Having a relationship with a vet...

Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
876
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
North Dakota
#21
For us, it was hard not to have a good relationship with our vet. When we came in on the first visit with a whole pack of curs mulling around, they made up their minds pretty quick about whether or not they wanted to continue seeing us =P

But I do absolutely adore our vet now...when Mammoth had oral melanoma several years ago, this guy did his absolute best to get clean margins and completely excised what would have no doubt been a fatal tumor. But he also cried with me when he gave me the diagnosis, and was almost as elated as I was when he called to say that there was no more cancer.

He is the best simply because he becomes completely invested in our animals. When I had rats, he knew nothing about them (other than how to keep them out of his house haha), but he learned alongside me because he loved them too =)
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#22
But I do absolutely adore our vet now...when Mammoth had oral melanoma several years ago, this guy did his absolute best to get clean margins and completely excised what would have no doubt been a fatal tumor. But he also cried with me when he gave me the diagnosis, and was almost as elated as I was when he called to say that there was no more cancer.)
Yepp, my vet was SO UPSET when she had to diagnose Rascal with inoperable, aggressive cancer.

She also had to quickly excuse herself from the room when Rogue was euthanized before she started crying, cause I was enough of a mess without her breaking down.
 

CaliTerp07

Active Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
7,652
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
38
Location
Alexandria, VA
#23
I don't know that I'd say I have a good "relationship" with the vet...but I respect them, like their business practices, and have never had a bad experience there. It's a big clinic (5-6 vets on staff), so they don't remember us, but I don't need that in a vet. I need someone who is knowledgeable and has a good bedside manner, and they have that.
 

Bailey08

New Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
2,467
Likes
0
Points
0
#24
I love my vets, and feel super fortunate to have them.

My gen vet is the nicest man ever. He has a dog with anxiety, so he "gets" it and is great with Bailey. When I arrived with Grace and a letter from her breeder which included a proposed non-traditional vaccination protocol, he could not have been more awesome about it. He did his own research, he reached out to the (well-respected) vet the breeder worked with to come up with the protocol, and is even going to call the county re the proposed Rabies protocol. He's interested in learning, doesn't have a huge ego and is kind and gracious.

(One of his practice partners, OTOH, who I saw when I needed a last minute appt for Grace for what I thought was a UTI, made a number of snide comments about the breeder letter, told me to spay G at 6 mos., and then wrote out a standard vax schedule. And charged me for a full workup.)

I also love our holistic vet and B's specialist (the latter recommended the other two, and they all work well together).

I really value vets who will talk to me about what's going on with my dogs and the reading I've done and my preferences (e.g., I'm probably unusual in that I would rather under-vaccinate than over-vaccinate, and I don't mind a million appointments to space out puppy vaccines) -- and, based on that, work with me to come up with a treatment plan. I can read as much as I want to, but I'm not a vet, and I really value their experience and advice.
 

Toller_08

Active Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
8,359
Likes
1
Points
36
#25
The only reason we had a relationship with our vet is because we had two dogs who ended up really ill and we were in there constantly and therefore we got to know him well. Unfortunately though he just retired a couple weeks ago. And ordinarily my dogs hardly ever see a vet so it's going to be hard to develop any sort of relationship with a new one.
 

Taqroy

Active Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Messages
5,566
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
#26
I would love love LOVE to have a relationship with a vet, but as it is after my dogs aren't puppies they go into the vet maybe once a year if that. Traveler hasn't been in there since he was 9 months old. And once I get him his three year rabies I doubt I'll be back before that unless something happens.
The only reason I have a relationship with my vet is because we were there CONSTANTLY last year. >.< I've never had a relationship with a specific vet/vet clinic before now. It's great because I flat out adore my vet - she's incredibly awesome with Mu and willing to work with her issues about being handled. She was SUPER supportive last year when I told her about the fights we'd been having (in fact she almost made me bawl after one of the worst ones). She personally calls to check up on the dogs after a procedure. They offer me cookies and soda when I have to wait for an appointment (usually after they've squeezed me into a same day visit).

It sucks that the girls poking holes in each other (and multiple random injuries) was the catalyst for a relationship but it is really really nice to go see someone who KNOWS my dogs and actually cares about them.
 

Assamiea

New Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
191
Likes
0
Points
0
#27
Until my current vet, I've never had a steady vet long enough to develop a proper relationship.

My dogs have gone through a number of vets throughout the years. Most have retired or moved to not-so-convenient locations. I've pulled my dogs from 3 clinics: The first one because they were trying to make us do unnecessary, expensive things like shuttling my first dog between the vet clinic and emergency clinic for insulin shots when they could have been given at the clinic, another because the staff was very rude and the final one because I felt that the vet had basically given up on Rocky and didn't care whether he lived or died.

