DID YOU KNOW? Your vet clinic might not be locally owned, even if it looks like it is. The corporate takeover of vet medicine has reached epidemic proportions. Corporations and private equity groups have bought up thousands of once-independent veterinary practices across the country, often keeping the original name on the door. Mars (yes, the company behind M&M’s and Snickers) owns VCA, Banfield and BluePearl, among other veterinary businesses. Why does that matter? Ownership can affect how a veterinary hospital operates, from pricing and staffing to the financial expectations placed on vets and support staff. One increasingly common compensation model is called ProSal: veterinarians receive a base salary plus additional pay tied to how much revenue they produce. That creates a financial incentive that pet owners may never know exists when they're deciding whether to approve another test, treatment or service. None of this means that every corporate practice provides poor care, o...