# Horror Stories, Bad Veterinarians



## JojoTobyMax (Jul 10, 2012)

Am I the only one that has had a very hard time finding a good DVM? I could tell a lot of horror stories before I found my current dog doc. They range from incompetence to callousness to senility and rip-offs. I won't mention any names but for example my Jojo had a bad pregnancy. She gave birth to one large still born pup and after waiting awhile I decided to take her to an animal hospital figuring that there must be other puppies still inside of her. They took her to an examining room and dragged her back to me on a choker leash. These girls literally dragged and choked my dog. Then they gave me the following quote for a needed c-section. I'm thinking is this? This is a dog, not a person. They thought they had me over a barrel and that I would consent figuring that I had no options. Well I did have an option. I made some phone calls and got her to another vet. A quick X-ray indicated no pups left in her and I was out the door for a total of $65. The first vet tried to scam me for well over $4,000.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Good thinking on your part, sometimes being objective is difficult with your pets being that you are so emotionally involved at the time. Hope your dogs stay healthy, and the one vet that was smart enough to do the x-ray will work out for you in the future.

I've had bad experiences. The most recent was when my previous dog had cancer. A huge tumor by her kidney. It had spread to her lungs and I'm sure other areas of her body. The vet talked me into doing an invasive procedure to get a tissue sample of the tumor. It put the dog through additional stress and set me back $1500. My vet continued to talk about other treatments that might extend our dog's life. I don't know how the vets get paid, on commission? but I felt like I was being encouraged to spend, spend, spend. I loved that dog so much, it was so hard to make a decision. This is a large practice with probably 10 vets including the practice owner. I had never met the business owner, but thank goodness after he reviewed my dogs condition, he came into to have a consultation with me and said, my dog was too far gone, if this were his dog, he would just make her life as happy as possible and forget any more treatments. I knew he was right when he only gave me a prescription for 3 weeks with no refill. I'm glad he was honest with me. In hindsight, the tissue sample was totally unnecessary with the images hey already had. I've since found another vet within the practice that did an amazing act of kindness for one of our cats.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I fortunately don't have any horror stories but I was dissatisfied and changed vets. I didn't feel my old vet was making any effort to figure out what was going on with Jazz and the clinic continually recommended the food brand they carried as a solution to all problems. I got fed up and found a fantastic vet at a different clinic and never regretted the decision.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

A pregnant bitch that needs to be seen by a ER vet is really going to cost you...so much that could go wrong. To be honest I don't think this is a rip off.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

So they gave you a quote for a c-section before or after they xrayed her? It was necessary to have an xray done, but there is no way they would have done a c-section if there were no puppies in there. And the vet wouldn't have opened her up for a c-section without taking that xray first.

A quote isn't a scam. It's an estimate of what you would have been paying if the radiographs indicated that a c-section was necessary. There is no excuse, however, for dragging the dog on a leash.


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## JojoTobyMax (Jul 10, 2012)

Gretchen, sorry to hear that. I have lost three German Shepherds to cancer over the years. Sometimes we just should not take the heroic measures that we take with people. I had a female named Gretchen years ago.

GatorDog, they told me that Jojo needed the c-section. I just assumed they did an x-ray. If not then they should have quoted me a price for an exam and x-ray. I've also looked into it and $4,655 for a dog c-section is way out of line. $718 for anesthesia alone? c'mon, you can put the dog under with a shot. I just wanted to put that choke leash on those girls and drag THEM around the building. I was in tears and I'm a 58 year old man. I do have a very good vet now and he does house calls except for Mondays when he is in his office for surgery. I've got other stories too but this one took the cake! BTW, if you google the cost of an emergency canine c-section you will get answers ranging from $500 to $2,000 and a couple people saying to be prepared to pay up to $3,000 tops!


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## Draugr (Jul 8, 2011)

Let's see...no, you are not alone, although I haven't had the issues with ripoffs, I have had issues with finding a good DVM.

I've fired three, to date.

I only ever made contact with our family vet, I never actually took Samson there. He requires a very rigid vaccine schedule and will refuse to treat any animal brought there unless they are up to date on HIS vaccine schedule. Ignoring the fact that a single vaccine, once a dog is old enough, for a viral disease, should protect him for life, or nearly so, in theory, I don't see how that would protect them, given that it takes time for the vaccine to interact with the body and build up an immunity. Sounded fishy, and like a money-making scam, so, y'know, pass on that.

Next vet I left because although he was AMAZING and Samson was VERY comfortable around him, the techs were idiots. One of them told me that if I didn't neuter him he would get cancer, grow breasts, and die. Not joking. And lest you try to lessen the fault of his techs, it wasn't just them trying to get me to neuter to "help the pet population problem," this was immediately after asking me if I was going to *breed him* or get him neutered. I said, uh, neither???

