# The good vet thread!



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

It saddens and angers me to read so many stories about clueless vets and clinic staff. I for one am blessed with a clinic with vets and staff that I think the world of. Share your stories of why you love your vet! 

I love my clinic and my vets because they are so professional and respectful. They may not always agree with my choices (raw feeding, for one), but they respect me and show it in their words and actions. Whether I come in with my pound mutt, or my registered pure bred GSD, they show the same care, professionalism and concern (I mention this because there was a thread on here once where people's experience was different - some clinics seemed to be more pro-rescue and pro mixed breeds and anti pure-bred dogs from breeders (probably blaming all the breeders for all the euthanized dogs in shelters), 
while other clinics seemed more dismissive of mixed breeds of unknown background (just a mutt mentality). 

The front staff, the technicians, the vets there are all awesome. The clinic isn't cheap. I walk in the front door, and that's pretty much a fifty dollar charge right there, but they are fair. 

For example, I never feel like the vets are trying to sell me products or services, and often suggest more affordable alternatives to supplements and treatments. They are on a three year vaccination protocol, and space out the three main vacs to one type a year to avoid overwhelming a pet's system by giving vax cocktails. 

I brought Keeta in for routine vax (rabies and forget which other one), and showed the vet a bump on her muzzle. Turned out to be an abscessed tooth (Keeta was not showing any pain). So she got antibiotics instead, and the vaccinations where rescheduled for when the infection was cleared up to not overwhelm her system. The re-schedule for the vax, I only got charged the fee for the injections, and not for the office visit as I already paid for the office visit with the original appointment. 

None of the staff act like they are afraid of big dogs. For some reason, at other clinics, I've had a lot of staff/vets afraid of Keeta. She makes this growling noise when she is handled and examined - not sure why, it's not growling per se, you'd know without a doubt if she is really growling - I call this more like a purring, and apparently, very common vocalization in Rottweilers. Couple of times at other clinics, I've had vets stop short the exam and declare the visit over because of her growling/purring. I'd reassure the vet that it was nothing, but they didn't believe me. 

This clinic, all the vets seem to be big-dog savvy. What sold me was the very first time I walking in, instead of backing away and asking if Keeta needs a muzzle (which is what the vet did at another clinic when I brought her in for her first checkup), the vet there just sat down on the floor and oohed and aahed over how gorgeous she was, while petting her all over, as Keeta went into her purring (as she often does when petted) and loving the attention. Vet didn't bat an eyelash at her vocalization - none there have been bothered or worried one iota by either my growly Rottie mix, or my big bad working line GSD with bite-work training. 

So what kind of stuff do you guys LOVE about your vet?


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I wasn't very happy with my previous vet and when I moved I changed to the vet the rest of my family goes to and the vet is fantastic. There's three vets in the practice and two are good and one is a moron. As for the receptionists and techs I haven't been impressed but considering the vet does 90% of the work himself I haven't had any issues


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Castlemaid said:


> So what kind of stuff do you guys LOVE about your vet?


I love that my vet cares about my animals as much as I do. I love the fact that she and her staff took the time to cry with me when we had to put Shadow down. I love that that they know us all by name and treat us as part of the family. I love that they spoil Ivan rotten and take the time to do so even when they are crazy busy. I love the fact they have invited me and Ivan to come down anytime and socialize and that we are always invited into the back to walk through the kennels and surgery rooms and let Ivan get used to the sent and smells of the vets office. I love that they keep a office cat, who is the biggest spoiled baby. Basically I think my vet is the best vet on the planet. :wub:


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Awesome! My vet also has an office cat, a gorgeous Siamese that rules the place.


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## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

I have a couple vets, as I am lucky to work in a clinic and really know my vets. My everyday vet though is just wonderful. She loves my animals, trusts my judgement on some things, I mean I know my dog more than anyone does. She treats them as if they were her own and the compassion is amazing. I had her come to my home to euthanize TJ last year. It was a Sunday morning. She was so wonderful, waiting until I was ready, talking about how great he was and crying with me. We both knew that I kept him about a month to long but she never said a word about that. 

My animals LOVE her. And that to me is a huge plus. It is not a fancy clinic, and if she is uncertain about something she does not hesitate to refer me to someone more qualified in that area (which is where my ER vets generally come in).


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Our vets office is always really busy...small town. But I like that my vet takes the time to answer all of my questions and never appears to be rushing. Because of this I never mind waiting 15 minutes past my scheduled appt time.

He also has a good 'bed side manner' and is always excited to see my boy, which in turn my boy picks up on good vibes from him and office visits are less stressful for both of us.


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## apenn0006 (Jun 22, 2012)

Castlemaid said:


> She makes this growling noise when she is handled and examined - not sure why, it's not growling per se, you'd know without a doubt if she is really growling - I call this more like a purring, and apparently, very common vocalization in Rottweilers.
> So what kind of stuff do you guys LOVE about your vet?



My mom's Golden Retriever does this exact same thing. He mostly does it when you are talking to him in a baby voice.  

