Weird And Annoying Vet Visit

[Guest AngelPup]

Hey all. I've been sitting on this for a few days but need to vent and get some questions answered...

 

I had a great vet for my previous dog, but I decided to switch to a new vet because they came very highly rated/recommended on Angie's list and other websites. Plus I was told that they had several greyhounds in their practice and all the vets are familiar with the breed. They also have a great website with tons of info and a pet portal to keep track of Brady's medical records, etc. which my old vet didn't have.

 

My first impression of the new vet wasn't great. I took Brady to his first exam on Monday to get a baseline and see if he needed anything else (plus I was concerned about his diarrhea and possible worms). She seemed very negative and overly cynical/paraniod about things.

 

She did examine him and reviewed the medical records I was given and did agree it was a good idea to treat for worms even though the fecal test came back negative, so that was good.

 

But she gave me the impression she didn't really care for greyhounds (how can anyone NOT like greyhounds?!). Weird. Twice, she said that they can be nasty to each other in the kennel (she assummed the scar on his forehead was from a fight, although it looks more like he got scratched in a race to me). The vet tech kept petting him and saying how much she liked him and the vet said, "yeah, they can be good pets," as if most aren't. ?! Brady is an AWESOME pet!

 

When I asked her what I could safely give him to chew on, she said nothing from an animal (no raw hide, hooves, pig ears, bully sticks, etc., etc.). She said just give him a kong and/or a dog puzzle. Um, really? I've heard to stay away from certain raw hide, but she made it sound as though he could get sick (or worse) from animal anything!

 

Then she asked me about stairs. I told her that he has no trouble with the steps up to the deck (only two), garage (three), and front steps (four), but we haven't tried the steps to the basement family room yet, although he seemed a bit freightened of them. The only advise she gave for the stairs was to not even try.... She said she has seen too many (assuming greyhounds) with scratches/bruises from getting hurt on stairs. seriously?! UGH! And my old vet would ALWAYS speak sweetly to my dog, give treats, and the last thing she always did was clip her nails. She didn't do any of that.

 

The other thing I didn't like was how they pressured me (at the front desk) to purchase a certain flea/tick preventative (Frontline Plus) and Heartguard. I did need them, but I just wasn't prepared to buy them THEN--had planned on looking into purchasing cheaper online. I had heard that Frontline doesn't work as well as Advantix and Advantix was recommended by the adoption place. However, I was assured that Frontline works just as well and there was a special going on, so it would be much less expensive (plus, if it didn't work, Frontline would cover any cost associated with it not working). I did have an idea how much everything cost and it was in line (with the two free doses and $25 rebate), so I just ended up purchasing everthing I needed. But the kicker was that she said to be careful of purchasing these products on-line because they are not really the same product. Is that true?! I was told that Frontline will only guarantee their product that is purchased through a vet's office because the one's on-line are bogus. Has anyone else heard that? My old vet's office never pressured me into anything. They would just ask if I needed anything.

 

I'm definitely switching back to my old vet, but I'm not sure if I should wait until after the two Lyme boosters and the deworming treatements are done or just do it now.... UGH!!!

[a_daerr]

This woman sounds like an idiot. I'd be switching too.

[Booker_Aye]

Wow. Definitely NOT the right vet. I'm sorry you and Brady had such a negative experience. Our dogs have learned to expect tons of love from everyone in the vet's office, which means that for two of them it's the best place ever, and for Kimba, who really was terrified at first, it's tolerable. Praise, love, pets, treats -- they get showered with it. Why be a vet at all if you don't love dogs? I find that with the education we can get from Greytalk, I can make sure my vet is up to speed on things like greyhound numbers, and special needs. They are willing to listen, no one has a chip on his or her shoulder. And by now, they are getting pretty experienced in greyhounds, which they were not when Booker, our first hound, came to us in 2003.

 

Go back to your old vet, unless there was really a serious lack there, would be my advice. Not to love a greyhound!

