# Bought and Sold



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

This is very disheartening. It is not even the first day of classes yet, but we're already under a deluge of propaganda. Along with our welcome packet at the vet school a couple months ago, they sent us a flier for the students advertising ridiculously priced Hill's food for like $13 a bag or something. We were also told we need a lab coat for anatomy lab (where the dissections are done) and we could by a lab coat for $40 from the bookstore...or by a Hill's one for $5. A few weeks after that, we got an e-mail from a second year student who said he was the Purina student rep so we could get the hook up from him. Then we had orientation this week where we were given (for free, of course):

-a scrub top by Merial
-a backpack (nice ones too) and student planner by Hill's
-insulated travel mug by IAMS
-a little stuffed yellow lab (like in the "ain't no bugs on me" commercial) from K9 Advantix/Bayer
-a cup from Advantage/Bayer

And lots of little goodies. We were also reminded multiple times how Hill's, Purina, IAMS, Merial, and so on all paid for our catered dinner, for some scholarships, for certain endowments for faculty, for the student chapter of AMVA, etc etc etc. I know doctors have to put up with this too with the pharmaceutical companies, but this is worse than even I originally thought. I've already asked the dean if there's a holistic club in addition to all the rest of them. Apparently, it's kind of defunct at the moment. Maybe I can resurrect it. :-k


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

wow - they start early ....


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

maren, i've been thinking about starting a thread called "Happy Trails" or something upon your matriculation, but perhaps another song title would be more appropriate. 

let's have suggestions from the forum!!! i'll start with "Hells Bells" (i love that song).

oh--miss molly continues to scare the Dobe, and teach Brix self-control. she's just a crazy ferrett!!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> It is not even the first day of classes yet, but we're already under a deluge of propaganda..... We were also reminded multiple times how Hill's, Purina, IAMS, Merial, and so on all paid for our catered dinner, for some scholarships, for certain endowments for faculty, for the student chapter of AMVA, etc etc etc. I know doctors have to put up with this too with the pharmaceutical companies, but this is worse than even I originally thought. I've already asked the dean if there's a holistic club in addition to all the rest of them. Apparently, it's kind of defunct at the moment. Maybe I can resurrect it. :-k


Did they remind you of how Hills pays for "nutrition" classes, and how Hills and two pharmaceutical houses are the top three "Corporate Partners" of at least three major veterinary associations (and more, I'm sure; it's a little work sometimes to dig out these funding facts)?

I'm glad you posted. Sometimes when I mention that some anti-fresh-food web articles and scare-tactics web pages are authored by top Hills employees, people think I'm a conspiracy nut.

I wish it was just a conspiracy theory.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

**** that Maren, get me a cool lab coat. Tell the purina rep you use his food or some shit and throw me the hook up. Take all their shit, we know their dog food is actually a contributing factor to early death in dogs, WHO CARES ! ! ! Get me some hook ups. =D>


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I would, Jeff, but it makes me wonder what exactly you want to do with a lab coat... :-k Though maybe get some scrubs and a stethoscope to decoy for the next trial with a hospital theme. Bet your vet would sure appreciate that. :wink:

OMG Connie, I'm already getting slack from some of the other students cause I said straight out, I'm not going to take a Hill's backpack. Pharmaceuticals are bad enough, but they are at least sorta kinda regulated, unlike the majority of the pet food industry. This 20 year old who graduated high school when I graduated from undergrad for God's sakes (for those who don't know, you are not *required* to finish your bachelors before vet school) started saying "Well, isn't it worth it to have some filler in there for the dogs' problems to get better?"  

Why is it like witchcraft or voodoo to just add in the supplements that Hill's or whoever threw into their crap food to make it okay for their prescription diets to add in along with a raw diet? I think it's gonna be like this for a long time... ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

I think I will try to head up the holistic club and hopefully get something to turn the tide.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Get the cheap lab coat, take all the freebees - (especially that backpack), and do everything you can to get that holistic club back up & running. Prove you aren't one of the lemmings, take what they hand out & continue to think for yourself.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Why is it like witchcraft or voodoo to just add in the supplements that Hill's or whoever threw into their crap food to make it okay for their prescription diets to add in along with a raw diet?


