The own the diagnostic testing, vets and hospitals

Companies like Nestle Purina, General Mills, Hill's Science Diet and Mars Inc., are the biggest players in the veterinary industry.  For instance, Mars Inc, the manufacturer of M&M's, Twix, Skittles, 3 Musketeers, Orbit Gum, Dove chocolate, Juicy fruit, Lifesavers, Snickers and Starbursts, to name a few, is the same company that makes the most popular brands of kibble and is also the same company that owns most of the diagnostic testing, vets and animal hospitals.  

Mars Inc., and companies like it literally own the diagnostic testing.  Diagnostic testing includes everything a vet would need to diagnose and treat illnesses including blood tests, urinalysis, fecal exams, imagining such as x-rays and ultrasounds, as well as biopsies.  As these companies own the diagnostic testing and the animal hospitals, receiving unbiased and uninfluenced care becomes extremely difficult.  

For example, Banfield veterinary clinics has over 1,000 clinics in the United States, Mexico and Canada and is owned by Mars Inc.  These clinics rely on a software program called “PetWare” that guides vets through the process of diagnosing problems and prescribing care. 

According to an article titled, "A Concerning Pet Industry Monopoly?" published in The Truth About Pet Food, shared an example from Banfield and Petware, which showed a "checklist of therapies for a dog with atopic dermatitis, or itchy skin. Doctors are encouraged to recommend a biopsy, analgesics, topical medications, antibiotics, a therapeutic dietary supplement, an allergy diet, and a flea control package. They’re required to recommend antihistamines, shampoos, serum allergy testing, lab work, a skin diagnostic package, and anti-inflammatories. It’s a treatment course that might run $900 for symptoms that, in a best-case scenario, indicate something as prosaic as fleas. In bold print, the manual reminds doctors: 'You cannot change items that were initially marked Required. They must remain required.'"

Ultimately, vets at these corporate owned clinics are not allowed to deviate from company treatment protocol, even if said protocol isn't ideal for the animal.  Vets are simply not permitted to think beyond corporate treatment plans or provide treatment different from corporate treatment plans.  

Mars Petcare animal hospitals and diagnostic services include:

• Anicura:. A family of animal hospitals and clinics throughout 225 European locations. 
  
• Antagene:  Antagene provides specialized DNA testing and genetic analysis for dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. 
  
• Antech Diagnostics:. Vet diagnostic business which provides in-house diagnostic labs, data services and image technology. 
• Banfield Pet Hospital: A practice of over 1,000 animal hospitals and clinics in the United States, Mexico and Canada. These are the same practice that are located in Petsmart. 
• Blue Pearl Pet Hospital: A group of over 110 animal hospitals throughout the United States. 
• Cerba Vet: Diagnostic practice that provides a complete range of laboratory, anatomycytopathology and genetic analyses. 
• Heska:  A global provider of advanced veterinary and diagnostic specialty products.
• Linneaus: A practice of 2,500 veterinary clinics and hospitals in over 20 countries in Europe and provide care for over 25 million pets. 
• Mars Petcare Biobank:. A study that collects physiological data from pets to understand how health changes over time.
• Synlab: Veterinary laboratory diagnostic services
• VCA: The VCA is a chain of animal hospitals that operates over 1,000 animal hospital ins the USA and Canada. 
• Wisdom Panel:. At-home DNA tests for pets.
• Waltham Petcare Science Institute:. A research organization that studies pet  health and nutrition with reference laboratories around the world  and board-certified specialist support services. 
• Whistle:. Smart devices that monitors pet health. 
  

In addition to diagnostic testing (and kibble), they own the vet clinics and sponsor vet schools.

Attaining an unbiased veterinary education becomes very difficult.  Every veterinary college has a Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and they are all eligible for the program, which includes Mars Inc., Nestle Purina and Hill's.  In many colleges, faculty and staff are eligible to participate in the program and can order food at a discounted rate. 

For example, the Pet Food Program from UC Davis, which allows members, residents, faculty and students to  receive pet food from brands like Hill and Royal Canin at heavily discounted prices.  Purina also funded the Nutrition Center at Tufts University Foster Hospital for Small Animals, Michigan State University, Colorado State University (Read more on that here).  This makes attaining an unbiased education very difficult, if not impossible.

Receiving care that is unbiased and uninfluenced by companies like Mars Inc. because they literally own and control it all.