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

Original poster

Am I overreacting - vet visit

34 replies

hattie43 · 25/03/2023 21:47

Today I booked my dog in for an appointment and I'm feeling very meh about it .
He has been under the weather , shaking his head , scratching his ear , he's dropped weight , his breathing seems much deeper and more tucked up and he seems
' vacant ' when he is usually really happy and engaged . He is not eating aswell either . He seems depressed . A lot of things granted .
Vet was terse when we arrived , no greeting just how can I help . I explained my concerns , well he may be depressed he may not be how would I know . What exactly do you want me to do today ? I say I would like his ears checked incase he has an infection . He does that and agrees . I ask if the breathing deeper could be because of ear pain . No why would it be that ? . He listened to his heart . Yes seems fast . Took his temperature. All ok . Could I have his ears cleaned professionally. You can have whatever you want if you pay for it ! So you can have a blood test to check for anything else and I'll ring you this afternoon with the results .
And so it went . So £281 later I
still don't feel I've got to the bottom of my dogs problems and he didn't ring with the results .
I can't help feeling his rudeness hindered a proper assessment or am I being unreasonable. I came away feeling very dismissed and deflated but don't know if I'm being unreasonable.
Any thoughts .

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 25/03/2023 21:50

Change to a new vet. I genuinely mean this. Our vet is lovely but we had one who I felt the same. It wasn’t with a dog but a different animal and I walked out feeling like I’d not been listened to.

Original poster
hattie43 · 25/03/2023 22:07

Yes that's it . I felt I was not listened to at all and a nuisance .

OP posts:
Rhondaa · 25/03/2023 22:09

This is appalling, fgs dogs can't tell us what's wrong so any change in behaviour even if just vague symptoms is all we have to go on.

I've known apparently fit dogs suddenly deteriorate when all their owners have noted is a bit of lethargy or similar.

Vets charge a fortune. For that our pets should get a thorough examination and we should be treated with kindness and respect. I'd see what his blood results show, if all clear just make sure you see a different vet in future or change practices if he is the only vet at the one you went to. Write and complain though, it just isn't acceptable for him to be so dismissive.

userxx · 25/03/2023 22:24

Find a new vet, I'd be furious with his attitude.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 25/03/2023 22:51

Change vets.

Ours are amazing and will take any concerns seriously - no matter how daft they may be in reality!

HoppingPavlova · 25/03/2023 23:10

I’d change vets.

What exactly do you want me to do today

That gave you a perfect opening though. ‘I want you to listen to the symptoms I’m describing, together with his change in demeanour and find the cause. Thanks.’

BiteyShark · 26/03/2023 05:55

Another one saying change vets.

The nice thing about vet care is that you can easily swop and change practices.

We are a frequent flyer at our vets and have been happy with all the different vets as ours is a large practice.

We did have one experience at the emergency vets recently where we felt fobbed off. Ended up back there again the same day and saw a different vet which ended up saving our dogs life given he needed emergency surgery. Trust your instincts because had we not gone back and got a different opinion I honestly don't think he would still be here.

Nimbostratus100 · 26/03/2023 06:01

I would complain about the way you and your dog were treated, and also change vets

Original poster
hattie43 · 26/03/2023 07:09

Thankyou everyone . I feel vindicated it's not me overreacting and being precious.
It is a largish 5 vet practice where we are and I should be able to avoid this guy again . The problem with my area is we no longer have the small community one/ two person vets where they often have more empathy . They are all owned by corporations/ private equity companies whose interest is making money not caring about your animals.

OP posts:
Rhondaa · 26/03/2023 10:44

hattie43 · 26/03/2023 07:09

Thankyou everyone . I feel vindicated it's not me overreacting and being precious.
It is a largish 5 vet practice where we are and I should be able to avoid this guy again . The problem with my area is we no longer have the small community one/ two person vets where they often have more empathy . They are all owned by corporations/ private equity companies whose interest is making money not caring about your animals.

You absolutely are not being precious or overreacting. As it's a multi vet practice as you say always request someone else.

I would however write a letter to the practice manager to complain about his disinterest and attitude. I doubt you'll be the first to have had a bad experience with him and they need to know if they have a member of staff with a problem. It isn't good for business if nothing else.

Original poster
hattie43 · 28/03/2023 20:47

As an update I took vids of my dogs breathing and emailed the practice saying I wanted some answers . The same vet rang me back and told me to come in that afternoon. To cut a long story short following X-rays and ultrasound my dog has a heart problem and is going in again tomorrow to have fluid drained from around the heart and it's enlarged so he will be on lifelong meds .
After reading your responses I got cross and thought if I don't advocate for him who will so thankyou all.

OP posts:
userxx · 28/03/2023 21:09

You knew something was wrong and shame on that vet. I hope your dog gets sorted and is feeling much better once the meds kick in. I bet you're fuming.

userxx · 28/03/2023 21:10

P.s Once you've got him sorted, change vets.

shockthemonkey · 29/03/2023 07:34

Well done Hattie, good on you for pushing back. Was it the same person you saw this second visit? If so he’s got the message. Yes many practices are owned by PE but only true animal lovers get through all the hurdles to qualify as vets so his attitude surprises me. He could have been having a very difficult day (or week).