What?

I'm sure I'm gonna agree, but I read this three times and can't make it turn into a sentence. :lol:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> it makes me wonder what exactly you want to do with a lab coat.


Trust him. He's a doctor.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> **** that Maren, get me a cool lab coat. Tell the purina rep you use his food or some shit and throw me the hook up. Take all their shit, we know their dog food is actually a contributing factor to early death in dogs, WHO CARES ! ! ! Get me some hook ups. =D>


I'm with Jeff. Take their stuff!


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> What?
> 
> I'm sure I'm gonna agree, but I read this three times and can't make it turn into a sentence. :lol:


LOL, sorry, I was just ranting and was getting incoherent. Not altogether a good day.  What I think she meant was that she didn't mind stuff like Hill's prescription diets even if they have a ton of filler in them because they are designed to reduce kidney stones, reduce the symptoms of diabetes, etc etc. My point was why do we only have to settle for the equivalent of adding supplements into McDonalds? Why is it voodoo to just do the supplements or other treatments along with an appropriate raw (or cooked or whatever) diet? In other words, why settle for the status quo just to satisfy an end?

I did take some stuff, like the scrub top and the Advantage cup, but only cause it wasn't like being a walking billboard for the company like the damn backpacks. :roll:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> she didn't mind stuff like Hill's prescription diets even if they have a ton of filler in them because they are designed to reduce kidney stones, reduce the symptoms of diabetes, etc etc.


Ah. Like Wonder Bread with a tenth of a penny's worth of vitamins sprinkled in. "Builds strong bodies twelve ways."


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Exactly!! ](*,)


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Can you not take the logo off, like we used to do with our Jansport back packs in high school?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Yeah, you're right, I probably could...but I didn't even take a backpack. I was too busy being up on my high horse.  Plus I have perfectly serviceable Eddie Bauer one.


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## Amber Scott Dyer (Oct 30, 2006)

just because you take the stuff... doesn't mean that you have to push the product :twisted: 

besides, those paid dinners are quite nice...


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Lab coats are long enough to keep you reasonably clean while working dogs, and not heavy enough to be super hot.

So hook me up. =D> =D> =D>


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Hmm... How about have some nice patches made up for the holistic club - and stitch them right over the advertising on the scrubs and lab coat? 

I'm wearing my nice FREE "Heartgard, Frontline" scrubs now. No I'm not a freak - just about to groom some dogs.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Just write "SUCKS" after the logo. What is the big deal freak girl???

Get my shit ! ! ! ! ! LOL


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Wow, they do start early. But I agree with those that say "take it" You can always remove or cover their logo. You need the items, the price is right, take advantage of it.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Just write "SUCKS" after the logo.


Omigod, I am about to second something Jeff said.

Actually, all I could think of was writing "F*ck Hills," but he thought of "Hills sucks." :lol:

I guess there probably isn't room for "For a good time: Merial Drugs."


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

OR
Purina D Chow
$#!+ in, $#!+ out!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> OR
> Purina D Chow
> $#!+ in, $#!+ out!


I like that one. :lol:


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> "For a good time: Merial Drugs."


Connie, for a properly motivated person, there IS room. I personally would MAKE room for this statement, ESPECIALLY of i were a freshman vet student. oh it just brings back memories of the good old days when i could say "screw the *Establishment*"...

Maren's already been accepted, they can't throw her out unless she fails organic chem or something equally nasty. 

PEACE OUT Maren!! you go! take everything you can get fr *them* , and *adjust* the wording to suit yourself. the worst that can happen is they'll sue ya  :roll:


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## Amber Scott Dyer (Oct 30, 2006)

good Lord, what kind of organic do you have to take in VET SCHOOL? I would have thought that the two yrs. it takes to get in there would be enough...  ](*,)


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Yeah, we're done with organic chemistry and biochemistry (THANK GOD!), but veterinary cell bio is one of the classes for this semester. Blech...


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

now see, i think vet cell bio would be WAY COOL. of course, any bio is easy for me--just leave out the frickin chem....


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