outrageous vet visit!

[Louisa]

Had to vent... I had the absolute worst experience today with a vet. I wanted to make an appt for zoey to get her two shots she is due for and my reg vet couldn't make an appt for 2 weeks which ill be away for a little bit that week... Anyways... I took her to another nearby clinic. It started out I went in, there was nobody else in the waiting room and we ended up waiting 1 hour and 30 minutes no joke I had a text that I sent as we were walking in the door. I was disgusted. The only reason I didn't walk out was the receptionist was so personable and doting attention on zoey and we were talking about the breed. Then when the old coot finally walked out to see her he didn't even WEIGH her I had to ask as I was leaving if I could get a weight on her! All he did the entire time was try to sell me everything from organic dog toothpaste to a heartworm test I told the man she already had done! I had to ask him twice to look at her ears because she has some bad dandruff and all he said was a half cracked answer saying her skin was dry and I should buy the dog food he sells in the clinic. (he has success stories posted all over the waiting room of this stupid dog food) and the worst thing of all... I asked him about her barking and how she goes off on a tangent sometimes how might I correct that, I've tried verbal correction and spritzing her with water and he scoffed at my water idea and said that will do nothing, sometimes you need to just give them a slap on the rump so they know its not desired.he suggested I use a fly swatter on her. I am not joking. He looked at zoey and said if you were in my house barking like that i'd be chasing you around with a swatter! I was absolutely appaled because even if you think that in your mind that you'd slap a dog, you are a VETERINARY professional! what the heck! Secondly, with how some dogs are treated these days, to be a person that people look to for guidance and recommend hitting a 9 pound dog is outrageous. I mean this is not even a big goofy lab or a dog of at least any substance.(not saying to hit anyone but some dogs are a little harder to hurt is my point) She is a nine pound dog with a tender back from being injured in the past! Who knows what kind of weirdos he has come in those doors with kids listening to him tell them to slap her with a fly swatter or on the rump if she barks. A child could get bit doing that to a dog and an adult could really hurt a 9 pound dog maybe not even intentionally! I mean wow. Like I said have some darn professionalism at least if nothing else!  Of course as I'm walking out the door Lord knows what time later he tries to get me to buy some ridiculous herbal shampoo crap and I about let him have it right then. He didn't even aplogize once for the wait and when I asked him about titers he went on a lecture about how when he started practice they had no feline leukemia shot and since then its saved so many cats blah blah blah... Did I once say I wasn't planning to vaccinate my dog? No. I said I don't want her pumped full of crap every year. I told him that I was worried about the cancer risks and called me "new age"! And explained more about his years of practice and knowledge. I felt so degraded on my own thoughts about my dogs care. I don't know if other peoples vets do this but he actually charged me to cut her nails... My other vet considers this part of the office visit and doesn't charge. I called later and left a lengthy message telling him about my utter disgust with the whole experience. Am I over reacting?  I am so upset! I feel like I was at a department store makeup counter with all the tests and products and unnecessary shots (like lymes I consider not necessary for us and I won't pollute them with it) being thrown at me to buy. And I have never heard of a doctor being so outrageous, old as time or not. Grrr!!!


I feel a little better now. Just a bit.

[dort]

Wow!  You are not overreacting at all.  I think I would find out where to report this quack and do so immediately.

[Carol]

Don't waste your time reporting it.  I had a vet who was in sheer blitz state from alcohol use...stumbling and slurring very noticeably.  I reported him to the state.  He had immediately entered a 2 week rehab. process (like that short time would help) and all they did was give him a warning and he's still practicing!  He had even done surgeries that morning before seeing us!
Don't ever go back and spread the word of mouth to as many as possible. You are not overreacting at all.

[Louisa]

yes i felt like theres nowhere really to report him to since he didnt do anything illegal, just really unprofessional. 

As I said, I just feel if thats your personal opinion, there's nothing I can do, but don't go preaching it to people who walk in the door, he's a figure of guidance in the pet community. If we cant depend on a vet to at least promote treating animals with respect, then thats very sad.

I know some people who do give their dogs a "slap on the rump" and arent abusing them, but my concern is you just NEVER know what crazy minds you are "OKing" this behavior to.  I wouldnt risk it in a million years if I had a practice. People dont need that kind of recommendation for a behavior issue like barking, if they think spanking is fine, I am sure they do it already quite comfortably without your professional recommendations! Maybe I am just coming from one side of the fence on this, my sister works with abused children and I am SO against ANY type of professionals and figures of guidance in the community OKing slapping or hitting as a form of punishment against any living creature.  Theres just too much of it that goes on out there that is beyond a simple correction to be recommending it to anyone.

By the way, sorry that the original message one big paragraph, I typed that on my phone and didnt realize it wasnt spacing paragraphs!

Also--- would you write a letter to his office or just leave it at the phone message I left?  I just felt like why dont ya add that one to your wall.

[TaterTot]

I am so sorry Louisa, that you had to wait over an hour and then to say to hit your baby on the rump!
OHHHH! That makes me FURIOUS! you never never, never hit  any animal for any reason. Thisi what they call a vet? He doesn't need to be one.  I agree I am aplaud and so angry at this Dr.
I know you can report vets, Dr's  to the ( better business bueau but like some one said would it do any good?
I hope your day tomorrow or today will be a lot better.
Take care,
TaterTot's Mom...