Comments on: Sustainability http://communityvet.net Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:17:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rich Ploeg http://communityvet.net/sustainability/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Rich Ploeg Sun, 31 May 2009 09:12:56 +0000 http://vetinsider.wordpress.com/?page_id=56#comment-15 How can we not question the manner in which we currently practice veterinary medicine especially with reagrd to the 'palliative' end of the market. Where do we draw the line. When have we spent too much on Poochie's palliative care and realise that a small portion of the monies spent could be redirected into the 'preventative' course of a new companion and the remainder utilised in a globally responsible manner. This is where the veterinary professional meets the disgusting free market economy and the disconnected existence of the modern pet owner. Don't get me wrong...I deeply honour the pet-human bond. I believe it is a union that is to be honoured and cherished. However, our profession needs to ensure that we don't manipulate this connection solely for financial gain utilising it as a justification for professional masturbation. I work in a sector were I regularly hear of extreme acts of veterinary professionl bravado. Thousands of dollars spent on sustaining dying animals for relatively short periods. This satisfies us as a profession and the owner alike...."We've done everthing we can" but it doesn't value the quality of the animals life or address the major issue at hand, the complete disconnection of the modern urbanite from the cycle of existence. It is the loss of this connection with the essence of life that has got the planet into the state it is in. That which brings into question the sustainability of our very existence. We as a profession are uniquely positioned to act to bring about a revolution in this thinking. How can we not question the manner in which we currently practice veterinary medicine especially with reagrd to the ‘palliative’ end of the market. Where do we draw the line. When have we spent too much on Poochie’s palliative care and realise that a small portion of the monies spent could be redirected into the ‘preventative’ course of a new companion and the remainder utilised in a globally responsible manner. This is where the veterinary professional meets the disgusting free market economy and the disconnected existence of the modern pet owner. Don’t get me wrong…I deeply honour the pet-human bond. I believe it is a union that is to be honoured and cherished. However, our profession needs to ensure that we don’t manipulate this connection solely for financial gain utilising it as a justification for professional masturbation.

I work in a sector were I regularly hear of extreme acts of veterinary professionl bravado. Thousands of dollars spent on sustaining dying animals for relatively short periods. This satisfies us as a profession and the owner alike….”We’ve done everthing we can” but it doesn’t value the quality of the animals life or address the major issue at hand, the complete disconnection of the modern urbanite from the cycle of existence. It is the loss of this connection with the essence of life that has got the planet into the state it is in. That which brings into question the sustainability of our very existence. We as a profession are uniquely positioned to act to bring about a revolution in this thinking.

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