Does your pet frequent a large veterinary hospital or a small one? Does your experience at either sometimes make you wonder whether you’d be better off with the alternate version?
After all, it’s like choosing a college or university. The smaller schools have clear advantages over the bigger ones...and vice versa. But do you know what they are when it comes to veterinary care?
First, a little history:
We used to call them all “clinics.” It once seemed pretentious to call them anything else, considering the “single-man” smallness of the average place. But then came the eighties, when everything got bigger overnight, it seemed:
Veterinary schools got more sophisticated in their teaching, small hospitals made room for specialists, grads sought out places with softer, more flexible hours, service offerings expanded, medical equipment got more expensive, drugs and products pricier to haul, and all other economies of scale prompted the move towards big facilities and hospital chains.
But some stayed small, either because of necessity (zoning issues, for example) or because many single or double-practitioner practices preferred to pay more for the right to remain nimble and independent. Why change models when you can still offer most of the services the big guys do in your smaller, more manageable place?
So now we call all veterinary facilities “practices” and “hospitals.” The wide range of services even the smallest veterinary establishment can offer grants all but the lowliest, vaccine-only outlets the right to such a lofty designation.
Still, it’s clear there’s a big difference between the big places and the small. One size definitely does not fit all. Here’s a rundown of the major pros and cons for your consideration:
Large Veterinary Hospitals
These are the places with an average of at least five full-time veterinarians in tow. They may have more than one office to help meet your numerous needs for multiple pet-related services, or they’ll concentrate it all in one mega-facility for your supreme convenience.
Pro: Convenience
The single biggest wondrous development in the big hospital model comes with the one-stop shopping of it all. Here’s a quick list of what the biggies tend to offer on this front:
- easy appointments on your schedule (sometimes nighttime and weekends, too)
- 24-hour emergency care
- ancillary services like boarding and grooming fast
- in-house lab testing
- easy access to specialists (sometimes even in-house)
- great parking for fast ins-and-outs
Con: Less personal
Yeah, that’s the down-side. You may not be able to see the same doc twice for any given problem. The built-in employee flexibility means that sometimes your favorite vet won’t be there for the follow-up. The receptionist and technician turnover may be intense. It may even feel like a business and not like a place where animal-loving happens. But not always.
Small Veterinary Hospitals
One to three full-time docs is typically the max for your standard “mom and pop” vet hospital.
Pro: Personal
That’s the best part. The receptionists remember you. The veterinarian will get on the phone to answer your questions. The staff knows your name. And if you’re a great client, you and your pets will truly feel valued.
Con: Limited
Though even the tiniest hospitals have X-rays, complete surgical works and may even be more proactive about referring you to a specialist when necessary, lots of your one-stop shopping isn’t happening: no boarding and grooming, your favorite food won’t be there unless you remember to place an order, if your vet’s out of town you may need to go to another hospital to be served, and you can forget about overnight care.
But what about price? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to stay with a small practice?
Hmmm...not so sure about that. After all, lots of big hospitals got that way because they’re more likely to save money on costs. That means that, per animal served, small hospitals have bigger expenses.
Still, that doesn’t always translate into higher prices. It all depends on the management style of the practice. Nonetheless, on this subject one thing is clear: smaller hospitals tend to offer more personalized payment services. No doubt about that. That’s not to say that large ones can’t (or won’t), but their larger size makes it more likely that policies regarding payment will be more diligently enforced across the board.
***
So now it’s your turn: What do you prefer?
Add Comment55 Comments
I've had both.
I do like the perosnal touch of a small practice, but you can get the personal touch at a large practice if you request a specific vet etc, or visit enough.
I'm with a big clinic now - AKC reproduction specialty clinic that also specializes in Frenchies. I've had 6 different vets since i started using them almost 2 years ago, but it's truly the best vet practice i've ever had and i plan on sticking with them.