I had to force them into giving him a three-year rabies vaccine by flat out telling them I would not consent to the one year shot (it's the same stinking thing, just relabeled), and had to ask multiple times because I did not trust them to not pull a fast one on me. Once I realized that that was the last time I stepped foot in that office. This year they sent me a card to get him vaccinated for kennel cough (something I've repeatedly told them I am not going to get for him), and distemper/parvo (which was a one year shot (they apparently did not carry anything that supposedly lasts longer)), which I also told them I would not be getting him re-vaccinated for. Oh, and an annual exam, which they've adamantly refused to do, and again, this was even when he had no problems with any of them handling him. I guess they were "too busy" or something.

All of them were afraid of him simply because of his size, and because he is extremely emotionally sensitive, picked up on that, and I believe that's a large reason why he is horrendously untrusting of new people. One of them even told me that if I didn't get his "aggression" checked, I'd wind up having to put him down. I had to resist the urge to not cuss her out right then and there...or just hit her. My dog is AFRAID of you, woman, because you were terrified of him while he was actually friendly toward you. Oh, right, I also got horrified reactions when I told them he was fed on a prey-model raw diet. The bones were going to kill him, or something, never mind he'd been on that diet for almost six months at that point (1.5 years now, and he's still alive last I checked...I don't *think* I have a zombie dog, anyway).

Next vet, I was dealing with vaccine-induced medical issues (largely behavioral symptoms), I took him to a new vet, she saw him for all of ten minutes and immediately knew it was "an intact male problem."

She didn't outright say it, but she pestered me a couple times about not getting him neutered, told me multiple times to go see a trainer, and despite me trying to insist that his behavior was WILDLY abnormal, I was basically called an idiot. Right, because you saw how he acts for ten minutes outside his home environment, you know everything about him, definitely a lot more than me and my entire family who ALSO said something is VERY wrong. Don't get me wrong, I've had a few "intact male" frustrations with Samson that have made me consider having him neutered, but nothing so severe or long-lasting that I have actually gone through with it. Yet.

I did see a trainer, by the way, because there were behavioral issues I wanted to work through (and it helped with the behavioral symptoms of the medical problem, anyway, to an extent), but that wasn't why I was there and for some reason she was too stupid to see that his neophobia in a brand new place for ten minutes was not the same thing I was talking about concerning the problems I'd had about a week following the rabies booster. Despite me explaining it, multiple times. Oh, and she also fed me the "put him down" line that the other vet did.

Then I went to the vet that my family farm uses, he's mostly a large animal vet, but he does see "small" animals (as in dogs & cats, vs cows & horses). Have not had any problems there. They are not intimidated by his fear aggression, they just accept it and deal with him and do not let him get his way. I wish I lived closer, had more money, or more free time, I'd schedule more office visits just as a meet & greet to get him used to at least one of the vets there. There's two and both of them are very good.

I live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, too, so my choices are fairly limited. I'm lucky that at least one of the bunch is a good office because there's only one other place I can go that I know of.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Not sure where you are but a c-section around here will cost about $800 to $1100 total. The pre-paid post surgical exam for 57$ most vets around here do not charge for that. 

I had an estimate for something like $960 - $1100 and it was something like $1096.48. 

But yeah that is a terrible estimate and they would have managed to make it up to that figure too. 

However if they did not x-ray your girl, then they would have stopped at the x-rays. But still. 

X-rays here for this cost about $100. 

Taking a dog in on a weekend or holiday costs way more. Been there, done that. Why do they always whelp AFTER 12:00 on a Saturday???


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## Felix's Proud Mammy (Jul 10, 2012)

Felix had to go to an ER Vet Clinic after getting hit once. They told me flat out "$72 up front or we don't see him" so I paid the money and waited. They took him back and after an hour of waiting they called me back. She basically was calous to him and gave him a shot and meds and sent me out. Then out came her tech with Felix and he was dragging him also. Guess he wasn't moving fast enough with his bum leg... whatever.  

Anyways I did my follow up at a local one vet, vet clinic and they were FANTASTIC! They made sure to speak to Felix as soon as he walked in and got us back super fast AND since it was a follow up to an ER visit all I had to do was show my receipt from the ER clinic and my follow up exam was FREE. Not to mention everyone fawned over him. I love my small town clinic and I won't take Felix anywhere else!!


