Is this issue big enough to switch vets over?
 

Hi everyone,

Had a bit of a scary day when my boy Rocky started vomitting blood this morning at 11:30. I immediately called his dogter who said they'd book him in for 2:30 - I asked if that wasn't too long ... the receptionist said if he was moving around he'd be OK.

Well, this is my BOY, he's like a child to me so I wasn't waiting with blood in his vomit and called another vet some friends of ours use and recommend. They got me in for 12:20. When I called to cancel the 2:30 appointment the receptionist said at that point that she could have gotten me in right away. I said no need as I already had another appointment. This same receptionist just called me back to apologize and say she didn't know I wanted to get him in right away. I mentioned to her that I asked her specifically if 2:30 wasn't too long of a wait and she apologized again for the miscommunication.

(Rocky seems to possibly have acute gastritis - infected stomach and got some medicine and special food but his tail started wagging again a few minutes ago so I am optomistic.)

My question is - is that enough to switch vets over or am I being petty? No issues with the vet that couldn't get me in right away, but I only chose that vet in the first place because they could get me in right away at an earlier crisis point. This new vet has really long and flexible hours so it may be a better fit.

Any comments/opinions?

Thanks so much,

I think this may depend on how you feel about the actual doctor! :confused:
Long hours is good, making room in the schedule is good (and they have both done that):rolleyes:

What does your gut say to you about the treatment of the animal? That's what matters most! :animal-pa

I'd say no, it's not enough to switch over unless you really didn't find anything special about the first vet. If the two vets are the same as far as you're concerned, then I guess I'd go with the one who has better hours. However, since this was a receptionist and a lot of them don't know a thing about vet med, I'd stay if you like the vet. Some techs, assistants, and receptionists are great and some...aren't. I'm to the point where I have found an amazing vet and the support staff does not make a bit of difference to me (although they happen to be fine in our case). You can just override them by asking them to page the vet. And if a tech was doing something I didn't like, I'd just ask Ellie's vet to do it instead... So to me anyway, it's all about the vet. Now if she wasn't in that day...then we might be in trouble...

Thanks for your comments!

The first vet is OK, nothing that special about him ... made me unhappy when River got her final set of puppy shots by giving her rabies too --- I thought they shouldn't be given all at the same time so I was not impressed with that and it got me thinking.

I agree that support staff is not as important, but it's a plus. This second vet I saw today seemed good too so I am not sure. Plus they have modern microchip technology (had to redo my boy today while I was there as he was given the old type of microchip that can only be read in North America, not Internationally) and modern screens in the exam rooms and he showed me the XRays on the screen and went through them with me. I liked that.

Maybe you should try to talk to the actual (old) vet to see what he/she says about what happened. Not to try to get the support staff in trouble, but if I were the vet, I would be pretty livid at how the situation was handled. I find it hard to believe that a support staffer could have the knowledge via the phone to determine whether or not your puppy would be ok until 2:30.

Thank goodness you got him into another vet, glad to hear he is doing better! :)

If you like the vet then I don't think I'd switch but I would certainly tell the vet about the receptionist and the confusion about when you could come in.

I guess my opinion is different than the others~I would switch and not look back. Your little guy was THROWING UP BLOOD and the staff said you could wait. I know someone who's pup has gastritis and by the time she got her pup in to see the vet it was $2,000 and 3 nights in the hospital. :eek:

My vet and staff are all pretty wonderful but it did take me a few bad eggs to finally get there. :)

I am picky about this, but I want a vet that will see us immediately if I feel the situation is an emergency. In my opinion, vomiting blood is an emergency and they should have had you come in immediately. Things can go downhill very quickly with our little ones.

You're going to have to go with your gut instinct here and go with the vet that you will feel will give the best care to your furbaby.

I'm glad his tail is wagging and he is feeling better.

My personal opinion (in no way, shape, or form am I trying to say that everyone else must think this way) is that the receptionist is just a dingbat. I can't remember, but if you didn't say that you needed an emergent appointment, you may do that in the future; let them know that this is an emergency. I definitely would have either pushed harder for a right away appointment, or I would have called another vet - throwing up blood shouldn't be taken lightly, and the receptionist really should know better! If you still feel comfortable with your vet, I wouldn't say to switch right away...unless you feel the switch is necessary because of the longer hours and stuff. I wouldn't read too much into the miscommunication. Was your baby ok? I sure hope so! Wishing him a speedy recovery!

This is how I would answer your question. I would google blood in vomit. I would research how serious this is and if it requires immediate attention. If you find out that a vet should really say "oh please come down to see us ASAP" then scrap that vet because they should have known that and you shouldn't have to search the net for the answers. But if you find all sorts if info and possible causes and it is usually not life threatening, then assume the vet new this and that is why they were not alarmed.