[Guest kkaiser104]

Not only would I be switching, I would have told the vet my concerns then and there. I generally am very respectful and hold my tongue, but when it comes to Teddi I can be a crazy momma bear! I would never do well with a vet acting like yours did--I pay the same as all of the other dog parents in that practice and I expect my dog to be treated the same (assuming she must treat other dogs better ,as there are good reviews).

 

Definitely switch back or find a different vet.

[tbhounds]

She is correct about the frontline though...... But, like the others feel I don't think she's the vet for you.

[cristar]

Switch vets now!! She sounds uncaring and not really interested in the

greyhound breed. I have no trust in vets like that.

Go with your gut and find someone else.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Okay. About the guarantee and coverage of costs from the manufacturer: that applies to heartworm preventatives, not flea and tick (so it's the Heartgard, not the Frontline Plus). And she's right that the manufacturer won't cover costs if the heartworm preventative wasn't purchased from the vet. (I think it has to do with questions of how the product has been stored and whether it's within its expiration date and stuff.) I don't know of any company that covers costs on flea and tick because there are too many variables. While one dog won't get heartworms from another dog, they will swap fleas, so how can a company be expected to cover product failure in that circumstance? And be aware that there are companies online that may sell counterfeit products or expired products.

 

Regarding the animal chews: too many dogs are being sickened or killed by chews imported from China. Not all owners can be relied on to search all over the package for "Made in..." notes, which typically are small and hard to locate, and it may be that the vet prefers to take the same precautions some of us take: no animal-based chews. My guys are bored by Kongs, but we do manufactured dental chews like these. Also, the fat from animal chews can cause diarrhea or tip a dog into pancreatitis if the dog chews too much, and "too much" can vary from dog to dog. This may be another reason the vet steers owners away from animal-product chews.

 

"Nasty to each other in the kennel"? Presently, I have two dogs missing chunks from their ears. Both were injured in kennel incidents, not racing (the boy never raced). There's a reason greyhounds often are muzzled when they romp together, and I'm betting the vet has seen and stitched injuries inflicted by housemates. If your boy is an only-dog, you won't face this problem, but expect the occasional snark if you bring him a housemate.

 

"Can be good pets"? I wonder how many of her greyhound patients have had separation anxiety and needed drugs to get over it. Or how many have been spooks? I was a dog groomer for 8 years, and I don't think I ever met a "spook" dog of any breed at work, but I know our rescue group currently has four greyhound spooks in foster homes. I've also had two (of the four greyhounds I've owned) that suffered from separation anxiety and required clomipramine to get past it. Greyhounds eventually make excellent pets, but not all of them are good "fresh out of the box," and I'm betting that vet has had to deal with a few of those. And I also wonder how many high-prey greyhounds she's seen a dog owner try to integrate into a home with other breeds. (If my two current dogs had been adopted into homes with other pets, the other pets would have become victims of my guys.) Some greyhounds just aren't "good pets" without a lot of work, and some aren't "good pets" in all households.

 

Having said all that--the practice and vet you went to know what they're talking about in most instances, but they fail big-time on customer service and empathy with the owner and dog. I'd be out the door in a heartbeat over their attitude--although not over their knowledge.

 

ETA: My guys generally do okay with stairs, but Sam's only ER visit for an injury was the result of an unfortunate interaction with stairs. The vet you saw isn't unknowledgeable, but she makes pronouncements without explanations, and that makes a bad impression. But keep in mind that the good, trouble-free greyhounds are the ones she doesn't see a lot of in the practice. She'll just see lots of greys with issues.

Edited May 17, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest AngelPup]

DEFINITELY switching back.

 

So, the Frontline that can be purchased on-line can be bogus?! Are there any reputable websites that sells the real stuff? I'm all set for the next eight months, but would like to try to get it as inexpensive as possible.