After going to our vet once I don't have much I can really say I "love" about it. The receptionist ladies seem very nice and not only worked us in 15 min before they closed (I though they closed later), but were very sweet to my daughter. There is something about red curly hair that will strike up a conversation. lol The vet was very nice but seemed pretty reserved. I don't know if he was in a hurry to get out or what but I am a confrontational person who likes a doctor who is very proactive. I think that comes from having a child with special needs and not settling for a passive treatment plan. Maybe he will open up the mor we get to know him. 

He looked to be mid-thirties, well built, and very cute! sigh...I am a married woman!!


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

LOve my vets to! I know I can count on them 24/7 should an emergency arrive.

They have always given me the best of care, alot of discounts which I really appreciate, since I have quite a few animals. They let me make payments which I REALLY appreciate it. 

Staff/office help, always get me in asap even if it's not an emergency..

Never try to push me to do this or that, always listen and take into consideration my opinions or ideas on stuff.

Get to observe surgeries if I want 

I really don't have anything 'bad' to say about my vets and/or staff


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I love my vet!

A month or so ago, when Aiden ripped all four of his paw pads open, I called the hospital. It was a holiday and my vet (knowing how uncomfortable I am with other places) met me at the office within twenty minutes of placing the call. She allowed me to go into the prep room and help restrain him while his feet were cleaned and bandaged. She called the next day to check up on him and didn't even charge me for the follow up appointment to remove the bandages and clean him up. She's great!


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Love my vets to and believe it or not the office is one of the corporate ones, but the vets have remained the same for years now.

They cried with us when we had to finally let Rusty (18 yr old) go last year. I won't ever forget her tears as she made that last injection.

Put up with the worried parents with Shadow's surgery 3 months ago and crazy about the idea and happy to see her when bringing her back after all the visits for the surgery just to hang out at the office.

And my problem child Woolf - Vet isn't scared of him, doesn't let him intimidate her, keeps it marked on his file which techs to work with him so he isn't exposed to the fearful ones. They work with me when he goes in so the reception area is empty and no dogs present, gets him right on back to the exam room. Stays in communication with the behaviorist. Celebrates the improvement he is showing.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I love my vet(s).
When my new vet opened her practice a few years ago, a few people mentioned her to me. I didn't pay much attention to them. Since Kiya began having seizures in 2005 I didn't want to be bouncing around. I was using a local vet mainly for convenience and simple blood draws, but wasn't really happy with the staff and attitudes. I called this "new" vets office made an appointment and then I was really but off by the staff when I wanted to bring the 2nd dog in at the same time, he couldn't give me a consecutive appointment and then started with the vaccine agenda. I canceled. My primary vet was far away and I didn't want to keep traveling so far. I dealt with the attitude with the local vets office.
Two years ago on a Sunday afternoon my husband and I ran into my new vet at local bar. After talking to her I told her if an emergency comes up I'll give you a try.
Sure enough the following January, during a blizzard I called her office. She wasn't open for business but took my call and told me to bring my cat in. It turned out to be an easy enough fix for her to treat and she charged me about $100. The following month my dog Apache had an emergency, once again the timing was off but she was in the office for paperwork & such. Even though she didn't schedule any appointments on Wednesday mornings she told me to bring him right in. Once again the bill was more than fair. 
The spring after I got Lakota I finally made the decision to switch everyone over to the "Manorville Pet Vet". I think they were all suprised when I handed them Kiya's file which contains excel spreadsheets for all her blood work. I said now you know why it was so hard for me to switch.
Although we do not agree on everything 100% we agreed to disagree. I can call with a problem and she will advise me what to do. She's a bit younger than me, rides a Harley...she's great. 
I also have a vet for my horse, he has a practice that does small animals as well. Years ago he would come to the house and do all the critters when I used to do annual vaccines. If I ever had a serious problem I would speak to him for a second opinion. I have used him for over 25years. He is a kind compassionate man with a heart. When he came to put my horse down last year I could tell it was very hard for him.


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## DTS (Oct 19, 2010)

i love my vet. he is the best. 
my bf's parents take all their animals there, and he took his last GSD in.
he doesn't ask what we are feeding, unless we are talking about allergies and he doesn't try and push anything. 
if we go and get a treatment and it doesn't work, we can come back again and again and only have to pay for the injections or antibiotics, not a office fee
Jasmine loves everyone in the office.. except for him. and she normally has to be muzzled when he handles her, but he has never turned us away because she barks at him.
My bf's last gsd was walking around the yard and the next door neighbor claimed he was on his property ( i'm not sure, i wasn't there but David swears he never would leave the yard when he was out) and Moogie was shot in the face with a 12 gauge shot gun.
they rushed him to the vet and he took care of Moogie, even being able to save both eyes, but he was permanently blind in one) he allowed them to make payments for the procedure and charged them way less than what it should cost.
he never pushes us to buy anything and actually has nothing for sale in the store except different flea and tick, and heartworm medications. 
unfortunately we moved and now its a 40 minute drive, but if it isnt an emergency, i will gladly drive her down to him


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