How Do We Pick A Vet?

[Guest MarvinsMom]

I'm just full of questions (or something).

 

We just moved to this area 10 months ago and have no need to visit a vet (we have 1 cat, but she's up to date on her shots and haven't needed to go just yet,knock on wood). We just adopted Marvin over a week ago and want to get him checked over and need to get him on flea/tick/heartworm stuff.

 

 

I know we should pick a vet with experience with Greys, but how do you find one? I looked at the vet list, but the closest is kind of far from me. Short of just calling vets and saying "do you have experience with greyhounds", how do you find one? I suspect the person answering the phone would just say yes, not really realizing that my guy may need special care.

 

I'm not against going to the one far away, the reason why I'd like to go somewhere closer is for an emergency (I've seen the pics you guys have posted with wounds!!), it may not be practical to drive 35 minutes if Marvin needed stitches.

 

Thanks guys!! These forums are amazing, you guys are SO supportive and helpful!!

 

Deb

[OwnedBySummer]

As long as YOU are aware of the special care they require (if you need copies of some really good documents, I have them in .pdf and can send them to you if you give me an email address) and the vet is willing to read them and learn... you'll probably be fine. Another plan would be to contact your local adoption group and see what vet THEY use -- that vet would certainly be greyhound savvy.

[PrairieProf]

Do you know anyone else with greyhounds or sighthounds in your area?

 

It is also fine to ask about sighthound experience when you interview vets. Even if they don't have current greyhound clients, a lot of them may have worked with greyhounds in vet school.

 

I personally think a vet you think is good, smart, willing to learn is fine -- if you are a regular on GT you will learn more about greyhound medical idiosyncrasies than the majority of vets! Oh and ideally you want someone who covers emergencies. I love love love my vet and his hospital -- because he's smart and so kind, and adores Beth, and is willing to answer my endless nervous-mom questions and explain things to me at length, and because he does acupuncture, and because the hospital has cutting-edge facilities than can handle advanced procedures and is five minutes from my house ... but I know they have one other greyhound client only (we have only a handful of greyhounds in the immediate area, and we all see different people and are happy with the people we see). But I know the basic greyhound stuff, and have GT to check with if anything more complicated came up.

Edited September 5, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Guest MarvinsMom]

I'd love that info, if it's not a pain. I read the Greyhounds for Dummies book and look at the web, so if it's more in detail, absolutely yes!

 

Unfortunately, the group had no recommendations, because they are about 3 hours away from us.

 

I'm just worried that if we take him to a vet and they're not so savvy about anesthesia if necessary, well...

 

Deb

[PrairieProf]

Any vet who is up to date should be using an anesthesia that is OK for greyhounds. I don't think many good vets are using the kind that was a problem. My vet uses the reversible anesthesia. Make sure they know about malignant hyperthermia. But I'll say that anything I asked my vet about, he knew (except for some really recent stuff from OSU). And the techs knew too.

 

This is a useful compendium of info: http://www.greythealth.com/ You can purchase it as a booklet too: http://www.greyhoundgang.org/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=84

 

I'd say go interview some vets, ask some questions, find one you like/get a good vibe from and take it from there. You should take Marvin in for a "get acquainted" visit before he needs care.

 

Once again, how emergency coverage is handled is a big one to check out.

Edited September 5, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Hubcitypam]

Any vet can do stitches. Ask your neighbors and coworkers for a good vet nearby.

 

I really think searching for "grey savvy" is overrated in general as long as you educate yourself and get a vet willing to do the same.

Doctors Freeman and Stack have online materials that summerize the differences in greys and other breeds.

One of my previous vets knew nothing about greys but my fosters and info I had educated him and now he does a lot of work for one of the groups here. I didn't find a "grey savvy" vet, I found a vet that was highly recommended and he became grey savvy.

 

Greyhounds do have their differences in bloodwork, etc. but they are, as many people forget, dogs. Get a recommended all purpose vet for do shots, stitches, wellness..If you have issues then do the 35 minute drive.

[seeh2o]

Welcome! Whereabouts do you live? There might be someone on GT who can steer you to a greysavvy vet, not all the vets are listed here. You know, we're going to need some pictures!!!