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## JojoTobyMax (Jul 10, 2012)

I don't believe they would have stopped at the x-rays. This stunk of a rip-off scam. They examined Jojo and dragged her back to me and delivered that outrageous form and told me that she needed the c-section and that I needed to sign the form and provide $2,500 up front before they would go any further. The other vet that I took her to had quoted me a price around $700 to do a c-section but an x-ray proved it not necessary.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I generally don't let my girls out of my site. Generally. I have never had the vets or techs drag my dog. On occasion I have had my dogs drag them to get back to me. 

But usually there is respect, even at the ER that I really don't like they treat my dogs good, and only take them out of my site for x-rays. I am like a mother hen. 

When I took Odie for her c-section I was with her through the ultrasound, and then they got her ready for surgery and then let us back in the observation room, so I got to watch the surgery and was right there helping with the pups, and when they woke her up and got her acclimated to them. They are a 24-hour clinic, but they are 2 hours away. Still, if I have the time, I go there. 

Actually I will first try to get a message through to my vet through their answering service. They have come in for me at off times. If that doesn't work, no one on call, I will call the farther clinic with concerns and explain the situation fully and they will offer some advice over the phone. If I must i will go to the place 45 minutes away, but if I can I will drive the 2 hours.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Each vet and clinic sets its own prices. The vet I work for tends to be a bit more expensive than the other vets in the valley. I don't approve of how the vet tends to get very high prices for so many things. We might charge $175 for a spay, giving a long list of things we do during the surgery and after care. However, a very inexpensive spay/neuter group comes to the valley twice a year and the vet I work for literally blows his top. Our clients will go get the same dog we quoted $175 done for $45. at the spay clinic. STill done by vets that donate their time, still use the same equipment, etc.. However the one I work for gets mad and starts ranting and raving about how we do this and we do that better. We charge them for overnight stay, he says to observe them. Except we are not at the clinic after hours, so we don't watch them at all from 5:30 till 8:30 next morning. The spay clinic sends them home.
We charge $21. for a vaccination that our cost is $2.00 per vaccine... Absolutely a rip off. 
We quoted $1500 for amputate a leg on a dog. Folks went to another vet in town that charged $300. 
Your quote for the C-section is way more than we would charge, but other vets in town would charge less than we do. I sometimes think, knowing what a vet pays for vaccines, suture material, meds,etc that the HUGE markup is a total ripoff and that is how they make their money...


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

JojoTobyMax said:


> I don't believe they would have stopped at the x-rays. This stunk of a rip-off scam. They examined Jojo and dragged her back to me and delivered that outrageous form and told me that she needed the c-section and that I needed to sign the form and provide $2,500 up front before they would go any further. The other vet that I took her to had quoted me a price around $700 to do a c-section but an x-ray proved it not necessary.



It was bad, yes. For one thing, you cannot tell the difference between a false pregnancy and a pregnancy without an ultra sound or x-ray at that point. I have felt puppies moving, but it is possible to mistake that I suppose. 

So they should have confirmed a pregnancy before going straight for the ultra-sound.

Since they were going to x-ray, and NO WAY could you not confirm a pregnancy with an x-ray. Without seeing skulls and ribs, no c-section. You could have sued the pants off them. 

So I think they would have stopped at the x-rays. They were giving you the worst case scenario. And, some vets think you are bad news if you are a breeder. $2500 up front before they do anything, that's pretty crappy. Our ER say that it will be a $130 fee up front, or something like that to look at them after hours -- part of why I really do not like that vet, they remind you of that over the phone. Whatever. The farther clinic has a much better reputation and is a full-service 24 hour facility. They have what they need. And the turnover rate is not as high. I never see the same people twice at the closer ER.

Still if there is an emergency and time is of the essence, I will go there.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

wyominggrandma said:


> Except we are not at the clinic after hours, so we don't watch them at all from 5:30 till 8:30 next morning. The spay clinic sends them home.


I"m so glad you brought this up! My vet kept Banshee overnight and it just didn't make any sense to me. Nobody is there! So, you are keeping her on the off chance you might have an emergency and then might check on her while you are there?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

wyominggrandma said:


> Each vet and clinic sets its own prices. The vet I work for tends to be a bit more expensive than the other vets in the valley. I don't approve of how the vet tends to get very high prices for so many things. We might charge $175 for a spay, giving a long list of things we do during the surgery and after care. However, a very inexpensive spay/neuter group comes to the valley twice a year and the vet I work for literally blows his top. Our clients will go get the same dog we quoted $175 done for $45. at the spay clinic. STill done by vets that donate their time, still use the same equipment, etc.. However the one I work for gets mad and starts ranting and raving about how we do this and we do that better. We charge them for overnight stay, he says to observe them. Except we are not at the clinic after hours, so we don't watch them at all from 5:30 till 8:30 next morning. The spay clinic sends them home.
> We charge $21. for a vaccination that our cost is $2.00 per vaccine... Absolutely a rip off.
> We quoted $1500 for amputate a leg on a dog. Folks went to another vet in town that charged $300.
> Your quote for the C-section is way more than we would charge, but other vets in town would charge less than we do. I sometimes think, knowing what a vet pays for vaccines, suture material, meds,etc that the HUGE markup is a total ripoff and that is how they make their money...


