New Vets

[Limomike]

As time goes one, It is becoming more and more difficult to find good vets around NE Oklahoma that care for cattle. Most of the vets now care for the smaller animals, or the only big animals they care for are horses. Plus, Oklahoma State Univ, is turning out classes of vets that are NOT into the bovine as well. This years class is almost comprised of 95% women, with the administrators taking them into the program due to "grades only". I do find this disturbing, just because its not the grades that make a good vet. I am not saying a woman cant do the job, because the only good vet close to me is a woman who will come out to the ranch to take care of cattle problems;, but she is about to start reconsidering doing that too.
Do you all find this is the trend across the country?

 

[Outrigger2]

yes. i think large animal vets are needed thru out the country. there definitely is more money in smaller animals, and better hours. you would be amazed that a 4 yr vet student doesn't know how to mix a MLV vaccine.

 

[Engler]

It's tough to find good vets everywhere. Dad's farm is 10 miles from a "great" vet school and I went through undergrad with a bunch of them, not pretty. Yes there are more women than men, yes there are a lot of book educated dumb donkeys that know squat about working cows, but those schools make the rules and until the demands change for finished product(new vets) than why change the process.

On the flip side, how many times have you heard about this- 3:00 in the morning(probably colder than @%#*), call for a hard pull, no working facilities, turns into a c-section, three hours later vet gives farmer a bill for $300 and the old guy about has the big one. Or the vet can have a puppy/kitty practice, 8:00-5:00 (maybe one evening/week), climate controled and you can tell old Mrs. Johnson 'I don't know if it will work, but we can try this to save Fluffy. It will cost $1,500 and it's 50:50 at best' and she'll do it.

I couldn't do the job. Six figure education and either I'd starve doing something I liked (large) or go crazy doing something I hate. I guess what I'm saying is when you do get a good vet do whatever you can to keep them because as I tried to tell a boss at one time-retaining a good employee is a lot cheaper, faster and easier than retraing a new employee.

 

[Brandonm2]

A small animal clinic can be a cash cow when it has the clientele. Some pretty young girl takes the appoinments, starts the computer file, and sends the clients into room 1, room 2, or room 3. A vet tech comes in, asks the standard questions, inputs that into the computer, takes the pet in for a weight and a fecal sample. The actual vet comes in the room ten minutes later. A vet tech gives her the already loaded syringes and holds pet. The vet engages in small talk with pet owner while giving shots, says that fluffie needs to change diets recommends this or that treatment and is on to the patient in the next room. The girl out front collects the money, doles out the perscriptions, and sets the next appoinment. They are seeing 12 to 16 patients an hour and are avging $150 a patient. If they have to do something difficult they get $300-3000. Mother's dog died and they brought out a catalog full of caskets and urns (if you wanted Fido cremated!). Unless a vet is just starved for work, I can't see how they can afford to be out in the field pulling calves.

 

[Outrigger2]

cat got a shot the other day. .25cc and it was $12. once you get the patients, i can see how going out at all hours can be a real pain. my wife is going to vet school for large animals. now she said she won't go into bus. by herself, but maybe go in with a small animal vet. i guess i will have to wait to retire

 

[braunvieh]

Our area is in a need for large animal vets. My husband was considering vet school and checked on the program. Unfortunately large animal vets are on the low end of the pay scale with the worst working conditions and hours of vets. Makes us really appreciate the ones we do have.

Kansas State Vet Med(and probably others) are giving special consideration to students that want to specialize in lg animal since there is such a large demand for them.

 

[braunvieh]

Our area is in a need for large animal vets. My husband was considering vet school and checked on the program. Unfortunately large animal vets are on the low end of the pay scale with the worst working conditions and hours of vets. Makes us really appreciate the ones we do have.

Kansas State Vet Med(and probably others) are giving special consideration to students that want to specialize in lg animal since there is such a large demand for them.

 

[ga. prime]

Our area is in a need for large animal vets. My husband was considering vet school and checked on the program. Unfortunately large animal vets are on the low end of the pay scale with the worst working conditions and hours of vets. Makes us really appreciate the ones we do have.

Kansas State Vet Med(and probably others) are giving special consideration to students that want to specialize in lg animal since there is such a large demand for them.

And then when they get set up in practice these "large animal vets" decide they want to be small animal vets.

 

[grannysoo]

Small town America here is South Georgia and I must say that we have one of the best vets you could ask for. Small animals, large animals, you name it, he will do it.

Makes farm calls, doesn't mind getting dirty, has complete inventory of supplies when he comes.

Loves what he does and it shows......

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

The only large animal vet we had up here retired this year so everyone with livestock has to travel 2 hours down the hill. So if an emergancy comes up there goes that right there. But my best friend is going to college to get into vet school to become a large animal vet. Luckily she is one who loves her work and doesnt much care about her pay scale. Just loves doing what she's good at.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Yes up around here large animal vets are hard to find. For the everyday type things we get an older gentleman six miles away to do it. For more serious things like gelding a horse or if we need to calfhood all of our heifers we get our trusted vet 40 miles away to come. He is out of a clinic that has about 8 total vets and there is one we will absolutely not have do any work for any of our animals. He's only a few years out of vet school and he was working on a horse for us, we couldn't get her bred. He wanted to do a $200 procedure first instead of us spending $50 on a swab and culture. Uh we chose the swab and culture, and you know what, it didn't turn out to be what he had thought. He also told us one of our dogs was fat and we should only give her 1/2 a cup of food a day. I don't think so. My wife got her Bachelors in Animal Science and minor in Ag Business and I tried to get her to apply to vet school, but she said she was tired of school already and was ready to get on with our lives. Oh well, she likes her job now and that's all that matters.