Sarah June 17th, 2009 10:39:19 AM
I started at one of the small practices that grew and Grew and GREW. They remodeled, added vets, raised prices and never knew who I was after going there with multiple pets for 17 years. I switched to a smaller practice - they know me, they will call me back, they have done a few careful procedures on my pets to instill enough confidence in me that they can handle nearly anything that may crop up. And they aren't so expensive normal procedures are prohibitive. (1st vet 5 years ago pre-surgical bloodwork - $180 and up, on top of the surgery - a neuter for a healthy puppy. This vet, last year - pre-surgical bloodwork - $36 - removal of cyst on same dog - a healthy adult now) It would be nice to say price is no object, but how many of us can claim that honestly?
And dang it, I like to be recognised when I walk in for a scheduled appointment. ( or at least have a receptionist smart enough to glance in the book to see who might be walking in!)
Robindogs June 17th, 2009 10:55:42 AM
For us it comes down to location, attitude, fair pricing, and personalized service. Thinking outside of the box is definately a plus. Ultimately the Vet's will be judged on their success rate not their failure rate. So complete honesty-integrity is important.
Evet June 17th, 2009 11:14:46 AM
You don't necessarily give up the personal touch with a bigger hospital setting. I see the same vet every time I go to Angell Memorial, with the exception of emergencies. Even then, I know that if my pet has to stay in the hospital, my regular vet will be checking up on him or her, which provides a lot of peace of mind. In the roughly ten years I've been taking ferrets there, I've used primarily the same two vets, and perhaps remarkably at least one exotics technician has been there the entire time. Many of the reception staff are long term as well. I suppose what it might come down to is that if the larger hospital is a good place to work, they'll be able to provide the same kind of personal relationships that you can get at a smaller practice.
regina June 17th, 2009 11:26:34 AM
I have been very fortunate to go to a large, very state of the art veterinary hospital that has grown from 1 vet to 5 over the years, with a full lab, surgery center, etc. but that has never lost the personal touch. With both of my dogs, I was able to see the same vet for all their needs and they have had fairly low staff turnover, which as the above poste noted, tells me it is a good place to work. I just had to have my husky euthanized on Monday and the vet and tech who have treated him over the years were so compassionate and took great care of both of us. We were all crying and hugging and it was such a great comfort to know that my boy was so well loved and taken care of until the very end.
Di June 17th, 2009 12:00:30 PM
Great info, as usual. And a good question! But I – and many members of the tripawds community – would be interested in your input about Teaching Hospitals. What pros/cons do you see there vs. the large and small hospitals you describe here? Or, would they just be considered "large" for the sake of this dicsussion?
Jerry's first vet had a small practice with cutting edge equipment. Yet he insisted the persistent limp was just arthritis, prescribing different meds every few weeks as the osteosarcoma tumor in Jerry's scapula continued to grow. It was one of his techs who suggested we try to get an appointment at UC Davis Vet. Med. Training Hospital. Needless to say, we received much better care at the "larger" hospital.
tripawds.com June 17th, 2009 12:30:10 PM
Does your pet frequent a large veterinary hospital or a small one?
Large
Does your experience at either sometimes make you wonder whether you'd be better off with the alternate version?
No. My cat was OD'd at a small one due to the use of unlicensed, unsupervised people they inaccurately labelled "vet techs."
My large hospital has ALL, ONLY, licensed vet techs -- and probably can afford that precisely because they are large and expensive. They also have after hours ER service and 24 hour supervision.
I will never ever ever do without those things after learning the hard way how important they can be.
Stefani June 17th, 2009 12:32:21 PM
My vets' clinic is somewhere in between, so I'm able to get a little of the best of both worlds. They do boarding and grooming, but no 24-hour e-vet service. They keep some drugs on hand, but they will also give you prescriptions for stuff they can't afford to keep stocked.
There are 4-5 vets working there, and you can either pick one and stick with him/her, or you can see whoever can fit you in the quickest. I tend to do a combo of each. I like that everyone in the practice has had their hands on my dog, because in the case of an emergency, they've all seen her when she was relatively well, and they all have been able to develop a relationship with her (and me!). So I get the benefit of having a larger pool of vets to choose from, but it's not as impersonal as a really large clinic would be.
