4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[CrazyDaizy]

Hia Folks

 

Not sure if I am posting in the right place but..........

 

What makes a good vet?

 

We have been going to our local vet for a few years, yet I dont always feel "right" going there.

 

How do you know when a vet it "good"?

 

And can I just pop along to other vets just to check them out?

[Olly]

An interesting question. For me it's definitely about feeling 'right', as you put it - a vet who is sympathetic, willing to take time to explain things, and who listens to what you say.

 

I have been very lucky, both my current vet practice and the previous one were brilliant. I don't see why you couldn't try a different vet but the best thing might be to ask around, because you really want continuity of care for your pets.

[Redwing]

My local practice has two vets:

 

The soft, mild mannered one who is sympathetic, dapper and has a way with words making you feel confident in him - he treats small animals

 

The brusque, 'state only bare facts and tell it like it is' vet whose all knowing manner makes you feel confdent in him - he treats poultry and livestock as well as small animals

 

The two chaps are very different but what I think I am trying to say is that they both inspire confidence, you just know that they know their stuff inside out and they both handle the animals in a way that makes me feel comfortable and I think thats what makes them both very good

 

The nurses are darn good too, organised, caring and knowledgable

[kitbag]

For me it's someone that clearly cares about their patients and also takes time to explain what they are doing carefully, making sure I understand!

[Valkyrie]

When I took our rabbit to the local vet to be put down (I had visited a few days before and saw the nice lady vet who said there was still hope for her- it went fine for a short while but the bunny deteriorated badly the day I took her back). He said why didn't I get the bunny put down when I came before and that he would inject air into her heart and give her a heart attack - he virtually snarled as he spoke. I was really upset by that and have never gone back there - even though I know the lady vet would never do anything like that. I prefer to go a few miles away to a lovely place where the girls and gentleman are really kind and sympathetic - especially when you are upset over the death of a pet, they comfort everyone at a really horrible time. When another rat was put down they asked if I would like her to be chloroformed first - yes please. Other times they reassure me when all is well and that if there had been anything wrong, I did the right thing. They didn't even charge me for a second visit when I took Apache earlier this year - they could have done because I was prepared to pay for the consultation.

[Space Chick]

Our whole vets practice is fab.

 

One of the partners there went to school with OH and so we trust him completely. He came to do our home visit when Henry was really ill in April. He was also supportive about the chickens.

 

But the whole practice are great, nurses etc.

 

When Henry had to go in for an operation, they knew how worried I was, and called as soon as he came around from the anaesthetic.

 

All in all they are fabulous.

 

In summary, I think a good vet is someone you feel you can trust and that go the extra mile to reassure you as an owner

[Plum]

It's also about customer service.

When I went to my usual vet and my cat was PTS, I held her while it was done and went out the back way because obviously I was very upset and afterwards they sent me a card (with the bill) saying sorry for your loss. At another practice when my chicken was PTS, the vet took her away to do the deed and I had to go to the waiting room and pay in front of a family trying desperately not to show my grief.

The first is a small animal practice in a new build and the second a couple of vets in a tatty old building. I have confidence in both as vets, but the experience was so different. I wouldn't have known that though before experiencing it.

Probably not much help to you choosing one, but I would say personal recommendation is worth consideration.

[Poached]

i have a lovely vet that i go to when my chickens are'nt well and the woman herself has chickens and gets them from the same supplier as me

 

when i had my lovely lily PTS earlier thhis year about a week later a letter came from them in the post and it said how brave i was and how kind i was making this decision for her and i just thought that that was really nice

[Alis girls]

ours always tries to sell you something and he kisses my cats head Gross only i am allowed to do that. No James Herriot he aint, but they all seem a bit like that

[BeckyBoo]

Our vet is lovely, very quietly spoken - he always offers Delilah a treat except they're "healthy" treats so she gently takes one then gently spits it on the floor and looks at him as if to say "Don't fink so!"

The best thing about our vet is....................he lives next door!! So I ply him with eggs and whatever veg glut I have and chutney or jam if I've no glut and he has more than repaid by giving Delilah the "once over" outside my front door as he drove in from work! Didn't charge me or anything!

He's a nice man, and you can tell he cares about the animals and people he treats

 

BeckyBoo

[SarahJo]

A good vet knows when to say the right thing - regardless of financial gain, or who is in the room.

 

One of the younger vets PTS our youngests 1st hen - she had the brain to cotton on when I said "should Pepper stay here the night in a nest, where the vets can keep her warm and comfy" "then if the angels come for her - then we will know" - in other words WE knew she was being PTS but youngest thought she would at least stay the night, and hopefully pull through - it was easier to tell him the angels had come the next day.

 

Our usual dog vet is good. Has a brisk manner and is very strong on his opinions - but equally will let things be left if he thinks they will go - will not dive into surgery uneccessarily. Last year Tori had a growth above her leg - it turned out that it did go away - and instead of whipping it off the vet used discretion and watched.

 

We always have a warm welcome at the vet - which is important in my opinion - at least one of the visitors should be calm on arrival, and thats usually the owners.

[Alis girls]

Some just dont know where to stop. One vet suggested that our bunny who had his broken front paw amputated after a month in a splint and the danger of gangrene setting in that our bunny should try physio. i begged the other vet to back amputaion having surfed web and seen other animals survive happily on 3 legs. Hes not looked back, scampers round the pen after his sister, the only thing he cant do is "mount" her as he slides off The lady vet was lovely when our old bun was PTS and gave me a tissue (with cats and dogs on it) and I burst into sobs. She was lovely.

[Woodcat]

hey

 

Like Olly i go with my instincts and also how happy my animals are. At the practice i go to there are two that do chickens. One of them is very fast pulls the animal around doesn't try to make the chooks happy or comftable and shows no intrest in them beyond getting them in and out as fast as is possible. The chooks come out of that stressed and upset and generally feel iller than when they went in.

 

The other chats to them has a cuddle makes sure they are comftable will give them a treat when his finished and instead of simply shoeing me out as soon as he has delt with the problem i've brought will chat about there general health will always weigh them and generally make me feel that i've got my moneys worth. The chooks also come out of that alot happier and generally not stressed.

 

 

However when i go in with my dogs it's the other way round as the chook man isn't very sure of them and is somtimes a little nervous whereas the guy who i don't like for my chooks is very caring and gentle with them. It's worth having a shop around till you feel totally comftable after all vet visits cost everyone alot of money so they should be as comftable for you and your pet as possible.

 

Beth