Do You Trust Your Vet?

[wolf63]

I was looking for something on You Tube and found this video. They guy is called Pete Wedderburn and he is based just outside Dublin. He has a pets problem page in the Telegraph and appears on TV in Eire. He has a facebook page and seems passionate about animals.

My vets surgery is an old one and the is being dragged into this century slowly - but I trust them. Some of the new chains of vets are not so good.

The clip doesn't reveal any secret information - but it is just his side of the story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4ecJsAZYl4

[Sharingan]

We had two bad experiences with our vets ( who are now not our vets), one where they misdiagnosed a pyometra in our bitch and she very nearly died and once where they misdiagnosed a stroke in my Dad's old wolfhound cross, tried to charge us a fortune and it was vestibular disorder. None of us had any faith in them at all after the second occasion ( we had previously lost our cat after they operated on him, from post operative complications as well but that sometimes happens). It wasn't just us because someone defaced their sign so it read their name then 'very good with dead animals' graffittied underneath it.

[Frank97]

Yes I do, a couple of times he has said to me that they could do this or that, but in his opinion it wouldn't make much difference, or would only indicate that they were doing the right thing anyway.

[chaptazbru]

I'm OK with present vet, although I very rarely get to see the same one as they chop and change a lot, but with my last dog I actually reported my then vet to her professional body as she failed to detect an aggressive cancer in my beloved dog despite having her in all day for tests. All she came up with was an 'infection'. She put her on antibiotics for three weeks and during that time the cancer just got worse and worse and when it was finally diagnosed, it was far too late to save my girl. I will NEVER forgive that vet.

[wolf63]

As you say - sometimes complications arise or a diagnosis is not easily found etc

There are some careless vets who are in it for the money - a pyometra in an un-spayed bitch should be high up on their list of possible diagnosis.

Sounds like they lost quite a few patients. :-(

[Sqad]

Surely one must trust one's professionals, if not, then one is in quite a predicament.

No, misdiagnoses are made .....by ALL professionals, at some time, but "the word get's around" as to who is good and who is....."not so good."

[Sharingan]

Yeah they have a terrible name. On the bright side the new vets we use seem really good, but not had them for anything very serious yet.

[chaptazbru]

One local vet had his name displayed all over the place in posters obviously made by a disgruntled client, saying that he had killed his dog. I could empathise with these posters.

[Kleiber]

I think I trust my vets. That's not a good answer, is it? They're OK as far as diagnosing problems goes, but the owner of the practice always wants to do oodles of tests on the animals, which bumps the cost up considerably.

[China Doll]

Yes. His surgery isn't as fancy as the one my cat was initally taken to but Eric nearly ripped chunks out of the vet and nurse there; the vet around the corner I take him to now has the measure of the cat and despite the odd growl, Eric doesn't attempt to take his eye out on sight. This is an improvement.

[boxtops]

We are great fans of our current vets. We moved to a new practice when Rover took a dislike to one of the vets there - but apart from that, their service had deteriorated, they were part of a chain. It was a training practice so we never saw the same vet twice. Now, the vets know our animals individually. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Barmaid]

I am SO lucky. When I lived in this area 15 years ago, I found a really good vet. When I came back to the area, I find they have an annexe just round the corner. They are absolutely brilliant. You always see the same faces, they call you up regularly and keep you updated; they were so kind when I had to have my baby girl put to sleep; they are efficient; reasonably priced and never try and sell me medicine I dont need (last time I needed some Metacam, she looked on the PC and said "you had this for one of your other cats 2 months ago, have you still got it because it is still in date and you can use that - I'll give you a new syringe".

So unlike the vets who diagnosed my old lady with Feline Aids and said she needed to be put to sleep - thankfully I sought a second opinion. She had renal failure and with care, a diet and medication *enjoyed* another 5 years.

[chaptazbru]

^ I love the way you called her your 'baby girl'. I did exactly the same.

[Barmaid]

soppy over our fur babies, aren't we Chaptazbru?!

[wolf63]

Taking Merlin to the vet is dangerous, I thought that lady cats were good tempered. Merlin is a curvy girl with long fizzy hair, the vet said that she wasn't too bright ( a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic) which I know. She has no problems sticking her teeth or claws into human flesh.

Frankie goes every four to six weeks for a jag for his asthma. I should pay a check-up fee plus the cost of the injection but they usually just charge for the injection. A few times I have been amazed at how reasonable their costs are.

sqad - I think we have some unreasonable expectations of medical professionals. Vets and doctors are not miracle workers but if they are honest and try their best that is all that can be asked.

[Kleiber]

I see your two are still playing up, then, Wolf!! :) Barmaid & Chaptazbru, one of my girls has been diagnosed with FIV - she's OK in herself, but has lost some weight, although seems to be stable now. I don't know how long she's got, but whilst she's comfy and in no pain, she can carry on.

[woofgang]

Yes i trust out surgery, have been with them more than 20 years

[chaptazbru]

Kleiber, like you say while she's not in pain she can carry on. Love helps enormously and you obviously love her loads. Hope she lives a long time yet wrapped in your loving care x