Vet Question??

[BellarousasMom]

My vet gives the vac's also with assistance if needed. Giving a vacine in the waiting room? Really? I'm thinking that seemed a little bit unprofessional.

[Teresa Ford]

I am ok with techs giving shots. I give my dogs shots ( I have been taught how and where for each kind of med.) I also give shots to my Mom. And my hubby is a retired Surgery Tech, he closed incisions, started IVs, drew blood, did x-rays, helped with cathars, and dozens of other things. The docs often called him to get a vein when they couldn't When the patient was badly dehydrated. Vet techs can give shots, draw blood, and many other things. Giving the shot is not the problem, what and how much is in the shot, is something I would be very concerned about.
I would first address my worries with the Vet(s) before I changed. You said they were good Vets and that is a good thing. It is hard to lose a doctor you worked with and trusted. One thing about new practices is younger docs bring new ideas, and new technology and that can be a good thing too.

[YorkieMommieof3]

Start looking tommrow for a new vet I alway schedule my guys to see the same vet. The tech in her office only assist the vet with exams. They hold the pet while the DR gives the shots. My vet is great. She gives treats while she gives the shots. She also never gives but 1 vaccine at a time.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

It's perfectly acceptable for techs to vaccinate. They do a lot more serious things than that..like monitoring your pets' anesthesia during surgery.An assistant that has only been on the job for a few weeks...not so much..

Vaccines are never given in the wIting room here. They are always given by a vet or tech. If the tech gives them, the vet isn't far and is asked, "is it ok to give xyz"? I would say that you should just talk to the vets about apthe mixups, but if they are sending assistants to the waiting room to give injections, I'd move on. Assistants can't do exams anyway.

i don't think table vs no table is a huge deal as long as pup is still.
Techs draw blood too. They do fine. Actually some are better at it than vets. Just depends. Remember, techs learned a lot of technical skills in school. Maybe even more extensively than vets...

I dont have a problem with the techs giving the shots either...I dont like the waiting room shots being given....just seems a little unprofessional or like running cattle or sheep thru a dipping tank...just not very personal for the client....we kind of like the feeling of getting personal, undivided attention! As far as techs being qualified to give the injections, I couldn t agree more...they are actually phenominal and they do so much more than just "hold the pets" for the vet. Like nurses with docs, techs are usually better at shots and blood draws than the vets are, because they do it all the time! And they are usually the ones doing the teeth cleaning.... I also agree the table is no big deal for the shot, but it just doesnt "look good" to give shots "out front" and that was a good argument the client could use without being confrontational...Blame it on the table!!!!

[MyTrixie143]

Vet techs are trained to give shots. They have to learn all about types of vaccines, vaccine injection sites, possible side effects, etc. They are quite qualified at giving vaccines or taking blood. I've even seen some vet techs better at it than the vet because they have done it more often. Vet techs are like nurses, they have to learn a lot of stuff which is why surgeries and diagnosing are the only 2 things they can't do.

However, they really shouldn't have given the shot in the waiting room where other dogs are around, that is ridiculous.

As far as the pain, some are better at giving shots than others.

For example, I dread taking Peppi to the vets to get a shot. They always do a horrible job and leave poor Peppi shaking. She has even tried to bite a vet once for it because it hurt and that isn't like her at all.

Well this year I took her to get a shot at a vaccine clinic. We told them how past experiences never went well. Two vet techs did the job this time. They did an amazing job. Peppi didn't even know she got a shot. I was totally shocked in a good way. It was the best shot she ever had and it wasn't done by a vet.

[Britster]

First off, if the vet is still giving yearly shots, I'd be finding a new vet for sure. Yearly shots are not necessary at all. I will only go to a vet that follows AAHA protocols (3 years) *or* is okay with titers, and not even getting all vaccines every 3 years.

I wouldn't mind a tech giving a vaccine, although if memory recalls, I'm pretty certain the vet gave Jackson all of his as a pup and his one year. But getting a shot in the waiting room would be a huuugeee no-no. How unprofessional.

[lovespandp]

I don't see anything wrong with the Tech's giving the shots. In the 2 hospitals I worked at the Tech's did the vaccines.

