Vetcetera Veterinary office hours: How do they affect YOU?

October 20th, 2008  

Add Comment46 Comments

I can no longer drive a car, due to disabilities added to my already-disabled self by bacterial spinal meningitis. Specifically, I have gaps in my vision and sometimes don't focus well on more than one thing at a time. So, no more driving for me.

My husband gets off work at 5, and our veterinarian stays open until 6. So by setting up an appointment, we are able to continue to use the same wonderful veterinarian we have used since the early 70s. Seriously, he is brilliant, and kind. The animals trust him, and he chooses great staff.

So, I'm in favor of expanded hours! He takes one and a half days a week off, and I think also Saturdays. But that extra hour on three evenings a week is, well, priceless for us. He has done a fantastic job with my Standard Poodle assistance dog, as he did with all our dogs and cats before. We hope he doesn't retired anytime soon!

Kathy Diamond Davis October 20th, 2008 08:51:00 AM

My biggest frustration is the fact that my vet's office is only open until noon on Saturday. Seems like that's when one of my crew is most likely to end up with some issue that isn't exactly an emergency, but really shouldn't wait two days to be dealt with either. I certainly don't begrudge them weekends off, I wouldn't want to work weekends either! but I wish there were some other option than the emergency clinic.

laura October 20th, 2008 08:55:00 AM

I actually maintain a good working relationship with 2 veterinary practices to take advantage of more hours. My local hospital is closed on Thursday & of course, Sunday & is open only until noon on Saturday. My primary vet makes house calls & has been kind enough to see one or the other of my dogs at her home as late as 9 in the evening. Sometimes I need the nearest possible facility so appreciate having the local hospital. Other times I want the research & diagnostic skills of my primary vet so I feel very fortunate to have access to two fine practices.

Ellie Goldstein October 20th, 2008 09:20:00 AM

The clinic I work at is open until 6, which is a little early compared to many other local clinics (who are open until 7 or 8). On one hand, I (as a client) appreciate being able to schedule a late appointment so I don't have to cut out of class early. On the other hand, I can now also see that just because our clinic doors close at 6, the doctors rarely leave before 6:30 or 7. That earlier closing time means they have an hour or so to return phone calls to clients, follow up on lab work, and finish their medical charts. "Not seeing clients" does not equal "not working"!

Megan October 20th, 2008 09:20:00 AM

Megan: That's why I take three hour lunches. It's not really a lunch on most days as I do my surgeries and callbacks then. But it also gives me time to do things most normal people do on their lunch hours (like go to the bank). If I'm lucky I'll also have time to start working on the next day's blog post). ;-)

Dr. Patty Khuly October 20th, 2008 09:25:00 AM

I know that for lots of people it is the choice between taking their pet to see a vet that day or not, because they can't get to the emergency clinic, or can't afford it, or because the emergency clinic is usually a three or four hour ordeal in itself (driving excluded) -- and so they hold their breath and hope all will be well until morning. I've seen the frantic emails to listservs I am on (what do I do, what do you think?). Obviously no one expects clinics to operate 24/7, but longer hours/more days would be a godsend. Personally, I have frequently had weekend issues arise. When it warrants, I go to the emergency vet. More often then not, it is something that could have waited, but I am not qualified to tell. I just have to make my best judgment.

Susan October 20th, 2008 09:34:00 AM

I actually chose my vet clinic partially based on the fact that it doubles as an Emergency clinic and is the drop-off place for the local wildlife rescue. My primary vet is wonderful, but knowing that my "kids" can go to their usual place when they're in need and that the same place has all of their records really sets me at ease.

Carolyn October 20th, 2008 09:41:00 AM

I have what I consider "my" vet, but she isn't always open (has a family etc) and is pricey on some procedures. So, I keep a list of area vets and their hours and will check prices when I need something done. I try to avoid going to the animal hospital and to some emergency vet offices...they charge 2-3x what a vet would, try to talk you into wild tests (confirmed true by my vet who disagrees with them as well), and will only stablize til transferred to your vet. The costs are astronomical. I have learned alot of home treatments! and taken animal cpr/first aid!