I would think a vet tech wouldn't have such a hard time with a vet making money. I mean, how else is he going to pay the vet techs, the rent or mortgage, his student loans, the utilities and overhead costs? The vaccine costs him $2 yes, but he has to look at the dog and ensure that is resembles a healthy animal, and he has to inject the vaccine into the dog. By doing that he just paid his tech for an hour and his receptionist for an hour's work. 

I was looking over the averages of what different people make on average in Ohio, part of looking for work at the Job Source. And Veterinarian on average was $60k. A vet goes through a LOT more education than an engineer and they are actually higher in pay. A vet that owns his practice has overhead and staff to pay. They have to put up with crappy clients, and nasty dogs and cats as well as the nice clients and the easy dogs and cats. 

They get bitten. At my vet, all the staff needed to get Lepto vaccinations because they treated a lepto case. They have to deal with a lot of rules and regulations. My vet will not sell phenobarbitol anymore because one of the clients was abusing his dog's meds, so now they write prescriptions for that and we have to get it from a pharmacy. 

They have to do continuing education. They have to put up with clients like me who argue with them about things like feeding raw chicken and not giving my dogs lepto vaccinations. They have to provide their staff with training/education, and if they do not stay competitive in wages, the staff turns over, and they are chronically training. 

I think $20 for a vaccine is not out of the ball park, really. But Some vets will do stuff cheaper, they will charge you less here to get you in, and more in other areas. I just don't think 60K on average for that job is really all that great. Certainly not money grubbing uncaring fiends. But ERs have to pay for hours that are not very full. They have to have staff on hand, which means staff not working lots of the time. So they have to have their extra ER fees. 

My vet is offering something like $360 for the puppy package, which includes 4 sets of vaccinations, exams, wormings, and a spay/neuter. I think that is pretty cool if I was planning on spaying/neutering that young. 

*..............................................8 - 10 Weeks* *........12 - 14 Weeks* ........*16 - 18 Weeks*....... *20 - 22 Weeks* 
Exam ...........................................YES ..........................YES ..........................YES 
Flea & Heartworm Prevention.... YES ...........................YES ..........................YES 
Deworming .................................YES .............................YES ........................YES 
DA2PP Vaccine .........................YES ..............................YES ........................YES 
Leptospira Vaccine 4 way................................................ YES .........................YES 
Rabies Vaccine ..................................................................................................YES 
Fecal ............................................................................................................................................YES 
Spay or Neuter .............................................................................................................................YES 
Microchip .......................................................................................................................................YES

One of my puppies buyers spent 860 dollars on her well-puppy at the vet in two months and did not even get her spayed. That is just nuts. 

So some vets are sticking it to owners.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Jax08 said:


> I"m so glad you brought this up! My vet kept Banshee overnight and it just didn't make any sense to me. Nobody is there! So, you are keeping her on the off chance you might have an emergency and then might check on her while you are there?


I think for very good owners, it is better for the dog to be home, but some people kind of like that the vet keeps them crated where they cannot get hurt, and will barf, bleed, etc. where the vet can take note of it. Sometimes sending them home means they will be romping with the other four dogs and children at the residence. I suppose in that case it would be better to have the dog at the clinic, even without supervision.


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## gaia_bear (May 24, 2012)

wyominggrandma said:


> Our clients will go get the same dog we quoted $175 done for $45. at the spay clinic. QUOTE]
> 
> Wow, I wish. I would even settle for the 175$ spay. I have an appt to get my 5 month old puppy spayed and it's curretly quoted at 260$ but will probably change between now and then because she's going to move into the next weight bracket.
> 
> My parents recently had their dog spayed at the fine tune of 700$. It's crazy how much certain vet services cost here.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