[Guest AngelPup]

Okay. About the guarantee and coverage of costs from the manufacturer: that applies to heartworm preventatives, not flea and tick (so it's the Heartgard, not the Frontline Plus). And she's right that the manufacturer won't cover costs if the heartworm preventative wasn't purchased from the vet. (I think it has to do with questions of how the product has been stored and whether it's within its expiration date and stuff.) I don't know of any company that covers costs on flea and tick because there are too many variables. While one dog won't get heartworms from another dog, they will swap fleas, so how can a company be expected to cover product failure in that circumstance? And be aware that there are companies online that may sell counterfeit products or expired products.

 

Regarding the animal chews: too many dogs are being sickened or killed by chews imported from China. Not all owners can be relied on to search all over the package for "Made in..." notes, which typically are small and hard to locate, and it may be that the vet prefers to take the same precautions some of us take: no animal-based chews. My guys are bored by Kongs, but we do manufactured dental chews like these. Also, the fat from animal chews can cause diarrhea or tip a dog into pancreatitis if the dog chews too much, and "too much" can vary from dog to dog. This may be another reason the vet steers owners away from animal-product chews.

 

"Nasty to each other in the kennel"? Presently, I have two dogs missing chunks from their ears. Both were injured in kennel incidents, not racing (the boy never raced). There's a reason greyhounds often are muzzled when they romp together, and I'm betting the vet has seen and stitched injuries inflicted by housemates. If your boy is an only-dog, you won't face this problem, but expect the occasional snark if you bring him a housemate.

 

"Can be good pets"? I wonder how many of her greyhound patients have had separation anxiety and needed drugs to get over it. Or how many have been spooks? I was a dog groomer for 8 years, and I don't think I ever met a "spook" dog of any breed at work, but I know our rescue group currently has four greyhound spooks in foster homes. I've also had two (of the four greyhounds I've owned) that suffered from separation anxiety and required clomipramine to get past it. Greyhounds eventually make excellent pets, but not all of them are good "fresh out of the box," and I'm betting that vet has had to deal with a few of those. And I also wonder how many high-prey greyhounds she's seen a dog owner try to integrate into a home with other breeds. (If my two current dogs had been adopted into homes with other pets, the other pets would have become victims of my guys.) Some greyhounds just aren't "good pets" without a lot of work, and some aren't "good pets" in all households.

 

Having said all that--the practice and vet you went to today know what they're talking about in most instances, but they fail big-time on customer service and empathy with the owner and dog. I'd be out the door in a heartbeat over their attitude--although not over their knowledge.

 

Oh, yeah, the guarantee must have been with the Heartgard--my mistake. They were pushing so hard and giving me so much information I was on overload. Well, at least the information they gave me is accurate. It would have been easier to take had they not pushed so hard--I hate when people push stuff on you.

 

I'm sure the vet knows her stuff. She just seemed a bit over the top in precautions and I really want a vet who is going to at least like my dog. It wasn't a pleasant experience at all and I never felt like that with my old vet.

[KF_in_Georgia]

DEFINITELY switching back.

 

So, the Frontline that can be purchased on-line can be bogus?! Are there any reputable websites that sells the real stuff? I'm all set for the next eight months, but would like to try to get it as inexpensive as possible.

 

I've been okay with Petshed.com (based in Australia). Also, the big US companies (Drs Foster & Smith, 1-800-PetMeds, Omaha Vaccine) seem reliable, but I've known Omaha Vaccine to get flaky when they have to deal with my vet's office, and my vet isn't thrilled with them.

 

My vet's office doesn't take calls with blocked caller IDs, and Omaha at that time was blocking caller IDs. So instead of calling to tell me they couldn't reach my vet--and instead of calling my vet from a real, grown-up phone with numbers and stuff like a legitimate business--Omaha Vaccine just sat there for 10 days and did nothing until I called them and asked where my Soloxine was. (Omaha Vaccine had my phone number and my email address; they never tried to reach me.) I cancelled the order and dealt with 1-800-PetMeds instead. These days, Omaha may have a real telephone to do business from.

