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Woof Woof! This forum is a service for dog lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitue for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your dog.
Personally, if it was me, I would consider changing vets. Several years ago, my parents used a vet clinic that towards the end sounded alot like yours. It started to feel like the money was more important than the animal. They switched vets about 6 years ago.
They had rescued a great dane who had been abused and while not aggressive with men, she was very nervous with strange men. My father specified that she had been abused when he booked the first appointment with them and asked for a female vet. He arrives at the appoinment and the vet (who was female) upon entering the room almost freaked out when she found out it was a great dane. Ummm, that is what the chart says...did you not read it before coming in? She demands the dog be muzzled (without even looking at the dog, finding out her temperment etc) and calls a vet tech in to muzzle the dog. In comes a MALE vet tech. Turns out this particluar vet insists ALL large breed dogs be muzzled. So what should have been a simple appointment turned into a very traumatic experience or this dog. It was the LAST time they used this vet.
They found a vet they love by accident. The dane had an emergency at the cottage and had to be taken to the vet in the nearest town. Vet is female and Mikala LOVES her. I personally think she could be a bit more aggressive in some of her treatment methods and a little more up to date, but my parents and the dog like her.
The vet I use for Neesa, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!!!! They truely put the animal first. My neighbors had a shihpoo and took her into to be spayed at the same vet my parents used to use. I warned them before they went in and bit my tongue not to say I told you so afterwards. It cost them over $500 for a simple spay operation by the time the vet was down with all the add ons.
When I had Neesa spayed it cost me just over $240 to have her spayed and microchipped. When I picked her up, they told me she also had a couple puppy teeth extracted and her nails clipped. Plus they gave her a shot of demerol for any pain. Her I am figuring, great the bill is now going through the roof. NOPE! Didn;t charge me for any of the extras. The receptionist started laughing at the shocked look on my face. She told me Neesa was already under so the teeth and nails really didn;t take much extra and they may as well do it then rather than have me come back for another appointment and put her under again.
Smae for her heartworm/flea stuff. She was borderline for weight so they had me bring her in every couple months, pop her on the scale and sold me 2 months worth of drops. This year, she had her annual exam and they had me bring her back in for her heartworm test. Technician did it, all they charged me for was the actual test and her drops. Didn't charge me for a second visit as I was there literally 10 minutes and it wasn';t an actual vet visit.
I am not sure how my vet makes any money, but I do know they are very well liked and people travel upwards of an hour to bring thier dogs there. They are also very knowledgeable on pet food (I feed Merrick's) and my vet knows most of the holistic brands and reccomends them. She also does 3 year rabies vaccines which is still not as common in Canada (getting better though).
Neesa-I'm moving up there!! My vet is literally going senile. He's the only one I can get to and he's a nice man but he's very old and shaky. My feelings are neutral about him although his staff are whiny and annoying. Last summer when Mack got really sick (I thought it was Parvo and that he was going to die) the vet never did say what it was just gave penicillin injections and SQ fluids every other day. He charged me a total of 125$ For three visits in 5 days. He also left a thermometer in Mack twice Once we move I am going to set it up with a couple of neighbors so that we can get a ride to the vet in Salisbury, Snow Hill or Berlin instead of him.
Kili was going to a vet who never told me he needed Bordella if he was going to a groomer. Needless to say, Kili got Kennel Cough from a two hour grooming visit. He was at the Emergency Vet and at his regular vet several time. His regular vet told me there was nothing they could do for it and he was "just a dog", he would "get over it."
I left that vet in a hurry! I called the vet we had seen at the Emergency Vet Clinic and asked them if their patients were "just dogs". They assured me they weren't. I switched Kili to the new vet 5 years ago and couldn't be happier! By the way, when I brought Kili for his first appointment with his new vet later that day, he had pneumonia from the Kennel Cough. He wouldn't have made it if I had believed he was "Just a dog".
My new vet is wonderful! He gives both of my dog's the time and attention they deserve and explains any questions I might have. He always ends my visits with "Is there anything else you are concerned about or do you have any questions?
If you are ever unhappy with your vet, I highly recommend shopping for a new one! You would not continue going to a doctor you didn't like, why take your babies to a vet you aren't happy with?
Wow "just a dog" Had that happened I would of kicked them in the shins. I think we've found one. I've gone in talked with the vets (there are only 3 not 7). They seemed very interested in the dogs. Not to mention their prices are far better then what we have been paying. I just think the vets office I have now has just gotten too big, and focus has shifted off of taking time and more towards getting people in and shuffling them out. I'm very happy to hear though that so many people are happy with their vets. Hopefully with this new one I will be also.
Mom loves my new vet, too! She took me there for my rabies shot and annual physical, then for my neuter a couple of weeks ago. They were a lot less expensive than the first place Mom was going to set up my neuter and they dremelled my claws while I was under at no charge!
Mom's going to be setting up an appt for Tess next week, then Sabé, who's new and has, as far as we know, never seen a vet. She's a little over a year old. We don't think Dr. Donelly will scare her, though, cause she's a real nice lady.
$23 for a NAIL TRIMMING Mommy only pays $6.50! It sounds like they really aren't providing quality service! If I were you I would DEFINATELY consider changing to another vet! They are one of the most important people in your pets life and I would not be comfortable trusting my pups in the hands of someone who can't even remember to tell you to bring a stool sample...
Our girl, Daisy (great dane) is also not too keen on strange men (especially since we got broken into???!!!) but we take her to the vet often for a weigh-in and also for injections for her hip displaysia and sometimes she gets the male vet. She knows she will always leave with a treat and to be honest, I don't care how much they charge, if they're helping your dog... pay it! As for muzzling a dog and causing them stress in an already stressful environment, I just wouldn't do it.
Money is not a concern. We have a Dane who has had hip surgery, a Dachshund who has had back surgery, and another Dachshund who has had a nose surgery. I would gladly hand over any amount necessary to do what I needed for my dog. Thankfully we are financially able to do what ever is needed without even thinking about it. However, I do think there is a difference between paying for what needs to be done and over paying. 23 bucks for a nail trim is over paying, being charged 15 more then what others are charging for a fecal is over paying. Not to mention the break down in communication, and feeling not respected. This does not have to do with me wanting to find a cheap vet. It does not have to do with us just not wanting to pay for our dogs. As I said financially we have been lucky, I'm lucky enough to be home all day with them, and would do or pay what ever was needed. I will not though be taken advantage of (just because I can afford to pay higher prices) or treated less then what I consider to be fair.
I used one Banfield/Petsmart and switched to a closer location but now I think I'm going to switch back or find a new vet entirely. I don't like how the closer Banfield office handles comprehensive exams. You drop the dog off before 9am and they keep all the patients kenneled in the back while they take an assembly line approach to care. They call you when they're done so you pick up the dog and they hand you a packet of information. The paperwork tells you how the dog did and areas that need improvement. Call me a control freak but I like to be present for an examination. Last time they notated a problem with her lung sounds . It would have been nice to get that information in person rather than read it in a progress report.
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Once we move I am going to set it up with a couple of neighbors so that we can get a ride to the vet in Salisbury, Snow Hill or Berlin instead of him.
