Thanks for this thread...I've often wondered how it is that our pets get better care than we do. I think it's because (1) there is really no pet insurance (although I am starting to see it advertised) (2) almost every vet I have known was in it because of a deep love for animals, and they cannot bear to see them suffer any more than their owners (compassion, a driving force) and (3) most vets know if they don't fix the problem, it's goodbye, customer. Not many pet owners can afford to "treat" a problem for months or years, or "try" a bunch of different meds to see if they "help".

The other day our daughter was sick and as I was driving her to the doctor's office, I realized our vet was just up the road. I seriously considered taking her there first, since she sounded like a schnauzer when she coughed, and I was thinking, the vet would probably have a better idea of how to actually help than the doc. But she didn't like my idea, so we went to the doctor's office....guess what? We got a script for antibiotics, even though the doc said they might not help, but "they couldn't hurt". This is our medical system. It helps to understand how we got where we are (thank you, pharma) if you read "How Doctors Think"-all geared towards a diagnosis and rx.