To leave the vets due to the rude nurses/receptionist

[blondlygoshferatus]

Every single time I call them, I feel horrible coming off the call.

All I want to know is how to take care of my 1 cat and 1 dog throughout the year - ie the fleaing, worming, ticking, prescriptions, weighing etc. I admit, I am not brilliant at working out the cheapest option, so at one point I was on their pet health plan, but this pricey and included stupid things I'd never have, like trimming their nails etc.

I just want friendly advice. The lady today was a total dick, with her 'Oh. Well. I thought you wanted this' when I was asking about alternatives for pricing and speaking to me like I am about 5 years old on every question. Simply unfriendly, unhelpful and impatient. I feel embarrrassed and stupid again today.

I get this from the doctors (in the past, as my current dr surgery the receptionists are lovely and I've heard them being super patient with even the most muddle headed member of the public).

But the vet is fucking expensive, aibu to leave the practice and find somewhere else. And tell them exactly why?

(Only reason I am loathe to is because most vets in the UK are owned by larger corporate groups and this one is the only independent in my town)

Is this a national chain owned by private equity now by any chance, with a green logo?
We had the same. Moved to a local independent. Much cheaper with lovely, caring staff. Spaying/neutering for example, 40% cheaper.

Yes they sound awful..Take your custom elsewhere..

This isn't really the kind of thing to speak with reception on the phone about - you need to make an appointment to see a vet or nurse in person and ask them to go through it all with you if you're struggling to know what to do.

I think issue is this type of stuff cant be sorted with a call to the receptionist. You need to make an appintment with vet nurse and have them run through the different options.

Vets are a business so they're not going to offer you advice on finding the cheapest option. It's on you to figure that out yourself.

And receptionists cannot give out advice either (the same way a receptionist in a doctors surgery can't give out advice) so you need to make an appointment to speak to a vet or a vet nurse if you want to know what medication to give and when to give it.

I'm sure they can just say:
Cats need worming every x months, fleaing every x months
Dogs need worming every x months, fleaing, every x months, ticking every x months

That's all I'm asking about - the routine stuff.

The only variables are the animal's weight and the price.

It shouldn't be complicated, they just make it incredibly so.

And why should they be exempt from being polite if they do feel they cannot discuss it on the phone? I am never rude, but I do feel it when people speak down to me especially when I am paying an arm and a fucking leg and have options to move elsewhere.

I think I will after today.

Even if they feel it warrants a discussion with the vet (which I don’t think it does) there is no excuse to be rude to you.

Yes, I would move elsewhere. Also the routine stuff can vary depending upon what is prescribed for your pet eg is it flea treatment that combines with wormer or is it separate, and does it go on monthly or every three months.

If only there were ways of finding this information without bothering a receptionist - or any human being - at all...

And here we have an example of rude vet receptionist attitude online!

I work in an independent vets and we will help our clients find the cheapest option and our reception team will advise on our monthly plans.
If they can't /aren't allowed to advise on an individual product then they will happily pass the client onto a nurse to advise .
My practice has a good reputation in the area for being helpful we aren't all the money grabbers we are perceived to be.

I just Googled it. It's really easy.

You don't need the vet for routine flea and worm treatments. It's always cheaper to buy these from one of the online services such as vet uk. Only visit the vet if they're ill.
To assess the weight of your pet weigh yourself and then get back on the scales holding your pet. Most pet treatments give a weight range (such as under or over 4kg for cats) so you don't even need to be that accurate. If your dog is too big to weigh at home then get it weighed at the vet and buy one treatment from them before starting to buy online.
https://www.vetuk.co.uk/

Just what I was thinking! I just google then buy what I need online, much cheaper than a vet prescription!

It literally says in the post that it’s an independent vets and not a chain

How often you flea/worm/tick them depends on the method you use and the instructions will be on the label. It's your decision how to do this kind of stuff. You can either use prescription drugs or OTC methods. I think you are possibly asking questions that they are not trained or obliged to respond to so are maybe frustrated with you?

Sounds like you are blocking the phone line asking lots of questions of a receptionist who may not have all the answers. I would think her job is mainly to make appointments, etc and pass on emergency calls to the vets. Can you not make an appointment to go in and talk to a vet if you have a lot of questions about looking after your pets? If you find things complicated take a list of questions and write down the advice.

If you are asking them to find you cheaper options other than their standard treatments I'm not sure what they can do, you usually either pay as you go or have some sort of plan that costs a certain amount a year, which is cheaper probably depends on how much treatment your pets need and what's included in the plan.

Compare prices with other vets in the area? Some vets are dearer than others.
I

OP my suggestion would be - when you know which product you are going to use ongoing, either from previous use or from receiving advice from a nurse look at the various online veterinary meds suppliers and do price comparisons,don't forget to add on the cost of the written prescription your vet will need to produce.
If your pets have had a recent check and the vet has made a note you will be able to get flea/worm products on repeat within a 12 month period from that date without the need to see a vet for those products .
You can ask for the script to cover 12months worth repeats and if you ask them to do a multi use prescription that will allow you to 'dip' into the order over the 12months rather than buy a 12month supply right out unless you want to, a multi use will save you buying a prescription each time you need to order.
As regards bad manners as with any business i would not tolerate it and would very likely go elsewhere , if this is just one person in particular then you could email anonymously to the practice owner / manager saying who it is and how they make you feel .
If this were my practice such a complaint would be taken seriously .

Just a thought, but maybe it’s you?

Thank you for this advice.

She isnt just a receptionist, she's a veterinary nurse.

If she doesn't want to provide help or advice, she should tell me to make an appointment, not be shirty and rude. There is absolutely no need for it.

The information you mentioned is freely available online, you can easily research options online too. I’m not sure what you wanted from the vet

But you do need prescriptions for some of the medications they need....
?

You can find all that information for free on the internet.

No, you don't. I've never paid for prescription flea or wormer in over 20 years of owning animals.

Cats and/or dogs?

Which ones are you using for eg tapeworm?