As a veterinarian, it is not uncommon for a pet to be presented to me on behalf of a frail older person by a friend or family member and having the forceful if not somewhat chilling statement made to me “this wee dog is all that is keeping mum alive. If the dog dies, mum will have nothing to live for, and she will probably die”. Unfortunately, and quite soberingly, on more than one occasion, not long after an elderly client’s beloved pet has passed away their name will appear in the death notices. It would appear their pet was all that was keeping them alive.

The animal/human bond is strong, but it appears to be even stronger in Senior Citizens. In this episode of The Vetpodcast, I have a closer look at the relationship between senior citizens and their pets.

I have always been of two minds about veterinary programs on television. In truth, the reason I took up this wonderful profession in the first place was my love of the James Herriot books and the original television adaptation of them. Without James Herriot, who knows what I would be doing now. On the flip side, I have found myself screaming at the television when a vet dazzled in the camera lights misses an obvious diagnosis or overcomplicates a simple procedure in one of the many reality veterinary shows screened now.

After a bit of thought while making this podcast I believe they are actually are a good thing for the profession.

If you are in the United Kingdom or receiving veterinary news from there, I am sure you have heard about, and quite possibly viewed The BBC Panorama documentary on the price of taking your pet to the vet, and probably more specifically the effect the rise of corporate practices are having on the cost of veterinary care.

Now, as I am in New Zealand and also retired from veterinary practice I am not really in a position to comment too much on this but it may be an opportune time to replay an episode I published a couple of years ago on the price of veterinary care.