Thereasa October 20th, 2008 09:47:00 AM

I agree with laura that the big problem with reduced weekend hours is that weekends are when dogs are most likely to get into trouble (this would seem to be less of a problem with 100% indoor pets). The one time our dog was seriously injured in a fight it was within a few blocks of our regular vet, but also a few hours past Saturday closing.

Luckily we live in an urban area where the 24-hour hospital is only a 20 minute drive away, but 20 minutes is a long time when your pet is bleeding from the chest. (She fully recovered.)

Liza October 20th, 2008 10:02:00 AM

The clinic I go to has pretty extended hours. They don't work on the weekend (but there is someone to answer the pager), but on weekdays they accept clients between 9am-11am and then again between 4pm-8pm (between 11 and 4 they do surgeries). Between 7:30am and 9am the place is open with only the techs, so it's possible to drop off an animal or pick up something before (or call to make an appointment). Again, from 8pm until 10pm there are still techs there, so again, one can pick up the animal or do other things that don't require the vet. When there isn't a vet there, the vet is always available by pager, and from my experience the vets answer the page promptly, and can get to the clinic and open it in case of emergency faster than I can get there (and that says a lot, since the clinic is walking distance from me).

There are 4 vets at the practice, while only 2 will be working any given shift, so no single vet works too many hours (I want my vets to be rested and have time with their own family).

The trick is to know when "my"" vet is working- then I can decide if I want to wait to see my regular vet, or if I prefer to see a vet right away (they do share information between them, and all the vets got to know my animals).

Xslf October 20th, 2008 10:38:00 AM

Basically, this is a case of you can never please everyone all the time. No matter what hours you accept clients, there are going to be people who complain that the hours are inconvenient. It generally makes no sense to extend hours, because if it was profitable every clinic would be open 24-7. Your not running a short-order diner, and not everyone can have it there way, right away. There's a reason the emergency vets are expensive, they have to be in order to meet costs. I would imagine that generally, they are pretty dead from 10 pm-6am. I can see how it could be beneficial to have later hours for the folks who just can't get in on a weekday. Maybe stagger hours one or two days a week, so you open later and close later? Still, there will be people who complain. My vet clinic is open from 7:30 am - 6:00 pm M-F and 7am - 1 pm on Saturdays. I've never had an issue. I make an appointment in advance and plan my schedule accordingly. I mean if your schedule really is that hectic that you can't get your animal to the vet at any time during regular office hours, maybe you shouldn't have the animal in the first place.

Chip October 20th, 2008 10:57:00 AM

I take my cats to a pretty large operation with six vets - they are open from 7:30 AM until about 7 or 7:30 PM every night and until 3 on Saturdays. But with 6-8 vets, that a lot easier to do than with only 2 or 3 vets.

The place is always packed after work and on Saturdays - when I've brought one in for a problem during the day the place is only moderately busy.

2CatMom October 20th, 2008 11:13:00 AM

From a staff member's point of view: the clinic I work at is open M-F, 9-6, Tues/Thurs. 9-7, Sat. 9-5:30, and Sunday 12-5 p.m. Clients love it. Our staff hates it. What a lot of our clients don't understand is that those are the hours the doctor is on call...not the hours we actually work. Techs are scheduled from 6:45 a.m. (to accomodate owners who have to drop off before work or school )to at least one hour post-close M-F, and at least an hour early and hour later on weekends. What that means is that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, my coworkers and I work at least a 13-hr. shift, frequently longer, and while we're supposed to have a 1-hr. lunch, it's frequently cut short by "emergencies" that just can't come in any other time than lunch. We don't take any other breaks. Not a single one of us begrudges clients a true emergency visit, but if any of the techs answer the phone to "what time do you close today?" (a tip-off that the client will probably walk in 5 min. before that time), we invariably answer, "we take our last appointment at X - how can we help you?" ...and "X" is actually an hour before we officially close. And we forward the phones the second the clock strikes close. I know our clients appreciate that extra hour in the evening, but boy does it take a toll on the staff, probably more than they realize. Honestly, I'm not sure it's totally worth it. Occasionally established clients schedule weekend or evening appointments, but more often than not we see one of two scenarios: 1) the non-client whose regular veterinarian has already closed shop for the day or week - these owners typically bring their pets in for minor ailments and then, after much hemming and hawing, decline all recommended treatment and elect to wait until their regular vet opens back up, or 2)the non-client who has an emergency but doesn't want to pay their vets after-hours fee or the emergency hospital's fees. Both types are equally frustrating - the former end up essentially wasting our time, and the latter end up complaining about the fees anyway, swearing their vet would have been cheaper. I'm not bitter and I'm not looking for employment elsewhere, just my two cents.

