Dogman wrote:
Doug Freyburger wrote:

Until the last few years, thanks to the efforts of a few courageous
veterinarians, dogs and cats in most states are no longer required to
get rabies (and a few other) vaccinations every year, opting instead
for the Three Year Protocol. An honest vet will tell you that there
never has been a *scientific* reason for giving your dog an annual
rabies shot (with the potential for major health complications as a
result), but was recommended simply because of GREED. They wanted that
annual revenue source, and felt that mandating an annual shot would
provide the opportunity to get the dog owner back in the clinic each
year, for a physical, etc.

My brother's a vet. He lost interest in the annual shots when he bought
a computer system for his clinic that would print out annual notices for
each pet. "Time for Flffy's annual check up at the vet. Call for an
appointment time." It almost doubled his business in the next year so
he no longer needed the annual rabies shots as that funding source.
Even when it's about the money there are other ways.

Yeah, but the tragedy is, that so many vets allowed greed to trump
ethics for so long.

My brother's a good clinician. The dogs, cats, ferrets and whatever
love him even when he's cutting them. The owners observe their pets'
reactions and love him as well. He's a better businessman than he is a
clinician. Second biggest clinic in his state last I heard. Not that
he would mention to me if someone grew past him. ;^)

They knew the vaccinations weren't needed, yet
they jeopardized the health of the very animals they were charged to
care for. Physicians and scientists are no different. They're human
beings, too, and human beings are capable of some really horrible
stuff. We should never allow ourselves to become mesmerized by a
freakin' white smock, but many of us do.

Science is a self correcting method. Medicine, not nearly as much.
It's called a practice not a science for that reason.

There is science in medicine but medicine as such is a practice that
draws on science. Same as engineering - There is science in engineering
but engineering as such is a practice that draws on science.