The clinic is on old building that he has owned for years. His loans have been paid off for years. His overhead consists of me, another kennel help and his wife. Not much overhead there at all. I have nothing against anyone making money, but do hate when the pet owner has to pay it all.
I hate that the mark up of meds/vaccines, dog food,etc are 200 and 300 percent. 
Hard times and bad economy make the other vets in the valley have spay months, dental months, etc.for lesser price. We never do. My vet feels he went to school for years(which he did) and that pet owners OWE him for being a vet. 
The practice is losing clients alot now, they are going to the vets that will give a break on price and knock costs down. OH yea, this vet will give discounts to his friends and church members, but stick it to non church members and people who are not what he considers "high quality". I actually hate working for him, but not many jobs in a valley that the average yearly pay is around $25,000. He is a egotistical jerk.
Jax08, some clinics do have vet techs that stay over night, but I see that mainly in 24 hr emergency clinics, of which there are none here. So, yes, they keep dog overnight and if an emergency pops up, then they check dog over, if not, the dog is left in cage overnight until the next morning when someone comes in. I will go in and check on surgical dogs at night if there are any. I don't get paid for it, but feel better knowing they are checked at least once during the night.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

That bill is a rip off!! 28 for a blanket? What the use, cachemira wool? And they are using any excuse they can to charge something, like a lot of stuff for monitoring that should be under "anesthesia" and point.

And look! The second vet didn't charge for the Thank You!


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Well, I am sure it costs alot to have the blanket washed and dried after the dog uses it.. Oh wait, maybe they throw it away and give fresh blankets for each dog, at that price they should. Ridiculous prices for normal things used daily in a clinic.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

It is interesting, the catheter pak they charged over $100 for costs about $3.50 each. There were charging for an IV anesthetic $205. plus regular anesthetic, which is probably gas at $478., $75 for an IV injection? Nursing at $476 day, plus the HUGE charge for the vet techs also. Yes, this was a total rip off, I can't believe anyone would pay that price. Glad you left and went someone else.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

wyominggrandma said:


> The clinic is on old building that he has owned for years. His loans have been paid off for years. His overhead consists of me, another kennel help and his wife. Not much overhead there at all. I have nothing against anyone making money, but do hate when the pet owner has to pay it all.
> I hate that the mark up of meds/vaccines, dog food,etc are 200 and 300 percent.
> Hard times and bad economy make the other vets in the valley have spay months, dental months, etc.for lesser price. We never do. My vet feels he went to school for years(which he did) and that pet owners OWE him for being a vet.
> The practice is losing clients alot now, they are going to the vets that will give a break on price and knock costs down. OH yea, this vet will give discounts to his friends and church members, but stick it to non church members and people who are not what he considers "high quality". I actually hate working for him, but not many jobs in a valley that the average yearly pay is around $25,000. He is a egotistical jerk.
> Jax08, some clinics do have vet techs that stay over night, but I see that mainly in 24 hr emergency clinics, of which there are none here. So, yes, they keep dog overnight and if an emergency pops up, then they check dog over, if not, the dog is left in cage overnight until the next morning when someone comes in. I will go in and check on surgical dogs at night if there are any. I don't get paid for it, but feel better knowing they are checked at least once during the night.


I think that when you live through lean years when you are paying the mortgage and the student loans, to get to the fat years so that you can pay off your personal bills and put some money in the bank against the late years, where you are no longer working. If there is no mortgage, good for him, he should not charge less because he was able to get it paid off. He should charge what a service is worth, and if it is not comparable to the going rates, the customers will take their pocket books elsewhere. 

Again, other vets will charge less in some areas because they cut corners, or they charge less in some areas to get customers in, but they will make up for it in other ways. 

As for $45 dollar spays, no way would I do that. They did bloodwork on my dog for a hematoma! That's crazy, but there is anesthesia involved. But for a spay where you are actually removing stuff, well, you don't want to find out your dog has vWd on the table. 

I have also heard of some pretty shoddy jobs being performed and people having a lot of trouble with low-cost speuters. 

If my vet is open, I go there, except for hip x-rays or something they don't have, that needs a specialist or special equipment.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Yeah, that estimate is about $3000 over what it ought to be. I am glad he found another vet too. Too bad the cheaper vet doesn't work nights and weekends.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

wyominggrandma said:


> Each vet and clinic sets its own prices. The vet I work for tends to be a bit more expensive than the other vets in the valley. I don't approve of how the vet tends to get very high prices for so many things. We might charge $175 for a spay, giving a long list of things we do during the surgery and after care. However, a very inexpensive spay/neuter group comes to the valley twice a year and the vet I work for literally blows his top. Our clients will go get the same dog we quoted $175 done for $45. at the spay clinic. STill done by vets that donate their time, still use the same equipment, etc.. However the one I work for gets mad and starts ranting and raving about how we do this and we do that better. We charge them for overnight stay, he says to observe them. Except we are not at the clinic after hours, so we don't watch them at all from 5:30 till 8:30 next morning. The spay clinic sends them home.
> We charge $21. for a vaccination that our cost is $2.00 per vaccine... Absolutely a rip off.
> We quoted $1500 for amputate a leg on a dog. Folks went to another vet in town that charged $300.
> Your quote for the C-section is way more than we would charge, but other vets in town would charge less than we do. I sometimes think, knowing what a vet pays for vaccines, suture material, meds,etc that the HUGE markup is a total ripoff and that is how they make their money...


