The ‘Price of a Pal’ Strikes a Chord

Your article inaccurately portrays veterinary care as too expensive for all but the very rich. I can only wonder how many pets that could be helped will not be helped because pet owners were left with the impression that veterinary care is too expensive.

Levine states that “animal owners face the question daily as they find . . . the cost of a cure is roughly the equivalent of a week’s vacation in Bermuda.” A week in Bermuda, air fare, “economy” accommodations and meals costs $1,636 according to our travel agent. We’ve practiced in Fullerton for 20 years and never have had a case cost this much. It is ludicrous to state that it is a question faced “daily” by pet owners.

Levine’s statement “expensive medicines seem to be routinely prescribed--and sold--by veterinary doctors” implies there is something wrong with using expensive medicine. Veterinarians have no control over what drug manufacturers charge for medicine. If we were sick and our doctor gave us a choice of using an “expensive” new antibiotic that he was sure would cure us or a less expensive one that had a 50-50 chance of working, we would sure go for the “expensive” one.

RICHARD S. GLASSBERG, DVM, JAMES L. GRIMES, DVM