# Frustrated



## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

So my dogs are healthy, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with vets.
Like all vets, not just mine. I am a person who always tells people to shop for vets until they find one they like. The problem is that 95% of the time I am convinced I have the best vet in the city. If my dog were hit by a car or had to have surgery or needed an IV they would be the people I want treating him. But in the day to day area of dog care I really am starting to have a problem with them. 

My frustration has come to a head today. I got a really nice looking, seemingly personal letter from my vets that was actually an add for heartguard and front line. I can tell it is an add because I am a very observant consumer, others may mistake the letter for actual concern. It was telling me how dangerous it is to have my dog running around unprotected and this and that. NEWS FLASH- we don't have fleas or ticks or mosquitoes in the Las Vegas valley. It is 100 degrees here with 0% humidity- they just shrivel up and die. I do treat for heartowrm when we travel to infested areas (6 months out of the year) but to send out this "letter" that is just really an AD for a pill that is useless around here is nuts. They didn't even used to recommend heartworm preventative- just a yearly test! If human doctors were sending out letters like this it would be totally unethical. But vets do stuff like this all the time!

My second issue is that I am an avid boycotter of nestle. Father in law works in public health and I just can't reconcile the things nestle has done in that area around the world. Not a nestle product in my house. But what are my vets walls lined with? Purina prescription diets. My dog was having maybe hip issues (although ortho vets isolated it to his knee) and the vet tried to convince me that I had 1- caused it by my raw diet and 2- convince me I should put my dog on a prescription food because I "could not possibly get that much joint supplement into his food on my own." Well it turns out I am capable of buying a powdered supplement and mixing huge amounts of it with ground beef. I also am capable of buying beef gullet that probably is even better for my dogs joints. And the thing that gets me is that my vet really believes they are helping my dog by pushing dog food on me. And that's sad because I really trust them in other areas.

Oh- and I am not vaccinating against bortatella every 6 months. Just not going to do it.

I am so frustrated because my vet is really the best in the area. The staff is friendly, they are competent and I am happy with their diagnostic skills. Of the 3 vets there only the one has said anything about the raw feeding, but the others do comment about the recommendation for a joint diet in my file. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't think there is anything I can do about it so I guess I am just complaining but uhg...

For the record I have tried two holistic vets in the area but they are just too out there for me. I "believe" in western medicine and the holistic vets seem to have a problem with that. Sometimes I want to move to a different city where there might be a vet I just LOVE.

My mother in law is a vet- but she doesn't practice anymore and lives thousand of miles away. So  Cause she would be great. In fact I probably use my vet much less because when I am worried about something I just call her. Maybe I should be grateful for what I have and just live with it.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Healthcare, for both dogs and humans, is frustrating. A lot of vets, and human doctors, find it easier to deal with patients who blindly accept what they say. If you are lucky, you will occasionally find one who will take the time to both educate you and learn from you. I especially found this to be true with vets treating exotics like ferrets. Don't give up and don't give in. You know what is best for your pups. And if that letter with the coupons was inappropriate you should let them know. There are probably other clients who feel the same way. And if anyone here finds the perfect vet please let the rest of us know. We can all move wherever that vet is.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

MiniGrace said:


> Healthcare, for both dogs and humans, is frustrating. A lot of vets, and human doctors, find it easier to deal with patients who blindly accept what they say. If you are lucky, you will occasionally find one who will take the time to both educate you and learn from you. I especially found this to be true with vets treating exotics like ferrets. Don't give up and don't give in. You know what is best for your pups. And if that letter with the coupons was inappropriate you should let them know. There are probably other clients who feel the same way. And if anyone here finds the perfect vet please let the rest of us know. We can all move wherever that vet is.


Funny thing is- I have an AMAZING avain/exotics vet. I would recommend her to anyone in the universe with an exotic. She saved the life of one of my rats once who I am sure anyone else would have given up on. She is absolutely amazing and listens to me, helps me, wants my input, educates me and treats my rats with the dignity and respect they deserve. She even gave me her cell phone number. She is an angel. It is the dogs I need the help with.