 

ETA: One more note on the issue of animal-based products. I recently read the sad story of a 14-year-old Lab that died in its owner's car as it was being rushed to the ER. Someone had given the dog a small rawhide treat while the dog was out in public. The dog wasn't going to have the opportunity to chew the treat at its leisure, so it tried to bolt down the whole piece. The treat became lodged in the dog's throat and--as rawhide does--started to swell there. A couple of people got bite injuries trying to get the piece back out but were unsuccessful.

Edited May 17, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I used a vet who was highly recommended by members of my adoption group as being "very" greyhound knowledgeable, but, I never got the feeling that he was "very" greyhound knowledgeable on my visits. He was personable, and very open to any greyhound info I might know or have, but I can't honestly say I was confident in my visits with him.

 

The last straw was when I had an emergency visit on a Saturday morning, and he remarked that he really hated to see something like that come in at 11 am because he had to be at a wedding at 1 pm. I had to say goodbye to my girl that day - I also said goodbye to the vet. I've never regretted making a change, and I'm very happy with the vet I'm using now.

 

If you were not comfortable or satisfied with your vet visit, I would definitely look for a vet that you can feel comfortable with.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

At the end of the day, it is the relationship that you build between yourself and the vet and if you didn't click, you didn't click. You clearly had a good relationship with your old vet and that is worth more than any award or internet recommendation.

[tbhounds]

Oh, yeah, the guarantee must have been with the Heartgard--my mistake. They were pushing so hard and giving me so much information I was on overload. Well, at least the information they gave me is accurate. It would have been easier to take had they not pushed so hard--I hate when people push stuff on you.

 

I'm sure the vet knows her stuff. She just seemed a bit over the top in precautions and I really want a vet who is going to at least like my dog. It wasn't a pleasant experience at all and I never felt like that with my old vet.

 

It absolutely is with frontline too! :-). The company will pay for an exterminator to come to your house if you have developed a flea problem BUT, you would have to prove that you purchased the FL from your vet-not on line. Your vet will receive a call from Merial confirming that. Edited May 17, 2013 by tbhounds

[JohnF]

At the end of the day, it is the relationship that you build between yourself and the vet and if you didn't click, you didn't click. You clearly had a good relationship with your old vet and that is worth more than any award or internet recommendation.

:nod

[Guest june]

Wow, so sorry you went through that. I live in a rural area and when I got my first grey I called a couple vets and made a decision. I'm still with my vet and I have a great deal of confidence in her. There have been times she has openly said she didn't know what was going on and sought out the help of someone who did know. If I had received the service you describe I would have changed right then and there. I hope you find a vet you like and trust.

 

I do use Pet Meds for some things and they are reputable. Also, they will sometimes price match from other companies.

[dante2zoe]

My old vet only had a greyhound or two in his practice over the years when I got mine. (I already used him for my cats.) He asked for any information that I could provide and read everything I gave him. He was awesome. He did have extensive horse experience, though. I live in rural suburbia, if that makes sense. He retired and the vet I have now is a wolf hound expert and has been great.

 

The very first vet I used fired ME from her practice because I didn't want to give my cat the feline leukemia vaccination series. She was indoor only. The vet said that I might as well kill my cat right now. She was well known as "the" vet for cats! I couldn't switch fast enough.

 

Good luck!

[MaryJane]

It sounds like much of what she was saying was the truth but, she just didn't have a good bedside manner. I might recommend trying one more trip and see if you get a better impression and at that point, if you don't click, change back.

 

Working in the medical field decades ago it was pretty obvious to my co-workers and me that many of the better doctors were the ones whose "bedside manner" was lacking. They would usually get so wrapped up in the patient and making sure that the patient followed all their instructions or understood what they were talking about that they were usually very concise and tight with their wording (and clinical). And, they were usually very busy which didn't allow for much socializing.

 

And the stairs .. one of my greys has been in for stitches a few times because he often misses a step on my back stairs and will tear his skin.

