Things That Make You Go Hmm…
I just received my March 2021 issue of Veterinary Practice News. I look forward to receiving it, as it helps me stay up to date with what’s going on in conventional veterinary medicine, as well as often providing me me with writing inspiration. And this issue did not disappoint! In fact, I only had to reach page 2.
And there it was. A full 2 page glossy spread promoting the Seresto collar, and emphasizing how selling the collar can benefit a veterinary practice’s bottom line. You know that ad, the first one seen after the inside cover, did not come cheap.
Now, before anyone gets defensive, I want to make it clear that veterinarians are not in this profession for the money. If their goal was raking in the big bucks, they would have pursued human medicine, law, or a variety of other professional pursuits. Yet they do run small businesses, and have a staff and overhead to pay for. Not to mention families to support, bills to pay, and let’s not forget one the largest student debt loads of any profession. Many will still be paying those loans when they become eligible for Social Security. Let’s pause a moment and consider that…
But don’t worry, the folks behind Seresto, Elanco (and formerly Bayer), have your back, Doc. Just read what the second full page of their ad this month suggests:
As the ad points out, over 8,000 veterinary clinics currently sell Seresto. A staggering 25 million of these collars have been sold. And the ad emphasizes not only how you can put the collar right along side the other flea and tick products that you aren’t selling, because the average dog owner only applies 4 doses per year!
So, this leads me to the question given the recent USA Today article about the harms the collar has caused: “Why are so many veterinarians defending Seresto as safe, including many who allege that counterfeit collars are to blame for the documented reactions?”
Perhaps they are more trusting of pesticides than I am. Perhaps they are more comfortable petting a dog whose hair is covered in that pesticide. Or they don’t believe that the dog licking his hair, as dogs do, could present a problem if transmucosal absorption occurs.
Whatever the reason a veterinarian may have for recommending or defending a product, I hope it is well thought out and objectively motivated, rather than influenced by knee jerk reactions, unwillingness to consider an alternate viewpoint, or a profit motive. We are veterinarians. We do not compromise our patients for profit. And I for one wish companies would stop marketing to us using that approach.