anna October 20th, 2008 11:57:00 AM

I certainly can't complain about the hours at my Vet's clinic. They are open from 8 am to 8 pm weekdays and 9 to 12 on Sat but they are available for emergency calls 24/7. There are 7 vets at the practice. I have never waited more than 3 mins for a call back and they have always been waiting for me when I arrived. You may not always get your primary care vet in an emergency but at least they have your records and many times do know your animals.
I want my vet to have a life !

Elizabeth - From Nova Scotia October 20th, 2008 12:06:00 PM

My vet has great hours - 7:30-7:30 M-F and Saturdays 8-3. My current schedule allows me to take an appointment whenever they have one, so it's not as critical for me.

It's a 2 vet practice and they split the day. We also have an excellent 24 hour clinic about 15 minutes away which is good as a backup if it is something that simply can't wait until they are open again.

Cindy October 20th, 2008 12:20:00 PM

My own personal Dr had worse hours than my vet. She's got three days off per week, and when she is in the office works 9-4 with a nice long lunch break (I think an hour and a half)

Would I like my vet to be at my beck and call. Sure. While we are in the area of wishes and dreams, I wish I wasn't charged a week (or two depending on how it goes) for a lump removal and dental on my cat. but you pay for what you get for.

and while wal*mart type hours and prices would be great, I certainly wouldn't want wal*mart type care or service for my pets.

Connie October 20th, 2008 01:05:00 PM

When I switched local clinics this year, the better hours were a definite perk. Open longer on Saturdays, and they have a couple days a week they are open until 7 or so. Before we moved across state lines (about a year ago now), our vet in Iowa had excellent hours too. I usually have to do early or late appointments so it's nice if they are even open until 6pm.

Raven's Mom October 20th, 2008 01:26:00 PM

I am very fortunate. The practice that I currently use is a combination practice -- regular veterinary service by day, and then ER service takes over at the same facility overnight. They are different sets of vets, and I think different management, but it's co-located so that the ER/overnight vet can hand off to your regular vet in the morning, and then vice versa in the evening. They also use only all-licensed vet techs. Not surprisingly, they are expensive, and I drive a minimum of 45 minutes across state lines to go there. I have definitely learned my lesson the bad way.

What I mostly have an issue with, when it comes to regular vets that keep only daytime hours, is them encouraging clients to leave pets overnight even though no one will be there, and failing to disclose the fact that no one will be there, and failing to tell the client what that means.

This happens all the time. I know that in most states they are required to post "no 24-hour supervision" etc., but many practices either DO NOT post that in spite of the requirements, or do not post it prominently. Even if they do, they should always emphasize this fact with clients. And frankly, I don't think a vet who provides NO overnight staffing has any business encouraging clients to leave sick animals there overnight.

As for: "Does your choice of hospitals reflect your time pressures? "

Yes, in that sometimes I will take a pet in during ER hours for something that could have been done during the day, if I could have gotten away from work. I do this only if I call before hand and get their agreement, and I know I will pay extra for it. But during business hours, it can take an hour and a half to get there, whereas after rush hour it's down to 45 mins.

What my choice of hospitals primarily reflects is my hard-earned understanding of EXACTLY HOW DANGEROUS AND DEVASTATING it can be to leave a pet at a hospital where they will be in a cage alone with noone (let alone someone with medical training) monitoring them. There is no need for that, EVER. Vets should refer sick animals to ER/overnight places. The pet would, in most cases, be better off at home than left overnight alone in a cage.

All of these comments I have made will further answer the question:

"how do you think an animal hospital’s hours affects your pet’s health?"

It is a definite benefit to me and my pets to have a place where I can have a regular vet, in the same facility as an ER service. It definitely benefits my pets heald through coordination of care, and the fact that someone qualified is ALWAYS there.

