[coolestguy]

Theoretically, if those two firms are good at their jobs & also good at marketing (including referrals), then yes sure.

Realistically, 75% of professionals aren't worth their salt & so many people will just continue going to the PE firm controlled places since switching won't get them any better service & the 2 hold out firms in this scenario would pragmatically raise their prices.

[cgriswald]

> since switching won't get them any better service

It will, but as you note it will cost more.

As someone who has extensive experience with many vets due to rescuing and fostering with multiple orgs and having animals of my own, I'll take the local firms any day of the week. Although there are some bad ones, and although it can be hard to get your foot in the door, local vets as a whole offer better availability, a more timely experience, a lack of upselling, someone at the front desk, and generally more competent vets.

Experiences I've had with the other places make it very clear they're paying their vets bottom dollar, want to extract every one of my dollars possible, don't care how much of my time they waste doing it. Strangely, although they always want me to review my experiences, they never seem to take the criticism to heart.