Their hours are pretty good, but they aren't a 24-hour emergency clinic. They will accept drop-offs, if a minor emergency crops up (analagous to the prompt care type clinics that humans go to, when they need to see a doctor quickly, but don't really need to go to the ER). I've had to do drop-offs twice in the past week. It was stressful for my dog, but it allowed them to squeeze her in between their regularly scheduled patients. It also allowed them to spend the day observing her, which I think was helpful.
They do have a surgeon on staff, which is great. He did a friend's dog's TPO surgery several years ago, and she raved about him. That's partly why I chose their clinic when I was vet shopping. He removed a somewhat tricky tumor from my dog, and I'm super pleased with the outcome. Plus, he's got a very nice way with dogs (and people, too). It's hard for me not to appreciate that.
Price-wise, they're pretty reasonable for the area.
Shelly June 17th, 2009 12:36:06 PM
I had some very disappointing experiences in both small and large hospitals before I found my current wonderful vet (small practice).
Galadriel June 17th, 2009 01:09:57 PM
As to the teaching hospitals and referral centers...that's a whole 'nother can of worms. Thanks for the post suggestion.
Dr. Patty Khuly June 17th, 2009 01:47:16 PM
I've used both over the years, and I'm currently in the process of switching from one of the medium-sized places Shelly describes, to a large hospital that is our local 24-hour emergency hospital.
At the place I'm leaving, I loved four out of the six vets. One moved back to the UK. Another, the man who had been the manager of the practice, semi-retired and is now doing a limited schedule at a smaller clinic much closer to his home. A third, who is now the manager of the practice, lost my confidence when she cut a deal with a local puppy store to provide their health certificates and be their recommended vet. That leaves one of my previous faves, who is still a fave, but only for the cats. He's fantastic with the cats; I don't think he's the right vet for my dog. And, he's not the one running the practice. Which, sadly, also does not seem to be quite so well-run as before Dr. A retired.
And one of the new vets worked way too hard at convincing my sister that she (the vet) is an idiot unable to do anything but follow textbook rules. She's a very new grad, and in all fairness there's probably nothing wrong with her except that (as Dr. K explained in two previous posts) vet schools today aren't graduating vets prepared for the reality of daily practice because there's so much specialized knowledge that needs to be crammed into them in just four years. But she's not learning on my animals.
So I asked around, and the large hospital, in addition to specialists on staff and 24-hour service and all that, also has all its clients singing its praises. No one feels that they're getting impersonal treatment. In terms of quality and resources it's regarded as "almost like going to Angell but without the drive into Boston," but it's right here. The one thing I missed in the old place in the good days before people started leaving or retiring, was that unlike the vet hospital I used in Concord, I couldn't call after hours if I had a panicky question and get realistic advice on whether I needed to get to the emergency clinic, wait till morning, or just stop being a panicky idiot. ("My cat ate a MOUSE!!!" "She's a cat. She's supposed to eat mice. She might not eat kibble tonight, since she's already had dinner.") (No, I really did that. And she's not the first cat I've had that would actually eat the mice, either; she's the third. But the other two were semi-ferals adopted from shelters, and this is a well-bred Maine Coon whose breeder believes that her cats have never seen mice.)
Everyone I've been able to find is happy with this hospital, and I like the idea of having someone to call "after hours" if I need to. And being able to go someplace that has all my pets' records, if we ever have a real emergency.
Lis June 17th, 2009 01:55:47 PM
I go to a small, one-vet practice because this vet is an excellent diagnostician. He makes up for some of the limitations of being the only vet by having various specialists travel to his practice, including a cardiologist, orthopedic surgeon, dentist and radiologist. I am so much more comfortable seeing these specialists at my own vet clinic, where there is no question about staying with my dog at all times (something I always have to fight for when I go elsewhere).
Mary Straus June 17th, 2009 02:04:38 PM
Whether it's a small or large practice, some extremely important things to consider is how is the building laid out - is the waiting area so small that two clients with big dogs aren't able to stay even 3' away from each other, or is it so large that the staff can't see you around the corner and have to search for you (or forget you). And how knowledgeable is the staff about the best ways to handle and restrain your pets, from initial greeting in the lobby to lifting onto the table or keeping them calm during exams and procedures. Do they go to the trouble of taking time with fearful pets? Do they smile at you and speak quietly and move slowly with your pets. Can you tell that they are confident or scared of your animal? And do they insist on taking your pet away for just about all (if not all) procedures?
