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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Our vet smacked our dog across the snout yesterday.

26 replies

Carrotsandcelery · 25/10/2011 23:11

I am very shocked.

Our dog was being difficult, he had got his muzzle off twice and was squirming massively.

Once smacked he let the vet inject him but then went for him when the muzzle was removed (he didn't get him).

The vet then gave him a huge pat and a cuddle and gave him a massive biscuit.

Is this normal and acceptable behaviour for a vet when dealing with a difficult dog?

He has always been a lovely vet to this dog and all our other pets before and I am stunned that he did this.

He told me afterwards that the dog didn't mean to be aggressive and was just scared.

I was shaking when I left the surgery with shock and anger.

Our dog is a rescue dog and has been cruelly treated in the past.

Am I being precious or is this wrong?

OP posts:
DooinMeCleanin · 25/10/2011 23:13

I've never experienced that when taking my Dad's aggressive dogs to the vets. We were given sedatives for her. I'd be looking for a new vet if I were you.

OhBuggerandArse · 25/10/2011 23:17

Hm. It worked, I suppose? How hard was the smack?

bemybebe · 25/10/2011 23:17

"I'd be looking for a new vet if I were you."
So would I. Human hands should never be a source of fright.

Rhinestone · 25/10/2011 23:17

Well I'm not a vet but this sounds awful. Hitting a dog just makes them more likely to be aggressive, apart form anything else. The vet's actions afterwards strike me as gaslighting to be honest, i.e. being really nice in order to make you doubt what you'd just seen.

I would personally be reporting him to the professional body.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 25/10/2011 23:18

I don't think you are being precious, and while I have heard of some (usually older, male) vets smacking a dog, it's not something I would ever do myself.

I suspect the vet may have acted in the moment and then regretted it- hence the pat/ biscuit. Sometimes it can be frustrating trying to deal with reluctant patients, especially if there is a big queue behind them, but I am NOT in any way trying to excuse the vet's behaviour. I'm guessing the vet realised you weren't impressed and was trying to rationalise it. Is this the first time this dog has visited this vet?

Original poster
Carrotsandcelery · 25/10/2011 23:33

It is not the first time he has visited this vet. He has always been great in the past. He did say that if he had to come back in we would have to sedate him.

I am upset that my dog was difficult as it is the only place where he acts like this. He was clearly very scared as he was shaking in the waiting room before we went in.

OP posts:
chickchickchicken · 25/10/2011 23:45

Shock i would change vet and complain would have been tempted to smack vet around the face and see how he liked it

its completely unacceptable to smack any animal. poor dog. he's a rescue who has been cruelly treated in the past, he is scared of vet and then he gets smacked. i imagine if you were to take him back to same vet he would be even more scared than usual

we had to take our dog to vet a few days ago with an unexplained lump. i cannot imagine how much more difficult that would have been if i was taking dog to vet who had previously smacked him. we found a lump, it was very sudden and i am worried about dog but i was able to get an appointment with my preferred vet in the practice and this gave me comfort. if you stayed with this vet would you trust him?

Joolyjoolyjoo · 25/10/2011 23:51

I'm so sorry you have had this experience Sad

I am a vet, and I take great pains to try to make even the most nervous of animals feel at ease in the surgery. We even have some nervous dogs that visit us frequently, just to come into the waiting room every now and then and get accustomed to us (along with treats, gentle chat) I feel it is worth trying to get these guys more comfortable, especially if it is the only place they feel so insecure. I hate seeing dogs trembling in my waiting room- I often joke that I became a vet because I love animals, but unfortunately the feeling is not always mutual!

See if you could take your dog along just for a visit once in a while- it has made a lot of difference to some of my patients who were previously vet-phobic. It takes time and patience, but is worth it, as it ultimately makes my job easier and more pleasurable.

The other thing I have noticed is that one fearful dog quite often leads to the next few also being fearful- I'm pretty sure they pick up on the fears of the one gone before! Unless it is something urgent, I will often try to get a scared and fractious dog back another day, as I feel it can be counterproductive to force them, reinforcing the fear and making them worse the next time. The owner will also be understandably apprehensive next time and that will make things even worse. Better to give up and go for sedation/ try another day, unless there is a medical reason not to.

I think it would be worth going to speak to your vet about ways you might be able to help make your dog less fearful in future. A good vet will be happy to try to help- noone wants to be wrestling a frightened animal year in year out (well, I don't!) Really hope you can move forward, if not with this vet with another one.

bemybebe · 26/10/2011 00:02

"See if you could take your dog along just for a visit once in a while- it has made a lot of difference to some of my patients who were previously vet-phobic."

That is what we have done with our dog from puppyhood Jooly. Just a quick visit to weight and get a biscuit. She loooooves being at vets because she always gets a lot of attention from the nurses (I ask them to give pats and little treats).

