Your Dog, Your Choice

[Donna K & Quincy]

I know we've had discussions before about vet care and leaving your dogs unsupervised overnight at a vet hospital. Some of you may have already seen this on FB but it is an excellent article. It isn't medical advice as such but gives great advice and insight on how to advocate for your dog. It is definitely worth reading.

 http://www.collared-scholar.com/dog-health-and-safety/your-dog-your... 

[Donna K & Quincy]

Thank you to those who took the time to read this. I think this struck home for me because I recently had to switch vets went I felt Quincy wasn't getting the care he needed and there was no kind of rapport between doctor and patient or doctor and doggy parent. There was also a big lack of diagnostic equipment at our first vet and the support staff seemed to be changing frequently. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thank goodness you were wise enough to do that.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I am thinking of switching vets as well. When I first went to this vet it was run by a well respected vet who had the reputation of being the best. All his patients loved him and he loved his patients. Then he retired and sold his practice. Since the new vet took over the quality has gone down hill and the prices up. The old doc posted all prices for everything on the web page. This one won't even tell you over the phone, they want you to come in first. Which I guess I am not surprised he did have very low prices, so she probably had to raise them, but still.  I have been looking and trying to find one close. I know a lot of clients are leaving and going else where. For me it is more the quality of care than anything. She told me Annabelle was a brat in front of all the other patients in the waiting room and that she should be muzzled and put in a straight jacket. All because Annabelle didn't like getting her heartworm test. She squirmed and wouldn't sit still.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Thank you for posting this, Donna. I have to agree with many of the points made. We have run into vets that really only care about charging for unnecessary testing on a 13 year old dog. I am grateful that we have found good vets along the way. 

[DJ & Chance]

Lots to think about here.  Thanks, Donna.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

This is something I learned when we had Hayley..our daughter...not a dog...LOL. She was born prematurely and had a multitude of problems and every time we had to rush her to the ER we started over with new doctors. Many could be condescending and assume that we as parents knew nothing about our own child. I learned to speak up on her behalf and not allow endless procedures only to hear, "we can't be sure because she is so young." It is hard to speak up to a doctor when you have been taught that they know best, but I learned to do it and became quite good at it.

My Vern is so terrified at the vet's and one of  my biggest concerns about moving is having to find a new vet who "gets him." We have such a great Vet now. I already know that there will be no heroics when Vern's time is up because I would rather have him happy at home than scared at a vet's office. We know our dogs better than anyone and we should never forget that. 

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

When we moved here 8 years ago, I looked online at vet reviews in this area, and asked other pet owners I saw at pet supply stores and neighbors walking their dogs who their vet was.  I chose a vet that owns her own clinic and is an excellent diagnostician with lots of practical experience.  We had a poodle at the time and he had quite a medical history.  After he passed and we got the doodles I continued seeing her.  She is very patient with the doodles and I feel she does listen to my concerns.  Recently when Charlie got a strange infection on his head and the hair needed to be shaved right down to the wound area so it could be seen and cleaned - her assistant came in and said ok, I will hold Charlie while we do this procedure, and I said - "no I am capable of holding him and he will feel safer with me - this is traumatic enough".  I would say she is very patient with this "little ole lady" too! Haha.