Fellow pet owners, beware of dumbfuck vetinary assistants. I just had to step in and stop two from

[zonkers]

handling my blind, sweet and sleepy 5 pound 15 year old old dog way way too roughly. Scared the crap out of her for no reason. I ended up stepping in and held her while they shaved her paw but I should have left on the spot. I am so mad at myself. She seems okay now. But wow, you really have to watch out who you trust.

[BlueIris]

1. Oh, I'm sorry. There's nothing worse than bad support staff.

Nothing.

[BarenakedLady]

2. ....

:hug:

for you and your "baby"

[philosophie_en_rose]

3. Vet assistants (like retirement center nursing assistants) vary widely.

Some programs are really short or the assistant might not be trained at all.

I don't like to be rude, but I pretty much insist upon knowing the staff of the vet clinic. I ask (in a friendly way) about people's experience. And I say so, if I'd be more comfortable with someone I know. Two of my dogs dislike the vet. One loves everyone and everything.

[zonkers]

5. Rude is good. I too had a dog that loved the vet, a rottie. Even though she was

not ferocious and never bit anyone, she used to love when the vet put the dog biting mask around her snout. She just loved any type of attention.

I agree, it is definitely a good idea to ask questions and know what the heck is up with your vet. In my situation, I was in a new town and got the vet recommendation from a friend's friend. Ended up getting a heartworm test, some doggy toothpaste, and a general examination. Besides all the stress, the whole thing cost way too much too.

[ThomCat]

4. I'm glad you were asertive enough to step in.

x(

[ceile]

6. I hate most vet techs.

Do they teach them to purposely ignore owners? My cat hates women vets (except one, and she's really great with him) and techs. I tell them that every time I go in there "If it's not Dr. Foster or a male tech, I want to reschedule." "Oh, it will be fine." Well, it's never fine! He hisses and growls and bites when he sees a woman in scrubs (he was really sick as a young cat and the female vet could never figure out what was wrong with him-lots of poking and prodding). They talk to me like I'm an idiot and I just want to say when he bites the poor girl, "See, I told you so."
He needs a blood curve done soon for his diabetes, and I know it's not going to go well.

[China_cat]

9. Learn to home test and do your own curves.

It's easy and a hell of a lot cheaper. Not to mention more accurate because you don't have to factor for vet stress.

[ceile]

10. How do I do that?

Like humans do, with those strips and a meter? I would love to learn to do it myself. Do you have a diabetic animal?

[China_cat]

11. Yep. One diabetic cat

down from 2...the other died of cancer, though, not the diabetes.

Yes, you use the same meter humans do. Here's a link to a page about home testing complete with links to a video of how to do it.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/bg-test.htm

[xchrom]

7. as the former owner of a very senior dog

i know how you feel.

sorry about that -- and i guess when our animals reach a certain age -- we simply must not -- under any circumstances just let any one handle our companions.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. I see the problem - you went to a vetinary, not a veterinary.

:P

I would say "just kidding", but on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if some asshole decided to start a "vetinary" business just to scam people, and then he could say "Hey - I'm a vetinary, not a veterinary - you should have looked at the sign. I never claimed to be a real doctor." Just like so many other scams of selling shit that is one letter off from the real deal. x(

I'm sorry to hear you had problems - sounds like they aren't trained well, or have just started looking at all the animals as 'product', and not individuals.