Joolyjoolyjoo · 26/10/2011 00:19

bemybebe- Smile I really encourage this at my surgery, and the vast majority of my patients run in happily, which is lovely! Some of them even try to pull their owners in off the street when they are passing (we are big on biscuits Grin)

Even more rewarding is the previously nervous dog who gradually becomes more and more relaxed in the surgery. We are a small practice, so it's easy for the dogs to get to know us all, and my nurse and receptionist always make a huge fuss of them too. It's often good for dogs to come in between surgery times when we are quieter, and there aren't a whole load of animals in the waiting room to add to their anxiety. I would think most vet practices would facilitate this- as I said, it ultimately makes OUR job much easier too.

misdee · 26/10/2011 08:44

bit shocked your vet hit our dog.

i pop into our vets waiting room with ralph a lot just for a chat, to get him waiting, and not to be scared. he thinks it a place where he gets lots of attention and loves it.

coccyx · 26/10/2011 09:34

Thats horrible, what would you/vet have done if your dog had managed to bite him after he was hit?
Thats not acceptable and to do it in front of the owner is worrying

daisydotandgertie · 26/10/2011 09:45

I certainly wouldn't be going back to that vet and would at the very least write a strongly worded letter to the senior partners to explain why. My dogs aren't smacked by anyone - let alone the person we end up seeing when they feel very vulnerable.

One of our dogs was terrified of the vet - as soon as we got there she threw great scurfs of dandruff and shook so much she looked like she was going to pass out. We've solved her problem by taking her for gentle visits with no treatment and (the vet probably hates me for it) taking 2 or 3 dogs to the vet with me when someone has an appointment - of course providing it's not an awful one - and taking them all into the examining room so that they don't know who is going to be picked on. It has taken away all the pressure she was struggling with, given her a bit of moral support and most importantly she's learned that visiting the vet is mostly quite fun.

It didn't take very long to sort her out - maybe 3 or 4 months - and she was about 8/9 years old when we tackled it so the problem was deeply entrenched. It's worth putting in the effort.

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/10/2011 09:50

Well it makes me wonder what they do when the owners arent there.

FairyArmadillo · 26/10/2011 10:05

What fluffycloudland said. Time to find a new vet?

Lizcat · 26/10/2011 11:29

As another vet I am also shocked, I have never ever hit a patient - I do use my very firm vet lady voice. Like Jooly we encourage our patients to visit and get treats so they come to like us.
IMO there are many many kind ways to handle dogs who are aggressive and won't keep the muzzle on - using towels and thick gloves etc. Also an experience vet nurse would be much more able to hold the dog and get it to keep the muzzle on.
As Jooly suggested talking to the vets about how you manage your dog prior to entering the consult room can really help. I have one Australian Cattle dog patient who is an incredibly strong very fearful dog. He now remains in the car with his sister who is a lovely confident dog, when we are ready for him we wait while he gets his muzzle on, his owner carries him in, we don't mess about we do what needs doing then he goes straight back to the car and we do the discussions etc once he is back with his sister.

DogsBeastFiend · 26/10/2011 11:34

I'd have slapped the vet.

And I'd certainly be writing to complain to the most senior member of the surgery or the group headquarters, I'd be telling every other local pet owner I know and I'd be copying my letter of complaint to the BVA.

MrsZoidberg · 26/10/2011 12:14

I'm with the MNers who say slap the vet

Can you let us know where you are as if there is someone on MN near you they might be able to recommend a nicer vet.

DogsBeastFiend · 26/10/2011 12:37

Alternatively, will you name and shame this particular vet? Wink

Ephiny · 26/10/2011 13:52

Sounds awful, and doesn't even make any sense - if the behaviour was fear-based, how could hitting the poor dog possibly help. No wonder he 'went for him' after the muzzle was taken off - I'd probably have done the same!

Not normal or acceptable at all. I'd complain and find a new vet.

gothicangel · 26/10/2011 13:57

oh my, what a horrid vet, why would someone like a vet think its ok to hit a dog!

id be finding a new vet too,

x

lisad123 · 26/10/2011 18:58

i saw our vets today, not our normal one, and he wouldnt even stroke my dog Shock who is used to be greeted so kept barking at him, until vet paid attention [gein]

Original poster
Carrotsandcelery · 26/10/2011 19:32

For very complex reasons I can't name and shame the vet, nor can I explain why I can't name him. Sorry.

There are several vets at the practice so I think I will request an appointment with a specific vet in future.

I am still stunned that it happened.

Thank you everyone as I was beginning to doubt myself and wondered if I was being too precious.

I saw a riding instructor whack a horse's face today as well. It horrifies me that people who actually work with animals could be so rough with them.

OP posts:
SacreLao · 26/10/2011 20:04

I'd have smacked the bloody vet!!

I would put in a complaint about this vet and not return there.
Why was the dog muzzled in the first place?
Is he known to bite or was it just the vet's request?

I have a dog that hates the vet and would glady tear him to pieces if not muzzled and restrained but my vet treats him like any other animal and wouldn't dare smack him.

FearTricksPotter · 26/10/2011 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.