[Guest zombrie]

I wouldn't go back. Vet visits are expensive and I want my dogs and I to be happy and confident with the vet. I went to 3 different vets before I found one I was happy with. I LOVE my new vet - if you don't love yours it's time to move on.

[MP_the4pack]

A huge part of being a doctor (human or animal) is BESIDE MANNER.

 

If they don't want to deal with patients and their families, then they should go into research.

 

This is a pet peeve of mine because my dad was a doctor back in the day when they made rounds daily. Today people are lucky enough to ever see their doctor when they're in the hospital.

I brought Brindle to the closest animal clinic when I first got her 18 yrs ago. I had one visit. The vet's bedside manner sucked. And while vet-wise, he probably has a lot of terrific knowledge and may have been a good diagnostitian, he doesn't know anymore than the current group I go to. And knows less than the specialist I go to.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I personally wouldn't go. I feel like you really need to be confident and trust your vet. If I felt like my vet didn't like my dog, how could I feel confident he/she do what's best for his well being?

 

I loved one of the vets in a practice I used to go to. He was grey savvy, old school and always willing to see me on short notice. Dudley cut his tail one day and I had to rush him in. The usual vet was on vacation, so I went to another in the practice (she owns a greyhound!), I wasn't 100% happy with her, but thought she should be trusted. long story short, due to my inexperience in dog ownership, and what many have told me was not the best vet care, my poor boys tail was infected and necrotic within 6 days and we had to amputate his tail, a 1200$ surgery. I tried to go back to the same vet for his re-checks, but after she refused to give me antibiotics until I begged her and broke down crying (presumably, if he had antibiotics from the beginning the whole debacle might never have happened) I knew I could never trust her again, nor risk an emergency where she was the only one available at the practice. My adoption Grp sent me to a new vet who I love and trust completely!

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Bedside manner is a big deal. When my mom's pet rat was ill she took him to the nearest vet. The vet hardly wanted to touch him to examine him and spent very little time in the room. We didn't accept her diagnosis. Who would from a vet so obviously disgusted by the species she's supposed to be treating?

 

We took the longer drive and got him to my birds' vet. He took one look at Elwin perched on Mom's shoulder and cooed, "Ooh, a little hairless." He did a thorough exam, gave a different diagnosis and treatment. Within a few days the rat was better, and Dr. B had a loyal client in my mom for the years thereafter in which she owned rats. He's still my vet for the birds, my cats, and as luck would have it he used to work at a dog track and had a couple pet greys of his own in the past.

[RhodyGreys]

If you want to talk privately about RI area vets, please PM me or contact me on Facebook (Meri Brady, ironically).

 

I have found that Frontline, purchased through vet or not, isn't working as well as it used to. However, that being said, it does work for some people.

 

Generally, I will echo what others have said. I know the vet you're talking about, and I wasn't terrifically impressed. I'm at a different greyhound-savvy practice and have two additional vets with greyhound knowledge as my backups, just in case.

[KF_in_Georgia]

The Frontline Plus guarantee says you must purchase in 3-packs or 6-packs and you must treat every cat and dog in the household with Frontline Plus (or Certifect) for three consecutive months. And the guarantee doesn't apply in households with six or more pets. Also, Merial won't reimburse you for any products you've bought to control the fleas in your home; nor will they reimburse you for medical treatment of your pet for problems caused by the fleas.

 

I'm not sure I'd be willing to live with fleas for three months, waiting for the guarantee conditions to kick in.

 

I've used Frontline Plus for years and not had a flea problem at any time. I like the product. I just wouldn't hold my breath while Merial explains the loopholes on the guarantee...

 

(The guarantee also says "You may choose to receive either 1 replacement package of the same Product, a refund for the purchase price, or an in-home inspection by a pest control specialist. ... Should you choose the in-home inspection, treatment will be provided if deemed necessary by the pest control operator." So apparently you can get a refund OR an exterminator, but not both.)

