Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on April 22, 2011 at 10:59am

I've always treated my pets the same way I would treat my children or myself.  If I'm not satisfied with the care that they or myself receive, I talk to the office/doctor/nurses/whatever and see what can be done.  Sometimes there's nothing to do but change offices, but other times things can be worked out.

 

Does Dr. Phil own the practice or is he just one of a few vets?  I'd say you should call up the office and ask to speak to him.  You don't have to say anything bad about the new vet, just explain that you're more comfortable with him handling your pets.  Explain about the cats and how you feel about the situation.  They'll never know that there's a problem unless someone tells them about it.

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on April 22, 2011 at 11:01am

That is a bummer Jane! There is a large vet school here at MSU so my vet frequently has interns and/ or recent graduates working in his office. I have to admit that I ask for the owner for most appointments. If he is not available there is a partner that I ask for. No one seems to mind and I just feel more comfortable especially since Sparty is such a stinker. I do not think you should feel bad about asking for some one that you have a relationship with at the vet. Hope they find the kitty soon and the vet that got bit is OK! I know they have to start somewhere but it doesn't have to me on my family:)

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Permalink Reply by Beth on April 22, 2011 at 11:37am

I use an office with 3 to 4 vets.  There are two I really like, one I don't know and one I don't like that much.  I always ask for the two that I like and the appointment-maker never finds this unusual.  In fact when I call I say "I need to bring my (dog/cat) in for xyz, and I would like to make an appointment with Dr X or Dr Y. 

 

If you think the new vet has potential and you would like to contribute to her getting experience without compromising your own pets' care, you might compromise and agree to see the new vet with your least complicated pets, and ask for the other vet for the others.  

Letting the cats escape sounds like a newbie mistake BUT I would have been upset too.  

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Permalink Reply by Beth on April 22, 2011 at 11:39am

P.S.  I wouldn't make a big deal of it and write the letter, as I'm sure the entire office is aware that she let your cats get away.  I would just handle it at appointment time. 

 

I switched doctors for myself once, within the same practice, which is more awkward because they assume you want to always see the original doctor, unlike vets which tend to swap around within the practice.  I lucked out and when I called for an appointment she was on maternity leave.  :-)   By the time she was back, I was able to say "Oh, since I saw Dr. So-and-So last time, why don't I just stick with him.   

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on April 22, 2011 at 11:53am

I am thinking of telling Karla the vet tech...I'm sure she knows already. the problem might be that Dr. Phil is mainly doing large animal but I will try scheduling my dogs with him. We have a good Dr./dog relationship and I will continue to let her "practice" on my barn cats...I know this sounds petty BUT if I go through all the trouble to have 4 barn cats spayed and neutered and shots...it's just because I don't want to add to the feral cat population around here. All but one of these cats may never be very friendly but they at least will be disease free and not able to reproduce!

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on April 22, 2011 at 2:03pm

I applaud you Jane for doing that! If everyone was more careful with outdoor cats there would not be so many being killed every year!

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Permalink Reply by Jane on April 22, 2011 at 12:27pm

I always ask for a specific vet when I call to make an appointment as well. I don't think I would write a letter, but I would probably request to see my choice Dr. at the next appointment and then explain to him that I'm only comfortable having him treat my animals in the future. Just because they are barn cats doesn't mean they should receive any less attention or treatment!

 

Honestly if I couldn't see the owner of the clinic I go to I would probably switch vets, because I don't really care for some of her employees. One vet seemed like she was annoyed with answering questions, another pushed the lyme vaccine endlessly. Once I called to pick up some dewormer and somehow ended up with a 10 minute tirade from the receptionist on how I'm a bad owner for not using flea preventitive in the dead of a Wisconsin winter. She does have some other employees I like but I have learned not to take a chance on who I end up seeing.

 

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on April 22, 2011 at 1:58pm

When scheduling an appointment ALWAYS ask for the doctor you are comfortable with. They generally will put all patients with the new vet to help her build clients unless the patients specifically ask for a different doctor. New vets are good because they have the most current info, but they are still practicing in text book fashion and its more black and white. No need to write a letter, although you can just to provide the owner of the practice with some feedback. It worries me that they did not respect your comment that the cats are semi-feral. BUT just an FYI, that is the techs fault and not the vet. The techs are the ones that prep for surgery (so THEY should never have took the cats out of the cage), the techs are the ones restraining the cat (so the vet SHOULD NOT have gotten bit if the techs were restraining properly), and in most cases its the techs draw blood (unless the doctor tried repeatedly and couldn't do it, I wouldn't fault her). In order to evaluate the vet, I would see how the cats are doing post surgery, what do the surgery sites look like?, etc. But all of the problems from your last visit sound like the techs are screwing up and not the vet, but that worries me even more because even if you ask for your specific doctor, the techs will be the ones handling and prepping your dog/cat. Maybe call and talk to the manager, see if they hired anybody new, tell them what happened and they can track down the culprit and see who caused this mess. My guess is it was one person responsible for all of it and if that is the case they need to know. Also, it may be the fault of whoever checked your cats in, they may not have passed on the message and if this is the case, the techs/dr would have treated the cats as if they were just scared house cats not knowing they are feral, in which case people get bit, cats escape, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on April 22, 2011 at 3:09pm

I think it was the new vet that let both cats get loose! She and the tech were there when I told them twice! I have 110% faith in the tech:) she may have been helping so that they could get their work started. The tech and I have held/dogs/cats and she is good! The tech was also the one that ended up drawing bella's blood the last time as the new vet could not get it. The owner is an older vet but is there and this clinic only has the 3 vets. What is nice is that I can call in and talk with them,see what they think and they don't push the extras!

 

Maybe they should make all new vets work for a humane society for a month...I mean I have done several dog rescues and brought in several stray cats and never got bit.It can happen though!

 

Melissa...

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on April 22, 2011 at 4:32pm

if the vet and tech were there then there is no excuse. When  you have a feral/semi-feral cat in the hospital you DO NOT take it out of the carrier it came in. You inject the pre-med in the carrier and if they are too feral to touch you just gas them down right in the carrier. I would definitely talk to the owner and only see your favorite vet in the future because if the tech was doing their job then it IS most definitely the vet's fault. I've been told by several people that corgis have tough veins to hit, but its usually the reverse where the tech can't get the vein so the doctor has to do it.

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Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on April 22, 2011 at 4:05pm

You did warn them of the temperaments so why not be in a closed off room where they couldn't of gotten anywhere if they had gotten loose? We all know how nasty and quick cats can be...hellooooo! I'd be a bit disgusted over it as well. Accidents happen but they were forewarned and should of known better when they deal with animals on a daily basis...even some of the most well behaved pets lose it at the vets. I think I would definitely let it be known how you feel. If this new vet is someone you feel made a bad call this time but will be something great for the practice then don't make a huge deal of it.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Markley on April 22, 2011 at 7:44pm

Wow...I don't know what to say.  I'd be mad, and worried.  Bless you for fixing the barn animals though!  I guess if you're not happy with them, then I would switch.  I know sometimes the vet tech draws blood on my animals, but it's usually the easy draws--not the corgis with no legs.  If they're feral cats (and I have one), I know how difficult it can be to get them in the cage, let alone out of it, and once out it's mayhem to hold on to them...I don't know.  I guess go with your gut...I'm a big believer in gut instinct.  Seanna said if worse comes to worse, she'll come up and get the cats out for you...free of charge--all she wants is a little taste of them...:-)

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