Responsibility, Part II
Aug. 29th, 2005 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
joflasherI took the fuzzy horde in to the vet for some of their yearly shots. Cats, no problem. Ferrets, a problem. First off, they didn't want to GIVE my ferrets their rabies shot because they haven't hadn't had a checkup in a year. Um, we scheduled the checkup for next week when we all come back for distemper, you knew I was coming in this week for round 1, if it was a problem, you should have said so on the phone, you have no problem giving the CATS shots pre-checkup, what's the deal? Eventually browbeat the vet into taking the ferrets in for their rabies.
Enter vet tech with rabies shots. First thing out of my mouth was "I have a biter and she REALLY doesn't like vets since her surgery. I would prefer if you let me hold her for her shots". Normally vets have no problem with this as long as you prove yourself capable of actually holding the animal. I KNOW there is a note on Tira's file about this because we went through it last year, complete with bitten vet tech. Vet tech insisted that I couldn't hold her, she knew what she was doing. Vet tech had no clue how to immobilize a ferret. Sure, she tried to scruff her but she kept missing and grabbing her by the SIDE OF THE NECK. Hell, I'd bite too if someone did that to me. As expected, Tira managed to twist loose and get a hold of her but good. The vet tech stood there in utter shock, holding onto Tira's head in a death grip and saying in a panicy voice, "someone get her off of me". Lady, you have to let go of her head or else we CAN'T OPEN HER MOUTH. Needless to say, I was the only one willing to touch Tira after that, the vet techs stayed needle distance away. They did coo over Midori, though, who was utterly sweet to both vet techs. They couldn't believe those two came from the same breeder and were raised together.
Next hassle involved my next appointment. That one was for all four critters to get their distemper. Turns out that the ferret distemper shot is on backorder, according to the vet and has been for some time. I could reschedule the ferrets but they didn't want to reschedule the cats. I old them that it was a hell of a hassle to get up to them but I did it because they had a reputation for being good with ferrets. I told them I was not willing to make multiple trips for the distemper shots when I still had some time left on the old one. The receptionist tried to give me some BS about how the shots don't really last a full year and to be safe, I should get the cats in as soon as possible. Um, no, actually, the shots last a good deal longer than a year, you know this, I know this, its in the literature on the shots (which I read religiously just so I know what is getting injected into my pets), lets keep the dis-information to a minimum, shall we? I completely cancled the appointment for all the animals and told them to give me a call when the ferret distemper came in and if I didn't hear from them in a month, I'd take everyone elsewhere
With ferrets, you should stick around ~30 minutes after shots to make sure they don't have an allergic reaction. Mine never had but better safe than sorry. About 10 minutes into this wait, one of the vets came out and huffed that the tech was bleeding and that I'd have to bring Tira back in 10 days for a complete examination to prove that she wasn't rabid. I pointed out that a)Tira was current on her rabies shots and b) she'd bitten many vets, including ones here, in the past and none of them have required a second visit. Vet huffed and puffed and mentioned the state rabies tests, which involves removal of animal's head. I pointed out that they only do that when the animal doesn't have proof of vacination and asked for the state law requiring a checkup after a bite. Vet couldn't provide one but insisted it was fact. I told her if it was a state law, than any state certified vet could do it and I'd have the clinic down the street examine her and fax them the results. Suddenly, it was okay if I just watched her and let them know if there were any changes in her behavior.
On the way home, I figured out what the deal was. This place gives a discount on multi-animal office visits but only if they come in at the same time. They were doing everything they could to try to get me to make more office visits. The shots are cheap, the office visits are the expensive part of going to a vet. If they don't like the discount, they should change their policy. All they managed to do here was convince me its time to find a new vet. I will NOT be going back there any time soon.
Enter vet tech with rabies shots. First thing out of my mouth was "I have a biter and she REALLY doesn't like vets since her surgery. I would prefer if you let me hold her for her shots". Normally vets have no problem with this as long as you prove yourself capable of actually holding the animal. I KNOW there is a note on Tira's file about this because we went through it last year, complete with bitten vet tech. Vet tech insisted that I couldn't hold her, she knew what she was doing. Vet tech had no clue how to immobilize a ferret. Sure, she tried to scruff her but she kept missing and grabbing her by the SIDE OF THE NECK. Hell, I'd bite too if someone did that to me. As expected, Tira managed to twist loose and get a hold of her but good. The vet tech stood there in utter shock, holding onto Tira's head in a death grip and saying in a panicy voice, "someone get her off of me". Lady, you have to let go of her head or else we CAN'T OPEN HER MOUTH. Needless to say, I was the only one willing to touch Tira after that, the vet techs stayed needle distance away. They did coo over Midori, though, who was utterly sweet to both vet techs. They couldn't believe those two came from the same breeder and were raised together.
Next hassle involved my next appointment. That one was for all four critters to get their distemper. Turns out that the ferret distemper shot is on backorder, according to the vet and has been for some time. I could reschedule the ferrets but they didn't want to reschedule the cats. I old them that it was a hell of a hassle to get up to them but I did it because they had a reputation for being good with ferrets. I told them I was not willing to make multiple trips for the distemper shots when I still had some time left on the old one. The receptionist tried to give me some BS about how the shots don't really last a full year and to be safe, I should get the cats in as soon as possible. Um, no, actually, the shots last a good deal longer than a year, you know this, I know this, its in the literature on the shots (which I read religiously just so I know what is getting injected into my pets), lets keep the dis-information to a minimum, shall we? I completely cancled the appointment for all the animals and told them to give me a call when the ferret distemper came in and if I didn't hear from them in a month, I'd take everyone elsewhere
With ferrets, you should stick around ~30 minutes after shots to make sure they don't have an allergic reaction. Mine never had but better safe than sorry. About 10 minutes into this wait, one of the vets came out and huffed that the tech was bleeding and that I'd have to bring Tira back in 10 days for a complete examination to prove that she wasn't rabid. I pointed out that a)Tira was current on her rabies shots and b) she'd bitten many vets, including ones here, in the past and none of them have required a second visit. Vet huffed and puffed and mentioned the state rabies tests, which involves removal of animal's head. I pointed out that they only do that when the animal doesn't have proof of vacination and asked for the state law requiring a checkup after a bite. Vet couldn't provide one but insisted it was fact. I told her if it was a state law, than any state certified vet could do it and I'd have the clinic down the street examine her and fax them the results. Suddenly, it was okay if I just watched her and let them know if there were any changes in her behavior.
On the way home, I figured out what the deal was. This place gives a discount on multi-animal office visits but only if they come in at the same time. They were doing everything they could to try to get me to make more office visits. The shots are cheap, the office visits are the expensive part of going to a vet. If they don't like the discount, they should change their policy. All they managed to do here was convince me its time to find a new vet. I will NOT be going back there any time soon.
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 05:10 pm (UTC)than the person who lives with the animal they're trying to handle.
And then to put blatant greed on top of that?
Sounds like they're trying to put theirselves out of business, really...
no subject
Date: 2005-08-29 08:09 pm (UTC)i wonder about this current vet's being "good with ferrets" as well :)
no subject
Date: 2005-08-30 02:18 am (UTC)but, i'm impressed with how impossible you were to be led on.
jo, you rock.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-30 02:04 pm (UTC)