Veterinary practice in Japan has its roots in the treatment of farm animals, draught animals like horses and oxen and meat animals like cattle, pigs and poultry as well as horses used by the military. Small animal veterinary practices for pets like cats and dogs are comparatively recent. Indeed even today veterinary medicine is taught with the emphasis on farm animals. Animal welfare is not included in the curriculum.
Veterinary medicine lags behind Europe and the United States and veterinary attitudes are very different. Many veterinarians become vets because they fail to become doctors, some are actually frightened of animals and some have pretty dubious practices. Due to the high cost of land in Japan, especially in cities, veterinary clinics are usually very small and many vets practice alone with the help of their wife, who is most likely a former veterinary technician. Because they have had to pay out so much for land, buildings and equipment they must recoup this money by charging exorbitant fees. Medicine is sometimes 30 times higher than it would be in Europe and the States. For example neutering costs can range from 20,000 to 50,000 yen (167 - 416 US $) , routine vaccinations 6000 - 10,000 yen ( 50 - 84 US$). This means that many people avoid taking their pet for treatment, because of the high cost. As with human doctors in Japan, people are reluctant to question what treatment is being given, what medicine, what is the prognosis of the disease/illness etc: and Japanese vets seldom offer explanation, nor do they give advice on general health care. They are also, with rare exception unwilling to euthanize any animal, however much it is in pain or suffering. Probably this again stems from the Buddhist reluctance to interfere in the course of nature and to take life. Some vets are actually against neutering for the same reason.
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