Stefani October 20th, 2008 01:39:00 PM

OK I'm starting to feel like a serious slacker here. Our hours are 8-6 weekdays and 8-12 Saturdays but we only see appointments from 9-12 and 2-5 on weekdays and 8-12 on Sat.

We;re thinking about staying open until 2 on Saturday (our busiest day) and add a 5 PM appointment slot (last is at 4:30). I'm happy to do this but the staff is tremendously resistant.

My hours seem easy compared to your vets...but maybe that's why I have time to write a blog ;-)

Dr. Patty Khuly October 20th, 2008 03:17:00 PM

My vet has hours that are very convenient for me. This was one of the things we looked for when selecting a vet clinic...that, and it's a smaller clinic, not a "hospital" type place, but I digress. They're open until 7:30 pm, and from 8-12 on Saturdays (we've learned never to make an appointment for this day!)

Mitsu October 20th, 2008 03:34:00 PM

Lol, Dr. Patty!

My vet has one late night per week. M 9:30 am to 8 pm, T-F it's 9:30 to 6. Saturday is 10 to 2. I'm not sure what times they actually take appointments though. Also, on the late night, it's not my regular Vet. I think he take Sunday and Monday off. It's a fill-in vet. So, I usually Schedule my appointments T-F.

It's a teeny tiny practice and if I had an emergency or major medical issue, I would head directly to the ER anyway.

Creature of Habit October 20th, 2008 03:41:00 PM

My vet used to be open 8 - 12 on Saturdays... but they were always pretty slow for the first hour or two, and then had people stacked up and still waiting at noon. So they shifted the hours to 9 to 1, and apparently it works much better without actually increasing staffing hours. The kennel help still come in at the old time, so animals who are boarding don't have to wait an extra hour to be walked. But they don't have to stay until 1:00.

Their normal hours are 8 - 6 on weekdays, but they did the same thing on Wednesdays - shifted the time back an hour so they're open from 9 - 7. That also seems to work well.

Barb October 20th, 2008 04:58:00 PM

My vet has always decent extended hours, but now he's gone 24/7 and it's certainly nice to know. I don't know how busy he is yet, but I have an appointment next week and I'll ask. But personally he's always provided me with contact information for him if I needed him in an emergency.

LorriM October 20th, 2008 05:19:00 PM

Our vet (one of 3 practicies in our town of 75,000) is open M-F 9-6, and Sat. 9-3. Since I work till 6, either our appointments are scheduled on my day off, or my husband takes the pets in. I know that Saturdays are busy, so I try to avoid that day. I think one of the other clinics is open on Sundays, which would be very handy, but our vet is very convenient to the house.
I work for a public agency, open every day and most weeknights until 8. I work two nights and every other Saturday. But I was shocked at the staffer who had to work 13 hour shifts. That's terrible! When I work till 8, I did an 11 a.m-8 p.m. shift. When I worked till 9, I did noon-9. I would imagine that you'd be dragging by the end of the workday otherwise.

lin October 20th, 2008 05:21:00 PM

We go 8:30-5:30 MWF, and 8:30-7 on T and Th. I work late Tuesday and the part owner of the practice works late Thursday. We run Saturday from 8:30-2...it used to be 9-1 straight through, but this never actually ended on time--we'd see people straight through, and then I was making callbacks for 2 or 3 hours afterwards, and this was frustrating for everyone.

Our Saturday solution was to stick an hour (11a- noon) where NO appointments are scheduled--this lets us catch up when we run late, do little procedures (cat abcsesses, radiographs, workups) and do call backs. For us, it tends to defuse the frantic pace of the day, and we are generally on our way home by 2:30...about the earliest we were leaving with the old schedule anyway.

We do not have anyone overnight, so we refer overnight hospital cases to the ER that is 1/2 mile away. I am very upfront that there is not someone available if something happens to their pets overnight if they choose to not transfer, but some people still do not want to pay for overnight care. :(

drsteggy October 20th, 2008 05:40:00 PM

The vet on the way home is open until at least 6pm, and sometimes they are still there at 6.30, which works for me as far as picking up worming tablets, feliway, etc.