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## MiniGrace (Oct 31, 2011)

Yeah, my exotics vet is great, too. She also treats dogs but I cannot afford her. For example, I paid $125 for Charlie's neuter and having three baby teeth pulled. It would have been $450 just for the neuter at her office. I would like to say that money is no object but truthfully it is and I have to spend it where it counts. The vets I am using for the dogs have six doctors on staff so I never have to use an emergency vet and they have a good mix of experienced and new vets fresh out of school so you get two perspectives.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Oh, I am right there on your soap box with you, but I want to add something...I can't understand how I, a mere dog owner who had never heard of a raw diet before I joined this forum and was feeding my 2 dogs Science Diet up until June 2011 thinking it was the best food out there and secretly sorry for everybody else that didn't know that and buy it, can research and understand 5 star dog foods, the benefits of canned dog food, the extrusion method of kibble, commercial and homemade raw, dehydrated foods etc. and there are vets that push Science Diet in their office. My former vet is very loved in my community and he is a wonderful person. To make matters worse I go to church with him and he ask me many Sundays how are the dogs, but even though I think his diagnostic skills are acceptable I have issue with his vaccination philosophy and food choices. I told him I was feeding Lulu canned Merrick a while back (now she's on ZP)--he had never heard of Merrick! I don't understand that. I think I found the best of both worlds. I was told about a vet in July of 2011 and I used him for the first time Jan 2012. He practices western medicine but his philosphy on vaccination is to follow what AVA says or titer. Food is really pushes for good foods for dogs gluten-free, but he believes in vegetables and fruits for the anti-oxident values. He told me on last visit the prey model diet is great but our dogs live in the cities now with the pollution that dogs in the wild did not deal with; therefore, he likes vegetables and fruits for anti-oxident values. Sorry for long post, but this has been bothering me.


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Agree totally re Nestle - unfortunately no many people in the world have a clue what those mongrel swines do in the name of business that results in wholesale death in 3rd world countries, grrrrr.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

I am right there with you- how did I figure out how bad science diet is and my vet cant? My vet actually said to me "as a vet you know- I have to advise against a raw diet" to which I say "it was actually a vet that convinced me to do it- so you are not speaking for every vet out there." That is the one thing that gives me hope- I know of a lot of vets that support limited vaccination and a raw and/or more natural diet. They all just live in other states or sometimes other countries- lol.

I feed what I call a "modified prey model" with 10% veggie/fruit, so even if they are all about veggies I think we could find common ground. I just will never have common ground with a vet who pushes corn based kibble on me. It is not that I am upset or feel bullied by it- I have trouble with someone who is so different from me on so many basic issues. I just don't know. One of the holistic vets I talked to was pushing a vegetarian diet because they thought the dog adsorbed the pain/bad energy the animal felt while being slaughtered. I just had to walk away. It's like I just can't find a reasonable, rational human being. Like you said- I don't understand why all vets seem to feed their dogs this corn based stuff when there are better alternatives out there!

And AussieLass- that's why I have so much trouble walking into an office knowing they have a choice in prescription kibble and they choose nestle.


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## ChihuahuaKing32 (Apr 9, 2012)

So by raw diet, what are we talking? I've got 2 chi's and want the best for them, we use Nutro Ultra kibbles and also Nutro Ultra softies, but if I'm missing something that would benefit our little ones I'm more than open for advice. P.S. ours love carrots, not sure of any other veggies to give them


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## bayoumah (Nov 30, 2010)

hi i agree about the shot every 6 months im getting real concerned about 2 many chemicals that just arent neccesary to repeat over and over


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I hear you loud and clear doginthedesert. 

I just agree to disagree with my vet about diet. The thing is, he can't argue with Brody's teeth or body condition or perfect bloodwork. I remember one conversation I had with him when Brody was a puppy and I was trying to find a food that worked for him. I told him I was so frustrated trying to find something that he would eat that was healthy for him. My vet made a comment about having a cat that was also very picky and that he should follow mother nature and if he wanted to create a perfect cat food, he'd just do 'mice in a blender'. He laughed about it, but it got me thinking.... OMG, what am I doing pushing this corn and extruded cereal down my dogs throat. There's GOT to be a better way!!! That's what spurred me on to look at other ways of feeding.

My vet is a very good diagnostician. So that's what I use him for. I also make sure that Brody sees him once a year for a general wellness exam, heartworm test, and I do titers every 3 years. That keeps me on the books at his office in case I would have a problem. Otherwise, we haven't had to use the vet. My vet is also quick to refer. When Brody had his eye problem, he referred me to a canine opthamologist and that's where we went. 