 

Here are some great links (you might want to print out a copy for your new vet!).

 

Greyhound Medical Idiosyncrasies

 

Dr. Suzanne Stack GreytHealth

 

OSU Greyhound Health and Wellness Program

[philospher77]

When I was looking for a vet, I took my perfectly healthy friendly girl in for a "well pet" check, asked questions, and watched their interactions. I'll admit, I started with vets that were geographically close, and spiraled out as the search went on. It took 5 visits until I found a vet that I was happy with. But yes, calling and asking "do you have sighthound experience" is a perfectly reasonable first step.

[Hubcitypam]

I'm just worried that if we take him to a vet and they're not so savvy about anesthesia if necessary...

When I established A Place For Us Lubbock I drove a lot of vets crazy with that question.

Finally one vet that did both small and large animal rolled his eyes, breathed a heavy sigh and said "with all due respect M'am, any vet that doesn't know about greyhounds and anesthesia must have been hiding under a rock for the last 10 years"...and that was 12 years ago.

 

 

[Feisty49]

Have you tried Googling using key words such as veterinarian in (insert city) expert in Greyhounds or calling a vet college (such as Cornell in New York State) asking for a recommendation? I can understand your concern. The group from whom I adopted Annie does not approve adoptions unless the adopter agrees to use one of the recommended vets (there were quite a few spread out in a wide geographic area so it was no problem for me).

[Hubcitypam]

The group from whom I adopted Annie does not approve adoptions unless the adopter agrees to use one of the recommended vets

OMG. really?

[seeh2o]

The group from whom I adopted Annie does not approve adoptions unless the adopter agrees to use one of the recommended vets

OMG. really?

YIKES!!!!! That is so limiting. I know of some vets that local groups recommend that I'd never ever go to. They didn't know about my vet until I told them about her, now she has a ton of greyhounds in her practice. She'd had greyhound experience and had had them in her practice, but they'd moved away. She didn't have any in her practice at the time when I started taking Carl there, then she went from one greyhound to over 12!

[Feisty49]

I adopted from Forever Home Greyhound Adoptions and yes, it's true. I had to agree to use one of the recommended vets. It didn't bother me at all once I was informed of the differences between "regular" dogs and sight hounds. I love the vet practice I picked and will probably move my cat there because I like them better than where I go now for her.

[philospher77]

I adopted from Forever Home Greyhound Adoptions and yes, it's true. I had to agree to use one of the recommended vets. It didn't bother me at all once I was informed of the differences between "regular" dogs and sight hounds. I love the vet practice I picked and will probably move my cat there because I like them better than where I go now for her.

 

I'll admit, I would have a problem with that. I am a strong advocate for my pets, and am going to find a vet that I am comfortable with who is going to respect me and my opinions, and that vet might or might not be on their list. But putting that aside... what would they do with someone like me who adopted a dog, then needed to move 3 states away? Take the dog back? Refuse to let me move? And how do they know if I switch vets? It's way too much overhead for a rescue to put resources into tracking, in my opinion.

[cleptogrey]

a 35 minute ride is NOT that far away. my vet, who i have used for over 30 years has always been 35- 50 minutes away, depending upon where i have lived over the past 3 decades. he is excellent, great diagnositician and cares for the animals. when my dogs were ill or had a rip or tear i just jumped in the car and he always took me in upon arrival. a closer vet may not take you as soon as you arrive, they may not be as good, it's worth the drive unless it's a sitation where an excellent emergency vet is needed. and how far away is the E VET?

[Guest sheila]

Personally I think much of the urging about finding 'grey savvy' vets is overrated. Even the issues regarding anesthesia aren't as big of a risk as they once were with new drugs etc being used that are much safer than in the past.

I live in a rural area and it was more important for me to find a vet that was available in an emergency situation then a strictly 'grey savvy' vet. This has proven itself to be true more than once. In one situation my hound would have died before I could make the many miles drive to 'grey savvy'.