The vet closer to home opens at 8 in the morning, but no vets on duty until 8.30. That doesnt work so well because I have to start work at 8.30 after a 40 minute drive. But there is the option to drop pets off (eg for dentals, other work where you don't have to be there). There are a number of dog runs, where you can leave a dog or a cat in a box. Makes it convenient. Also useful for "I don't know what's wrong - take your time and examine him and run any tests you need to", when the consultation needs that. The pet can be fitted in any time during the day. open late enough for pickup and payment on the way home.

I guess the problem is that the animal is in a cage or run all day, not their usual environment, so may feel a little uncomfortable and unsettled.

Some vets will make arrangements, staying open a little longer if you know you are going to be late. As mentioned, there is lots of work to do at a vets apart from diagnose and treat animals.

I agree saturdays and sundays should have longer hours, but many areas have emergency vet clinics too. sometimes the vet nurse will do routine stuff like follow up injections, vaccinations, worming, nail clipping. cheaper and saves the vet some time.

Robin October 20th, 2008 06:00:00 PM

I work for a small husband and wife owned practice, and we've actually been cutting our Saturday hours back and back because we just weren't filling them. We used to be open every Saturday, but it got silly for everybody to drive in there for an hour and a half or two hours worth of appointments. Everybody (except me) has a family, kids. Saturdays eat up a whole bunch of family time, including for the bosses. So then we went to just being open the first Saturday of the month, but we ended up not being open this month because there was one appointment scheduled, which we rescheduled.

Now, we are open 8-8 two days a week, and 8-6 every other day. But so many of my tech friends are just astounded that we've got such limited Saturday hours.

katie October 20th, 2008 07:09:00 PM

My vet is open m-f, 8am to 5pm, not a minute longer. There is an answering machine, but he will not call you back until business opens the next day, and refuses to take business calls at home, his number is also unlisted for those who would try to do so. We are in a very rural area, and my "dog" vet happens to specialize in cattle reproduction and the like, he just see's dogs because someone has to and he is the only vet with-in a 2 hour radius. Any emergencies that pop up are dealt with at the University vet school, a 3.5 hours drive from my home, so if it's immediate, you have no options other than to be with your pet while he slowly heads for the bridge. I don't like the fact that my vet doesn't take calls or afterhours emergencies, but he has a life and children the same as I do, and values his family and personal time as well as the rest of us, so I understand. If he made the exception for one, many nore would expect it and he would be very busy all the time.

Megan October 20th, 2008 07:31:00 PM

For decades, most clinics handled their client/patients emergency calls. That was just the way it was, and these 24 hour/emergency-referral clinics were almost none existent. If there were several vets, there were rotations of "on call duty". I think it still should be that way. Who knows you and your pet best? Who is more likely to be concerned and treat your pet ethically & without taking you to the cleaners? Oh sure, there are times when a full-staffed surgery wing is needed, but that also can be a "decision and arrangement call" by your own vet.

As far as hours? Well, this too could be divided up in a work week. Some staff & a vet comes in, say 12N-8 pm and the early surgical vet goes home at normal time. I know in my winter/holiday season here in NH, it will get difficult for me to arrive for a 5pm appointment, which is often the last one of the day.

And no doubt, early leaves from work for appointments will be frowned upon more & more, as the entire workforce/economy feels increasing pressure.

Barbara A. Albright/New Hampshire October 20th, 2008 08:00:00 PM

Hours were a big consideration for me in choosing my vet, because of my own work hours and commute. My old vet used to be open 9am-6pm, same hours I work but I have a 40-50-min commute, so I'm out the door by 8:15. And I'm usually able to take time off to take a pet to the vet but what used to happen was a dog would have symptoms in the evening - the time I was home to observe them the most - and I'd have to wait until 8:45am before I could call and find out if the vet could see me that day. Then they'd offer me, say, a 4pm appt., so I'd not only get into work late, I'd have to leave in the middle of the afternoon to make the appointment.

People like me may seem inconsiderate but while I can arrange to do errands, dentist. appts etc. close to where I work and just duck out for an hour, for the vet I need to first go home and get the dog, then drive to the vet. Yes, I call and ask what time they close when I need to pick up my pet. It's not so I can sit around doing crosswords until 5 minutes before closing, it's so I can figure out how early I need to leave work and how bad traffic might be!

