Why Bark Meow Now: My Commitment to You

I am launching Bark Meow Now to reclaim the heart of veterinary medicine. Telemedicine allows me to offer an alternative path to care. After 35 years in veterinary medicine—serving as a veterinary nurse and, since 1995, as a licensed veterinarian—I can no longer stay silent about the state of our industry. I have seen so many wonderful advancements. New treatments and safer medications have made healing our beloved furry family members easier and more successful than ever before. However, a negative shift has taken over and changed our profession. Choice is being taken away from you as clients and, frankly, me as a veterinarian. Corporate entities and non-veterinarian private equity firms now dominate the industry. These companies focus heavily on profits. Practices now need to support the normal costs of doing business, pay for staff, veterinarians, and the corporation/private equity firms. Veterinarians are contracted at lower salaries, supplemented by commission based on a percentage of sales. They also need to meet average minimum per-client appointment revenue. This commission-basedmedicine rewards up-selling. Practicing medicine on commission encourages the “you have to do all or nothing” mentality. This high-pressure environment strips away choice from clients and clinical freedom from doctors. It leads to heartbreak when families must make tragic choices based purely on inflated corporate costs and no doctor flexibility.

There is a very deep emotional impact for veterinarians. Most of us are not wired emotionally and mentally to practice like this. Inflexible protocols kill clinical creativity. Forcing providers to watch patients suffer or worse because affordable, life-saving alternatives are restricted. Now, do not get me wrong: there are illnesses and traumas that require substantial costs to treat. However, in most cases, there are options.  Owners can decline some items on a treatment plan to reduce costs and still have a successful outcome. Many veterinarians feel they have lost control of the career they had envisioned. My peers are leaving the profession after years of hard work to reach their goal. Many are overworked, compassion-fatigued, and in huge financial debt from student loans. They have entered a profession where the income does not support the 3-5 hundred thousand dollars in student loan payments. Veterinarian and veterinary nurse suicide rates are consistently higher than other medical professions.   

I am launching Bark Meow Now to directly challenge this industry. I want to put choice back into your hands. Telemedicine is a beautiful, newer way for our best friends to receive gentle care right from the comfort of home. Telemedicine allows me the freedom to deliver care and advice directly to you and your pet. Virtual care has its limits, but I will maximize this platform to its absolute legal limit to find flexible, creative, and affordable treatment options. Whether you need a primary virtual consultation or a transparent second opinion to help you weigh your options, I am here to advocate for you. If your pet requires physical intervention, I can connect you with a hands-on clinic of your choice. I can also refer you to a clinic if needed. I will (if you want) follow your pet’s case as your trusted consultant. This will provide nonbiased advice to help you navigate complex medical decisions without the pressure.

Medicine should be about healing, comfort, and respecting the unbreakable bond between you and your best friend. Medical decisions belong to the doctor and the patient’s family. Thank you for walking this new path with me, and for trusting me to care for your furry family members on our terms—with deep compassion, medical independence, and love.

Sincerely,

Mireille R. Boisse DVM