Welcome to the Herd

By Heather McCauley,American Thinker

While the health care debate rages on,few seem to have noticed a functioning American health care system that has operated successfully for decades. Patients enjoy a spectrum of choices ranging from plain vanilla to cutting-edge. Practitioners openly discuss expected outcomes,complication rates,benefits,and costs ahead of time. Fees,established entirely by the marketplace,are reasonable enough so that everyone who truly seeks care can obtain it,and the lifespan and quality of life are excellent and improving every day. This system is veterinary medicine.

It is important to recognize the two major divisions of veterinary medicine.

In companion animal medicine,care is paid for with the pet owner’s discretionary income. Owners —the clients —make decisions regarding the pet’s care —the patient —based on finances,emotional attachment,and their personal philosophy about pets. For some,it’s "just a dog,"while for others,the family dog is considered a member of the family. More than a few spouses are careful not to probe too deeply about their own rank in comparison to a beloved pet.

Large animal medicine takes a different tack. These animals are used for industry —food production,breeding farms,racing,and so on. (The lines are blurred in some cases,such as horses that are really pets,and greyhounds used for racing.) "The client"here is the manager,producer,or trainer,while the "patient"is the dairy herd,the swine operation,or the overall breeding potential of a winning stallion. While humane treatment is an important factor,the goals are maximizing performance,productivity,and profit. Large animal medicine focuses on designing a Herd Health Program,where the outcome of an individual case takes a backseat to the cost and benefit for the overall group.

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