The Vets

[Jennifer]

Hunter had his booster jabs on Friday and I’m still frustrated about the experience which is why I’m about to write a long boring post about it. Unfortunately we got the vet I didn’t want. I’d had her a couple of times with Scout and while I think her veterinary ability is very good her temperament is not to the point we’re you wonder why she went in to the profession. She doesn't come across as a doggy person or any animal person. She’s very business like, serious, gets on with the job and does everything by the book. She doesn’t particularly interact with the dog and her people skills are a bit iffy too. Our appointment was 9am we got there early of course. The waiting room was empty which was good. Hunter sat very nicely on the scales for me to weigh him. 26.45kg. I had expected him to be a bit heavier to be honest. I’m not convinced their scales are right. As long as we were still Hunter behaved very well. He just sat nicely by me. When we moved he pulled, excited, sniffing all the smells. The vet called us in early which was good. She was just as I remembered very efficient, nice enough but lacking a bedside manner. She asked questions about Hunter’s health to make sure ok for vaccination which I’ve never had before. This is what’s she’s like though. When she asked if any diarrhoea or vomiting I said no touch wood. She then asked when you say touch wood does that mean you think he might have or has had ….. I was saying it jokingly to not tempt fate.. I did tell her he was a bit excited/worked up so she said she’d try and keep stress to a minimum. She then approached him with the ear thing. No warning, no interacting with him first. Hunter did one woof so she decided just to do the vaccination not bother examining him so not stressed. Fine by me that was all Scott and Scout ever got however I did think as we were so early if she’d just taken a few minutes to maybe crouch down to him and try and make friends he’d probably have been ok. There’s no guarantee with Hunter he’s quite particular with who he befriends in fact you can see him weighing people up. He did not care for this vet. After his jab she got him a gravy bone. Hunter hid behind me when she tried to give it him. He happily took it off me so I knew he wasn’t too stressed. Back out in the waiting room I got pulled to reception then he sat very nicely again. The waiting room was still empty which is unusual. My vets sold to one of the big chains a few years ago and I wonder if they’ve lost custom I know they lost some of their good vets. While we were waiting at reception a lady came in behind us and asked how old Hunter was etc then stroked him. Hunter quite happy with her. On the way out we met another vet who’s been there a very long time. She was the first vet Murphy saw so technically I’ve known her 28 years but she’s only part time and doesn’t do much consulting now. She stopped to say hello, stroked Hunter etc she has labradors. Hunter happy with her too. Anyway it’s done that’s the main thing. Oh it cost £102 !!! for vaccinations and 4 wormers !!! They tried to flog me their Pet health club plan but to be honest I’m not convinced it’s worth it also I don’t particularly want to be tied to them .

 

[Jacqui-S]

That does seem a lot of £ but I have never bought wormers at my vet and think about the basic appointment charge with nothing else is over £35 for me.
I don't think I would go see that vet myself by preference again. Of course, you don't always have a choice.
Does your vet do online booking? Suss out who is on when before next visit?

 

[Jennifer]

@Jacqui-S I booked this appointment on line but it doesn’t say which vets are on. I did ring the week before to check my appointment as I’d had a text reminder to make one. I asked which vets were working so I knew I was getting this vet. Unfortunately if I changed it for another vet I couldn’t get a 9am and I wanted to go first thing so it was quiet and we wouldn’t be waiting ages. There are two young vets one looked after Scott when his kidneys went and the other looked after Scout. Unfortunately they mainly work at the other practise so dropping on an appointment with them isn't easy but I do think Hunter would like them and they would definitely have tried to make friends with him first. The vaccination was £65.50. I get the Milbemax wormers off the vet because they cover lung worm. They are £9.17 each now.

 

[SteffiS]

I’ve struggled to find a vet here in Norfolk that isn’t tied to a group. However, even within the same group I’ve found the care really varies. I take Toffee to a vet nearly an hour away, originally because they have the eye expert there and he had a traumatic eye injury during covid, but I’ve continued to go there as the vets are lovely. Our local vets is in the same group and I find them pretty brusque, I tend to use them for Ripple and our cat as they are so close. But the prices everywhere !

 

[edzbird]

I paid £71 for Coco' booster a couple of weeks ago, no worming or tick/flea treatment, just the vaccine (big chain-owned). We saw the same vet he saw for his ears earlier in the year. She was pleasant and chatty with Coco, approaching him nicely. I was happy with her bedside manner with Coco. However, I saw her with Meg for boosters last year. She wasn't very good at all with her. Yes, Meg has major fear problems, but she didn't make any effort to put her at ease, she just leaped in and tried to scruff her while I had to try and hold her head which was impossible - we were out in the street doing this, the vet then took Meg and marched her brusquely across the road and into the surgery where, with the help of the receptionist, she managed to administer the vaccine (much snarling an thrashing coming from the room - I didn't go in with her). I have to book her in for this year's booster now..

 

[Cath]

On the way out we met another vet who’s been there a very long time. She was the first vet Murphy saw so technically I’ve known her 28 years but she’s only part time and doesn’t do much consulting now.

