“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:
You’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 lie
Because behind every clinical decision is a human one.
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Topics and Time Stamps
03:11 Balancing Costs and Care in Veterinary Practice
06:45 Challenges and Changes in the Veterinary Profession
11:41 Client Expectations vs Financial Realities
16:32 The Impact of Economic Hardships on Pet Care
32:16 Blue Cross's Model
39:10 Individual Responsibility in Veterinary Practice
42:54 Getting Clear on Quality of Life and Prognosis
47:23 Cost-Based vs Value-Based Pricing Models
01:10:05 Pragmatic Care and Clinical Guidelines
01:16:54 The One Question