldn't be discussing finances with them. I do know a considerable number of vets both young and old but also wouldn't presume to ask them about their finances. So let's assume your anecdotal info is correct, and young vets are more concerned about repaying their student loans and are struggling more to do so than young doctors.

If the premise then is that vets have to recommend and/or sell junky food to their clients for their own financial well-being, I don't think that does much to improve people's respect for veterinarians. :) 

[Bonnie and Kona]

Ginny, I am so glad your daughter has this opportunity to have her school loans repaid in some doable fashion because she is in an area where there are few vets and low incomes! I think that is wonderful! I am glad there is a program like that! 

[DonMarie and Picco]

Good for you daughter!  Sounds like she practically guaranteed a job - and a busy one!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You know, this topic of vets trying to sell unnecessary goods and services because they have heavy financial debt has come up before, in another discussion you started: http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/anyone-had-this-issue-with...

In that discussion, you felt that someone's vet was recommending an unnecessary procedure simply to run up a big bill, and said: 

"I think small animal vets, especially young ones, are suffering financially so maybe greed is the wrong word---it should be survival--there was a big article in the NY Times recently that my daughter sent me about how little vets are making in comparison to their loans, which often total over $200,000--most have to spread the loans over 30 years and even then they have a tough time making loan payments while trying to pay for a home, etc.

My daughter works on commission which she HATES since she makes more money only if she has more clients and/or more expensive treatments or medications (she does large animal calls 4 days a week and small animals 1 day a week--she makes 2x as much money a day when seeing small animals). It is a cruel truth that vets are forced into selling items and treatments the same way a car salesman would sell you a car--I am sure that is not where their heart is, but the bills must be paid."

I think you're not the only person who has felt that way; we see members here all the time hesitating to take a dog to the vet because "I never get out of there for less than $100" and complaining about charges for every little thing. I think probably more than anything else if there is a lack of respect for the profession, it's that kind of belief, that the vet is ripping them off, basically, that causes it. 

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

What does a new vet make and a veteran vet (!) make annually ?  Any figures ?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think some of that would depend on whether they own a practice or work for someone else. 

[DonMarie and Picco]

Or have a reality TV show :-)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

LOL

[Ginny Nightingale]

I know that my vet daughter, who works her tail off, but has the expenses and equipment paid for by the company she works for. So, if she takes in $200,000 in a year, she keeps 80K of it--now if she had to pay for her gas and buy all the equipment herself, it would be very hard to stay afloat. Her friend did that, but his wife is a doctor making over $200,000 a year and his family has money too. So, I am not sure how he does but he has a lot of support. 

We have a new vet in town who just bought a retiring vet's practice--his wife is a doctor too, so I guess that helps!

[Bonnie and Kona]

My son is a pastor. He went to graduate school for years and does not get to charge his clients to pay off his loans. I think that thinking is a bit jaded. If someone chooses a profession that requires graduate school loans they aren't all charging their clients, patients or parishioners for their education. I mean, why should vets do that, but other professions cannot or do not? I don't get it. My daughter has her degree in social work... same thing... years of graduate school plus internships and 3000 hours before she could even take her exams for a license, but she worked for a non-profit so there was no charging for the big school loans. 

We have gone to a vet that was clearly trying to get us to have tests and procedures that were unnecessary. We switched to a vet that definitely did not do that and honestly the care was better. Since then we moved and we are stuck again with a vet's clinic that tries to push procedures that are unnecessary. I am not saying your daughter is doing that or that she doesn't need help to figure out how to pay her loans back. I just don't think that it is ethical for vet practices or doctor's offices to make those assumptions. 

[Bonnie and Kona]

I have two dogs and never leave the vets' office for under $300. $100 days are long, long gone! 

[jenn D]

Karen, I'm so glad you chimed in on this. Im getting into a very heated discussion with a vet friend about this very topic and article. I'm sticking with grain free food- my doodles never have digestive issues on it.