Whichever place will encourage CE credits and other (seminar/workshop) education for staff (whether paid for or reimbursed through proficiency raises) - all staff, not just the vet - should be able to serve their patients and clients best. Sadly, not that many practices of any size feel they have the time (and some vets & staff figure they're good enough now and forever with what they learned before). This is an issue that most clients aren't even aware of. Dr. K., how would you like a client to approach you, and other staff, on the topic of 'what have you learned lately?'
KateH June 17th, 2009 02:27:21 PM
KateH,
Along the same lines (building layout), is there a separate waiting area for cats and dogs?
Also, on separating pets from owners--I would not be okay with that! I want to be present. I cat sit for someone whose cat goes to a practice that seems to routinely take animals into the back without the owners. The cat gets regular subQ fluids, which I won't administer, so I have to shuttle him back and forth to the vet when I sit for him. I've had a *lot* of time to observe what goes on in tha practice's waiting room, and while I'm sure the staff and vets are very good at what they do, I wouldn't take one of my pets there.
Shelly June 17th, 2009 02:49:30 PM
One of the reasons I left the vet hospital I used to go to - besides the big reason which was the vet I liked was leaving - was the too-small waiting room. It was just chaotic at times and I used to have to wait outside with my unfriendly dog. But I don't argue when my pets are taken in the back, quite honestly I know at least one of them is calmer with the vet tech when I'm not there. I've entrusted the vet practice with my pets for boarding, surgeries and hospital stays while they were very sick or injured, why not a blood draw?
Anne June 17th, 2009 03:23:34 PM
Anne, if you don't see how they're handling your animals for a blood draw, how can you hope that they're handling your pet well when it's staying for surgery or boarding? That's the question.
KateH June 17th, 2009 03:34:06 PM
Why not? If you're comfortable with it, then there's no reason not to let them take your animal in back without you.
I'm not at all comfortable with that, though, and if a vet or tech insisted on it, I would find another vet. But, my dog is calm and well behaved at the vet, so there's no benefit to them in separating her from me. Surgery is one thing (and even then, I don't leave them overnight unless it's absolutely necessary), but for a blood draw? No. That's a deal breaker for me.
Shelly June 17th, 2009 03:38:20 PM
Great topic! I've been to several of both kinds. What it all boils down to in my book, yeah big surprise, is integrity.
I do have a serious issue with misleading advertising. You go to a "referral" clinic" with certain expectations, because the home-based clinic SENT you there, citing quality: trustworthiness, competency, diagnostic equipment, specialists, superior trained support -"employed for money" staff, treatment supplies, and full pharmacy. Oh did I say pharmacy? I mean adequate means to treat with bonafide DRUGS. Above average- superior means to interpret laboratory values & a simple x-ray.
Both "sizes" can be the best or the bottom of the barrel.
Blabby Barbara's Blog
Barb A./NH June 17th, 2009 03:39:01 PM
KateH,
Exactly! During my consultation with the vet last Friday, he spent the entire time gently scratching my dog's chin, playing with her lips, and rubbing the top of her nose. When I said he had a very nice way with dogs, it was based on watching him interact with my old girl. I really like the way he handles her, physically and mentally. That matters to me.
Shelly June 17th, 2009 03:42:24 PM
Shelly, that your vet in smart enough and confident enough to know that he can touch your dog in that way - and how to do it without irking or frightening your dog - is great. Not all dogs can be touched like that, and it's important that vet s and other staff can 'read' a dog and know how to approach and handle them.
When I was little, our first cat was handled roughly at the vet (and by a nasty cousin at home), and soon they came out with leather welder's gloves to take him in the back. I didn't know any better (I was 6), and my mother acted as if it was something to boast about ("Our cat's so tough....") That same practice, years later, dragged one of our dogs into the back and while doing so, let a swinging door shut on his leg. This was after a nasty verbal incident with a dog who died after a splenectomy, which came down 'we did the surgery right, your dog gave up and died afterwards, here's your bill' Rough handling with animals is an indicator of an insensitivity that often gets turned on owners too.