I am so happy that I found our current vet! He's very friendly (so is his staff) and funny, remembers who my dogs are (Baxter is referred to jokingly as the "Little Terror" and also "The Fluffiest Puppy") and is willing to answer any question and also makes sure you understand the answer 100%.

Rocky just turned 13 and I contribute him being alive to this vet. When Rocky developed an abscessed tooth and didn't want to eat, the previous clinic didn't want to remove the tooth because of the risk of surgery and Rocky's liver problem but they also didn't want to do anything else either. They were basically content with watching him starve to death. Within a day of taking Rocky to our current vet he was eating better than he had in months, and all it took was some antibiotics and someone who cared enough to help out an old dog.
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#28
We've used this vet for as long as we've had Rosey... So 15 1/2 years now. Im not sure my vet realizes it, but she's watched me grow :p (we lost our records after not going to the vet for 8 years and started a new file under my name)
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#29
I haven't really found a vet I LOVE yet - and I work at a vet clinic with four different vets. LOL I do really like one of the vets and that is who sees all of my animals, but for things like nutrition she is very much a sponsored-by-Hills-and-Purina-vet and just other little things that I wish a vet could see eye to eye on with me (like not altering at an early age, etc.). But, in terms of care, professionalism, handling the dogs, client interaction, diagnosing, treatment plans...I really do like her and I highly recommend her to other people.

I definitely recommend having a relationship with a vet, even if it is only taking your dog in for a wellness exam once a year. Coming from the vet side of things, we are definitely more willing to go out of our way to work with people on pricing/etc. when we know you as a client. And it also really, really helps that when you do come to us with an emergency, we have the background information on your dog and know exactly what is normal for that dog and what isn't. It helps with the diagnosis and it helps with the treatment plan.
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#30
I haven't really found a vet I LOVE yet - and I work at a vet clinic with four different vets. LOL I do really like one of the vets and that is who sees all of my animals, but for things like nutrition she is very much a sponsored-by-Hills-and-Purina-vet and just other little things that I wish a vet could see eye to eye on with me (like not altering at an early age, etc.). But, in terms of care, professionalism, handling the dogs, client interaction, diagnosing, treatment plans...I really do like her and I highly recommend her to other people.

I definitely recommend having a relationship with a vet, even if it is only taking your dog in for a wellness exam once a year. Coming from the vet side of things, we are definitely more willing to go out of our way to work with people on pricing/etc. when we know you as a client. And it also really, really helps that when you do come to us with an emergency, we have the background information on your dog and know exactly what is normal for that dog and what isn't. It helps with the diagnosis and it helps with the treatment plan.
Your vet knowing the pet before something is wrong is so, so important. If my vet didn't know what was normal for Ren, she would have thought I was nuts for taking him in when he wasn't biting people and he'd be dead.
 

sillysally

Obey the Toad.
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
5,074
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
A hole in the bottom of the sea.
#31
We found our vet by accident. We had only had Sally for a little while and had not chosen a vet yet, when she got kicked in the head by a horse. She was crying, her eye was bleeding, and I was freaking out because we had no vet. I randomly remembered a vet that an acquaintance had said she went to so I called them and they were nice enough to see Sally as a first time patient on very short notice a half hour before they closed.

So far I have had good relationships with most of my animals vets, with the exception of the vet who was seeing Sheena when died.

Right now we actually have 3 vets-our traditional dog and cat vet, Jack's acupuncture vet, and our avian vet.
 

sparks19

I'd rather be at Disney
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
28,563
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
42
Location
Lancaster, PA
#32
What counts as a "relationship"? We've been using the same vet for the last 6 years and I trust the clinic (for Belle we see whatever doctor is available because Belle doesn't care... for Beezer we always use the same doctor) and all the doctors we've ever had experience with have been great and when Belle hurt her toe I asked the vet that if it was going to require surgery or anything overly pricey would it be possible to make payments. she told me that the front desk would be the ones to set that up and they would get the final say (in other words... they'd look at our payment history to see if we are reliable payers lol) but she couldn't see any reason that it would be a problem but she said first things first... lets see what we are dealing with and if it's going to require more than rest we'll figure it out.

turns out... she just needed rest (which is A OK with Belle lol. She's a couch potato) so we never did have to set up payments or anything.

but I wouldn't say we walk in and the vet is like HEYYYYY Belle or HEYYYYYY it's Beezer. we only see them once a year unless something comes up and we've been lucky in the past that most issues that have come up have happened when they were due for shots anyway lol
 

sillysally

Obey the Toad.
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
5,074
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
A hole in the bottom of the sea.
#33
With all of Jack's health issues--elbow dysplasia, his fondness for eating inedible objects, ear infections, etc, the vet's office knows us well enough that all I have to do tell call and say, "this is Jack and Sally's mom" and they know who I am....