Try and find out when she is in for Hunter. Fred had a bad experience with a lady vet when he was young. Now he will only go in if it is a male vet and he still will not let them touch him, he give them the Elvis lip. He will let them give him sausages but that's it. We book him in with the same vet and always ring to find out when he is on. We have to trick Fred to get his vac jabs. The vet says call him and Fred comes over to us and we rub his ears very hard, the vet comes from behind is very quick. What a performance

 

[HAH]

That is frustrating @Jennifer, you and Hunter did well in the face of poor care, and @edzbird this sounds really upsetting for you and Meg. It's always tough when you have to balance choice (or lack of it) and advocating for our dogs, and not making it much worse for the next time.

I've become much more assertive in the last few months after Stilton and I saw a vet who was newly qualified and just way too gung-ho, much too interested in applying his knowledge and no focus on the dog in front of him and how he was reacting. I gave some feedback on that, gently done but I think it's important. We're lucky that the reception team is excellent - we always ask who the vet is for our appointments, and on the day they're not always the one we were expecting. The reception team are now very quick to pick up on our reactions (I'm maybe quite obvious?!) and will subtly suggest alternatives if they're available. It's horses for courses of course - some people love a direct no-nonsense approach from their vets, but I'm increasingly demanding the right people for our boys, if we have the luxury to choose.

 

[Atemas]

I have found a vet I like at our vets and I specifically ask for her when I book an appointment. She has a lovely way with Red and gets down on the floor to give Red her twice yearly health check. Red absolutely loves her and the minute we arrive she is pulling like mad to get in the vets and see her. I think we pay enough so we need to have a vet both dog and owner are happy and comfortable with.

Your vet may be on the Autistic spectrum @Jennifer (yes I know we probably all are somewhere) and just doesn’t have the socials skills

i pay £17 a month for their Pet Plan. That covers two health checks a year, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments. They have kept that price steady and I hope they will continue to (but who knows)

 

[Jennifer]

@Cath it made me smile the way you describe Fred giving the vet the Elvis lip. I always used to say Scout was doing his Elvis impression when he curled his lip too

@edzbird poor Meg it really doesn’t help a fearful dog when a vet doesn’t understand how to handle them. I was lucky in away with Scott and Scout a bit like you @HAH with Stilton I became more assertive always in a nice way of course I always asked for them to come outside so the dogs didn’t have the stress of the waiting room, funnily enough this was helped a lot by covid as they made covered areas outside. If it was a new vet I explained it was best to just get on with the job keeping any examination to a minimum. The best way I found to hold a scared dog‘s head still is to put it’s head between my knees and hold the collar tight on either side they generally give in. Not ideal but sometimes necessary. Maybe @edzbird you could practise this with Meg having someone feed her treats behind you so the strange position doesn’t bother her. @Atemas you could be right with the autism. There was a vet I always requested. She was a brilliant vet and brilliant with dogs. I used to see her when possible with Murphy and Scott and Scout didn’t phase her but best of all because I’d known her for so long she’d take my word for it with minimum examination knowing I’d be straight back if anything was wrong, if she didn’t think something wasn’t completely necessary she wouldn’t do it and she might suggest alternatives to expensive meds etc. When Scott’s Kidneys started going I unfortunately got a young vet who did everything by the book which obviously she should but my brilliant vet had her eye on things and although Scott should’ve been in on a drip for 48 hours she rang me after 24 to tell me as Scott’s heart was good she was going to force the drip through quicker and I’d to go and pick him up because he was not coping well at all. In fact she’d apparently told the young vet that she mustn’t keep Scott in in the first place but the young vet had done it by the book. Unfortunately she left soon after the practice sold out to a chain. Coincidence I doubt. I’ve heard she’s gone to a small private practice but unfortunately it’s too far to be practical for us. Maybe the song should be “A good vet these days is hard to find”

 

[Selina27]

I too thought there maybe a degree of autism could be involved.

It's so tricky isn't it? I guess no one vet can be all things to all people and all animals, and experience and wisdom take time to accumulate.

What I require from a vet visit is a high level of professional knowledge and skill coupled with interaction with me as a reasonably intelligent member of society and really the expert on my particular dog so that the whole process is shared. I really appreciate a professional liking for the animal concerned without fluffi over the top gushiness. I was lucky enough to get this on Cass s last visit in July, and I felt very satisfied.

This year the cost was £58, she only had Lepto not the DHP. I also buy Milbemax from the vets, I think it was £13 up from £11, so if I did that 4 times a yerar I guess that puts it on a par with your bill @Jennifer. I go to a small employee owned practic.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Ugh, not a nice experience, I'm sorry. Sounds like it would be worth it to try someplace new or go at a different time to get a vet you like (even though I realise that's a pain). Hunter was a real gentleman dog despite the abruptness.

As I was reading your story, I was thinking "I forgot if she's in the UK or elsewhere". Of course the amount in pounds gave it away but more so the amount. The UK is nuts for vet prices. Carbón got his rabies vax in Cornwall once prior to Brexit (he has to have all vaccinations in the EU now or his passport would be invalidated), and I was floored by the price difference between the UK and literally anywhere else I've been except for the US. Looks like worming tabs (Milbemax) is also exponentially higher in the UK. It's so weird.

