should I be mad at my vet?
 

Ok, so I only want the best for Scooter, and therefore trusted my vet 100% - so far everything they have suggested, I have done for him!
Well we just went in for a check-up and during all the usual questions I let them know that Scooter had diarrhea once that day, but only 1 occurance, no blood or mucus, and no problems going pee or poo.

WELL they sent me home with flagyl and some gastro canned food for him. I'm thinking to myself, diarrhea once and this is what he gets? Nothing else was wrong with him. The meds cost me almost $120. Then they tell me that if he vomits, becomes lethargic, or stops eating to come in the next day. I told them I was leaving town that night and wouldn't be able to make it in, should I hold off on the meds until I'm back in town? No, start tonight anyway. SO I do all of this.
That night I'm an hour and a half away. Scooter vomits 2 times, and refuses any food. He's REALLY lethargic the next morning (though probably from low blood sugar having puked all his food up). I scramble to get some corn syrup into him, and as soon as he's more awake, some actual food.
I call for advice and the receptionist kindly tells me that it says to come in for X-rays. I tell her I can't I'm not in town - and I told the vet the day before that I wouldn't be able to come in. I ask whats wrong, why they think he needs x-rays and I get no response, I have to come in for a consult to find out WHY they say to take x-rays!
Anyways I skip my grandparents 50th aniversary party to go back to the vet.
They say the same thing - they give me the price of the X-rays and refuse to tell my why they are taking them without me paying for a consult. THEN they mention that I'll need to pay for a consult after the x-rays anyway to find out the results! They won't tell me WHY I need x-rays OR what the results are without charging me a consult! I tell them I just want a consult. A different doctor is in, not our regular vet. She says Scooter's fine. I said you almost killed my dog with your meds! He couldn't even lift his head in the morning! She says ... well we can't prove the meds made him puke. Even though Scooter had EVERY symptom the vet mentioned when she suggested the meds!
We go home and later that day Scooter has a regular bowel movement because I stopped giving him those meds - he clearly never needed them.

AURGH I really feel taken advantage of here! First the outragious cost of the meds, then they won't even tell me why he needs x-rays, they just want me to pay for them without any information about what might be wrong with my dog. AND he didn't really need them anyway?
I'm half convinced they gave him the meds just to make him sick and try to suck more money out of me.
Sorry for the long post, I guess I just needed to vent. But really he had diarrhea once and look what happened! I called the vet my mom goes to (he gives advice over the phone without charging a consult fee!) and he said HE would give me my money back in that kind of situation (though he never would have suggested the meds in the first place.) My vet isn't doing anything. Do I have a right to be upset here?

Yes, I would be upset also. You are entitled to an answer as to why x-rays
are needed. Sounds like he only wants additional $. Sorry your pup is sick
and I know the stress this can cause. I would find another vet who would
not act like God and one that would work with me not against me.
Your paying for a service and are entitled to answers without being charged additional for a consultation when you only want to know why the x-rays?
After the x-rays are taken then I could see a consultation in order to discuss them.
Good luck and I hope your little one is feeling better.

I would find another vet. Everytime I have a problem with my babies I personally talk to my vet and he tells me what I need to do and if unsure he'll tell me to come in. I always get in right away and if I fell they're too sick (I'm a worry wart) he'll let me drop them off and then pick them up in a few hours and just charges me a office visit which is like $30.00. Now if something else is done I'll pay for that too. I just had a situation with Gabby's paws and he honestly told me that there wasn't anything different he could do that I could do at home. Told me what I needed to do over the phone which I did and her paw pads were starting to heal by the next day. I also talk to the vet techs and they are very informative too. I don't know what I'm going to do when my vet retires...he's up there in age:(

Unfortunately there are Vets. out there that are finding all kinds of ways to make money and your Vet. sounds like one of them. I hope you change Vets. Consultation visits are not supposed to cost, since it's a follow-up.

I'm just so mad that he clearly was fine, he didn't need meds at all, and that's what made him so sick! It's like they were just trying to suck money out of me any way they could!

I thought vets were supposed to actually CARE about animals!
And don't fear, I'm calling my vet tonight to kindly ask for my money back (though I doubt they'll do anything) and for them to forward Scooter's file to my mom's vet (who also will do as much as possible over the phone - no fees, and also doesn't believe in pumping tiny pups full of meds.) Much farther away, but clearly worth it.

I agree.

I've said it once (I've said it 50 times), but I'm not the biggest fan of Metro (flagyl). Although it can be helpful, it really *can* be very tough on some pets. Also, it can be toxic for some. Read more about Metro.

I'm not saying that's the problem, but it certainly may have been. Did you double check that the dosage was correct on the bottle? I would check that they formulated it correctly. The fact they wouldn't TELL you WHY they wanted to xray your dog is totally bizarre, I can't even digest that one...

It sounds like he is just interested in the $. I would find a new vet

I would be very upset.
Are you saying you paid $120 for Flagyl? Because that is ridiculous.
Ellie took it once and it was about $35.

As for x-rays, what your vet should've done if he/she was really convinced that there was a problem was to give the meds and explain that if this doesn't help we will need to go to xray because...... If xrays were needed I'm guessing Ellie's vet would've charged for a follow-up appt. (because you already had one). This isn't really a recheck but these appts. are for when the treatment isn't working... Then the vet should've talked to you about why the xrays were needed (could've done this over the phone if the dog had already been examined) and then took the xray, walked back into the room and gave you results. This sounds like they really wanted some extra $$$.

One time of diarrhea doesn't constitute the need for meds though unless other symptoms are present. One episode of diarrhea in a pup does constitute a vet visit in my opinion though.

I also would have a bit of an issue with the vet you talked to over the phone though. They can't possibly know what is going on without doing an exam, especially if they have never seen your dog. Vets aren't really supposed to give out much info over the phone if it is about a sick animal...

hmm no sorry, the vet on the phone didn't give me any advice for Scooter - I just asked him some questions because I was concerned about my vets practice, so I explained my situation to him and he said he wouldn't have put Scooter on flagyl for 1 bout of diarrhea and if Scooter got sick and it was his (the vets) fault, he would return all my money immediately. That's just how he does it, if he makes a wrong diagnosis and it damages the animal he doesn't charge for the follow-up and gives you your money back. He cares about his patients more than his pay check.

WOW:eek: I had NO IDEA! and it was the meds that made him so sick. He had every symptom the vet listed and as soon as I took him off, he was back to normal, and his bm's were normal too, not runny at all. The flagyl didn't do anything for Scooter except make him sick. He did not need them. New vet - here I come!

Glad you're changing. When you have a vet that cares more abou $ than about the patients, then it is time to look for one that has his/her priorities straight. I doubt you'll ever regret your decision. Your previous vet should never have given meds on just one bout.

Oh wow! I am so very sorry to hear about your disasterous vet visit. It sounds like this vet certainly DID NOT listen to you when you were explaining about little Scooter's problems. I would be "madder than a wet hornet -' it sounds like your vet got in way too big of a hurry. Instead of trying to find a reason for a "once a day" problem he decided to go "all out" with expensive treatments.

I am so glad that you are changing vets. Hugs to you and Scooter. I hope he is feeling better. :hug:

Thanks Cindy!
Scooter is back to normal, hasn't had diarrhea or anything. He's a healthy little pup again - no thanks to his ex-vet. I've definitely learned my lesson, I really need to ask more questions and not just trust everything the vet says!