Veterinary practice, competition and advertising: 1985-1994

In 1985, members of the veterinary profession and four other professional groups in New Zealand were surveyed to establish their attitudes towards the developing commercialisation of their professions, and particularly towards advertising. This survey was repeated in 1988, and again in 1994. The results of the three surveys are presented in this paper. There was a sharp movement towards acceptance of advertising, and toward a competitive orientation in general, between 1985 and 1988, with a consolidation of these changes during the following 6 years. The acceptance of the idea of an openly competitive profession now has widespread support among veterinarians. Similarly, there is general support for the use of most kinds of informative advertising, with many practitioners viewing advertising as a business building tool, but with the advertising of fees remaining an area over which there is still considerable caution. Although clients are seen as more demanding than in the past, the client-practitioner relationship is still expected to be an enduring one. We suggest that, in view of the relaxed attitudes towards advertising that now exists among members of the veterinary profession, control of advertising should cease to be a concern to the profession.     

Chemoreceptor Tumors Diagnosed at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine 1967-1979

Twenty-nine chemoreceptor tumors submitted to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan between 1967 and 1979 were compared with those previously reported. The prevalence was low, with 28 cases occurring in dogs while only one was diagnosed in a cat. Old male dogs and the Boxer, Boston bull terrier and Collie breeds were affected most commonly. The prevalence in Collies (five of 28 dogs) was unexpected but may have been coincidental in this size of sample. The chemoreceptor tumor was often of clinical significance because in two-thirds of the cases it was either the presenting complaint or considered at necropsy to have caused illness or death.