ANiceBigCupOfTea · 29/03/2023 07:38

Absolutely change vets.
My dog needed a cyst removed from his head last year, and our vet talked us through the procedure and what would happen, discussed any extra precautions we wanted to take and sent us a picture when he was safely through surgery to reassure us, and were every bit as lovely when we picked him up. Brilliant vets are out there.

WhiteArsenic · 29/03/2023 07:57

I’m a vet. This reads to me like a vet who was stressed and preoccupied at work, focused on the ear because that’s what he thought/hoped was the reason for the visit, looked at the video later and realised that your dog’s breathing was abnormal and got him back in straight away because he realised he had overlooked a more serious problem. Of course this was not an ideal way for things to go, and I am not excusing rudeness (although it’s easy to forget to introduce yourself to every client, particularly if you can’t remember if you’ve actually met them before or not, and don’t have time to go back through the records to check). But it can be very difficult to pinpoint what’s going on in a limited time slot when the description of symptoms is not clear cut, and there is a tension between running further tests and spending the client’s money which can make it hard to decide how much investigation is initially appropriate. It sounds as if this practice did a good job of working out the problem once you had advocated for your dog.

I completely see why you were upset with how things went. But the vet you saw will not be seeing a great deal of the practice profit if they are a salaried employee. The profession is in crisis currently, with vast numbers of young vets leaving within a few years of qualifying because the job is so stressful, producing a manpower crisis that makes it even worse for those who remain. You may find you get very good service now, because this vet probably feels shit that they initially overlooked a serious problem. We’ve all done it, and it’s often kept me awake at night when it’s happened to me. If it was me, I’d see how you find the relationship over the next couple of weeks before deciding whether to change vets etc. I hope your dog does well.

DomesticShortHair · 29/03/2023 08:07

WhiteArsenic · 29/03/2023 07:57

I’m a vet. This reads to me like a vet who was stressed and preoccupied at work, focused on the ear because that’s what he thought/hoped was the reason for the visit, looked at the video later and realised that your dog’s breathing was abnormal and got him back in straight away because he realised he had overlooked a more serious problem. Of course this was not an ideal way for things to go, and I am not excusing rudeness (although it’s easy to forget to introduce yourself to every client, particularly if you can’t remember if you’ve actually met them before or not, and don’t have time to go back through the records to check). But it can be very difficult to pinpoint what’s going on in a limited time slot when the description of symptoms is not clear cut, and there is a tension between running further tests and spending the client’s money which can make it hard to decide how much investigation is initially appropriate. It sounds as if this practice did a good job of working out the problem once you had advocated for your dog.

I completely see why you were upset with how things went. But the vet you saw will not be seeing a great deal of the practice profit if they are a salaried employee. The profession is in crisis currently, with vast numbers of young vets leaving within a few years of qualifying because the job is so stressful, producing a manpower crisis that makes it even worse for those who remain. You may find you get very good service now, because this vet probably feels shit that they initially overlooked a serious problem. We’ve all done it, and it’s often kept me awake at night when it’s happened to me. If it was me, I’d see how you find the relationship over the next couple of weeks before deciding whether to change vets etc. I hope your dog does well.

This. The constant idea on here that most vets are in it for the money, and are getting big backhanders from the insurance and pharmaceutical companies whilst earning loads of commission, is laughable and predictable in equal measure.

Original poster
hattie43 · 29/03/2023 18:08

I lost him today and I am heartbroken .
He had gone to another branch of the practice to have the fluid drained from his heart . Only it wasn't his heart I was told his heart was fine . The fluid was actually caused by tumours in the soft tissues of the lungs . The prognosis was bleak so I had to let him go .
Thankyou to everyone.

OP posts:
coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 29/03/2023 18:14

So sorry to read this OP.

Sending you a big hug x

Nimbostratus100 · 29/03/2023 18:15

so sorry, sending you lots of love xx

justmyluck1234 · 29/03/2023 18:27

I'm so sorry, it's never easy. Take care of yourself, I hope you have someone you can speak to.

Rhondaa · 29/03/2023 18:38

hattie43 · 29/03/2023 18:08

I lost him today and I am heartbroken .
He had gone to another branch of the practice to have the fluid drained from his heart . Only it wasn't his heart I was told his heart was fine . The fluid was actually caused by tumours in the soft tissues of the lungs . The prognosis was bleak so I had to let him go .
Thankyou to everyone.

So sorry op. It is heartbreaking to lose a much loved dog Flowers. Take comfort that you pushed and took him back, if he'd died suddenly at home you'd always wonder if you should have done more.

SirChenjins · 29/03/2023 18:43

Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry to read this 😢 sending my sincerest condolences to you Flowers

userxx · 29/03/2023 18:56

I'm so so sorry 💐.

WhiteArsenic · 29/03/2023 19:01

very sorry to hear this. No wonder you knew that something was wrong. So sorry for your loss.