Great Vet, Crummy Tech

MandyPug

Sport Model Pug
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
5,332
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
32
Location
Southern Alberta
#1
So for Izzie's appointment today we saw a new vet at the practice, a fresh grad. I like the clinic, super great place and this new vet upheld that. What I was annoyed at was a new tech there came in before the vet and first gave me a dirty look when I said I feed raw, then asked if we'd be vaccinating Izzie at the same visit. Then continued to push the issue telling me I won't be able to cross the border and they can load her up with antihistamines to vaccinate her and that titers are trash. Yeah I finally had to sternly say "no, she's my dog and I know the risks. I'm not vaccinating right now and not sure if I ever will again judging by her last reaction". Shut her up quick, she probably has never had someone stand up to her before.

Anyway, I'm going to stick with this vet. She's very open minded and super lovely, might switch to her completely actually. But I hope I never have that tech again. Miserable.

Have any of you guys had a similar experience with crummy techs at an otherwise great clinic?
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#2
I had a crummy tech at the emerg vet when we went to euthanize Rascal... but to be honest, the vet was mighty crummy as well. Apparently I must have caught them on a bad day, cause I was telling the rescue vice-pres and she was really surprised to hear what a bad time I had there.

Otherwise, nope. Both vets and techs at our normal clinics are fantastic.
 

CaliTerp07

Active Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
7,652
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
38
Location
Alexandria, VA
#3
I had Lucy at the vet Sunday. The vet was raving about her figure, calling her the "perfect specimen" while looking at all her muscle tone :D He said it must be due to all her agility. Then the tech said, "Isn't agility super dangerous? Don't tons of dogs get really hurt since they have to do such unnatural things with their bodies?"

I was kind of caught off guard, and the only response I could come up with was, "It's not dangerous if you train it correctly." But seriously? Why bring that up?
 

PWCorgi

Priscilla Winifred Corgi
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
14,854
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
34
Location
Twin Citay!
#4
Yes. My tech at Frodo's dental surgery was a piece of work.

Instead of undivided attention to Frodo she spent our room time blabbering on and weighing herself on the scale.

Teehee! For those who don't know SpringerLover was our tech for Frodo's surgery, and she was spectaculous!
 

MandyPug

Sport Model Pug
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
5,332
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
32
Location
Southern Alberta
#5
I had Lucy at the vet Sunday. The vet was raving about her figure, calling her the "perfect specimen" while looking at all her muscle tone :D He said it must be due to all her agility. Then the tech said, "Isn't agility super dangerous? Don't tons of dogs get really hurt since they have to do such unnatural things with their bodies?"

I was kind of caught off guard, and the only response I could come up with was, "It's not dangerous if you train it correctly." But seriously? Why bring that up?
Wow. That's so rude!

The tech also kept trying to blame Izzie's diet and blame my care of her for her anal gland rupturing, which was very off putting. She insisted to me that Izzie must have scooted or chewed at her butt or or or when I said time after time she doesn't do those things, it'll just be fine and then a few hours later it'll be swollen and of ruptured... And that because she lost 0.6 kg since march that she was probably sick for a long time because "dogs don't just lose weight like that."

Yeah. Debating on a letter being written to be honest. I'm just annoyed by the know it all factor.
 

SpringerLover

Active Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
3,415
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
B-ville
#6
Yes. My tech at Frodo's dental surgery was a piece of work.

Instead of undivided attention to Frodo she spent our room time blabbering on and weighing herself on the scale.

Teehee! For those who don't know SpringerLover was our tech for Frodo's surgery, and she was spectaculous!
I giggled out loud at that! ;)

I had a super awesome amazing tech for Bailey's surgery. I loved her and told her how much I effing appreciated her! Total win!
 

Saeleofu

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
9,036
Likes
0
Points
36
#7
I'm my own tech, so no ;) But I was THRILLED the one time I found someone who fed raw and told him so lol. I'm also pretty happy when I hear they're feeding a good brand of kibble. Not so thrilled when they say they feed Science Die and then act appalled that I'd even ask :rolleyes: Even though, you know, that's MY JOB.

One time this guy told me he feeds Taste of the Wild and then got real close and whispered "I think that's way better than that Science Diet stuffyou guys sell here." I had to laugh, he was acting like it was this awful secret that he fed good food and thought Sci Die was crap. Truth is, my vet knows where I stand on the issue and bit by bit I'm opening his mind...ever so slightly.
 

Barbara!

New Member
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
1,457
Likes
0
Points
0
#8
I've had a vet tech give me dirty looks before... And one time I had gone in for a rabies shot for a foster, and the woman I spoke to on the phone told them I wanted the full round of shots. When I got there, the tech had prepared all the syringes and needles. I said "Uh... We are only getting rabies." And she said "Why did you tell the receptionist you wanted all of them?". I said "I didn't" and she goes into this fit about how it's a big hassle, that I should just get all the shots, how their receptionist doesn't LIE... It was ridiculous. She then clipped my fosters nails and instead of clipping a little at the top (black nails) to see where the quik was, she clipped halfway up the nail and made my foster bleed everywhere. And when the dog squirmed, she said loudly and angrily "sit still **** it!". I made sure to tell the vet and I never saw that tech there again. Horrible.
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#9
No. I've had the opposite - wonderful techs, crappy vet. There was one vet that we went to for 15 years and I'd say a large reason why we stayed so long was because we loved the techs and had a pretty good relationship with some of them. Even though the vet was kind of a jerk.