 
I have noticed that in most cases large animal vets are far more reasonable than small animal vets and far more honest in assessing situations. I frequently have my dogs treated by my horse Vet, meds are so much cheaper for far more medication.


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## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> I"m so glad you brought this up! My vet kept Banshee overnight and it just didn't make any sense to me. Nobody is there! So, you are keeping her on the off chance you might have an emergency and then might check on her while you are there?


I know! I found out the night before I had the spay done, I just assumed if they kept her overnight to watch her, umm, someone would watch her:shocked: I almost canciled, it was close on which way i was going to go, but the vet talked me into going through with the surgery and following his policy of keeping female dogs overnight.


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

LARHAGE said:


> I have noticed that in most cases large animal vets are far more reasonable than small animal vets and far more honest in assessing situations. I frequently have my dogs treated by my horse Vet, meds are so much cheaper for far more medication.


My vet is also a large animal vet mainly. He has certain days scheduled for dogs and cats. At first I didn't care for him b/c my DH was told he didn't like GSDs. But after our first appointment he was amazing. He tried bonding with both of our dogs...and told me he just had dealt with many unruly shepherds and then praised me for seeking out training. 

Also for all the vaccinations and worming and fecals for two dogs the cost was $77.00!!!

I thought this was very reasonable and it was a great experience for me and my dogs.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

selzer said:


> I think for very good owners, it is better for the dog to be home, but some people kind of like that the vet keeps them crated where they cannot get hurt, and will barf, bleed, etc. where the vet can take note of it. Sometimes sending them home means they will be romping with the other four dogs and children at the residence. I suppose in that case it would be better to have the dog at the clinic, even without supervision.


A great example of this is my co-worker. He told me at 4:30 pm that he argued with his vet regarding leaving his dog overnight. I asked him why the dog was at the vet. He informed me that the dog had a tumor removed from his leg and had 12 staples in his leg. 

He said he was picking the dog up at 6:00 p.m. I asked him if he had a crate. He said no, that the dog does fine outside. 

Hubby happened to be at home and I had him run a crate up. The dog is now in their house in a crate. Not because I told him to, (although I did) but because he couldn't make the dog lay quietly....outside...alone. Crazy.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

I'm sure some of ya'll remember my post 2 years ago...

Spent over 1000 dollars in 2 months of having rocky at Banfield, the corporate vet rip off that messed up his neuter...

They tried to neuter my dog that didn't have testicles...cut him in 3 places to try to find them, had him under for over 2 1/2 hours, returned him to me COVERED in blood 

I had signed a contract with them and the most they "could do" was to let me not pay 2 of the 12 months as a sorry./

I left them and went to my awesome vet I am at now. I had to keep paying for Banfield the first 6 months I was with my new vet.

Hate banfield.


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Fortunately I haven't had any real horror stories at any of my vets. Until I found the one I use now, all of the other ones wanted me to pay extra money for a lot of uneccessary treatments,but that happens everywhere. The vet I have now always tries to go with the absolute least expensive and invasive treatment first,and then goes up from there accordingly.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I have a pretty good vet altho they are expensive. I am moving to Eastern Oregon in two weeks and will be using the same vet my parents use for their dog. If vet fees are like everything else in Oregon, I will be very pleased! So far I am saving about $1000/ by moving!


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## JojoTobyMax (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks for the replies and validation that this quote was out of line! I do have a wonderful vet now but not an emergency facility that I trust. If I couldn't get a hold of my vet then I hate to think that I'd have to pick another facility from the phone book . 

Here are a couple pics of Jojo. She gave me a lot of wonderful pups. I do believe that she is smiling in the one pic! The pregnancy that was discussed in this thread went bad because my breeding pair got together too soon after her previous litter (6 months). They are worse than teenagers. I took my eyes off them for 10 seconds and they were locked together!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

LARHAGE said:


> I have noticed that in most cases large animal vets are far more reasonable than small animal vets and far more honest in assessing situations. I frequently have my dogs treated by my horse Vet, meds are so much cheaper for far more medication.


I do the exact same thing. My equine vet will provide basic exams, heartworm tests, vaccinations, flea control etc. If I have a medical problem, then I go to my small animal vet. However, I can (and do) seek advice from my equine vet. Sorta like a free second opinion. 

Funny thing is, this equine vet that I am speaking of, I only use for well visits with the horses. Vaccines, health certs, dental work etc. If I have an injury/illness I haul to another vet. 

