tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post2739526630073794159..comments2024-03-25T00:30:44.421-07:00Comments on Veterinarians Behaving Badly: This Shouldn't Be Necessary, But Here...webhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05938934194973454729noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-6808258316550413102020-10-18T12:46:46.457-07:002020-10-18T12:46:46.457-07:00Must be nice to be able to make yourselves out to ...Must be nice to be able to make yourselves out to be martyrs. Some of you people have your own issues and I have often experienced them. I get that you aren't greedy demons, but you aren't saints either. Enjoy the catharsis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-54865077368068283562012-04-29T10:17:43.539-07:002012-04-29T10:17:43.539-07:00One other thing I wanted to mention about prices i...One other thing I wanted to mention about prices is a situation we have in the province of BC. A group of vets is suing a group of Indo-Canadian vets for undercharging. It should be interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-53870228467973623472012-04-29T10:16:21.823-07:002012-04-29T10:16:21.823-07:00Perhaps this is a mentality in America. When we ta...Perhaps this is a mentality in America. When we take one of our crew to the vet we have a conversation about costs but generally agree to move forward with what is recommended. The only time we don't do this is in a senior animal where knowing the diagnosis doesn't really matter because the problem cannot be fixed. An example would be our 16 year old cat who had a hyper-thyroid. They found cancerous cells in her blood work and the vets want to go further to find out what kind of cancer. When I asked if it made a difference they explained that if it was in the spleen they could take it out but it wouldn't necessarily make her any better. They never could get that thyroid under control either. So she ate like a horse for about 9 more months. She was feeling good most of the time, very affectionate which was not like her. Then one day she was done. We knew it and we took her in to have her humanely euthanized so she wasn't in pain and so that she didn't starve to death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-53705743676666768412012-04-26T07:44:52.296-07:002012-04-26T07:44:52.296-07:00Well said, as usual!Well said, as usual!VetGirl20https://www.blogger.com/profile/03926762656937902917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-53591202829958250812012-04-25T06:41:11.394-07:002012-04-25T06:41:11.394-07:00I find it interesting that people complain about v...I find it interesting that people complain about veterinary fees when hospitals have debt collectors working for them - now in-hospital, too, and with aggressive tactics (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/business/debt-collector-is-faulted-for-tough-tactics-in-hospitals.html). Imagine if vets hired debt collectors and used them like this; I know they lose a lot of money from people who don't pay their bills.Cornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00978319683031575123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-63199232203553150432012-04-24T19:29:39.141-07:002012-04-24T19:29:39.141-07:00When people tell me what pet health insurance &quo...When people tell me what pet health insurance "won't pay for" it makes me crazy. You need to review all the companies -- they are not all the same. <br /><br />No, I don't work for a pet health insurance company. But I have pet health insurance that is the only reason I have been able to keep my dog healthy and happy with a very grim diagnosis. She has cancer, and thanks to preventive care that discovered it early and a great partnership between my own veterinarian and a veterinary oncologist, her disease has retreated and she has outlived her prognosis. She is asymptomatic today. It won't last forever, and she will die of cancer. But that could be a long time away, thanks to cutting-edge care and pet health insurance. <br /><br />Some companies do not cover this particular cancer in her breed. I asked. And I went with another company.<br /><br />Look around, ask questions and don't go by past experience. The industry has changed and will continue to change.Ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06269415397411374828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-65358134961805101532012-04-24T14:06:09.956-07:002012-04-24T14:06:09.956-07:00I think the vast majority of us pet owners value a...I think the vast majority of us pet owners value and appreciate our vets. I know I do. She came to my house last night and waded valiantly into the battle against the dreaded foe that is my large and asininely aggressive cat. I will never go elsewhere because she earns every penny I pay her.<br /><br />I also treasure my cats much more than I treasure my iPad and such. If the shit hit the fan, I'd be ponying up the money to maintain my living furry children over just about anything else.Maitrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559563433241033522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-41020013379965207192012-04-23T20:42:45.661-07:002012-04-23T20:42:45.661-07:00And if I may add one more comment while here...
