15/10/2025
š©ŗ A Vet Nurseās Perspective
As a vet nurse working in a corporate out-of-hours clinic, I really support what this post says about the CMAās provisional report.
Thereās been a lot of talk about vet costs lately, but whatās often missing is why things cost what they do ā and the care, safety, and legal responsibilities behind every decision we make.
The CMAās focus on transparency is positive, but veterinary care isnāt just about prices ā itās about people, skill, and doing whatās best for every animal, often in the most critical moments.
In emergency work, we see pets at their most vulnerable and teams giving everything to stabilise them, no matter the hour. Those costs reflect the expertise, equipment, and dedication that make that care possible.
Please read this with an open mind ā transparency is vital, but so is trust. We all want the same thing: the very best care for your pets when they need it most.
š©ŗ Compassion, Conversation & Clarity: A Vet Nurseās View on the CMA Provisional Decision
Todayās CMA provisional decision has landed, and with it, a mix of relief, concern, and reflection across the professions and public, along with many professionals who are both pet owners and professionals. Yes, we really are both.
Thereās no denying that many of the recommendations make sense. Price transparency, clear ownership, easy access to prescriptions, open communication around estimates and cremation costs; these are steps that strengthen trust and understanding between pet guardians and veterinary teams. Many practices already strive to uphold these values every day.
But behind the policy documents and bullet points, there are lived realities that rarely fit neatly into headlines or spreadsheets.
Iāve worked across corporates, independents, and charities, and if thereās one thing that unites them all, itās the shared commitment to doing whatās best for the animals in our care. That intent is often lost in translation, particularly when media coverage focuses only on cost or comparison, without exploring the why behind our actions. In the last 3 years alone, my mortgage, electric, gas, food bills and insurance costs rose dramatically, so did the costs to keep the doors of practices open. Many closed.
We donāt manually restrain pets for X-rays because our teams would be exposed to ionising radiation daily, or because the stress caused could harm the patient. We use sedation not to inflate a bill, but to keep animals and people safe. We donāt reach for cheaper human medicines because our use is governed by the cascade, a strict legal framework ensuring safety, dosage accuracy, and patient welfare. Sometimes, even if we wanted to suggest something, we arenāt legally allowed. It frustrates us too.
And on the topic of medicine pricing, this deserves real conversation.
Online pharmacies can often undercut veterinary practice prices simply because practices canāt buy medication that cheaply in the first place. Weāre bound to source through licensed veterinary wholesalers, not online retailers. The cost difference isnāt because we want to charge more; itās because the supply chain rules are entirely different. Itās worth looking at who owns those online pharmaciesā¦ā¦it isnāt Steve down the road. Is that transparent?
Then thereās the call for same-day written prescriptions. In principle, it sounds straightforward and transparency is absolutely something we support. But in reality, generating and signing those prescriptions takes time, clinical review, and careful documentation. Every same-day request pulls a vet or nurse away from patient care, often in the middle of a busy treatment list or emergency. We absolutely want owners to have choice, but we also want to make sure that choice doesnāt come at the expense of care.
These nuances matter. And they can be hard to appreciate unless youāve stood in a prep room at 2 a.m. with a collapsed patient and limited options, or tried to explain to a worried owner why the kindest, safest course costs more than anyone wishes it did.
So while many of the CMAās proposals are steps in the right direction, some could unintentionally create new challenges, especially for small, independent, or rural practices already stretched thin. Implementation timelines, administrative demands, and the emotional toll on teams need careful thought. Words carry weight, so if you are going to add to the social noise, consider if itās constructive. Yes, you may have paid X for your cat's hospital care. When stating that, it might be worth mentioning that a multidisciplinary team worked to provide round-the-clock care in an ICU to bring them back from the brink of death, and you were updated re the cost daily, which you consented to. Or that the corporate vet capped your bill to save the life of your 18-month-old lab whose insurance had lapsed.
Transparency works 2 ways.
What we need now, as professionals, regulators, and pet owners, is compassion and conversation, not conflict.
Transparency is vital, but so is trust. Regulation is necessary, but it must be balanced with realism.
This isnāt a time for blame or defensiveness; itās a moment for openness.
For listening. For learning. For remembering that every person at the consult table, whether wearing scrubs or holding the lead, wants the same thing: the best care possible for that animal.
Letās make sure our next steps are guided by that shared purpose.
Sits and waits for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, which is so needed due to its outdated language, missing the title protection for RVNS and regulation of veterinary practices - I see you fertility clinics.
Pic of handrear, because like many they come home with me, out of my own pocket.
