Kinda ticked me off...

[Titansmom25]

I'm a vet tech, I also have a 4 month old GSD. It happens all the time with nippy pets. If he reacted in a way to ware he was scared then that is down right sissy. However if you took it that way but he was meaning" you need to control that" meaning before it gets out of hand well then he's right. German shepards are very head strong, I know mine is! I got him at 6 weeks" yes I know that's young" and he has been through training and yet still very head strong on things, but hey they are young right now, but look on the positive side, hopefully he was just looking out for you and your kid Happy Tails!


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[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

LOL And what's that going to look like...? "My child was screaming at the top of his lungs, disturbing other patrons and the waitress was SO RUDE, she asked me to get my child under control!"

Most patrons would applaud and visit that restaurant the next time they go out to eat!

Yeah...o.k, and that's how it would be written by the insulted customer...they would include they're rude kids as cause

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by sparra

So does this mean that if you are paying for a service then don't tell me things that may offend me or things i don't want to hear??
What about a person who has a fat dog. The owner doesn't think he is fat when in actual fact he is obese......can a vet no longer tell a client that his dog is fat and needs to be fed less in fear of offending or upsetting the client??
Yes a vet clinic is a business but it is a lot more than that. It is a business which deals with life and death situations and ranges of emotions that very few other businesses have to deal with......it is not quite as black and white as "the customer is always right".
It is no where near the same as a restaurant type situation IMO.

I am responding to the thread that is titled "kinda ticked off"....my interpretation is how I started the post - that's it, that's all.

IF the vet was being helpful - great, although it reads condescending...what I picked up on. When I come on I read the post and TRY to respond to that...not the direction or interpretation of everyone else.

unsubscribe!

[MustLoveGSDs]

Originally Posted by doggiedad

my Vet recommended bringing my puppy in
often for treats, petting, mock exams. i use to
take my pup to the Vet 2 or 3 times a week.
the Vet or a member of the staff would pet my
pup, run their hands all over him, rub him with
the stethescope, etc. i use to take him in the back
and weigh him and put him on the exam table
and make it go up and down.

This.

OP, work on socializing your dog more in clinic settings. Yes, she may be great for you when you are handling her at home, but you are her owner. Get her used to the veterinary clinic staff. Yeah, the Doc could have been more tactful, but work at a clinic for a day and you'll understand the frustration. I recommend the advice I quoted. I have worked in grooming shops in the past. There is a clear difference between the puppies people have socialized to grooming/medical staff and atmosphere, and those that have only worked with their pups at home. There was one puppy that was a HOLY TERROR for her bath and on the table. The owner couldn't believe us because her puppy is just so great with baths at home.

[selzer]

As for vets telling clients their dog is fat, they should! In fact, I'm fat, and I would sooner dump a vet that does NOT say that a dog needs to lose some weight than dump a vet that says they should. Owners live with a dog and may not be aware of gradual changes in their dog. These changes can be indicative of other health concerns, and should not be ignored if they are noticed. In order to keep clients, because we all know some clients are a pain in the backside, some vets will not say what needs to be said and that is to the detriment of the dog.

And relating dogs to children. Our country has a childhood obesity problem. How much of that might have been averted if pediatricians would have said a few choice words at the right times, like, "Johnny is gaining a little too fast, are you still feeding whole milk? Let's try to cut down on some of the fat and sugar stuff, and see if that helps." Unfortunately, there is a percentage of parents who would take that advice home, and look for a new pediatrician, to the child's detriment, and there are some pediatricians who will say nothing to keep the patient.

Vets are often consulted when it comes to nutrition and behavior. Behavior and nutrition may be linked to physical issues. A vet also has to take into consideration himself and his staff in dealing with dogs. I think it is totally appropriate for a vet to comment on behavior.

[MustLoveGSDs]

Vets can refuse clients and a mature bitey GSD isn't going to be as welcome or handled in an easy way as a well trained and socialized one.

[selzer]

I would hope that a vet would require a muzzle rather than totally refuse a dog due to lack of manners or behavior issues. Not all dogs are blessed with great owners. They still need to be seen when they are sick or hurting. All dogs might bite if they are seriously hurting. Vets deal with animals and animals have teeth. They shouldn't go cutting off animals because their owners are idiots, without at least trying some way to manage the situation.

[MustLoveGSDs]

Of course, there are many different restraint methods that can be tried and some pets have to be sedated. Vets don't send away business left and right, they do have kids in college we have to pay for, just saying it can happen. Pets that are acting out in pain is different than pets thay are just downright aggressive and nasty with the staff. I am in vet tech school and we've learned some "off the books" last resort restraint methods owners don't need to see such as the door jam. Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do to get the pet the care it needs. With owner consent of course.

[Mooch]

Don't be offend by what the Vet said, (yeah he probably could have worded it nicer but whatever - he go this point across without sugar coating it) it's his job to look after your animal and keep it healthy- it's also his job to keep himself healthy.
And yes maybe he was scared, especially if he thought your puppy was trying to bite rather than play.
If you've worked with animals for long enough you'll get hurt and it doesn't take much to knock a persons confidence - does that make them a bad Vet or a bad tech??
I don't think so, but iI do think it makes them more cautious. As long as they still do everything that needs to be done to examine the dog - but if that perhaps includes putting a muzzle on or in a sever case lightly sedating the dog that's fine - at least you'll get a thorough exam.

Off topic but it stood out to me:
I was surprised that some of you said you didn't have your dogs lay down in the exam room (on their side)
All my dogs have always been good about that, I just ask them to do a drop and then "dead dog" LOL and I actually practice restraining them by the legs and and laying them down (like the Vet - it's not hard there's a trick to it that won't hurt you or the dog and they get used to it really easily.
It's a good thing for them to know and may save a lot of stress at the Vet. When Hex was 4 month old and had leg surgery I got so many compliments on how easy he was to handle, lay down, pin down etc. they were treating another GSD puppy of the same age at thetime which they told me was a terror to deal with and had to be sedated for every bandage change etc.

He was and still is a mouthy dog and I do warn people that he will "nibbble" - when he went to see the specialist the Vet went to pet him and ended up with his hand in Hex's mouth - he had a bit of a surprised look on his face and just said 'oh you're a mouthy one " then laughed and went "typical GSD" LOL

I think us people often take offence way to easily and we just upset ourselves by doing so

[selzer]

I can put my dog in any position in the exam room. I would not like a vet laying my dog on its side simply to dominate it.