My vet had never had a grey in his practice before we came to him. However he was a savvy enough vet to take care of most basic issue that are typical of vet care. When there has been something that I considered 'specific' about greys that I was concerned about he is always willing to listen or read anything I bring him, or he will research on his own and/or phone colleagues. I've been with this vet for all the yrs I've had greys, so I suppose he is somewhat 'grey savvy' now, even though I am still the only client he has with them.

[PrairieProf]

It's sort of a running joke how much I go to the vet, sometimes just to put my mind at ease about something (or have done since the spring, when we've had a number of issues) ... there is no way I could have driven 35 minutes for all of that. Or in the winter, when roads are often dangerous here. I think a vet that far away would mean tending to put off going, which is not necessarily a good thing. I mean, if there were no one competent nearby, OK, but the OP has no reason to believe that's the case. (I should say that where I live, 35 minutes would be going on an exposed rural highway to an entirely different city -- it might be different in a big city where it takes that long to get halfway across down!)

 

And if your vet has emergency coverage, you don't need a different e-vet. A couple of vets here rotate providing emergency coverage for their practices, and that seems like a good arrangement to me. Any ER would be at least an hour away.

Edited September 6, 2011 by PrairieProf

[seeh2o]

My vet is anywhere from 20 - 40 min away (depending on traffic and which freeway I take). I wouldn't go to her for an emergency, though, she isn't set up for that. For an emergency I'd go to a more local animal ER.

[OwnedBySummer]

I'd love that info, if it's not a pain. I read the Greyhounds for Dummies book and look at the web, so if it's more in detail, absolutely yes!

 

Unfortunately, the group had no recommendations, because they are about 3 hours away from us.

 

I'm just worried that if we take him to a vet and they're not so savvy about anesthesia if necessary, well...

 

Deb

 

I can't PM you, you don't have enough posts. Do you have a throw-away email address that you could post here on the thread that I can use? I have 3 things to send you.

And don't worry about the actual anesthesia -- unless you are really, really rural with an old, old vet...

[GeorgeofNE]

Any vet can do stitches. Ask your neighbors and coworkers for a good vet nearby.

 

I really think searching for "grey savvy" is overrated in general as long as you educate yourself and get a vet willing to do the same.

Doctors Freeman and Stack have online materials that summerize the differences in greys and other breeds.

One of my previous vets knew nothing about greys but my fosters and info I had educated him and now he does a lot of work for one of the groups here. I didn't find a "grey savvy" vet, I found a vet that was highly recommended and he became grey savvy.

 

Greyhounds do have their differences in bloodwork, etc. but they are, as many people forget, dogs. Get a recommended all purpose vet for do shots, stitches, wellness..If you have issues then do the 35 minute drive.

 

I couldn't agree more. The only real differences have to do with blood/urine test results and what's normal for a Greyhound. And they're more sensitive to anesthesia. Otherwise, they're pretty much just dogs.

 

Any vet can stitch or staple a wound, fix a dislocated toe, or biopsy a mysterious lump.

 

My current vet wasn't very "grey savvy" but she happily took all the articles I gave her, and even consulted with a friend of hers who is a vet and a greyhound owner. She's been perfectly fine.

 

There would be no reason for an office to lie if you ask, "Do you have other Greyhound patients"?

 

In my opinion, any new pet should be taken to the vet ASAP for a routine "well dog" visit.

[joejoesmom]

I will vote for finding a close vet who is willing to learn and has some emergency capabilities. Most vets recognize that there are breed characteristics for many breeds. Take in the greyhound idiosycrasies paper on your first visit (should be just a get to know you visit). Review it with the vet. You will be able to tell if the vet already knows the differences, or if he is willing to learn the differences. If neither applies, go on to the next vet. In my opinion all owners should have the following capabilities in their vet(s):

 

A regular vet who is (or more likely, is willing to become) knowledgeable about greyhound idiosycrasies. This vet should be within a close enough distance that it is not a hardship to get there. This vet should be a general practice vet who has knowledge of the local specialty vets and who is willing to refer to them when they are out of their comfort zone. You should be able to have a good rapport with this vet. Most of the times that you go to this vet practice, you should be able to see the same vet -- this provides for good continuity of care.