I respect my vets diagnostic abilities. He respects that I don't do vaccinations and that I raw feed. I think that's the best I can hope for in a medical professional.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

I have had numerous problems with vets as well. Being young, I think that most vets believe I don't know anything about how to care for my pets. 3 vets that I have been to have never heard of ZiwiPeak, want me to vaccinate my dogs way too much, and try to get me to buy Science Diet. It is so frustrating! I am in college now and plan to apply to vet school.. I made a promise to myself that if I become a vet, I will NOT sell Science Diet, etc.


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## pmum (Oct 17, 2010)

I agree, it's hard to find a good Vet with all the qualities one likes
these days. I feel I have had two Fantastic Vets in the past but
as with everything else, things change and away they go it seems.
Mine started having other Vets in the office "like they tend to do these
days", and it got harder/harder to get my vet, etc..
But its hard to find good serivce many plances these days...
Yes, frustrating indeed. 
Blessings.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I agree with each of you as well!

Our traditional Vet is one of the best in the area and I have told Tracy that now I go in, tell him what we are and are not going to do and he agrees. I feel like we manage their care together but I kid you not, he will ask me, "have you asked your Chihuahua forum people?"

He has not a clue about their food or treats but he is willing to admit "you know far more about their nutrition than I ever will." I am educated and have lived 47 years but I am not a doctor. I am a researcher at heart. And my girls are precious to me so I study and ask and read and research. 

Hope also sees a Holistic vet. She is much more open minded about their nutrition and understood much more about why we feed what we do. She did not know about ZP but asked that we bring all food, treats and supplements to our first visit. She had the ingredient list from the paperwork I completed in advance. She looked at me and said, "Great! You actually feed her meat!". I knew that she understood.

I have come to terms that my Vet is more comfortable/has better knowledge of larger dogs, knows and shares only what he was taught, is exceptional at surgery and he and his office are responsive and available. He is not overly warm and affectionate with the girls, thinks I am over the top, likely thinks that I come in too often but he knows that perhaps more than many of his other patients that I care deeply about my dogs, their nutrition and their health. 

I am in a large metro area and could find a Vet that meets all of my wants and needs but they would likely be 30 minutes or so from my house, we'd have a lot of history to recount and right now it is not worth it to me because enough things are working fine.

Oh, and on marketing from manufacturers. Most Vets share their lists. Actually, your grocery store, Target and really any retailer with whom you share address or hold a plastic loyalty card knows more about you and how to target you with offers than you can imagine. I am in marketing and advertising for a major corporation and used to run our program.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

jesuschick said:


> Oh, and on marketing from manufacturers. Most Vets share their lists. Actually, your grocery store, Target and really any retailer with whom you share address or hold a plastic loyalty card knows more about you and how to target you with offers than you can imagine. I am in marketing and advertising for a major corporation and used to run our program.


I am aware of this- and understand why stores do it. But if human doctors did things like this they would loose their licenses. It bothers me that vets think it is ok to advertise medications so openly like this. There is a difference between safeway and google doing target marketing and medical professionals using it to guilt you into a particular medication.

I am a bit of an advertising junkie. My roommate in college was an advertising major and I started reading a lot of stuff, still do. The whole thing is just fascinating. I kinda envy your job. If I didn't love my job I would be going back to school and get into marketing.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

Does anyone know how to put two quotes into one post- anyway...



pmum said:


> I agree, it's hard to find a good Vet with all the qualities one likes
> these days. I feel I have had two Fantastic Vets in the past but
> as with everything else, things change and away they go it seems.
> Mine started having other Vets in the office "like they tend to do these
> ...


Thats one of the things about my vets that is nice. It is a husband and wife and sister, so they all talk to each other. And since there are 3 of them and they don't come and go all the time you can get to see them really easily. The front office staff is super nice too- and that really helps. Part of the reason I don't want to leave them.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

doginthedesert said:


> Does anyone know how to put two quotes into one post- anyway...


The multi-quote button is to the right of the quote button. Click on it after you highlight what you want to quote.


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks^^^ Me and computers often don't talk the same language.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

Me either--I just learned that myself.


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