I know that with humans, red blood in vomit is not a cause for serious alarm, though should be checked out, however black blood(or old blood, will look like coffee) in vomit is a trip to emerg ASAP. For a pooch I would assume something similar.

Thanks everyone. First thing I did when I saw the red clots of vomit in Rocky's blood was google it. Google said that blood in vomit can sometimes be fatal so it is always a case to go to the vet immediately.

I was also being unfair when I called the lady a receptionist - she's been a vet tech or similar - gives advice over phone etc. - for many years. I think they were busy and her personality is that she is a fanatic for appointments. I have come in without an appointment for general questions or something and this lady has a big attitude as she says we really should have had an appointment. I think it's a personal quirk of hers and this time it got her into a bit of hot water as the vet may lose a client who is super preventitive and willing to pay for the best care for her dogs ... lots of money.

I think I may switch, my puppy needs spay surgery and this place has better hours for that and a bit of a better price too.

Well, me being OCD, I would switch vets. I had issues with Maddy's first vet. She was not compassionate (did not pet Maddy or coax her when she was getting treated) and that really bothered me. Of course, it was not a urgent medical treatment, but it made me wonder if something serious DID happen, would she be lax and not be quick enough?

That concern alone, made me switch.

Based on the above comments, I would def change. I would talk to the vet to let him/her know why. The vet tech should probably read her job describtion again...she is not a vet.

I feel exactly the same way.

I would switch. The old me would have been annoyed but stayed. The new me cuts the cord immediately. I am on my 4th vet in 10 years and I finally made my last stop. I wish I had changed vets long before.

I'd say to go with your gut. If the other vet has better prices and hours for your convenience, then I'd go ahead and switch. I switched vets when Sasha was only 6 or 7 months old. I had an issue with trying to get her spayed. The vet kept telling me that her temperature was too high even after I kept explaining to him that she gets worked up in the car. He put her on meds for 1 or 2 weeks and told me to come back for a follow-up (by now she went into her first heat so I had to wait even longer). When I came back, I didn't even she the actual vet. The receptionist took her temperature, said it was still high and wanted to put her on more meds. Then another receptionist thought she was going into heat even though she had just came out of it a month earlier and then thought she was having a false pregnancy. Needless to say, I never went back, went to a different vet that same week and they told me she was good to go to be spayed, no issues with her temperature at all and I've been at that vet ever since. Their prices are wonderful, the staff is wonderful and their hours are wonderful.

Hey Reinell,

Sorry to hear about Rocky!
How is Rocky feeling? I hope he is doing better!

I take Bailey to Southglen Veterinary Hospital to see Dr. Sra. I am very happy that I found this vet, and if you are going to switch vets I'd definitely recommend taking your Rocky there for an appointment to check them out and see what you think.

In my experience, everyone who works there are very nice. They call back to check on how things are going, and one time Dr. Sra called me back to check on Bailey himself. Dr. Sra is very thorough, he would discuss x-rays, blood tests etc. in detail.

This clinic is now open 7 days a week until midnight every day. You can get in there right away, and they don't seem to charge extra for emergencies. I've never had any issues with scheduling appointments with them, usually the response is you can bring him in right away.

They are priced pretty much the same as the other vet I was using previously, I think it's average. I find it very reassuring to have a good vet that is open every day till midnight just in case something was to go wrong. If you decide to check them out, ask for an appointment with Dr. Sra specifically, because this is the doctor that Bailey has been seeing there.

I think that you should find a vet clinic that you would be 100% happy with and who is always open. There are few other vets that have good reviews in Winnipeg. You should go to Find Veterinarians - Veterinarian Reviews and Ratings - VetRatingz.com to check them out. Also you will probably find your current vet rated there, so you can read what other people have to say about him/her.

I dont think any issue is too small to change vets over, because if you dont feel comfortable with them and know that in an emergency you can get your pet in, then it simply isnt the right place for you. It sounds like you werent super pleased with this place to begin with and that you like the new place better and feel more comfortable there, so really there is no reason you should not be where you are more comfortable.

I changed vets recently over a bunch of really small issues, none of them were very serious but put together they just made me not that confident in the care my pet was getting. I was able to find a new place where I felt like my pets HEALTH was the most important thing and thats what is really important to me.

Thanks so much! :) Funny thing is - Dr. Sra is the doctor we took Rocky too now (he's the 2nd vet) and I was pleased with how he handled things. It's nice to know you like him so much, he's been recommended by two others to me from our dog group. Rocky is feeling better thank you! :) Today River doesn't seem to want to eat so we'll see what's going on with her now. Thanks for the website - my current (old?) vet wasn't reviewed but it's a great tool!

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think it's nice to hear that others have switched for various reasons, not always super-serious. I think we will likely end up switching to this new vet, but will let the other one know.

Anything to me that my vet does that I am unhappy enough is enough for ME to look for another vet.
I want a vet I like and trust. I do not want to have to second guess my vet.
In my humble opinion.