[Guest AngelPup]

 

I've been okay with Petshed.com (based in Australia). Also, the big US companies (Drs Foster & Smith, 1-800-PetMeds, Omaha Vaccine) seem reliable, but I've known Omaha Vaccine to get flaky when they have to deal with my vet's office, and my vet isn't thrilled with them.

 

My vet's office doesn't take calls with blocked caller IDs, and Omaha at that time was blocking caller IDs. So instead of calling to tell me they couldn't reach my vet--and instead of calling my vet from a real, grown-up phone with numbers and stuff like a legitimate business--Omaha Vaccine just sat there for 10 days and did nothing until I called them and asked where my Soloxine was. (Omaha Vaccine had my phone number and my email address; they never tried to reach me.) I cancelled the order and dealt with 1-800-PetMeds instead. These days, Omaha may have a real telephone to do business from.

 

ETA: One more note on the issue of animal-based products. I recently read the sad story of a 14-year-old Lab that died in its owner's car as it was being rushed to the ER. Someone had given the dog a small rawhide treat while the dog was out in public. The dog wasn't going to have the opportunity to chew the treat at its leisure, so it tried to bolt down the whole piece. The treat became lodged in the dog's throat and--as rawhide does--started to swell there. A couple of people got bite injuries trying to get the piece back out but were unsuccessful.

 

Thanks for the information. I want to be sure I'm buying the real stuff when purchasing. If necessary, I WILL only purchase from the vet, but if I could find the same exact thing on-line or in a store that's less expensive that would be ideal.

 

Also, I do realize the dangers of raw hide, but I thought there were some that were safe--like molded, American-made, rawhide. And what about American-made bully sticks? I really just want to find a good chewy that will keep him occupied, satisfy his need to chew (Nylabone just isn't doing it), and help keep his teeth clean and in good order. I did buy a bone that can be stuffed with peanut butter/cheese spread, but it's VERY hard and I read somewhere that a dogs teeth can chip or crack chewing on them.... Wow, never gave it a second thought when giving my other dogs chew treats. I just don't want him to get sick or give him something that is likely to hurt him.

 

I used a vet who was highly recommended by members of my adoption group as being "very" greyhound knowledgeable, but, I never got the feeling that he was "very" greyhound knowledgeable on my visits. He was personable, and very open to any greyhound info I might know or have, but I can't honestly say I was confident in my visits with him.

 

The last straw was when I had an emergency visit on a Saturday morning, and he remarked that he really hated to see something like that come in at 11 am because he had to be at a wedding at 1 pm. I had to say goodbye to my girl that day - I also said goodbye to the vet. I've never regretted making a change, and I'm very happy with the vet I'm using now.

 

If you were not comfortable or satisfied with your vet visit, I would definitely look for a vet that you can feel comfortable with.

 

Oh, that's AWEFUL! Yeah, that would definitely tick me off.

 

At the end of the day, it is the relationship that you build between yourself and the vet and if you didn't click, you didn't click. You clearly had a good relationship with your old vet and that is worth more than any award or internet recommendation.

 

So very true. Now I just feel bad that I didn't go to her from the start. ~ : (

 

It absolutely is with frontline too! :-). The company will pay for an exterminator to come to your house if you have developed a flea problem BUT, you would have to prove that you purchased the FL from your vet-not on line. Your vet will receive a call from Merial confirming that.

 

Oh, ok. That's good to know. But, of course, if this DOES happen while using Frontline, I'm switching to Advantix! LOL!

[Guest AngelPup]

If you want to talk privately about RI area vets, please PM me or contact me on Facebook (Meri Brady, ironically).

 

I have found that Frontline, purchased through vet or not, isn't working as well as it used to. However, that being said, it does work for some people.

 

Generally, I will echo what others have said. I know the vet you're talking about, and I wasn't terrifically impressed. I'm at a different greyhound-savvy practice and have two additional vets with greyhound knowledge as my backups, just in case.

 

Will do!