“If you can’t afford a pet, you shouldn’t own one.” Ever said this line?Once you’ve been on the receiving of someone’s anger about the cost of their vet bill, it’s an easy thought to have. But it’s not the whole story, is it?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Paul Manktelow - a veterinary surgeon with 20+ years in UK animal charities and current Director of Veterinary Services at Blue Cross. Dr Paul shares lessons learned in not-for-profit vet care to help us untangle that tension between care, compassion, and commercial reality.We cover:Trends from the front lines in the charity sector How “affordability” is shifting under rising cost of livingDecision-making tools that balance optimal vs achievable careBusiness models that either enable or block access to careHow vets can approach financial conversations with clarity, dignity, and trustYou’ll learn about:💡 “Pragmatic care” as the antidote to chasing the mythical ‘gold standard’💡 Cost-based vs value-based pricing models 💡How to think in tiers of care—and where the limits lieBecause behind every clinical decision is a human one.Find out how we can help you build you in your vet career at thevetvault.com.Check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) Topics and Time Stamps03:11 Balancing Costs and Care in Veterinary Practice06:45 Challenges and Changes in the Veterinary Profession11:41 Client Expectations vs Financial Realities16:32 The Impact of Economic Hardships on Pet Care32:16 Blue Cross's Model39:10 Individual Responsibility in Veterinary Practice42:54 Getting Clear on Quality of Life and Prognosis47:23 Cost-Based vs Value-Based Pricing Models01:10:05 Pragmatic Care and Clinical Guidelines01:16:54 The One Question

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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