...And if I may add one more comment while here...<br /><br /><br /> With the shortage of doctors in my Province visits are short, sweet and don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. Getting accepted to see a new doctor rare and far in between. Not to mention if you have seen one doc in town for any length of time no one else will touch you with a ten foot pole even IF they had the time to see you.<br /><br />When I take my dogs to the my Vet for whatever reason I NEVER get the impression he is bored with my questions or having to answer them. I never ever feel rushed or like I have wasted my time going to the appointment as I do when I visit my doctor. I never feel he is ordering tests or suggesting procedures that are futile. He is not trying to jack up the bill, I am confident he is simply trying to provide the best care of his ability for my dogs.<br /><br />I have such respect for him and why when I read of some of the stories here of ignorant patients 'owners' I am amazed! But guess there are idiots to deal with in every profession.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00496444699035663701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-17514027303509984092012-04-23T20:27:46.799-07:002012-04-23T20:27:46.799-07:00Well said. Also a Canadian and know people who hav...Well said. Also a Canadian and know people who have matted, flea ridden, non-vaccinated dogs who are never walked or socialized. Yet they have the very best 'toys'. Priorities, shaking head.<br /><br /> No respect from me. My two wee ones are my priority and their welfare more important to me than any toys. And in turn they bring me more joy than anything I could buy.<br /><br />Interesting to hear the comparison of wages between Vets and Physicians. Having similar training/education years I thought they would be more on par wage wise. Especially since Vets need to learn about more than one species of animal. Very interesting.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00496444699035663701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-79553641378151422432012-04-23T18:07:23.529-07:002012-04-23T18:07:23.529-07:00I didn't go into vet medicine because of the m...I didn't go into vet medicine because of the money, but it is nice to be able to feed your family with that DVM. Knowledge is power, so they say. <br />Now it's off to work I go....I need to win the lottery to be able to retire. har.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-9749472863856635812012-04-23T16:10:34.301-07:002012-04-23T16:10:34.301-07:00I have been unemployed for almost a year. cobbling...I have been unemployed for almost a year. cobbling together gigs that pay something. Making jewelry, cleaning houses, etc. Veterinary medicine is a trade, like human medicine. But a refrigerator doesn't suffer when not fixed. A car might not work right away, but it will not really die. I can tell someone if their doctor is running CIY tests, but that doesn't pay. And if I ask to be paid for my knowledge, I am somehow a bad person. F-that. If your IQ can get there, take the classes needed to understand. And then ask why I charge for my knowledge.SMHDVMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07631495097000738780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-52374748433586811232012-04-23T15:50:56.719-07:002012-04-23T15:50:56.719-07:00@VBB I am so glad I could make you feel a little b...@VBB I am so glad I could make you feel a little better today. I am betting you have clients that appreciate you and what you do as much as I appreciate my Vets. You probably just didn't see any of them today.. Maybe tomorrow... Two of my crew are here with me today because of the work my Vet did, how great is that...Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13744354426654131900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-57073604621967330232012-04-23T15:11:10.327-07:002012-04-23T15:11:10.327-07:00Rationally I know that my health care seems to be ...Rationally I know that my health care seems to be less because I have health insurance. But it still hurts to fork over roughly $200 every time we go to the vet. I've considered pet insurance but many of our most costly incidents wouldn't have been covered (chronic illnesses for example). A human friend lost her health insurance when her husband lost his job. On Friday she dropped $400 just to see her family practice doc, get three blood tests, and one prescription. That's more than her food budget for the month. Like most of us in the USA she was accustomed to her $25 copays for the office visits. Without insurance it was $250 just to walk in the door. And they held her debit card hostage until the appointment was over and the charges cleared. It's not that you guys charge too much, it's that our yardstick is inaccurate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-10714168469310922462012-04-23T14:55:59.979-07:002012-04-23T14:55:59.979-07:00@Elizabeth, I am a veterinarian in the USA and I h...@Elizabeth, I am a veterinarian in the USA and I have had a difficult day. I am so glad to hear your comment. It really makes me happy. Thank you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01822266062611909215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-77050871587211629732012-04-23T14:47:08.228-07:002012-04-23T14:47:08.228-07:00I hear lots of people complaining about the costs ...I hear lots of people complaining about the costs of veterinary care. I am in Canada and because we don't pay for our health care directly out of our pockets, we generally have no idea what medical cares costs, as we never see a bill. We do pay for it through our taxes. It is my choice to have pets and my responsibility to take care of them. I see lots of people who can afford veterinary care but choose not to spend the money on the pet in question, the say they can't afford it. But they are choosing to spend their money on other things. <br />Everyone has needs, yes you have to feed the kids and pay the mortgage but you don't "need" the latest iPhone, iPad, 60" TV, camera .. <br />My Pets have "needed" lots of Veterinary care in the last few months and they got everything they needed because their "needs" come before my "wants". For us it is that simple. I can wait for what I want. It is much more important they get what they need. It is all about priorities.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13744354426654131900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-21862922639710677122012-04-23T06:44:03.279-07:002012-04-23T06:44:03.279-07:00Great piece. From one "thieving liar" t...Great piece. From one "thieving liar" to another, you've spoken well for many of us. And it doesn't help that our nation's entitlement mentality has increased over the years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990890778229196792.post-54327073199161423712012-04-23T03:40:36.497-07:002012-04-23T03:40:36.497-07:00Well said - you should also point out that license...Well said - you should also point out that licensed veterinary technicians also have an equivalent education as an RN and make about 1/3 as much money. Nobody goes into vetmed wanting to make money ;)Jaded RVThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16009040077050178422noreply@blogger.com