The rhetoric and economics of veterinary health care (PART 2)

Our dog the day after his surgery

When our dog broke his leg and we paid for costly surgery, the veterinary emergency communication described in my previous blog entry was only ONE dimension of our experience.  What about our communication among family members and friends, and our own reasoning about the cost and the ethics of our decision?

We have had many conversations, emails, and debates about whether it was right or wrong for us to spend this much money on our puppy.

I am sure many among them are thinking of one fact — we have no children.

So the reasoning goes, we must have an “unhealthy” love for our pet. That’s a common sentiment out there…

 

The rhetoric and economics of veterinary health care

Our dog's fractured radius and ulna, March 28, 2009

Our crisis

Last weekend our 11-month-old puppy broke his leg while running down our stairs too fast.

Yes he is okay now, recovering from his surgery.

The extremely different experiences we had at 2 veterinary hospitals prompted me to think more than I ever have before about the communication we engage in at veterinary hospitals.

It’s complex:  in a crisis, one needs to communicate about the medical options, the expense of veterinary health care, the emotional trauma of the owners,  and the intrinsic value of their animal companions.

This is a perfect occasion for applying rhetorical concepts to real life.