It's like I'm having an affair with several vets at the same time, and they all know about each other......


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

I just picked up rocky from the kennel...he was covered in poop down all four legs and all over his stomach...they had obviously tried to hose him off since he was dripping water on the ground.

Will never take him back. It was 9:30 am, they had been open since 7:00 am and they let him lay in his own poop until I got there?


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

He can hold it over 12 hours. The owners live on site. I am beyond upset. His fur was so matted with poop on his butt from being there 5 days that when I tried to bathe him he actually growled at me for the first time in his whole life because it hurt him! I was shocked. Already wrote an email and letter to the owners and left a message for them to call me back (they are on vacation) This place has always been superb. I can't believe how terrible condition Rocky was in when the owners were not there to watch their employees.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

x0emiroxy0x said:


> He can hold it over 12 hours. The owners live on site. I am beyond upset. His fur was so matted with poop on his butt from being there 5 days that when I tried to bathe him he actually growled at me for the first time in his whole life because it hurt him! I was shocked. Already wrote an email and letter to the owners and left a message for them to call me back (they are on vacation) This place has always been superb. I can't believe how terrible condition Rocky was in when the owners were not there to watch their employees.





x0emiroxy0x said:


> I just picked up rocky from the kennel...he was covered in poop down all four legs and all over his stomach...they had obviously tried to hose him off since he was dripping water on the ground.
> 
> Will never take him back. It was 9:30 am, they had been open since 7:00 am and they let him lay in his own poop until I got there?


Oh. My. Goodness. I would be livid! As I am sure you were. Have you taken Rocky there before?


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

That is what is crazy! I have taken him many times....the "vet" kennel was closed, but they have a grooming salon next door that is attached and they have a separate boarding facility. I wasn't told until I got there that he wasn't at the official "vet" kennel that the vet and his wife and kids check on the dogs every night since they live on property. I guess the grooming salon "boarding area" did not get these nightly visits. That is where Rocky stayed. My vet just called me from vacation to apologize profusely and he said he will refund the money himself, (even though the grooming "boarding" is separate and he makes no money from it. They apparently just pay monthly rent to be part of his facility) and that they will never put Rocky in the grooming section again. He also asked how Rocky's leg was doing (I took him in last week for limping) and said that my next visit would be on him, up to 75.00

They don't make a ton of money, he has given me free medicine before when I didn't have money before. I will go back but probably not board at either place.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

JojoTobyMax said:


> The pregnancy that was discussed in this thread went bad because my breeding pair got together too soon after her previous litter (6 months). They are worse than teenagers. I took my eyes off them for 10 seconds and they were locked together!


Who would have ever thought that would happen?


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Yeah I would be nervous to board with them again. Since it was a one time thing I might wait a while then try for a short visit. That's so strange!

I jsut tried this new place and she was nice and said all the right things but I just got a weird vibe... he stayed one night and didn't appear to hate it but I won't go back.. the lady just gives off this vibe.. can't explain it.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

When I go to Houston I board at this place my dad recommended. This woman named Judy converted her back yard into a boarding facility. She soundproofed the building in the backyard and got permits somehow LOL. She is in the city so I am surprised they let her do it.

Anyways, when I board Rocky there, I can call three times a day to check on him and her response will be "He is doing ok today. I went to pet him and he got nervous so I just let him out of the run and into the grass without his leash and after a little while he came and sat next to me. He still didn't want to be pet, but he liked the company" or something similiar.

I recently boarded in Dallas and when I asked how Rocky was going, *they thought they put me on hold* but I could hear everything they were saying .They were complaining about how people call to check on their dogs, they are just stupid animals, blah blah. After 5 minutes of this the girl says "do you think its been long enough?" and when the other girl said yes, she picked the phone back up and told me "oh he is doing awesome we cuddled and I gave him a treat, etc etc" I cut my vacation short to go pick up Rocky and will NEVER go back there!

When I pick up Rocky from the lady in Houston, he always gives her a kiss good bye and is happy. I have picked him up from other places and he has had cuts/ bleeding/ poop on him/ and will cry the whole way home and act weird for a day. I know how he acts if he is treated right because of Judy...so I hate trying any new kennel now. Most don't care.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Oh no thank you. I would have let them know when I got there that I heard what they said and am reporting to upper management. 