KateH June 17th, 2009 04:01:35 PM
For 10 years, I had the best vet ever! She worked in a three-vet clinic, along with several techs and a couple of receptionists. They had separate entrances for dogs and cats, and the waiting rooms were divided by a half-wall. I liked all three vets who worked at that practice, but "Doctor Sarah" was my favorite by far. She handled my cats and the various dogs I've taken in with utmost care and compassion, saw one of my favorite cats through a bout of idiopathic hepatitis (I did have to get a referral to a specialist for my cat's ultrasound), and when I asked her if--should the day ever come--she'd be willing to come to my home to do a euthanasia, she said she would.
Not only did she take excellent care of my cats, her communication skills were absolutely top-notch. She listened when I asked her questions, she respected me for being so well-informed about my cats' needs and my desire to take the best care of them, and I would, without hesitation, trust my cats' lives to her. I really wished I could bring Doctor Sarah to my new home town with me. :-)
Unfortunately, I moved an hour and a half away when I got a new job, and there was just no way I could rationalize being so far away from the vet in the event that one of my cats needed an "urgent care" call. I've found a vet here in my new home town, who comes highly recommended by all my colleagues who have pets. He works out of a one-man clinic, and although his waiting room is small, his assistant schedules his appointments really well, so that even though he's got patients all day, there's rarely any overlap between one patient and another.
At my former vet's practice, current clients could call after hours and get urgent care. Most of the vets both in my old home town and my new home town refer clients to the emergency clinic in Brewer (about half an hour's drive from where I currently live and an hour's drive from where I used to live) for night and weekend emergencies.
JaneA June 17th, 2009 04:33:36 PM
Shelly, why so uncomfortable? Bad previous experience? Lack of trust in the staff?
anna June 17th, 2009 04:34:08 PM
I have just moved from a large clinic to a new local one in Coombs BC.
We had some major problems with vets at the old clinic. The vets just didn't communicate with each other. For example I asked not to have an FIV test on one cat as one had recently been done, but they went ahead anyway. Then I was given an estimate and a surgery date for a cruciate ligament surgery on a cat when we had not even mentioned this with our vet there. There were many other examples. Our favourite vet there no longer does surgery, so one deals with different vets who never call you back.
Our new vet is relatvely young (36) and he LOVES his job. He says that he spends part of every evening on VIN! He is very thorough and he will definitely refer for any surgery that he can't do. He lives on the premises with his wife and children. His parents live there too- a family style business. He even takes e-mails. He's also computer literate. He will do home euthania if the client wishes. A dear friend (penniless) of mine needed this service. The vet only chrged $100 and it was a public holiday. So he's compassionate as well. He has a dental X-ray machine, a good website (not one of the mass-produced ones) so he's quite well equipped.
I will never move back to a large impersonal practice, however well-equipped it is.
Jean June 17th, 2009 04:56:10 PM
KateH,
Absolutely. My dog is skittish around many men, so I'm sort of surprised that she took to him so well. He is quiet in his voice and movements and seems to have good dog sense. He waited until she was curious about him, before he approached her. It was clear that he was paying attention and taking his cues from her. He's a good vet and a sweet guy.
That vet sounds pretty awful!
Anna,
No bad exerience, and I absolutely trust my current vets. If I didn't, I wouldn't have left my dog with them twice in the past week. I can't think of a good reason why I shouldn't be in the room during exams, though, at least for scheduled, routine stuff. That way I know for sure my pets aren't being mistreated, and, if nothing else, I learn a huge amount from observing. From my perspective, it's a win-win. I realize that there are some vets who don't like to do it my way, and that's fiine, too. They're just not the right vet for me, so if I encounter one, I'll take my business elsewhere.
