Veterinary Outrage Over “SmartMoney” Article

Posted on September 3, 2009

The magazine “SmartMoney” published an article in August titled, “10 Things Veterinarians Won’t Tell You” which has prompted a response from the AVMA and has upset many veterinarians and vet students. The article was interpreted by many veterinarians to cast the profession in an unfairly negative light as it relates to several issues including billing, competence, regulation, and specialization. The article can be read in its entirety and commented on at http://www.smartmoney.com/Spending/Rip-offs/10-Things-Your-Veterinarian-Wont-Tell-You-18069/

The AVMA issued a response stating that the article “missed the mark” when it comes to educating the public about what to ask their veterinarian and asserts that the article serves to promote fear and mistrust of veterinary professionals who are, by and large, some of the most committed and compassionate of all health care professionals. The response can be viewed at http://avma.org/issues/smart_money_10_things_letter.asp

The article and the response by AVMA certainly underscore the importance of close communication between veterinarians and clients about the benefits, risks, and costs of treatments and procedures.