 

An after hours emergency vet (this could be the same as your regular vet but it isn't essential). This vet should have staff present at all times. I, personally, will not leave my dog overnight anywhere there is not a knowledgeable person (could be licensed vet tech) present to monitor the dog at all times. For this vet, closeness to my house is more important than greyhound knowledge. I can educate them on the spot if need be (you can keep a copy of the greyhound indiosyncrasies packet in your car). It is more likely that any emergency is typical of all dogs and does not need greyhound specific knowledge. You can advise the emergency vet of the need for amicar if necessary. I believe most, if not all, vets use anesthesia that is greyhound safe. You probably do not need to interview this vet ahead of time.

 

I also have a third vet. This is a low cost spay/neuter vet who provides very low cost preventitive health care ($45 total cost for a CBC and profile). I get scheduled bloodwork and urinalysis done here. I also do any necessary shots here. The cost is 1/4 the cost of my regular vet. Of course, I need to make sure all the records and lab test results are taken to my regular vet after each visit to my inexpensive vet. I do this because I am on a very limited budget. My regular vet understands this. I do go in to see my regular vet at least once a year. Obviously, this low cost vet is not a necessity for most people.

 

Jane

 

p.s. I should mention that since I am in central Ohio, I have the luxury of going to OSU. They provide everything but the low cost vet in one place. I am very lucky. Also, since most of the local vets went to OSU, nearly all of them have been exposed to greyhounds. In fact, my low cost vet owns greyhounds.

Edited September 6, 2011 by joejoesmom

[PatricksMom]

In my opinion, a vet who is willing to admit what they don't know and do their homework, answers all of my questions, and treats my dog well, is more important than lots of experience with greyhounds.

 

When I started with my vet she was fairly shortly out of vet school. 1 year later I adopted Patrick. She's been fantastic, she didn't know everything starting out, although she had worked a lot with greys in school, but she was very willing to read things I gave her and do her homework. Patrick adores her, and she's been so fantastic I followed her to another pratice.

 

And OSU is always there if your vet needs help with anything greyhound specific.

 

Most importantly, always go with your gut feeling, if you don't feel good about someone, they shouldn't touch your dog, no matter what their qualifications.

[Hubcitypam]

I also have a third vet. This is a low cost spay/neuter vet who provides very low cost preventitive health care ($45 total cost for a CBC and profile). I get scheduled bloodwork and urinalysis done here. I also do any necessary shots here. The cost is 1/4 the cost of my regular vet.

 

I did the same thing for years and used the low cost spay/neuter/HW/shots place when I had an expensive VCA regular vet. I could get DHLPP, Rabies and HW test for $47 vs. about $140 at VCA. That said, I would never let that low cost vet do surgery on any of my dogs, but shots are shots.

 

My current vet is more reasonable and now that Poodle is down to just rabies I just have it done there as opposed to making a trip to the cattle call vet.

[Guest KennelMom]

It can really help if your vet is experienced with greyhounds, but I can't imagine a vet graduating from vet school that isn't aware of the idiosyncrasies of most greyhounds and other similar sighthounds. What's most important to me is a vet that I feel comfortable working with, who is willing to learn and try new things and won't nickel and dime me to death.

 

If you are in the Raleigh area, you have a GREAT resource at your disposal - the Triangle Greyhound Society. There's quite a large population of greyhound owners in the RDU area and you can probably get some good recommendations from TGS members. There's also a yahoo group for greyhound owners of central NC (go-cnc).

 

When we lived in Raleigh, we used Dr. Fisher at Fisher Veterinary Clinic, but we've been out of the area for over 5 years and a lot can change in that time!

[Guest MarvinsMom]

You guys rock. I'm learning so much! Lisa B., if you'd like to send it to me, feel free to at bdboysen@aol.com

 

you all make excellent points about them just being dogs and pretty much all vets should have some type of info/experience, and I loved the comment from the vet that if a vet doesn't know about greys, they've lived under a rock

 

Dr. Fisher is the one I saw recommended here and is the one far away.

 

I'll start with a vet close to town and go from there.

 

Again, thanks for all the info, you guys are very supportive (instead of just blasting me for my ignorance, I'm trying to learn) and full of great info.

 

Deb