 

[rouxshortorn]

just lost another one around here to small animals. You would think these vets doing small animals would take care of large animals also.I always here them talk about how much they like working with animals.But I guess it's all about the money?? Had a girl aound here who wanted to become a vet , but needed a letter of recconmendation from a vet, but apperently the vet could only write one letter per year.Needless to say,she was'nt the one.She farms cattle both dairy/beef,I think it's our loss. I try to learn all I can so I'm not so dependent on the vet,in the same respect that don't help the local vet.

 

[shorty]

We still have a few vets that will come out for cattle , most of them work thru big vet clinics (expensive) they sent a woman out a couple times she specialized in horses but she was good with cattle too. When she wasn't quite sure she called the cattle vet for his advice.

 

[GMN]

This reminds me of a thing that happened a few months back. One of our Vets came out with a student intern, a young girl, who swore she wanted to be a large animal vet. The reason for the visit was a dead calf inside of a dairy cow, that had to be pulled out. I will never forget the look on that students face when the calf came out, thankfully in 1 piece, I thought she was going to faint, she got real green and said she wasn't feeling that good. Valerie the lady Vet, and me just kind of exchanged looks. Later in hte week Valerie was out again for the same cow, and she said she wasn't too sure if the student had what it took to work on large animals.

One of the Vets just retired, my fave Vet, a true large animal Vet, loved the animals and the work, I really miss him. I think the clinic we use will continue to do large animals, but I know they make easy money with the small animals. lets face it, us farmers are tightwads, whereas a dog, cat, etc.. owner is more than willing to spend money to make their pet well again, and I know the work involved with large animals is more strenuous, it takes physical strength to manhandle these cows sometimes, and its definetely not a job for someone who wants a easy way to make a living.

GMN

 

[jkwilson]

IMO, something's going to have to give. For 90% of what a large animal vet does, most of the education is a waste of time. Most cowmen and women with a few years experience and something besides empty space between their ears already know most of what they need to be a cow vet. A lower grade of vet who doesn't have to have as much schooling would be a real good deal for those of us who raise cattle.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Maybe what the large animal vet industry needs is to train some "Physician's Assistants" (P.A.'s) like they do in the human health care industry.

The PA could do essentially everything except major surgery (e.g., cesearian sections, colic surgery, etc.)

If an animal then needed more attention, then haul it (if can) to a large animal hospital (assuming the animal's value would justify the hosptial costs).

One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to pull a calf, A.I., treat minor injuries, suture wounds, vaccinate, etc. HOWEVER, they DO need specialized training (e.g., a 2 year Vet Assistant program).

Bottomline "estimated" charges:

Cattle Procedure: $50.
Horse Procedure: $500.
Small Animal "Fluffy" Procedure: $1,000.

THIS is why we are pathologically short on large animal vets...plus the fact that the current generation of young people often have an aversion to getting their hands dirty and especially doing WORK.

JMO

 

[Alan]

This is a good thread on Vets. In my eyes, an accurate thread on Vets. Vets do make a lot more money on Fluffy then they do on cows. Plus, as someone stated eariler on, I think most cattle folk can't justify spending $1000 to save a calf they will sell down the road for $500. I think the bovine industry still complains more about vet cost than equine or small animal..... that is a headache for a Vet. Also a Vet has never lost a day of work from being kicked by fluffy the dog.

The problem with having a lesser degree for a PA is the PA would still have to write or sell prescription drugs and may need to have a DEA license for controled drugs. I don't see the Vet indrustry allowing this to happen. Vets spend 8 years to get out on their own as a Vet and 6 figures for the education, I think they would fight a PA system hard, this on top of going through the FDA and DEA. In addition a PA would not be able to preform any type of surgery above cutting off a wart. PA's would have to work for a licensed Vet and make enough $ for their salary plus expenses,plus enough profit to justify the PA.

JMO,
Alan

 

[Vicky the vet]

Also a Vet has never lost a day of work from being kicked by fluffy the dog.

Alan

Well, I know of vets who have had to take months off for bites in the face, detached retinas, mangled hands etc from bites, all from small animals. A couple have been forced into retirement. I've been lucky--I'm so ugly that any damage to my face would be an improvement....

 

[farmerjohn]

It's simple. Cattle ranchers, myself included are cheap. We don't want to pay the vet a fair wage for his/her services.
Dog/cat owners seem to have an endless flow of money for their animals. So do horse owners.
Now which do you want to do? Get kicked, ran over and crapped on by a cow (any hour of the day) and in the cold or heat or work in a nice office on a dog?

Until we start paying large animal vets what they are worth, don't expect anymore

 

[hillsdown]

It's simple. Cattle ranchers, myself included are cheap. We don't want to pay the vet a fair wage for his/her services.
Dog/cat owners seem to have an endless flow of money for their animals. So do horse owners.
Now which do you want to do? Get kicked, ran over and crapped on by a cow (any hour of the day) and in the cold or heat or work in a nice office on a dog?

Until we start paying large animal vets what they are worth, don't expect anymore

Herd health here costs us about $2500 for one visit for about 50(bred) head.This includes vaccines for the bred cows as well as preg. checking. Mileage is $250.I do not think that is cheap at all.