One thing that I hated about being a tech, was having to push the clinic's policies which usually conflicted with my own beliefs. So yeah I would "push" stupid, unnecessary vaccines on people and they probably hated it if they really knew they didn't want it (vs people that just have no clue about any of it), but I'm just doin' my job. Your 12 year old chihuahua that never leaves your yard? No, I really don't think he needs a lepto vaccine, but I'm gonna tell you that you should get it anyway.... ugh.
 

crazedACD

Active Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
Messages
3,048
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
West Missouri
#10
You know...I've had similar reactions from the receptionists/techs and then the docs are pretty OK with it. I've had receptionists DEMAND previous vet records or where the dog was seen previously..eh. I've moved from FL to MA and been to three different clinics here, and probably...10? in FL before I found one I liked. I know some clients don't have a clue, but I have a pretty good grasp on what's been done to my dogs and can verbally give them my dogs' history. Usually vax records don't really pertain to the reason I'm bringing the dog in. I really only bring my dogs to the vets for health problems/emergencies and use vaccine clinics/myself for annual stuff.
 

Saeleofu

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
9,036
Likes
0
Points
36
#11
One thing that I hated about being a tech, was having to push the clinic's policies which usually conflicted with my own beliefs. So yeah I would "push" stupid, unnecessary vaccines on people and they probably hated it if they really knew they didn't want it (vs people that just have no clue about any of it), but I'm just doin' my job. Your 12 year old chihuahua that never leaves your yard? No, I really don't think he needs a lepto vaccine, but I'm gonna tell you that you should get it anyway.... ugh.
I don't push vaccines, I don't push early speuter, and I certainly don't push crap food. I tell them our records say they are due for ________ and ask if they want it done today. if they say yes, fine. If they say no, fine. I only ask once.

I'm glad we don't even carry lepto, corona or influenza vaccines.
 

MericoX

Roos, Poos, & a Wog!
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Messages
5,326
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
39
Location
In depression
#12
I always get the tech we love on the phone when I call for appointments or have a question, but never see her when we're actually there. And then I get the nasty one at check out.

The tech at the er-vet when I had to take Kiba was quite rude as well. Here Kiba is pooping blood-tinged stool.. and she gets upset with me that Kiba wasn't going on the puppy pad she put down. May have given Kiba a high five went she went under the bench in the room wwwaayyyy in the back that I know was not easy to pick up. That's what you get for making us wait and getting nasty.

We've also had one vet at the practice we go to that I WILL NOT see anymore. As a puppy Stryder was having issues so I took him in, explained he couldn't settle at night.. would pant and was acting hot. Vet waved it off as "he's a schnauzer, they tend to be anxious", and it ended up him being on EVO RM (no idea why). Also another time I took Kiba in because her neck felt swollen, he examined her and said it was just her throat. A few weeks later we were at a vacc. clinic and on a whim got her and stryder tested for lyme and it came up positive.. her swollen neck was due to lymph nodes. So yeah... we don't see him. Also he thought Innova was a dog breed XD
 

Lyzelle

Active Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
2,826
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
#13
I've never come across a vet tech I liked. Ever. They've all been incredibly rude and extremely rough with my dogs. Because, you know, since they are big dogs they are immediately man eaters that need to be manhandled and muzzled and shoved around and sat on. :madgo:

Receptionists have always been very rude, too.

Only ever had ONE clinic that I LOVED for the vets. Their techs still sucked and the receptionists were all old, rude bitties that gossiped constantly...but the vets were awesome. Very reassuring, very open about feeding, vaccines, and all their information. More than willing to stay late to finish up a spay and make sure they were okay to come home. Just really awesome people. They'd do emergency house calls, too, 24/7, and offered emergency transport for larger dogs if the owner couldn't move the dog. For example, there's no way we would have gotten Macie, all 160lbs of dead weight, anywhere. Ever. So that was a comforting thought, that they'd come out to the house to see her and help transport.

I haven't found a vet around here I like, yet. They are all "farm dog" type of vets. The kind that have most experience in horses and cattle, but see dogs on the side and really know nothing about them.
 

SpringerLover

Active Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
3,415
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
B-ville
#14
The more comfortable I got with my job, the more I offered our unofficial 3-year vaccine protocols to people. In the beginning I said the people asked about it and towards the end I just said "hey, this dog/cat is old as dirt... I told them to do core vaccines every three years, mmkay?" And then instead of doing all those vaccines, we'd talk about SUPER BASIC bloodwork, like a CBC.

