A Banfield Vet story.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I am embarassed to say I have the Wellness Plan at Banfield, long story having to do with ear infections and it has probably really saved me about $1500.00 in the last year with all the visits for chronic problems, but it is a chain and some people have had good and some bad experiences with them. Mine were ok, nothing terribly wrong or wonderfully exemplary either. They believe in Science Diet, see no way I could possibly be giving my dogs sufficient nutrients with homecooking or people food in general, talk down to me about how I take care of Murphy's ears as in "Well you really need to keep them clean". As though I don't spend a good part of my life attending to those cute floppy ears.

We have agreed to disagree and just give me the antibiotics and steroids he needs to recover and I can leave, Ofcourse they want to see him for follow up, again and again!

So he has had no ear infection that has needed antibiotics or steroids for about 6 months. A record for him!

He needed a yearly Lepto vaccine this week and so we went to get that done and another new Vet saw us. She reviewed his chart, asked about his ears, and then hands me a pamphlet on Hyperthyroidism. A sign of this is chronic ear infections. However, other signs were lethargy, diarrhea, constipation, temperment changes, appetite changes among many many other symptoms. She said it would just take a simple blood test and only 2 pills a day!!!! Oh Boy....and how much would all that cost doc?

I told her that he has none of the other symptoms and he has ear infections because he swims and has floppy ears! Why would I get a blood test for hyperthyroidism? She said the fact that a dog that would be as anxious as he is when she came in ( He was sitting on the bench next to me and put his face to the corner wall to avoid her) would have a high heart rate from anxiety and his was low. I told her Murphy associates this office with painful proceedures and he was avoiding not anxious, so I wouldn't expect his heart rate to be elevated.

She asked to look into his ears and I told her they are fine and that he just doesn't handle ear exams well anymore because he has had some really bad experiences here and just fights when anyone else puts things in his ear or comes near him with the otoscope. She tried with the tech to see in an ear and after several attempts and a hysterical dog, then said, "Well, we'll just bring him to the back and check his ears". What part of "Bad Experiences" with ear exams did she not get? I said NO, we won't need to bring him back unless I go with him as it has taken 3 people to try to hold him down and after all that fighting they still haven't seen what they need to, so why put him through that.

Anyway, I am sure she and the vet tech just feel like I am being unreasonable and am that crazy dog lady! I just had to vent! Maybe I should write something on "What to say when the Vet wants to sell you unnecessary blood work and do unnecessary stressful exams" like the article on "What to say to your vet when they want to sell you RX foods".

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!

[Banfield The Pet Hospital]

A lot of great feedback in here! We're not here to advertise, but we did come across this blog and want to let everyone know that we have a resource that is available to share this feedback with us. We understand that some of you feel uncomfortable taking your pets to your Banfield, and we want to change that! We have a client advocacy team available for you to call to discuss your experience. We can then address this feedback on the local level. Our team can be reached at 877-500-2288. Thank you all for your time, and we wish good health to you and all of your doodles!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Lisa,  yes Stow Kent is REAL busy!   I only used them in emergencies but they were always there for me even on Easter Sunday at 8am! 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Joanne, actually we use to go to Stow Kent Animal Hospital and I love the Vets there, however they always overbook....if my appt. was 6 I was seen at 7 and so on. We use to live in Stow....they saw our Zach from 5 months of age until he died at 15. Living in Streetsboro and driving to Stow after work just doesn't work and that is when they are their busiest.Believe me after the bad experience at another Vet office in Aurora I considered going back to them.

We currently go to Twinsburg Animal Hospital and Lodge. So far very pleased but as I mentioned I haven't been since her spay. They came highly recommended by 3 different neighbors.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I agree. I like my vet and try to always see her. She listens to me and the dogs like her. I only wait a few minutes and we all go in together. The only exception is if the dogs are just there for a vaccination and then they are in and out in a couple of minutes and seem perfectly OK with the experience.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

yes, that is exactly why you want a regular vet that you see every time.  Or if there are a few in the practice then you get him familiar with all of them for emergency reasons but stick to the same vet for appointments.  That is what I do.  Plus, every girl in the entire clinic know Gracie Doodle and us by first name.  It pays to go to the same place for 20 years!  We even run into our vet in restaurants!!  They have brought a few new ones in that I haven't really bonded with yet and don't know "our" 20 year history so I specifically use only one if at all possible.  My poor daughter when through this with her Rhodesian Ridgeback as a puppy and she went through 5 vets before she found one.  I am not fond of VCA either and that was what she was having problems with.  Our clinic recently sold to VCA but I keep going as long as the staff are all the old original people before VCA took over. 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

It is the luck of the draw, as we have asked for a specific doctor and both times, she has moved on to another practice, so you get new ones anyway. Techs are always changing as well so no one really knows your doodle. For instance him being labeled and "anxious" because he was trying to not look at her.  No, if you knew him, you'd know his way of handling unpleasant situations is avoidance. "Maybe if I don't look at you you'll go away since I can't move away in this small box of a room you have me blocked into"   Heck, I do the same thing. 

 At this point I pay about $25.00 per month, and the contract only has 4 more months on it so I'm done. Yes I will let it just run out and take him in April for his required vaccinations to Bella's Vet and be done with it.

 You're so right Ricki, It is definitely secondary.  I am not putting him thru  4 hours of sitting in a crate waiting for a 20 min. exam. 

[Camilla and Darwin]

We have taken Darwin to Banfield. One time we had a great experience, they were helpful, didn't push anything on us, and the vet tech and vet were great. The second time (this was the same location) the vet tried to get us to buy tons of stuff. This was after telling us that there was no difference between some things they sell and the cheaper ones Petsmart sells. He then said "If you buy it here I get money off of it, so yeah." then tried to get us to buy it! The vet tech told me about how nervous and hyper doodles always are, and the vet forcefully tried to get me to buy products and tests that weren't related. And he was kind of... rough with Darwin. That was last time and now I don't ever want to take him back. I guess it's just the luck of the draw there?

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Oh wow...the Vets have Doodles!!!  That would be the place to go for sure and worth the drive.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Sue would you consider just writing the rest of the Banfield contract off as a loss and taking Murph to Bella's vet now if needed? Why put him and yourself through these unpleasant experiences anymore? Sometimes the monetary issue is secondary...just a thought...

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Lisa, we use Graham Road Animal Hospital.  Drive clear from Portage Lakes to Stow.  We also used Stow -Kent Animal Hospital too.  Don't know what you use up in Streetsboro but it would be about the same distance.  The prices are reasonable and the Vets have Doodles  :)