I’ve just returned from an appointment with the surgeon who will be operating on our dog, which in addition to having a blown out CCL (like a bad ACL) also has bladder stones. Going through this experience, it struck me that the whole thing is a free market Libertarian’s wet dream.
First, I am totally in control of what procedures my dog is going to have. There’s no government bureaucrat telling me what I have to do, and I can choose from options that range from doing nothing, to having a procedure where monofilament is used to replace ligaments (MRIT), to having a more invasive, supposedly better procedure (TPLO) that results in improved joint flexibility. Totally my choice. I went with door #2, MRIT, because our vet and the surgeon recommended it for a small dog. But, I talked to another surgeon who said TPLO was the way to go. I ignored that vet’s advice by combined operation of my unbounded free will and rational agency. In fact, one vet mentioned that it is possible to inject $4,000 worth of stem cells into that dog’s stifle, if my autonomy so desired. There’s no evidence that it works, but, hey, I had almost unlimited options. The exhilaration I felt just considering the possibilities open to me was intoxicating!
Another facet of this idyllic free market is that pricing is totally transparent. You get an estimate with upper and lower bounds of the cost of the procedure, everything is discussed in advance, and, again, there’s no government standing between the vet and my wallet. If you’re a taker, then your options are limited to the veterinary equivalent of the emergency room: euthanasia. If you’re a maker, then you’re free to buy stem cells and TPLOs for all your pets by exercising your God-given rights as a wealth creator.
My pup is going to have two procedures (bladder surgery and MRIT) in one session. One vet (TPLO dude) wouldn’t do it, because of the risk of infection to the joint. My surgeon (Captain MRIT) is going to do it, because it is cheaper and probably easier on the dog. Again, no pesky medical association or bureaucrat got between me, my will to power, and my self-made standard of care.
By the way, Captain MRIT is a board-certified veterinary surgeon with a good track record who was recommended by my vet. But I could have used a goddam witch doctor if I pleased, because freedom.
As far as veterinary medicine is concerned, I am the king of the world. So say I, so let it be done. The one cloud in this silver lining is that, in order to apply the lessons of this libertarian paradise to the clearly inferior human medical world, we’d have to treat everyone like a fucking dog.
The Veterinary Medical Free Market ParadisePost + Comments (90)