Now I have a vet who takes walk-ins and is on duty at 8:30am, and it makes all the difference in the world. If I get up in the morning and my dog has symptoms, I put him in the car and off we go. I love knowing that he can be seen when he needs to. Sometimes we have to wait but it's not too bad. Saturdays are the busiest day but I'm very glad there are Saturday hours.

I don't mind going to the emergency vet after hours, we have a reasonably priced one (as these things go) and they do a good job.

Anne October 20th, 2008 08:49:00 PM

I never realized how lucky I am. My vet has great hours.. M-F 10-12, 2-4, and 7-8:30.. Sat 10-12, and 2-4.. Sun 10-12.. and in an emergency, they will meet you there.. My brother ended up calling them when my dog passed away (after seventeen years, it was his time), while I was away.. It wasn't a problem.. The vet met him, and took the dog.. When I got home there was a note of condolance.. No appt. needed.. There are three Vets.. Two brothers, and a son of one of them.. I've used this group for forty years, starting with their father.. It's not unusual to see them all there at the same time..

barri October 20th, 2008 08:58:00 PM

My vet's hours haven't ever been a problem for me, but - knock wood - my dog tends to be pretty low-key, and I'm confident handling minor issues myself (small wounds, etc) and/or making the e-vet call if necessary.
That said, since I work 8-5 M-F and so does my vet, our only chance to get together is his Saturday morning, which fills up fast, so I do have to plan ahead pretty well.

I wonder whether any vets have considered doing a non-traditional week? I.e. being open Tuesday through Saturday, all day, instead? That would still leave two "weekend" days; and would have the added advantage of one of them being a day when the vet could actually get some personal business attended to (for example, medical or banking business).

Stacey October 20th, 2008 10:59:00 PM

I know it's inevitable that I will need a vet at a time they're closed. So rather than stress out over whether "my vet" has expanded hours, I instead have researched emergency vets in the area, so I know where I can bring my bird if something goes wrong at 3am.

zandperl October 20th, 2008 11:24:00 PM

We're open from 8:30-7 mon-fri (appointments from 9:20-11, surgery/procedures/lunch from 11-3, appointments again from 3-7), saturdays 9-5 (lunch from 1-2), and sundays 10-2. We're very busy on the weekends, and I know our clients especially appreciate our sunday hours. There's a doctor on call every night until 11, but we're just available by phone - if it's an emergency, it goes to the emergency hospital. We're in New York City - there are three 24-hour facilities in Manhattan alone, so there is no reason for me to drag myself almost an hour on the subway (and wake up a tech to help me) to see emergencies at night. Having recently finished a grueling internship, I'm thrilled to have a more normal life. Not that being a vet is ever a 9-5, monday-friday kind of job, but being off on wednesdays and alternate weekends is pretty nice.

As for overnight care, we don't have anyone in the hospital at night. I offer transfer to a 24-hour facility, but most people opt to leave them with us. I'm very upfront with clients about the risks, but we don't tend to have many critical patients in the hospital anyway, since we tend to refer them to the emergency/specialty hospitals.

Deborah October 21st, 2008 12:01:00 AM

What do I have? A great roommate whom I can count on to help me out with medical appointments for my pets, and vice versa for hers. We have wacky schedules, both, but we make it work. This is a moot point since last week, however, since I now work at a vet's office. Our hours for appointments are 9-5 weekdays and 8-1 Saturdays. The end. :p I love it because I know what time I'll be home every day. I turned down a vet office job a few months back which asked me to work 8-6 with a two hour unpaid lunch break, a 30 minute commute from home. No way, what a waste of time!

Aren't these the same issues we face when trying to get doctor's and dentist's appointments? I don't really feel it's much different.

Nena October 21st, 2008 01:26:00 AM

Nena: Actually I don't think most people see it the same way. Doctor and dentist appointments are given a pass by most employers. And most people are accustomed to their limited banker's hours in this modern medical climate. Why else would many vets be open 'till seven (as the above comments show)?

Ultimately, pet medicine is considered more "retail" in nature by most pet owners. Why else would we need to locate ourselves in more expensive, visible locations where so-called "foot traffic" abounds?

I think it's all part of a greater trend towards more convenience in order to compete with other hospitals and clinics. The Wal-Mart is open 24 hours a day in some places. Why not the vet's? The problem is that this trend affects all our lives adversely, I think. Normal life pre-10PM mall hours is tremendously underrated, IMO.

