Vet - am I being unreasonable?

[Shiveringinthecountry]

My cat is being treated for a thyroid problem, and earlier this week it turned out his levels were still falling despite a reduction in his medication. The vet rang me yesterday to say they'd spoken to a colleague and believe something else may be going on, as a result of which he may be having pain. I was told to give him 4 units of Loxicom daily.

I thought I had some, but when I got home I found I only had a little bit in the bottom of a bottle from Jan. I gave him that last night. I've just rung to ask whether I can go and collect some today and I was initially told I'd need to collect it on Sat as they've closed tomorrow for Good Friday.

I asked whether I could not go and collect it today. As you'll understand, if it's possible that 'something else is going on' that might be causing my cat pain I want to give him the daily painkiller that's now been prescribed. He's 14. It might be cancer or something else very painful. I was then told that I should ring at 4pm today to see whether they've been able to do it. If not then it'll be Sat and he'll have no Loxicom in the meantime.

To me this feels really shocking. I know the vet will need to sign off on the medication but they prescribed it only yesterday (after seeing him and taking bloods the day before), and he's been in every four weeks since before Christmas due to this problem. It's a bog-standard medication. How can there be any possibility that they might not do it today?

I have the cat's name on the waiting list for the other local vet because I've recently been so disappointed in my current vet, although I've been with them for 12 years.

Am I being unreasonable here?

Well, no one is really being unreasonable here - you were wrong to not buy some initially, they cannot then jump to it to accommodate you to prescribe it.

For example in our vet they have a surgical day where the main vet is in surgery literally all day with spaying / minor surgery etc. The other vet has back to back appointments and manages the urgent matters as well. Which includes prescriptions.

Whether they'll have time depends on too many factors so just go down at 4pm and if they can't give it to you, ask what the alternative painkiller is.

Yes and no.

It was your mistake thinking you had some when you didn’t.

But equally your cat needs the meds that the vet has called to recommend, and it wouldn’t take long for them to sort out. However all those few minute jobs take up time, lots of little tasks add up and they’ll be busy before the Easter weekend.

I hope you get it though, cats hide pain well. Are they going to do other tests if they think there could be something more going on?

If you don’t get it, do you know anyone one else that will have any that you could use for a day? As you say, it’s a standard medicine, we have often had some sitting around do a friend or neighbour with a cat might too?

Fingers crossed you get it though. I’d probably turn up, it’s harder for them to refuse in person than over the phone! Good luck and hope your cat is ok.

Maybe I didn't explain properly. Today was my first chance to buy it. The vet rang me yesterday when I was at work and prescribed the Loxicom. As soon as I got home (after the vet was closed) I checked and found there was only one dose. I therefore rang this morning, first thing. How could I have bought some sooner?

If it's prescribed can you pick up the prescription and get it from a normal chemist? I've occasionally done this for mine x

It's a good idea to ask around neighbours. I'll go and ask on FB now. I'll also drive over to the vet, which is also a good suggestion. Perhaps I can speak to the vet who rang me yesterday to prescribe the medication, and ask whether I can please have some!

Re: further tests, I've been told to ring back in two weeks to let them know whether there's any observable improvement or not. At that point they'll tell me whether they're suggesting further tests. He'll need new bloods but I've been told he'll need to be on his new, lower dose of thyroid meds for at least four weeks in order for new bloods to be meaningful.

Presumably if you had said you needed some yesterday when they called, they’d have signed it off. That doesn’t mean they have time today. It was your mistake.

Thanks @hilariousnamehere. I didn't know that. I'll ask about that when I get to the vet. I imagine I'd be stuck in the same problem, though, because they wouldn't be able to give me a prescription until a vet has signed it.

Presumably if you had said you needed some yesterday when they called, they’d have signed it off. That doesn’t mean they have time today. It was your mistake.

Okay, we'll have to agree to disagree.

Sorry,I think my post came across badly. I wasn’t trying to be harsh at all, just expanding on what I’d said earlier to explain as you asked. I completely get your frustration, we’ve been in a similar situation more than once. Not judging or meaning to be argumentative at all. I really hope you get it sorted and your cat is ok. 💐

Fingers crossed @Shiveringinthecountry and hope your kitty is feeling better soon.

Thanks everyone. I've been to the vet and I now have the medication. I appreciate the suggestions.

I can see from above that it may well be that my thinking differs on this from that of others. I've just had a conversation with the vet who was there today. Since so many of them work part-time now it wasn't either of the two I've seen when I've taken the cat in since before Christmas on several occasions related to his thyroid issue.

The vet told me that he'd have looked at the messages from reception after finishing his consultations, checked the system and authorised the prescription. I'd have been able to collect it some time after 4pm today. I believe that experienced receptionists/vet nurses who answer the phone should be able to tell people that that is the system, i.e. that the prescription will be available for collection later in the day as long as another vet has genuinely prescribed the meds the day before. I couldn't seem to get through to him that telling people to ring back after 4pm to see whether the prescription has been done is telling them that it might not be done. If I'd been told that he would deal with it then there wouldn't have been any problem.

Now both the receptionist and I are upset. I regret upsetting the receptionist since we've known each other for almost 12 years (she started there a year after I did), and she's always been really kind and helpful to my pets and me. At the same time I still feel I did have to do something, because if I don't speak up for my cat then nobody will, and he shouldn't have to be in pain for two days with what could be something very serious because neither the vet I saw 2 days ago nor I realised on the phone y/day that there was probably very little Loxicom left from what was prescribed in Jan. I feel this is the practice's fault. I was given the impression that a simply vet might not get round to considering my request today, and according to the vet I spoke to when I went in that isn't the system.

I'm sorry to go on about it. As I said, it's been upsetting and I suppose I'm just trying to let it out. Thanks again for helpful suggestions and for bearing with me.