Changing Veterinary Practices ...

[wolf63]

I have used the same Veterinary practice since I was in my teens (70s) and, although there has been changes, it has been a good service with a small group of brilliant vets and great receptionists.

Yesterday (4 November 2018) my girl cat, Princess Merlin, was very ill first thing in the morning (she had been quiet all Saturday) and I called out a vet at 0530. I met the vet at the surgery and she went to put Merlin on oxygen and then she found that Merlin has fluid on her lungs. Merlin died. Frankie and I are upset and confused over this.

Today, on Facebook, the surgery advised that from 17 November all out of hours services would be treated by an out-of-hours vet in a city 22 miles away. I don’t have a car and can’t drive.

This has floored me – yesterday I was a shaking mess as soon as I found Merlin. After I left the surgery I was able to walk home. From 17 Nov I would have had to get a taxi for a journey of 22 miles and then I would have been stuck in a strange (very) city at the back of six on a Sunday morning with not so many ways of getting home.

I really don’t want to change vets but Frankie has some ongoing ailments and may require to be seen in an emergency.

I’m not sure if I am being petty or whether changing vets is a logical move. I’m in too much of an emotional mess just now to think this through.

Any thoughts?

[Gizmonster]

I'd def enquire about changing vets.
Ask your potential new vet about out of hours treatment, etc, to make sure it meets your needs.
The records of Frankie will be transferred to your new vet, so you've no need for concern there.
To me it's a no-brainer, but I can understand how emotional you must be feeling right now .... I still think about my dog that I lost just over 10 years ago :(

[Barmaid]

You are not being petty, Wolf. It's a real concern.

Give yourself a wee while though. Then perhaps phone them and have a chat and look at the alternatives.
You'll be cut up really rough right now. X

[kvalidir]

I'm so sorry to hear about Princess Merlin, it's so awful to lose an cat :( x

I would certainly consider changing Vets (I imagine you won't be the only one), I think since you don't drive it's impractical to remain with their new plans. x

[shoota]

Can you not register with both?

[seekeerz]

So very sorry to hear about Princess Merlin, wolf, I can understand how you and Frankie are feeling right now.

They leave such an empty space in our lives.

Certainly look around at other practices, but be prepared that if one is doing it, others are as well.

[wolf63]

Thanks to all of you. I feel a little on the fragile side.

Frankie has been sitting on the stairs watching the main firework display through the skylight window.

I am going to have to think this over.

[Buenchico]

I'm so sorry to read about dear little Merlin, Susan.

It might indeed be time to look for another vet but I note that Tower Vets (which is an obvious option and gets outstanding reviews on Google) says that it currently shares its out-of-hours service with your existing vets' practice. So, if you were considering using Tower Vets you'd need to find out what they're planning to do after 17 November. (It would be pointless switching to them if you then found that you were still required to travel to exactly the same place 22 miles away anyway).

[wolf63]

Another local vet's surgery is also planning the same move. Both businesses have been bought very the Independent Vet Group.

That leaves only two vets in our fair city - and one of them is in Pets at Home.

:-(

[Buenchico]

Tay Valley it is then, I think.

[woofgang]

I agree with what has already been said. I think that you are being sensible to think about emergencies and what you would do. My vets do all their own OOH and will do OOH visits (although they cost more) If you have time I think its worth giving yourself a day or so to get over your loss and then talk to the vets about what this actually means

[wolf63]

We cross posted.

Tower is my friends vet and she has decided to move to Tay Valley. But they are going to be inundated.

How dare they mess up things like this.
I'm still upset about Merlin, but Frankie is my new best friend.

I am off back to cuddle up with him.

[wolf63]

Thanks Woof, we have a £120+ call out fee. It's messing with my head.

[woofgang]

wow.....I mean I live in the south where I thought everything cost more but that's just.....well...... wow.........

[EDDIE51]

You don't have to 'register' an animal with a vet as you do a person with a doctor. You can just take them to any vet , you can go to one vet one week a different one the next week , then a 3rd one the week after . No problem. The 'new vet' will often ask if the animal has been seen by any other vets and phone them for information if necessary (it happened with me & my dog)

[jennyjoan]

I am sorry to hear of Princess Merlin as I know how attached you are to your cats. You can indeed go to any vet near yourself but as somebody said there give yourself time to get over this loss. x

[Ratty2E]

Firstly I’m sorry you lost your cat. You are obviously still in shock and very upset but it is sensible to consider the future. You do register with a vet the first time they see your animal and if that animal has been previously registered with another vet they will contact them to let them know and obtain a history. The best way to choose a vet is obviously by recommendation but if you have a short list maybe you could give them a call or ask for a visit to have a look round and discuss your needs. Any decent vet will happily show you round the practice and answer any queries. I don’t know if you have a Vets4Pets near you but ours is 24 hours and you don’t pay any extra if you go at 3pm or 3am and the vets at my branch are brilliant.

[wolf63]

Frankie is loving being an only cat and not being bashed around by his sister. I am less weepy.

Update on Vet situation -

I phoned the vets yesterday and spoke to the ‘new’ clinical director of the practice. The previous owners sold the practice to Independent Vet Group. It seems that this left them very short of vets - not sure exactly that came about. I suppose that it is now a franchise of sorts.

They had to work with temporary vets for some time and they had to find a person/persons to run the place. They advertised for a Clinical director and they now have a few permanent vets - the nice Polish girl that I got on Sunday and Catherine/Katherine who I have spoken to on the phone. They are still looking for more vets.

The new Clinical director was very nice and explained how they reached the decision to outsource the out of hours work. She said that getting vets to do out of hours work is very difficult.

She is looking out for methods of getting people and their furry friends to the animal A&E place - Pet Ambulance or taxis willing to take animals.

I think that in a big city a central A&E animal hospital would be a brilliant idea. But we are a small (but beautiful) city.

It would be interesting to see the statistics relating to animals being called out to companion animals.

I am still not happy with the change but will see how things pan out.

Frankie wants his lunch, it will be his Chronic kidney disease food, he will sniff it, tell me that it is inedible, swear at me and then stomp off.

[bainbrig]

Wolf. Avoid those big groups like the plague. Our local version was Medivet (featured on a BBC expose). Their primary interest is profit, secondarily animal welfare.

Find a small one- or two-vet local practice. Ask other cat lovers who they use.

Example: we took Rosie to Medivet, and they wanted to give an anaesthetic and x-rays. We switched vets to a local one-man band. He examined her, said he couldn’t find anything wrong with her, and told us to take her home and cuddle her.

She lived another nine years, happily.

I am so sorry for the loss of Merlin.