Shelly June 17th, 2009 05:23:07 PM
I've had my pets at both a small (2 vets) and currently a larger 'hospital' with seven vets. I much prefer the new hosital. Both places have wonderful vets. Wonderful. And the staff at both places are/were just the nicest people you could ever meet. But I prefer the new hospital 1) much closer to my house, and when you have cats that are very frightend of car rides, the shorter the ride the better 2) Better hours, no, you can't always see the same vet (I usually see one of two vets that I know by name) but I do love all of the vets at the clinic, and my animals love them too 3) Because multiple vets share the same space, they can pool their money and afford newer pieces of expensive equipment that my older clinic just didn't have. I hope my dear furry family members never need a cat scan, but I know I don't have to travel an hour to the university if they do and they just put in a dedicated dental suite that my older cat will soon be visiting for his yearly clean. Another vet deals with special cases and has advanced courses in some of the more complicated dog and cat surgeries -- the local vet clinics often refer their patients to his care. And two of the vets are trained in small animal chiropractic and acupuncture. I can get all this at one clinic, where all of my pet records are stored. But they are not so large that people do not recognize you when you walk in the door -- with six cats and a 9 month old they've seen quite a lot of me in the last year. My husband and I are actually referred to as 'the nice family with all those cats and that silly puppy'.
Shauna June 17th, 2009 05:59:42 PM
I like the 'old school' type of vet. Nothing fancy. Basic vet with no high overhead.
Hard to find though.
Lola Smiles June 17th, 2009 06:40:11 PM
I have been to both, including the teaching hospitals. Nothing beats the small town vet with the big town services, but it's hard to find.
It's all about trust and for me, trust is not easily given, it needs to be earned.
LorriM June 17th, 2009 08:18:32 PM
I prefer the smaller clinic really. I've been going there for the past 20 years. I only see the "owner" now, unless he's on vacation or something. The other docs seem to come and go, but he's always there. I once followed a vet from that practice to one about 50 miles away, because he was the only one my dobe had ever seen. LOL. I feel very at home with this practice. The Dr. doesn't treat me like I'm an idiot and don't know anything about anything, so I stay there. As an added benefit, when my last dog died and my other one was sick at the same time, they allowed me to make payments with saying "Just pay what you can, when you can", no pressure about care credit, etc.
Sharon June 17th, 2009 10:00:57 PM
I vote for small hospital..Considering I have the option to go to large or small, as there are over fifteen hospitals within a ten mile radius, I wouldn't do well with going to the large.. I have a need to develop a trust in the physician.. and in the large hospitals it's not always an option.. I do the same with the physicians I use for myself..
The vets all know Socks, and his cousin, and his cousin's cousin.. When his cousin's cousin bit him the vet asked what he did to deserve it, as he knew Cody's temperament, and Socks bit him first..
Have a good friend that switched from the vets I use because they were prescribing insulin for her cat. She got a second opinion from another group, who used Glimiprimide (I think).. anyway.. the cat was limping, and my friend called to bring the cat in, and she didn't like the vets that were in, and ended up waiting for the other vet's rotation..
barri June 17th, 2009 10:21:11 PM
Love my vet in a "cat only" practice here in Florida. Recently when my vet was on vacation I went to a large animal hospital's ER.
Memorial Day weekend, Saturday night my 17 y/o cat was vomiting and weak. The previous morning he caught a gecko on the patio. To be safe, took him (and dead gecko) to ER vet.
ER vet experience was horrible. I regret it every day. First thing I said was my cat had never been away from me but they took him back to "make sure he was stable". The tech came back without my cat saying he needed oxygen. She told me he would not make it through the night and wanted to keep him overnight. When I said no she angrily said "then you're going to have to take him AMA". I got such a bad feeling that I was not going to leave him.
Finally they put me in a room and brought my cat to me and he hid under my arm. That was a big sign. The tech said he was dehydrated and she could not get a pulse. The vet recommended fluids and lots of tests.
When I heard fluids I let the vet know he never got fluids for CRF because of the murmur and I asked if she had heard it. She said fluids would not affect his heart. He got fluids, shots of famotodine and odansetron.
NO ONE AT THE ER VET EVER ASKED ABOUT MY CAT'S MEDICAL HISTORY! Nor did they ask about the events leading up to this visit.