I take care of as much medical stuff as I am comfortable with at home, but I am not as experienced with dog and cat medical issues as I am with horses.
 

joce

Active Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
4,448
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
40
Location
Ohio
#34
Our small animal vet retired so we use the past place I went to with our rescue but don't really like the vet the way I did "our" vet.

And after he retired and I found a new horse vet since he did both,the new guy just sent out letters that he is retiring from his large animal practice! There is a vet that will come out here but they are literally three times as much. I jus hope I don't need another emergency call.
 

yoko

New Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
5,347
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#35
Your vet knowing the pet before something is wrong is so, so important. If my vet didn't know what was normal for Ren, she would have thought I was nuts for taking him in when he wasn't biting people and he'd be dead.
This is what's most important for me and why I wanted a regular vet. I think it's easier if the vet knows your pets quirks.
 

Lyzelle

Active Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
2,826
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
#36
I have a hard time finding a vet that is respectful of me and Zander. They always try wisking him away to the back for simple things or pinning him down, or something else that's stupid. He's not a man eating monster, he's just skittish of strangers. And you're making it worse. He was sitting FINE until you put him in a headlock. *imagines choking out said vets and techs*

I've found a few that at least respected my food choices and other minor things, but the handling....drives me crazy. If you can't handle my dog without going berserk, throwing him around and pinning him....well, out the door we go. And then they always wonder why he's so skittish around strangers. GEE. I WONDER.
 

yoko

New Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
5,347
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#37
I have a hard time finding a vet that is respectful of me and Zander. They always try wisking him away to the back for simple things or pinning him down, or something else that's stupid. He's not a man eating monster, he's just skittish of strangers. And you're making it worse. He was sitting FINE until you put him in a headlock. *imagines choking out said vets and techs*

I've found a few that at least respected my food choices and other minor things, but the handling....drives me crazy. If you can't handle my dog without going berserk, throwing him around and pinning him....well, out the door we go. And then they always wonder why he's so skittish around strangers. GEE. I WONDER.

The vet I refused to go to grabbed Yoshi by the collar and dragged her out from under a chair. 1. Yoshi is not usually a fearful dog. She wasn't hiding she was laying there waiting for the vet to come in. 2. After that she was scared and he scruffed my 35 lbs dog and drug her out again. All for a shot that should have just been me telling her to get up and jump onto the table and lay down.

Before I take my dogs I always flat out ask them if they plan on taking my dog where I can't see her. If they say yes I don't even bother going there.
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
#38
The vet I refused to go to grabbed Yoshi by the collar and dragged her out from under a chair. 1. Yoshi is not usually a fearful dog. She wasn't hiding she was laying there waiting for the vet to come in. 2. After that she was scared and he scruffed my 35 lbs dog and drug her out again. All for a shot that should have just been me telling her to get up and jump onto the table and lay down.

Before I take my dogs I always flat out ask them if they plan on taking my dog where I can't see her. If they say yes I don't even bother going there.
It's a legal issue here when it comes to blood draws, the owners can't be present due to the possibility of them fainting.

Thankfully, my vet is willing to risk a lawsuit on the fact that I will not faint or freak out and lets me in the back with them, as Renegade, as we recently learned, is extremely aggressive and protective of his property and other ferrets when I'm not around.
 

yoko

New Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
5,347
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#39
It's a legal issue here when it comes to blood draws, the owners can't be present due to the possibility of them fainting.
:O Do people actually faint?

For me I just like seeing what they are doing with my dog. It's not that I think they are going to do something horrible to her back there. It's just I feel a lot safer and I can keep track of what they did for Yoshi if I can actually see it.

Also Yoshi is cool with other people and I can leave her with people. But if I stay in a room and they try to take her away when she knows I'm still there Yoshi is not happy about that. It's a lot easier to do it in front of me where she will be calm and just lay there than drag her off and have her struggle the whole time while trying to get back to whatever room I'm in.
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
2,365
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
High Ridge, MO
#40
I just have not had a reason for my dogs to see a vet much. Our vet in Lubbock kinda knew Terra because she did all her health testing. But overall, I do a lot of minor things myself. Plus I don't follow that yearly stringent vaccine protocall, so, yeah.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top