This place I just boarded Titan at like I said before just gave me a weird vibe. I was able to look at everything and she was all good to go when I brought Titan for the Free night stay for a trial because "we just want you to know you are happy with this place before you start paying" when I dropped him off she undermined me and said she wouldn't put his dishes in his kennel because he would chew them, when I said he would not, she said that he would and refused. I also asked the to take out this like raised piece of plastic she called a bed and just put his bed on the floor because he will not sleep on the little piece of plastic and she argued saying that bigger dogs have slept on it with no problem. I told her to remove it. She did but with a "well you're the boss, so whatever" comment. The facility was alright, same deal, her property truned into a kennel. I loved her staff.. just not her. So I let him stay the night, he was fine and was excited to see me. But still got that "I really don't like you" vibe. I haven't taken him back.. need to find another one.


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

You are a lot better than me,I wouldn't have been able to bite my tongue and would have definitely told them what I heard. 




x0emiroxy0x said:


> I recently boarded in Dallas and when I asked how Rocky was going, *they thought they put me on hold* but I could hear everything they were saying .They were complaining about how people call to check on their dogs, they are just stupid animals, blah blah. After 5 minutes of this the girl says "do you think its been long enough?" and when the other girl said yes, she picked the phone back up and told me "oh he is doing awesome we cuddled and I gave him a treat, etc etc" I cut my vacation short to go pick up Rocky and will NEVER go back there!


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

I didn't read all of the replies but yes I have had issues with several vets my last vet made a huge error that nearly killed my dog. Said my male was loosing his pee bc my female was in heat and sent us on our way after i convienced them to pull a blood sample...when blood sample came back 3 days later showing positive for kidney and pancriatic failure the vet apologized for my loss and sent me to an ER Vet. UH hello?? We nearly lost Zeus to Lepto along w severe lymes last christmas. Thanks to the ER vet and staff hes back to his old self and last blood testing (we tested every other month up to last month hes back in the normal ranges for everything again! 

Needless to say I switched vets and never contacted the old one again.


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## JojoTobyMax (Jul 10, 2012)

Hello all. This is a very old thread but after yet another bad veterinarian I'm pleased to say that I found a good one! He has a practice nearby and also a 24 hour hospital a bit further. Sorry for reviving a ten year old thread but wanted to give an update and closure!


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## Honey Maid (Dec 25, 2020)

I feel for ya, glad you found a good Vet. I cried when our Vet retired. You'd call him in the middle of the night and the VET answered the phone! He was a REAL small town Vet, took his practice very seriously. He had to retire due to health issues. The Vet he sold his practice to has 'Bankers Hours', not there on the weekends, doesn't do emergencies, unless it's during office hours. Answering machine refers you to a Vet clinic that is 90 minutes away, when they are closed. Very, very frustrating.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Good vets can be hard to find! My old girl developed old dog vestibular disease. I'd seen it before in my male GSD, so I was fairly sure what it was, though she had a much worse case than he did. At least he was able to walk, and eat and drink.

She couldn't keep anything down, and I had to get someone to help me lift her into the car. Unfortunately, my regular vet wasn't available, so I had to go to another vet in another town. They said it might be a stroke, and wanted to do all sorts of tests - x-rays, MRI, plus IV drugs. The bill would have been around $800!

I said 'no', and left with a prescription for prednisone and some antibiotics, in case it was an ear infection. Very upset, I called my regular vet, who was kind enough to fit me in to his very busy schedule. He told me I was right, and that most cases resolve within a week to ten days, with or without treatment. He gave her something to help the nausea, and within a week, she was chasing squirrels again. She still moved like she was drunk, but she was at least trying... 😁


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

When you find a good one, lavish them with praise, drop by trays of cookies with a card telling them how much you appreciate them and their staff, and send thank you notes for special service. Be that client. 

Being a veterinary practice owner is hard right now -- they're pressured on all sides with sharply rising costs (labor, meds, supplies, labs, etc.), too few employees, and clients who are stretched too thin. Even if they do everything right, people will sometimes leave terrible Google reviews due to the cost of care.

There is a critical shortage of vets in the U.S. -- for decades, vet schools have artificially constrained the supply of slots for students, and now they're not producing enough new vets to replace the ones who are retiring or leaving practice. The new generation of "baby vets" doesn't want to work the hours that have been the standard for prior generations of new graduates who are learning and gaining skills. They don't want to handle emergencies because of the stress, and they don't want to work weekends. And they want to be paid a lot more than past generations of new vets. Some are demanding salaries that are more than the practice owner makes with decades of experience. It's making it really hard to hire the help that these practices need -- go-getters who will rush a dog into emergency surgery, stay as late as needed to get them stable, come in after hours to check on them, etc. The good ones need to be reminded how much they mean to their clients so that they don't leave practice too -- many great, independent vets are throwing in the towel and selling their practices to big corporations because the economics of owning a small clinic are just so tough. There's a huge transition going on, and it's not good.


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