Dr. Patty Khuly October 21st, 2008 09:25:00 AM

i believe my vet stays open a little later a few days a week and offers half days on saturdays. honestly i think i have an excellent vet and there have been a few times that she stayed open a bit longer for me or other clients. if i have to leave work a little earlier a few times a year or use a vacation day to tend to my pets health and keep my vet i am fine with that.

katy October 21st, 2008 11:07:00 AM

Sometimes I think the hours businesses keep are throw-backs to an earlier time, when there was someone at home during the day to do all the errands. Remember "banker's hours"?

In my town there are still many business that are open 9-5 only. How do they expect any customers if they aren't open during the hours customers have to shop???

One of Winograd's big complaints about shelters is that they aren't open during the hours when many families have to "shop" together for a pet.

Granted, health care (people and pets) falls into a different category. And of course health care workers must be able to have normal family lives, too.

Still, it seems that it makes more sense for health care facilities to be open 12-7 than 9-5.

EmilyS October 21st, 2008 11:10:00 AM

I could see the usefulness of partnership agreements between two veterinary practices with different hours.
When my yorkshire, Sofie, was due for her last labor, I thought she was in labor much earlier than she actually was. I thought she had been in labor too long, and took her in for an ultrasound at 2pm on a Saturday to check the puppies position and heartrate (to see if they were distressed, if one was stuck). My main vet was not open, but I have made sure another clinic with expanded hours also has records, and I took her there. It worked out great, she was fine and she delivered three babies by 5:30pm at home.

Jenn October 21st, 2008 02:01:00 PM

My vet is in a small town and has normal hours, but will come in for emergencies. There is an additional charge for this and the one time I needed it I was more than happy to pay it. My dog was able to see the vet he normal saw and the vet knew his care history.

Regenia October 21st, 2008 07:38:00 PM

I'm ok with my vets' hours. The things they do have that are very helpful to me are walk-ins one day a week, saturday hours, and the ability to do house calls.

Granted, for a walk-in or a house call, I still have to take off work, but at least I know the time frame I will need, so I can plan ahead and let my employers know.

(BTW, I NEVER tell my employer when I'm taking off for my pets. They don't care about our pets, for the most part. It's just easier to tell them I have a home repair or an "appointment" and leave it at that.)

Jen M. October 23rd, 2008 04:07:00 PM

My vet closes at noon one day a week in order to stay open until 9 one night per week. No Saturday hours, but that one evening added in makes a world of difference to me. I've been with the same vet for nearly 30 years now, so I'd probably take a day off from work to go if I needed to!

Jo October 23rd, 2008 04:40:00 PM

My old vet had horrible hours - 6:30-4 M-F, with Wednesday until 6. Considering I lived 30 minutes from work, unless I could get an appointment first thing in the morning (which was practically impossible) or last thing in the afternoon (also practically impossible) I would end up taking at LEAST two hours off work (they were usually very behind as well, one time I waited over an hour with my cat in the carrier in their waiting room with a giant dog barking at us the whole time!)

When I moved to be closer to my job, I found a cats-only practice, who has 7:30-6pm hours, and is also OPEN SATURDAY!! On top of that, they have something called "cat parking" - if I need to get the cat in that day, but they have no appointments left, I can just drop them off in the morning on the way to work, and they'll work them in as they can during the day, and let me know when they're ready to be picked up (or I can just get them at the end of the day) which is very very convenient, especially when Mischief had FIP (we did not know what he had for months) and was going to the vet 2X/week it seemed.

Sidney October 24th, 2008 05:10:00 PM

صقر الغرام

صقر الغرام June 30th, 2009 05:48:10 PM

 

Thanks for your sharing.Maybe you are interested in Abercrombie and Fitch.

 

AF September 18th, 2009 12:01:27 AM

Your article very interesting, I have introduced a lot of friends look at this article, the content of the articles there will be a lot of attractive people to appreciate, I have to thank you such an article. Khairuddin Syach Weblog and Mengembalikan jati diri bangsa

Mengembalikan jati diri bangsa October 3rd, 2009 03:40:36 PM

Add Commment

Your Name:

CAPTCHA Verification