My cat's history is CRF, heart murmur, and hyperthyroidism. He wasn't being treated for the CRF due to the heart murmur. Being hyperthyroid helped though. He had become very thin. I had a special way of picking him up. But until that week he was very active.
Just before I took him to the vet he was walking around the house, drank a good amount of water, went out on the patio, hung out a while then vomited. He then sat down next to me on the floor. He was weak. I thought it was the CRF and it was getting to be his time but took him to the vet just to be sure it had nothing to do with the gecko (they said it wasn't).
When I got home with my cat his back half was spine up, front half on his side, paws outstretched, pupils dilated, resp rate 120. He seemed in such distress I took him back and had him put to sleep. I have no idea what was wrong, why he was in such bad shape.
Needless to say, I would go back there only as a last resort. That's the problem with a single vet in an office. Find an emergency vet/hospital before you need one.
C June 17th, 2009 10:28:48 PM
Oh, man, I never realized just how lucky I am with my vet clinic!
I go to a "large" hospital- they have 5 vets on staff- but they truly have a "small" feel to them. The techs remember my dog every time I go (I don't think they remember the kitties, though if I mention the dogs name, they light up in recognition). I do schedule around the same vets (since all three of them have chronic health problems). And the customer service from the vets is AWESOME. The *vets* -not the techs or front desk people- always call after a procedure to answer my (many) questions and let me know how it went. They will call several weeks later to just check in, even if no follow-up appointment is needed. And once, when we got back my dog's allergy tests, the vet gave me his home phone number and asked me to call on a Sunday afternoon because he was going out of town and wanted to discuss the results with me.
They are quite expensive, but it's worth it. It doesn't hurt that they often put discounts in for me (unprompted), which is really nice of them. It's true, I sometimes lean a bit more holistic than they do, but they are always willing to discuss a vaccination schedule or a diet with me, and are even willing to point me toward research studies so that I can learn more. I love that! I tend to defer to their knowledge, but I love being able to discuss our options!
Crystal June 17th, 2009 10:37:10 PM
The longer I have followed Dolittler, the more I read that a good percentage of pet-owners & breeders have had some eye-opening and bad experiences at least once with one vet.
If all those people so affected on some level, would support consumer protection regulations regarding veterinary medicine, perhaps, the industry overall would improve with ethical care.
JMO
Barb A./NH June 17th, 2009 10:41:58 PM
OT: Tomorrow night's ABC Nightline is supposed to be on our food supply/commercial productions. It might be worth watching.
PJBoosinger June 18th, 2009 12:14:19 AM
Neither. . .nor. . .take your companion animal with complex health issues to a veterinary teaching hospital! I wish I knew about the expertise found in veterinary teaching hospitals before my heartbreaking experience with the local veterinary hospital and the "fancy" referral veterinary hospital.
Asproolee's Story
Fotini June 18th, 2009 10:40:57 AM
I've taken my pets to both small and large clinics, and my preference boils down to how knowlegable the vets are and how they handle my pets and their problems. So, I guess the size of the clinic isn't important to me.
Barb A - I think you'd find a comparable number of stories regarding bad experiences with human healthcare. And that industry is regulated. Unfortunately, I think you're going to find both terrific and horrible service providers in any industry. I've decided the best option (in animal healthcare or human) is to let your money do the talking. Don't go to practices that provide insufficient care or are negligent, and tell your friends and family about your experience (positive and negative).
Posey June 18th, 2009 01:37:56 PM
I take my cat & dog to a small, 2 vet practice in the town I live. So far they have been great, especially when I first brought my doxie in and he bit the vet (fear biter, doesn't like men). Dr. R stopped and took a moment to let Oscar calm down, then used treats and slow, deliberate movements to get him comfortable with being handled. When my cat had a bad reaction to the anesthesia during his neuter, Dr. R was as concerned as I was, and kept him overnight to make sure he'd come around. He also made sure to have a note put in the chart stating that my kitty was not to have that particular type of anesthesia ever again.
Unfortunately I will be moving back in with my parents at the end of July and will have to take my pets elsewhere, but thankfully there's a good clinic not too far away.