As Ellie May said- The tech's do far more serious tasks, assist with surgery, taking blood.. etc etc

[Roxi Ree]

Well, Roxi is fine today. I was just really cranky after getting no sleep because of Roxi screaming everytime she moved wrong and we also had storms coming through Wichita. I can deal with the techs giving the shot...I can even deal with the waiting room (there was nobody else in the waiting room at the time and I think they just did it so I wouldn't have to wait for a room as Roxi was only there for a shot.) But I am going to address the issue of not paying attention and almost giving Roxi shots that she has already had for the year (especially since this is the 2nd time it has happened).

Thanks for your comments

[ladyjane]

I would not have a problem with a tech giving my pups their DHPP. My vet does them because that is just her policy, but it really is not a big thing for the techs to do them. I d however, find it out of line to do it in the waiting room.

My guess is that your vet, since they are separating vaccines, opted to do it this way to avoid having you pay another exam fee. (just a guess) My vet splits the shots three weeks apart ... and still sees the pups in her exam room the second time but does not charge an exam fee.

But...if you are uncomfortable, then look for another vet! It is very important to follow our gut feelings.

Someone mentioned the yearly vaccines...that is another issue...ask any vet you use whether they follow the AAHA guidelines for vaccines. Yearly vaccines are not recommended.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by Roxi Ree

Well, Roxi is fine today. I was just really cranky after getting no sleep because of Roxi screaming everytime she moved wrong and we also had storms coming through Wichita. I can deal with the techs giving the shot...I can even deal with the waiting room (there was nobody else in the waiting room at the time and I think they just did it so I wouldn't have to wait for a room as Roxi was only there for a shot.) But I am going to address the issue of not paying attention and almost giving Roxi shots that she has already had for the year (especially since this is the 2nd time it has happened).

Thanks for your comments

I agree...they need to be careful!

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by LunasMomma

OH this makes me feel a little better, thank you! Two weeks ago Luna and Izzy went to the vet for their yearly checkup, rabies shot, and to check out Luna's itchies. They had an appointment this morning for their distemper/parvo vax. The office called me yesterday and said that the vet would be in late (after my appt. time) and they asked if I minded if a tech gave the vax. I said okay and they got them this morning, one tech holding, the other injecting. They did a good job. When I read all the replies here about this, I thought that maybe I had done the wrong thing So glad to hear that this is pretty normal. The vet did a thorough exam two weeks ago, and he did give them their rabies vax then. Whew

As for the waiting room thing, unacceptable imho. If they were that busy maybe they should have rescheduled.

I like a vet onsite for vax just in case of reaction. Who gives it..don't care. Techs give pain injections during surgery anyway. They place IVs, draw blood, do cystos, take xrays, are taught how to suture in school, draw up meds, run the iso/sevo machine, monitor after surgery, run lab work, etc., etc. A vax is the least of my concerns as far as techs are concerned. They have to be very sharp people..and are miserably paid.

[LunasMomma]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I like a vet onsite for vax just in case of reaction. Who gives it..don't care. Techs give pain injections during surgery anyway. They place IVs, draw blood, do cystos, take xrays, are taught how to suture in school, draw up meds, run the iso/sevo machine, monitor after surgery, run lab work, etc., etc. A vax is the least of my concerns as far as techs are concerned. They have to be very sharp people..and are miserably paid.

The other vet was there, there are two. I'm sure the techs don't get paid enough, they're basically like the nurses for us humans. They really run the show

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by LunasMomma

The other vet was there, there are two. I'm sure the techs don't get paid enough, they're basically like the nurses for us humans. They really run the show

Indeed...and give better injections. On both counts!

[YorkieMommieof3]

I am a registered nurse and trust me sometimes we do know more than the Dr lol. I am more cautious with my girls than my kids. My kids will tell the dr or nurse to stop if something hurts but my babies can't do that. How much education do most techs have. I have never seen a corse for it. I would love to know. BTW I am great with shots you would never know I just stabbed you till the bandaid came out lol

[Ellie May]

Techs spend two to two and a half years in school here generally. That includes general education. Then they usually do internships. Then there are two licensing exams here. I remember obe trch saying that they are tough..and with one they can't retake for a year.

They make ten to fifteen ish dollars/hour.