I just kind of evaded the food topic unless it came up.
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#15
I don't push vaccines, I don't push early speuter, and I certainly don't push crap food. I tell them our records say they are due for ________ and ask if they want it done today. if they say yes, fine. If they say no, fine. I only ask once.

I'm glad we don't even carry lepto, corona or influenza vaccines.
Usually it would go something like "so Fido is due for his distemper, rabies, and bordetella today. Would you like us to update all of those? We also offer a couple vaccines that he has never had before...." And then begin spiel on lyme and lepto. So if they said "well he never leaves the backyard so I don't think he needs those" then we were supposed to explain to them how even walking in dewy grass and then licking his paws can give him lepto and then tell them it's zoonotic and YOUR BABY WILL GET IT. To which most people would go "oh wow, better do that one then too!"

That was just one clinic I was at though, where the doctors had us be pretty thorough with our poking and prodding for information at annual visits. The last clinic I was at, basically they just wanted us to ask how the pet was doing... and then the dr would delve into the finer details. I suppose it's not a bad thing that we gave them information about the vaccines, I just hated doing it because most pets really do not need lepto or lyme vaccines. And A LOT of people would jump on board with doing them once we told them how "easy" it is to get either disease.

Food and speuter I never touched!
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#16
OH I've run into the great tech, crappy vet deal. We don't see that vet at the clinic anymore.

I had one vet who was good at her job, but didn't quite believe me when I told her Renegade is an asshole and will bite if she takes him from me, that I am to go into the back with him. Well... she took him, didn't listen. Next thing I know, he's locked onto her hand. She apologized for that.
 

Grab

Active Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
3,374
Likes
2
Points
36
#17
The more comfortable I got with my job, the more I offered our unofficial 3-year vaccine protocols to people.

.
Our clinic offers the 3 year schedule, but the vets rarely offer it on their own unless it is an ancient dog. And even then, only two of the vets think about it then. (one isn't comfortable with it at all:rolleyes:) I point it out to them when I notice they've been getting years of annuals and suggest it, which will often get it changed to the 3 year schedule.

We have a couple of clients that feed raw, which is refreshing. (one is a cat) Mind you, every time anything is at all wrong with the dog who eats raw, we're told "it's probably because she's fed roadkill"...:rolleyes:

I don't push things on clients. I go in, take a history, and that's it.
 

elegy

overdogged
Joined
Apr 22, 2006
Messages
7,720
Likes
1
Points
0
#18
Gosh I'm so glad I work for vets who are very about 3-year vaccines and only giving stuff like lyme and bordetella (and now influenza) to people whose dogs' lifestyles actually put them at risk.

The biggest place I run into trouble is with declaws. Doctors and other staff are extremely pro-declaw. I am very not. It's hard sometimes.
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
886
Likes
0
Points
0
#19
Gosh I'm so glad I work for vets who are very about 3-year vaccines and only giving stuff like lyme and bordetella (and now influenza) to people whose dogs' lifestyles actually put them at risk.
.
Here too.

I'm not nearly as bothered by what people feed (except the new Costco dog food-- has anyone SEEN how many freaking calories is in that stuff?!) and as much as I don't want you to push your ideas about how YOU feed on to me, I don't want to push any feeding agenda on to you.

Where I DO feel it necessary to intervene is with terrible training. Ugh.

OP, I would definitely write a letter or make a phone call to the clinic about the tech. The vet may have had previous complaints OR may have no idea about her attitude if no one speaks up.

At our clinic, we have notes on almost every file about which doctor/tech people prefer to see or not see.
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
#20
Yelp is like what makes or breaks you in Boston. I've found that vet clinics and especially techs are learning that very quickly lol there are so many vets crowded into ONE city that you thrive or you FAIL and really all it takes is a bad review or two.

Rude techs and rude receptionists are the MOST COMMON thing I see people complain about, and 8/10, the tech or receptionist is fired if there was a real issue/more than one person complains about them. If one person makes a review "Oh the tech with red hair was so rough with my dog and rude!" Just wait.. 2 more people will likely come out of the woodwork like "I know, she was bad with my cat too!" and "She was so short with us when we asked her a question!" and then of course the clinic will come in with a statement about the issue, some free stuff, and saying the tech has been replaced. I've seen this happen at least 5 times.

So.. I've never really encountered a rude tech or receptionist. I think they all kind of figure that they are incredibly easy to replace (which, to be fair..they are around here. Lots of vet techs and students wanting to get in the door) and people are sensitive about their pets.

I use my same mentality at my work in the pet-care industry that I did in retail.
I am a very knowledgable, smiley, perky, well spoken..brain dead individual/robot.
Once you get into practice, it works splendidly. Nothing people say throws me or gets me angry the persona is so well into place lol if they ask for advice? Great. If they are feeding an awful food and mention a problem I will say "You know, my dog had ______, and you know what really helped? Switching him off a corn based food and trying ______" It doesn't feel judgey (because you are saying you went through the same problem) and makes them more open to listening to you.

I have the same mentality as most people do around here. I don't go to places with rude employees. Too many other options in the city lol sorry
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top