# I will give my first born child to have a good vet clinic in this city!



## MandyPug (Sep 21, 2008)

So i call in today to book Izzie's spay, and like the past 2 of my dogs i requested that she not stay over night. This is because they have admitted to me that no one comes in throughout the night to check on them; so why the hell would i leave her unattended in a cold metal cage there when she could be at home with me in a warm house with constant supervision? Well the receptionist freaked out at me for that! Saying that i don't know what to look for and i wouldn't know what to do if something went wrong... who would catch something wrong at the clinic overnight when no one is there?! honestly.
Next thing, i requested she not be fed anything at the clinic as i do not want her eating anything but her own food. Of course they noted on all my dogs' records "RAW FED" and she said that i am killing my dogs by feeding them anything but food recommended from the vet. Then she went on this big spiel about how the canned food they give the dogs after their surgeries is scientifically proven to speed healing. Do i really sound like i care what that corn filled, byproduct and chemical laden mush is scientifically proven to do? Absolutely not, i just know i wouldn't be caught dead letting my girls have any of it.
I know she tried to mean well; but if i request something, especially since i have been a client since the clinic opened, i obviously know what I'm doing.
It's not just that clinic, all of them in the city think they're god and that our store is the devil itself and that they know best. I'm pretty sure that I, the pet parent, know my dog better than they ever will; and they should realize that if the pet parent requests the dog to come home after a spay they should honour it. Unless there is someone there to monitor the dogs post surgery like a hospital, my dog will never stay the night.

Am i just overprotective of my Puppers? 
Or am i right to request what i did?
Do you guy's request to bring home your dogs same day as the spay or neuter surgeries?
Do you guy's request they not be fed the crappy vet food while they're there?
Any interesting arguments with vets on nutrition? Titers? Homeopathics or suppliments?
I'm curious to see if i'm as crazy as they think i am! :tongue:


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

MandyPug said:


> Am i just overprotective of my Puppers?


Nope



> Or am i right to request what i did?


Yes you were



> Do you guy's request to bring home your dogs same day as the spay or neuter surgeries?


I don't request it, I require it.



> Do you guy's request they not be fed the crappy vet food while they're there?


Again, I require it. I remind them each time I leave a dog.



> Any interesting arguments with vets on nutrition? Titers? Homeopathics or suppliments?


Oh, yes ... I've had several but not with my present vet. He goes along with anything I want. 

However I agree with them on the homeopathic quacks and supplements. Titers is not as good at measuring immunity as most people think. I do give my dogs minimal vaccinations but I don't titer.



> I'm curious to see if i'm as crazy as they think i am! :tongue:


You probably are but not for the reasons listed here. :tongue:


----------



## MandyPug (Sep 21, 2008)

Hey now! I happen to deal with homeopathics and i have seen many many great things from them including tumours that turn black and fall right off (using none other than a formula from get this Cobra venom, yeah yeah i know snake oil laugh it up). 
I don't titer either, but i know people who do. My dogs get their puppy shots and nothing else. I do not have them registered with the city and they do not go out unless with me on a walk or with me in the store so i don't even get rabies done as often as the law suggests (still every year here and i do it MAYBE every 5 or 6 years).
Perhaps i am crazy, but who isn't now a days?!


----------



## domari (Jun 17, 2008)

I'd never go to a vet that didn't allow me to have a say in how they're cared for. I've argued with vets about giving my own shots and medications, or buying medication from somewhere other than them. Then I never go back. 

I love the vet clinic I have now, the vet and I see eye to eye on many things. She's comfortable with the way I care for my animals, and if I think I can treat something at home instead of in the clinic she's ok with that. I know if there's something I don't know about or afraid to monitor at home, then my animals will get the best possible care there. 

They also give me a price break on some things, throws in a freebie every now and then. She knows I take in fosters and rescues, so she knows I need to keep costs down. She doesn't over immunize and doesn't complain when I refuse immunizations, she doesn't push the issue. 