Jessi Pre-Vet June 18th, 2009 01:52:27 PM
Posey: Excellent response, however $$$ doesn't necessarily mean a thing, if you are working with people without skill, conscience & integrity. Ex: $3700 for an undiagnosed dead dog "Pocket", sitting in a cage, in '06, $4000 for spinal IVDD surgery, for different dog,that included MRI and intensive care & real drugs---same time-frame? Pretty obvious rip-off and fraud, just by $$$ in my book, however was far worse than any dollars price tag.
And you are absolutely right, that this exists in human care, however the big, big difference is having recourse. And this usually acts as a deterrent.
And again on point #3...tell everyone to hope bad things don't happen to others. Absolutely, and the purpose of my public web site "Pocket's Story from New Hampshire". I honestly couldn't look in the mirror holding such information and eye-witnessed events to myself! That's why I went on to intersperse details in my blog, now and then.
If there was meaningful recourse, it would clean up a lot of the fraud & sloppiness, don't you think?
Barb A./NH June 18th, 2009 02:28:16 PM
Barb - I agree that regulation might help but don't see it as a full solution. I actually feel quite strongly that there isn't enough quality control in pet-related industries (healthcare, food, toys, etc.). I'm just a bit cynical right now when it comes to human healthcare; so, I'm not buying into regulation-as-solution as much I might otherwise.
Unfortunately, there isn't always recourse in the human healthcare system. Attorneys will not bring a case if they can't put a dollar value on the damages. So, if you are a 70+-year-old who has led an active retirement and are suddenly taken seriously ill due to a procedure gone wrong, the attorney won't bring a case. The doctor won't be reprimanded, and you are left to lead a more sedate life in a weakened state while the doctor continues in his practice. (Like I said, I'm feeling a bit cynical right now.)
BTW, I read your website and am so sorry to hear about what happened. I had a very bad experience with one of my kitties several years ago and was disheartened to discover that there was no one I could really report the problem to. So, I totally get where you're coming from.
Posey June 18th, 2009 05:55:24 PM
Posey: I empathize with you too & thank you for your kind words. My Mom battled cancer for over 5 years and the list of doctors/specialists was boggling. And not all were the "greatest". We had to advocate every step of the way, and sometimes failed.
So I hear you, and some states are worse than others, mine (NH) being very anti-patient/pro-professional.There is a current legislative proposal to disband the state"review board" that allows malpractice cases to go forward with "merit". Until Pocket, I never knew such review of human malpractice cases existed!
But, there is a growing group looking to make change in the pet department. And yes, we are connected by experience and hold a fact-based cynical view.
Barb A./NH June 18th, 2009 09:05:32 PM
I go to a small vet place. Why? Well, I picked them because they are three blocks from my apartment. And they seem pretty cheap, while also (to my untrained eye) competent, so I am sticking with them. At least until I move and they are not walking distance away anymore.
x June 19th, 2009 08:01:55 AM
I take my pets to a large hospital. It doesn't have touchy-feely stuff like separate waiting rooms for cats and dogs or "death suites". The vets do not make housecalls for euthanasia. And yet I feel at home there.
After going through the "different doctor every time" routine, I asked the receptionist to be assigned to one of the "older" vets rather than a resident. Eventually I switched to someone else just because he had taken care of a very sick cat of mine and it was too confusing to take each pet to a different doctor. I have been taking my animals to this same person for 16 years now and we have established a rapport. He has a pretty good idea of what I would want and I trust his judgement. If he's not there, I see another vet, whom I've also gotten to know.
They must be doing something right with their staff because they don't have a huge turnover: most of the receptionists know my face and even my name (it's a tough one). They've even been known to go out of their way to accomodate me because they know I am a regular customer (like accepting my 4 cats for boarding during a hurricane watch, even though they were full).
I think I have the best of both worlds.
silkenpaw June 22nd, 2009 05:01:03 PM
I have the best of both worlds. I go to a small clinic where everybody knows my dog. The small clinic is part of a nationwide chain, and has associates in all fields of animal health. They even have an association with an emergency vet hospital. I have no worries, and I have a group of people who love my dog.
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