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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The "Professional" Vet

I took Jackie for a hysterectomy Tuesday morning.  I don't know the Vet very well where I took her other than Jerry and I left our cats overnight there one time when we almost left town, but didn't.  Jerry took Boots -- our big cat -- to this guy when he got a mysterious hole in his side, and Jerry thought he was nice enough.

But YESTERDAY when I went to pick Jackie up about 3 PM after her surgery, I was shocked at this guy's behavior!

First, I just listened to the girl at the desk as she told me 15 kinds of pills I needed for heart worms, fleas, ticks and other malodies.  I finally narrowed it down to $90 extra for some concoction.  The girl told me if I BOUGHT SIX, I would get TWO FREE.  That sounded good to me.  She went to get the medication.  She returned with ONLY TWO.  She said they were out of the 6-packs, and they would have to order it.  She put the two "FREE" ones in an envelope and said I could take those with me.  THEN she charged me the extra $90 even though they didn't have the stuff.  Whatever.  I guess I couldn't have the "FREE" ones if I didn't pay.

So!  I have in my hand the little envelope with the two "FREE" vials in it, and I have a copy of my bill, and I have a little pamphlet to keep with Jackie's record of treatments.  I asked a few times where Jackie was, but I got no response.  After I paid $320, one of the girls told me she would bring Jackie to me if I would wait in this little room.  She put me in an exam room and closed the door.  Weird!

In a few minutes, the doctor appeared WITHOUT my dog.

Stupid me!  I had the NERVE to ask him, "WHERE is Jackie?"

He SNARLED at me, "If I bring her in here now, you will pay attention to HER and NOT to me!!!

I should have known from that introduction to never open my mouth again.

He started telling me that she was fine and that all went well.

I asked ANOTHER stupid question:  "Has she been able to go potty anywhere today?"

He snarled again, "OF COURSE she has gone out to potty.  Who do you think I am?  I have been in this business a LOOOOONG time, and I KNOW what I'm doing."

I explained that when I take her for grooming they never let her out to go, and I was just wondering if I should let her go BEFORE I put her into my car.  ACTUALLY, I TRIED to say that, but I wasn't allowed to finish my sentence.  He looked at me like I was the biggest moron he had ever met, and indicated that I needed to pay attention to what he was saying to me.

I shut up.

He continued, "I removed Jackie's uterus and her ovaries."

Again, my mouth just opened up and words came out because I forgot for a second I was his prisoner, and he may never give me my dog back, and I said, "Why did you take her ovaries too?"

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!

I wished at this point that I had brought a body guard with me!

He STARED at me and snarled, "I AM A PROFESSIONAL!  I DIDN'T JUST START DOING THIS YESTERDAY!"

I whimpered:  "I, I, I just thought because when I had MY hysterectomy, I didn't have my ovaries removed, that maybe it didn't have to be done."

He went into a rampage and informed me in his "I'm the Doctor and you are a moron" temperament that if she had her ovaries, she would still have cycles, and she would still bleed all over my carpets every month.

I could not BELIEVE this jerk, and then he did something even more UNBELIEVABLE!

Remember the little envelope with the two "FREE" vials in it?  I had put it and the other papers on the exam table I was standing next to.  He looked at the papers, and he snarled, "WHAT IS THAT!?"  Then he grabbed the envelope off the table right under my nose.  "WHAT IS THIS and HOW DID YOU GET IT?!"

I said it is my "FREE" medication for Jackie.

"WHY is it free?!"  

I felt like a little kid in trouble who was going to get a spanking for taking something that wasn't mine!

I STARTED to explain that the girls out front had given it to me, and they were out of .........

He walked over to the door --  turned the knob and pulled the door open so hard, I'm surprised he didn't knock himself out.  He left the room with the door open, and went around the inside of the building to where the receptionist's desk was.

"WHO waited on Mrs. Bernhardt!?", he yelled.

He suddenly appeared in the doorway with two girls and drug them into the exam room where I was cowering in the corner from fear.

I wanted my dog, and I wanted to RUN out the nearest exit and never go back!

The two girls stood next to each other across from him as he stared them in the face and asked them WHY I had "FREE" medicine and HOW he was supposed to know that I had paid for it and HOW I was supposed to get the other six vials and WHAT INFORMATION had they put in the computer, and ...................  I was still there -- dogless -- on the other side of the room feeling so sorry for those two girls, I wanted to offer them a job for my company.  Beyond belief!

Somehow, I finally got Jackie and left there.  The darling girl that had helped me at first walked out to the car with me to help me with Jackie.  I had to lift Jackie into the car because she was half asleep still.  On the way home she threw up bright yellow stuff in a pile on the towel in the back seat.  Thank goodness I had the towel there.  The towel AND the bright yellow stuff are on their way to the dump to spend the rest of their lives together!  I called the girl at the Vet's to inquire about her throwing up.  They said it wasn't anything to worry about, so I didn't.

I'll tell you one thing, if it HAD been something to worry about, I would have taken her to a different Vet to find out what to do about it.

So Jackie walked around -- if at all -- like a drunk all last evening.  She was better this morning, and almost back to normal tonight.  I'm so glad she doesn't have to go back for a post-op to that jerk.

Back soon with my latest creations.  WARNING!  I bought another print for capris.  It is BRIGHT and BOLD, and I love it.  I may end up with a lot of pajamas before this Summer is through.

Hugs, Joy

5 comments:

  1. That is very, very unprofessional behaviour.
    I would have fired any vets working for me if they had acted like that.
    try and find a vet who just deals with companion animals and has fully trained and tertiary educated auxillary staff.
    Hugs to you and a pat to Jackie.
    Dogs and cats usually have an ovariohysterectomy because if you don't remove the ovaries they still cycle
    Do you have other vet care options where you live? this website might be useful to you
    http://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/

    Skye

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Skye! I found several AAHA places here near me. I will definitely be moving to another vet. One place has 2 lady Vets. I bet I would like them. Women know how to LISTEN. The place I went to is NOT on the list!
    Are you a Veterinarian?
    Hugs, Joy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes I am. I was in clinical companion animal practice for more than 25 years. Work as a animal health technical role now.

    Skye

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad Jackie (and you) are ok. There must be some type of vet board where you can lodge a complaint. You shouldn't have to put up with a jerk like that. Too bad Jackie didn't urf one up in his office--puke for a puke!

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just a question. Why are they treating her for heart worms and all that stuff? Or is it just the monthly anti flea/tick/heart worm stuff that you rub on the back of her neck?

    ReplyDelete

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Hugs, Joy