When one of my dogs was sick, instead of trying to sell me cans of Science Diet, she told me to give him homemade food until his digestive issues were calmed down. She doesn't try to tell me one food is better than another. 

She also spends time on the phone to discuss things instead of having to make an appointment just to ask questions. If I have a concern I can call, she's called back at 9pm some nights so we can decide if the dog or cat needs to be seen or can be treated without having to make an appt. She won't give out medication without seeing the animal, but can suggest alternative treatments instead of a prescription med. 

It's a must to have a good vet, just like we all need a good doctor we can communicate with, we need someone we can talk to and work with, not against.


----------



## MandyPug (Sep 21, 2008)

I agree that finding a good vet is a must, however this clinic used to be good when it opened; but it's now pretty much run by all the fresh out of school vets who are so textbook it hurts. I've interviewed alot of vets in town (almost all of them) and they're all the same in regards to vaccinations, food, and treatments. Like an injury to izzie's eye they wanted over $120 for an exam, dye, and bottle of polysporn eyedrops with steroids and antibiotics when i treated it for about $15 with Oculoheel eye drops. When they tell you on the phone that something is super serious but oh wait we cannot treat her until you pay us first but it can't wait the weekend to treat... i hate that, no payment plan or anything, even when i asked.


----------



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Don't worry, I'm in the same boat as you are trying to find a vet that is both compatible and affordable. I think I'm going to have to go with the less affordable one though because they are certainly the most compatible and the only clinic I've seen that sells Orijen and Innova instead of Science Diet and Iams! I'd like to support clinics like that whenever possible out of principle. I know they highly encourage raw food diets or at least including real food in your dog's diet from time to time. They discourage over-vaccinating and they do the "homeopathic quack" remedies (as RFD) would say, including massages, chiropractic, and acupuncture. I've heard the chiropractic stuff can work wonders so who knows, I may have to try it on my dog one of these days. They're $48 for a visit alone though. How much are visits going for in other areas?


----------



## TippysMom (Oct 3, 2008)

We don't need to see our vet very often (thank goodness)....but we've not had any arguments with them. Yet. They consider sterilization to be out patient surgery. They require us to take them home the same day. Drop off in the morning, pick up before 6 pm. Not much food that night. We switched vet offices because the vet that we liked moved. The old office wouldn't tell us where she went - thank goodness for Google!!!

Of course, I'm still learning - but we've not gotten into any heated discussions about food with our vet. They're due for their shots & heartworm testing, and I'm hesitating....

I don't think all homeopathic healers are quacks. We've used Rescue Remedy with success. The difference between a good homeopathic and a decent medical vet is simply that one wants to treat the cause and the other wants to mask the symptoms & make money.


----------



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

TippysMom said:


> Of course, I'm still learning - but we've not gotten into any heated discussions about food with our vet. They're due for their shots & heartworm testing, and I'm hesitating....
> 
> I don't think all homeopathic healers are quacks. We've used Rescue Remedy with success. The difference between a good homeopathic and a decent medical vet is simply that one wants to treat the cause and the other wants to mask the symptoms & make money.


Beautifully put! I'd recommend not giving any shots that are not required by the state if your dogs have already had their puppy shots. I unfortunately just followed the vet's orders for years with my first dog and she got her full line of vaccinations every time for 7 years, but I'm done with that now. All she's getting from now on is her rabies, and even that I'm hesitant to give her. That's just my two cents though.


----------



## ChattyCathy (Nov 22, 2008)

I agree w/all of you! Since I moved a couple of years ago I've gone to different vet offices to see if I like them and so far none are compatible w/me and my dogs. I did find a wonderful clinic for my cats but still looking for my dogs. Any advice on how to find a great clinic would be appreciated!!! Can someone tell me why I shouldn't be giving vaccinations every year? I do and I don't know if they really need it. I do think (????) they should get their Bordotello shots yearly because they get groomed regularly. Thx.


