Such a crying shame

Reuben has a lovely happy nature, loving everyone he meets . Visits to the Vets used to be a breeze , he allowed Vets and nurses to do anything to him, like I did at home . This has all changed after a bad visit some time ago when he had had surgery on a broken claw which had split right down the middle and as instructed , I kept the dressing on and kept it dry . I had taken him back to have the dressing removed , it was a student nurse who I am sad to say I had taken a dislike to previously due to her condescending attitude towards me and other clients . She took my boy off , I got up to go with her and she told me he would be fine just with her and to stay in the waiting room , I really should have argued at this point . I heard him scream , an awful heart breaking scream whereupon she opened the door and asked for a vet . The wound had become infected quite badly and I heard the Vet ask the girl if she had pulled the dressing off in one , she said she had done . At the point , I went in to find Reuben a quivering wreck , the Vet gave him an injection of antibiotic and a course of them and advised me to keep the wound open as much as possible , it healed up eventually . However , he now has a complete aversion to anyone touching his claws, even me , he had to wear a muzzle when I took him for his nails clipping recently which truly upset me but I understood the need . I find it telling that this girl is no longer working at the Vets but I still cant touch his nails without him growling at me which is so upsetting for such a soft boy to be doing this . His nails grow quickly and so I must take him to have them done as we cant get near him , this would never have happened prior to the awful experience , a shame indeed xx
 
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Norfolk
I am really sorry to read this Kate, it is so upsetting when one incident ruins everything you have done to make vet visits a happy experience for our animals. Especially for a happy boy like Reuben.
Maybe someone on here can give some advice so that Reuben at least accepts you touching his nails. And I hope you made a formal complaint to the vet about his treatment by the student nurse.
 
So very sad and unnecessary that this should have happened to Reuben, it could have been removed more sympathetically and now all he remembers is the pain. I think you will be able to finally touch his nails, but it will take a long time, take it slowly which I am sure you will. Poor lad, I do feel for him.
 

Cath

MLF Sales Coordinator
I am so sorry Kate that this happen to Reuben and you. Something happen to Fred with a young female vet and now he has to have male vets.
I hope in time he will let you touch his feet and nails :hug:
 
So sorry Kate - I feel like I know Reuben personally from all your stories of him, and he sounds a lot like my big softie Merlin; I can imagine your fury and upset at him being hurt, and how upset he must be in order to growl. I think if it were me I'd do a bit of positive reinforcement around the nails, you know, bit of chicken in the left hand, touch Nellie's paw, she gets a piece of chicken; then doing the same with Reuben maybe starting with touching his leg, piece of chicken, touch his paw, piece of chicken, touch his claw, piece of chicken... :)
 
I’m so sorry, that’s so awful. Poor boy is so traumatized from such a careless person 😞 Reuben is such a sweet boy that I think it will just take time and lots of food encouragement like what was mentioned already :hug:
 
Oh that is just unacceptable. Have you told the vet about what happened? I have an issue with Hunter as the vet couldn't get his vein to draw blood and needed several attempts. It has taken time and if he has to have a blood sample we have to muzzle him.
Poor sweet Reuben.
I don't use that vet any more and my other vet is understanding and knows blood samples are going to be stressful.
 
Poor Reuban. I’m sorry this happened to Reuban Kate and you. Even if you’d insisted on staying with Reuban my guess is it still would’ve happened due to the infection and a rough handed young, inexperienced vet so don’t blame yourself for that. With all your experience with dogs I know you know plenty of ways of helping Reuban. Evenif he never fully trusts the vet again, which really is a terrible shame, I’m sure he’ll soon trust you to touch his feet again.

Maybe there is a small upside to reactive dogs. A vet couldn’t have done to Scott and Scout what that vet did to poor Reuban. She’d never have got near on her own:wink:
 
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