So I mentioned a while ago that there were two great vets at our clinic and that we'd also seen one that neither Ella or I liked. Well, one of our good vets has now left and it's only the owner left that we like . We had to take Ella on today as she has a urinary tract infection and looks like she's got an itchy eye too (credit card burning in pocket). We had to see the new vet as we couldn't get in with the owner and we didn't want to leave the UTI too long. She said we might have to go back and have Ella sedated to take a scraping around the eye if it doesn't clear up and the OH mentioned that they may as well clip her nails if she had to be sedated. The vet then started to tell him that he needed to be stronger with her, show her who's boss, growl at her and force her to let us clip her nails as we were the ones that determine the rules, not her! Grrrrrrrrrr so mad! I still love the owner and he's a great vet and great with Ella but I'm getting worried about how busy he will be and how it will affect our chances of booking in with him. I also don't know if I should say something to him about the other vet and her dominant approach given that, whilst it's not my choice of approach, it's not considered "wrong" across the board.
What a peculiar attitude that vet has. She's going to get bitten behaving like that, sooner rather than later. Maybe they will take on a new vet soon, to replace the old one? We have vets that are "firmer" than others, but not in a way that disturbs me. Neither of my dogs are very good in the vets.
Oh dear it certainly doesn't help to build a relationship with a new vet when they start expounding outdated dominance theories. Not many options open to you really apart from telling the vet you don't agree with dominance theories and practices, have a chat with the owner explaining your concerns or start the search for a new vet practice. I would be concerned to leave my dog for treatment with the vet in question, not in the standard of treatment but in the handling of my dog while away from me
I would certainly have a conversation with the owner; I wouldn't be happy having my dog treated by someone with such beliefs, and that would therefore have an impact on the business. The owner should be made aware of this; if I were in your shoes and I didn't have the confidence of being able to see the person I wanted when I needed to, then I would look to change vets. I would make it very clear that I didn't want that vet to have anything to do with my dog, ever.
That's so annoying. I'd be off to find another practice of vets - if you have choice, I'd just vote with my feet, and that's that. I would also write a review/letter about why. I think it's very necessary and critical to have a vet you trust. There is no way I'd leave my dog to be sedated with a vet that thinks like that! How would he handle my dog when I wasn't there?!!! I see one vet who treats Charlie so well, with such careful sensitive handling, it's amazing. I learned a lot just by watching him. This vet has a manner with Charlie, approaches very slowly and letting Charlie sniff his hands and instruments, that Charlie will just stay still and calm for him. Charlie is good with vets - amazingly so, really. He'll sometimes sit down a bit firmly to say 'I'm a bit sick of people messing with my back legs'. And he'll sometimes roll on his back which I think has a touch of submission about it, but that's it. Incredible, really, after the number of operations he has had. But even so, there has been some rough handling over the months of his treatment that has scared him and I just I call it out every time I see it, politely but firmly, and I make it clear that no-one subjects my dog to any handling I don't like. I'm lucky, in London, I'm surrounded by vets, vet hospitals and great facilities, and I have a choice of vets for whatever treatment I need for my dog. That does make a difference, it would be different if I was stuck for choice. And sedation to take an eye swab? Really? My vet has done 3 eye swabs for Charlie - they are a bit uncomfortable, but nothing that roast duck wouldn't compensate him for to allow us to do it. We did have to hold his head still though.
So sorry to hear of this experience Emily it's just terrible behaviour from a vet. I would off too but if you can't then I would just explain that I don't believe in such out dated techniques at all. I don't know if you use a clicker but maybe some training for being touched e.g. ears, mouth, paws etc. would help. I did a lot of this with Charlie and it helped so much. It's threads like this that make me really thankful for the positive 21st century vets we have in our practice. They are all gentle, reassuring, carefully handle dogs with treats. Charlie was once treated in the car park because he was too anxious to go inside, and once taken into a side room with no instruments just chairs, now that's a good vet. Thankfully now he is much better and readily goes in Here's hoping they take on a forward thinking replacement vet. x
Very sorry to read this Emily, poor handling can affect a dog for a long time , definitely speak to the owner, air your views as you are entitled to . I`m lucky in that our Vet is a friend, known for over 30 years , Sam adores visiting as he gets to go behind the counter for treats , I really am sorry x
So it looks like the vet we saw today was a temporary replacement while they look for a permanent so hopefully all is not lost. We do have a lot of other vets around, including a brand new RSPCA building so I think I'll start looking around as well. charlie we actually check her eyes, ears, mouth, lady bits, backside and belly (usually results in a lengthy belly rub haha) everyday so she's very good with that. We're also getting better with the paws but that's still a work in progress. I think I actually need to start being more assertive at the vet and control the pace and technique we use as I think sometimes they just rush into things and take Ella by surprise. Just frustrating when you spend a fortune for a service in the hope that you will develop a good relationship and you come away feeling disappointed.
I would just research the other practices in your area, there are lots now and they are all getting very competitive, especially in our local area. A conversation to determine what processes they have in place to help support nervous dogs/cats for example. Certainly though let your current vet know why you feel you have to leave. As JulieT suggests..vote with your feet
Sorry to hear about yours and Ella's experience at your vets. I would speak to the owner about her manner and let them know that you are unhappy about it. I ditto what everyone else has said in relation to looking for a different vet. I hope Ella's eye is a bit better today and that her uti clears up quickly x
I'm facing a similar problem, the vet I really like is returning to New Zealand next month . A tad to far for me to travel to get Dexter seen by him
It took me a year to leave our first vet. She was so rude to us the last time we were there after we told her we feed our dog raw food (my husband and I were shocked into silence by her outburst at us) and when we left I said, Never going back there again. Even though other people absolutely love her. I'd had a bad feeling about her for a while because her stock standard approach is a cortisone injection and she vaccinated my boy (he was due in a week for puppy vacs) when I'd brought him in for an acute reaction to a bee sting and she said it was okay to give a cortisone injection and vacs at the same time (oh boy, if only I'd stood up to her then), so in a way her rudeness to us was a blessing in disguise. We found a lovely vet who calls our dog "Darling" and "Sweetie" and plies him with treats. I hope she's a good vet, too! She comes with good recommendations from people I trust and yet everyone has a bad story to say about every vet there is! So far I believe she's treated our boy correctly. It's so difficult, we want the best for our dogs and going to the vet is -- for me at least -- an often traumatic experience because I'm so worried about my boy's health. Snowie, on the other hand, simply LOVES going to the vet! Who wouldn't with all those treats and the kindness of the vet.
I finally left our vet a few months ago, I really should have left a long time before! Some of you will know that Maisie is very frightened of the vets and hates being handled. We had to visit the vet on an emergency appointment at the weekend as Maisie was having what appeared to be "seizures". The vet I saw was a locum. She refused to examine Maisie on the floor, refused to examine her in the waiting room (none was there and she is happier in a large space) and then accused me of having an untrained hyper active dog! She couldn't read Maisie's body language at all, she was very stressed and scared. Horrible experience that resulted in me leaving as the owner said that it wasn't her fault that she had to have a locum!!! Off to a super new vet who oozes calm and patience with her. She managed to examine her and even took bloods without having to knock her out. Oh how I wish we had moved practice sooner. The new vet is further away from us but it is worth it for peace of mind.
Casper loves his vet.. she specialises in orthopaedic conditions and is terrific. She has such a lovely manner, Casper just adores her and break dances on his back when he goes in to see her, spinning like mad and pushing himself off on the walls! He then stands very solemnly though, while she checks him over, tail wagging like mad.
