In the year 2020: 8 "predogtions" for the not-so-distant future
Dr. Marty Becker has some predictionserr, we mean predogtionsfor the veterinary world a few years down the road.
The human race may not be riding around in flying cars or taking advantage of a great Airbnb setup on nearby planets by the year 2020, but Marty Becker, DVM, has some pretty stellar predictions for the near future. Let's set our clocks four years forward and see what wonders lay ahead in the field of veterinary medicine.
Illustration by Hannah Wagle The manuscript of James Herriot's unpublished novel, All Things Hairy and Smelly, is discovered in a Yorkshire, England, attic.
Illustration by Hannah WagleAll pet owners finally agree to do whatever their veterinarian recommends, never second-guess them ever, always agree to the treatment plan, give the meds exactly as directed, always pay their bills on time, always follow up on their recommended reches and retesting.
Illustration by Hannah Wagle The American Animal Hospital Association announces the winner of its 10th annual “Best Dressed Veterinarian” contest: nobody.
Illustration by Hannah Wagle Caving to years of immense public pressure, DVMs finally agree to change the pronunciation to “vetnarian.”
Illustration by Hannah Wagle After three consecutive days of an Internet blackout and deprived of access to Drs. Google and Bing, pet owners form waiting lines circling veterinary hospitals. The American Veterinary Medical Association once again predicts a veterinary workforce shortage.
Illustration by Hannah Wagle The federal government announces that it will stop lending money it does not have to veterinary students who cannot repay and who are studying for jobs that do not exist. Undeterred, prospective veterinary students continue to enroll and pledge the future earnings of their yet unborn children.
Illustration by Hannah Wagle A major pet food company announces an adult-active-indoor-multicat-senior-long-coat-multidog-hairball-control-sensitive-stomach-outdoor-oral-care -healthy-weight-puppy-kitten-and- backyard-chicken-grain-free diet. Finally!
Illustration by Hannah Wagle The last surviving male veterinarian, Dr. George Kaplan of Poughkeepsie, New York, dies peacefully in his sleep.
Dr. Marty Becker is a renowned speaker, TV personality and author of many books, including The Healing Power of Pets: Harnessing the Amazing Ability of Pets to Make and Keep People Happy and Healthy. Dr. Becker practices at North Idaho Animal Hospital in Sandpoint, Idaho.