Side note: it's not just vets. Medical costs (if you don't use the NHS) are also exponentially higher in the UK than in other places in Europe. Maybe there's a connection, like there is in the US (i.e. pharma lobbyists in our case).

I do hope you find a better solution for a vet - if you've got to pay, you might as well at least like the person. And the vet should like dogs!

 

[Granca]

That‘s disappointing, @Jennifer. Fortunately you had some positive interactions with other people afterwards.

Luckily it’s always been possible to book planned check-ups with my preferred vet at our local employee-owned practice, but not for quick appointments for unplanned visits, as I found when Wispa was ill. Then, it was the nurse who had seen her on many occasions for her desensitisation sessions who made sure she was there with us (and different vets) every time. She was so helpful. Would it be possible to take Hunter for similar sessions with a nurse, if that’s on offer at the practice, so that there’s a chance you would have some support for a vet appointment In future?

 

[Jennifer]

@Granca That‘s a very good idea thank you. I’ll give it a try however I’ve got a feeling they’ll be “too busy” or something similar. With my vets it’s always dependant on which receptionists are on as to how amenable they are. Some make you feel like your causing problems just ringing and asking for an appointment while others couldn’t be more helpful. The weekend receptionists tend to be much more helpful so I’ll try them. At one time you could ring to speak to a nurse or pop in to see a nurse no charge. Now I think they charge for nurse treatment and when I rang to speak to a nurse who specialised in diet you’d think I’d asked for the world.

 

[Stacia]

Rourke absolutely loved going to the vet, dragged me into waiting room (so embarrassing) and when vet opened the waiting room door to call us, Rourke was in the consulting room before the vet and me. One vet was on the floor with him, they were all good. However, my new sensitive little soul is going to be a different kettle of fish.

 

[Jennifer]

I’m annoyed with myself this morning and weirdly I knew this would happen. First thing this morning Hunter vomited bile. There’s a little voice in my head worrying but I know it’s most likely because of an empty stomach. It happens every so often, the last time was May, and was more frequent when he was a small pup. Scott and Scout used to do a similar thing and when I mentioned it to the vet she told me because of an empty stomach especially when growing. I was going to mention this and a couple of other things that I know aren’t really anything to worry about but would’ve liked confirmation when I took Hunter for his vaccination but because of the vet I got I didn’t. I knew if I did she wouldn’t say anything to put my mind at rest and worse case she might suggest tests or at least tests if it continues. The good vet I mentioned earlier would’ve said, and did with S&S, just give him a biscuit before bed he’ll be fine. I know this vet is doing the job “properly“ if you like but ……. I knew if I didn’t mention it though it would happen

 

[Jacqui-S]

just give him a biscuit before bed he’ll be fine.

This.
In human terms, if one of my trainees started a raft of investigations before trying the simple solution first, I would call them up on it for overmedicalising, overuse of inappropriate resources, and causing needless anxiety.
Sometimes you just need someone's experience to say, yeah, that happens, it will settle.
The "Use Of Time" is a powerful medicine.

 

[kateincornwall]

I`m feeling a little deflated over our local practice . We had been with the practice for over 35 years apart from our time in France . When David retired , he sold to a group and thankfully head Vet Sue stayed on. I have much respect and love for her , she treated Sam and sadly helped him on his way , then was so visibly upset when Reuben had his mast cell cancer diagnosed with a prognosis of Fair . However , I noted on my last visit that the place looked scruffy and neglected , quite unkempt and alongside of this , prices have hit the roof with a basic consultation now costing 65 pounds . I rang the surgery almost two weeks ago to book Reuben in for a dental to be told that the nurse who deals with bookings was on holiday but that someone would call me within a week , I`m still waiting for the call . There is a new Vet in town , an independent one who`s costs are far more reasonable , I am tempted to change but I would feel so bad at leaving Sue who knows our dogs and their issues, its a shame xx

 

[Selina27]

its a shame

It really is, a crying shame Kate.

It might be worth going to the new independent practice -- especially if Sue herself is coming up retirement or such like. Maybe you let her know if you do move? by way of a thank you.
Quite a few youngsters are taking the bold step of setting up independent practices due to feeling unhappy with the corporate take overs. We have 2 locally, and it's good to see them doing well. "Phoenix practices" I believe they are called!

 

[Selina27]

What I require from a vet visit is a high level of professional knowledge and skill coupled with interaction with me as a reasonably intelligent member of society and really the expert on my particular dog so that the whole process is shared. I really appreciate a professional liking for the animal concerned without fluffi over the top gushiness. I was lucky enough to get this on Cass s last visit in July, and I felt very satisfied.

I think @Jennifer this comes across as rather smug! Not intentional.
I've had both less than satisfactory consultations and highly satisfactory consultations over the years

 

[SteffiS]

@kateincornwall Would it be worth having a chat with the new vet practice and maybe an informal visit with Reuben? - it might give you a better feel for the place.
I know when you've been loyal to a vet it’s very difficult.