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

ChattyCathy said:


> Any advice on how to find a great clinic would be appreciated!!!


Last time I was looking for a vet I interviewed several before I took any of my animals to them. I called as asked for a five minute interview and then asked if I would be charged for it. If they wantee to charge me I just marked that one off the list.



> Can someone tell me why I shouldn't be giving vaccinations every year?


Because many physical problems have been linked to vaccines. Once your dog has been vaccinated against most things, they are immune for life. There is nothing magical about vaccines that they all of a sudden stop working after a year or 3 years. The vaccines themselves sometimes cause the disease they are supposed to be stopping. They often stress the immune system, particularly those 5 in 1 and 7 in 1 shots that bombard the immune system with 5 or 7 different viruses at once.



> I do think (????) they should get their Bordotello shots yearly because they get groomed regularly.


Bordetella is a very mild disease. It is like a cold or flu with humans. Most times even if you do nothing it goes away in a few days. The vaccine does more dammage than the disease. Back when I had my two Goldens, they were at the groomer once a month and never had a bordetella vaccination or had any problems.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

God, no wonder we get so many people moving here. Bordetella is done intrnasal at my vet and that what my dog care requires, not the vaccination. Last time I was at the vet, 2 weeks ago for a yearly check on my 4 yr old neutered cat, I told him that I wasn't going to continue with my dog's vaccinations after they are 2 yrs old, he said that unless I was showing my dogs there really was no need as long as I was dilligent with there care. I will continue with the bordetella and rabies, as we go across the border occasionally.


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> God, no wonder we get so many people moving here. Bordetella is done intrnasal at my vet and that what my dog care requires, not the vaccination.


It is done internasal most everywhere. It's still a vaccination no matter by what method it enters the body.


----------



## ChattyCathy (Nov 22, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> Because many physical problems have been linked to vaccines. Once your dog has been vaccinated against most things, they are immune for life. There is nothing magical about vaccines that they all of a sudden stop working after a year or 3 years. The vaccines themselves sometimes cause the disease they are supposed to be stopping. They often stress the immune system, particularly those 5 in 1 and 7 in 1 shots that bombard the immune system with 5 or 7 different viruses at once.


That's probably why one of my dogs after the shots just slept for a day. The vet said it was ok and at that time I was ignorant but now finding this forum I'm learning so much. OK, soooo, should they never get vaccinated again or should they go every few/several years? That makes sense not to vaccinate for rabies as my dogs are always w/me walking or in the backyard and have no contact w/any rabid animals.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

What I meant RFD, not to sound so stupid by your standards, is that I believe there are vets who still give the shot of bodetella instead of the intrnasal.


----------



## ChattyCathy (Nov 22, 2008)

As an aside... my dogs have only gotten the nasal bordotello once and I've given it to my dogs that had to get groomed for over ten years now.


----------



## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> What I meant RFD, not to sound so stupid by your standards, is that I believe there are vets who still give the shot of bodetella instead of the intrnasal.


Didn't mean to sound like I was calling you stupid. The wording of your post sounded like you thought the nasal mist was something different than the shot and not as harmful.


----------



## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

ChattyCathy said:


> That's probably why one of my dogs after the shots just slept for a day. The vet said it was ok and at that time I was ignorant but now finding this forum I'm learning so much. OK, soooo, should they never get vaccinated again or should they go every few/several years? That makes sense not to vaccinate for rabies as my dogs are always w/me walking or in the backyard and have no contact w/any rabid animals.


I think rabies might be required by law, I know it is in several if not most states. Check the laws on that. If it's not required but a titer will suffice, go with the titer. I'd also say titer for all other vaccines. Only vaccinate if it's absolutely necessary. Obviously if the dog already is immune because of previous vaccinations, then it is completely unnecessary to vaccinate them and traumatize their immune system again.


----------

