20/20 expose on vet care!!

[Lil Sis]

thank you for the link... I fell asleep and did not see it.

I think most vets are great, but I will be honest I have had some bad experiences. One of my friends jokes with me there at the rate I change vets I will run out of new vets to go to ... not funny!!

I had a real run in over Sammy and what to feed him with his kidney disease. After a bad disagreement.. the vet finally admitted to me he made most of his money on the meds he sells. His clinic really pushes vaccines to the point I am really thinking of changing vets... AGAIN. They state a procedure is one price.. but then they guilt you into extra stuff that is not even a good idea to have .. I just don't know what to do anymore.

The vet I was at before would do procedures without getting permission and then charge me an arm and a leg. I would go in for a check up and it would turn into a $400.00 visit.

The vet before that over vaccinated my little shih tuz and she died.. and when she was sick told me to give her a baby aspirin.

The vet before that wanted to keep my pomp in the clinic overnight..they felt like he would "tell" them why he was not feeling well and if I did not leave him over the week end the coast to an er would be at least double. He was fine, I was just a new puppy mommy and was worried for nothing.

so... any recommendation for a good vet in south miami area????? lol

[Lil Sis]

Originally Posted by Lil Sis

thank you for the link... I fell asleep and did not see it.

I think most vets are great, but I will be honest I have had some bad experiences. One of my friends jokes with me there at the rate I change vets I will run out of new vets to go to ... not funny!!

I had a real run in over Sammy and what to feed him with his kidney disease. After a bad disagreement.. the vet finally admitted to me he made most of his money on the meds he sells. His clinic really pushes vaccines to the point I am really thinking of changing vets... AGAIN. They state a procedure is one price.. but then they guilt you into extra stuff that is not even a good idea to have .. I just don't know what to do anymore.

The vet I was at before would do procedures without getting permission and then charge me an arm and a leg. I would go in for a check up and it would turn into a $400.00 visit.

The vet before that over vaccinated my little shih tuz and she died.. and when she was sick told me to give her a baby aspirin.

The vet before that wanted to keep my pomp in the clinic overnight..they felt like he would "tell" them why he was not feeling well and if I did not leave him over the week end the coast to an er would be at least double. He was fine, I was just a new puppy mommy and was worried for nothing.

so... any recommendation for a good vet in south miami area????? lol

ok.. just watched. My vet is pretty good afterall. He does push the shots but I can say no. In miami rabies is the law (once a year) so I have to do that.

Bailey had a bumb.. I wanted it removed and my vet said no need. When I choose to have Bailey's teeth cleaned (he is 5 and in the next year or so I would like to have them checked out) we can do that. He doen't push the teeth cleaning too much. So I feel better now.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by IDPiper

Her sentiment.....

"Thank you 20/20 for attempting to make the veterinary profession look like a bunch of thieves. You failed. What you showed with your hidden camera was that most veterinarians are honest and ethical. We are some of the best and brightest that chose our career not for the status or for the money, but for love of what we do. Better luck next time."

I don't think they were trying to make vets look bad they where just trying to inform people what they need to be careful about.

[gemy]

Actually I do. Why else call it an "expose". I don't believe for one moment the bulk of vets are money grubbing scoundrels. I do how-ever understand when profitability and ethics can be hard to accomadate, one to the other.

I can give a lot of leeway on the information of immunity and the necessity or (not) of yearly vaccines seems not to have penetrated to the veterinary Associations. And the AVMA needs to communicate directly and emphatically with all their DVM's.

How-ever this is the only medical arena (at least in Canada) that I know of that does NOT have mandatory CEU's Continuing Education Credits, as part of keeping their registration valid. THat is of concern to me. All RHPA health professionals in Canada has a mandatory CEU requirement. I have failed to find on our Canadian Association for Vets where this is elaborated, nor have I found it on the AVMA site.

What bothers me the most, is the apparent (to me) in my experience is lack of education and willingness to learn about a "newish" breed to that vet. What bothers is vets that do not know the latest on spay and neuter research, that do not keep up to date on the latest in many areas; rehab, homeopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture.

If vets truly want to be a valuable and knowledgeable partner in the important work of keeping our dogs healthy, then there is no excuse for not continuing to learn all you can.

[IDPiper]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I don't think they were trying to make vets look bad they where just trying to inform people what they need to be careful about.

I disagree. When you go undercover you're not informing people about what they need to be careful about. They were trying to expose vet's for ordering unnecessary things. IMO that is trying to make them look bad.

[IDPiper]

Originally Posted by gemy

Actually I do. Why else call it an "expose". I don't believe for one moment the bulk of vets are money grubbing scoundrels. I do how-ever understand when profitability and ethics can be hard to accomadate, one to the other.

I can give a lot of leeway on the information of immunity and the necessity or (not) of yearly vaccines seems not to have penetrated to the veterinary Associations. And the AVMA needs to communicate directly and emphatically with all their DVM's.

How-ever this is the only medical arena (at least in Canada) that I know of that does NOT have mandatory CEU's Continuing Education Credits, as part of keeping their registration valid. THat is of concern to me. All RHPA health professionals in Canada has a mandatory CEU requirement. I have failed to find on our Canadian Association for Vets where this is elaborated, nor have I found it on the AVMA site.

What bothers me the most, is the apparent (to me) in my experience is lack of education and willingness to learn about a "newish" breed to that vet. What bothers is vets that do not know the latest on spay and neuter research, that do not keep up to date on the latest in many areas; rehab, homeopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture.

If vets truly want to be a valuable and knowledgeable partner in the important work of keeping our dogs healthy, then there is no excuse for not continuing to learn all you can.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by IDPiper

I disagree. When you go undercover you're not informing people about what they need to be careful about. They were trying to expose vet's for ordering unnecessary things. IMO that is trying to make them look bad.

But only a few wanted to do unnecessary things....... To each there own. I'm just trying to look at the positive side of it and I am glad that this pointed things out for pet owners to look out for.

[IDPiper]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

But only a few wanted to do unnecessary things....... To each there own. I'm just trying to look at the positive side of it and I am glad that this pointed things out for pet owners to look out for.

Sorry, you wanted to know why she was mad and I told.

[ladyjane]

I simply don't believe that most vets are looking to rip people off. I know a lot think that because they don't like to spend money on diagnostics and all...but vets need those tests to come to a diagnosis. No, they are not cheap, but no medical care is whether for animals or humans.

This is that vet who brought this issue to 20/20. Note that he has written a book. I would like to know what the dispute was:

Andrew Jones worked as a veterinarian for 17 years. He left the industry after a dispute with his medical board over marketing issues, and wrote a book called, "Veterinary Secrets: Revealed."

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I simply don't believe that most vets are looking to rip people off. I know a lot think that because they don't like to spend money on diagnostics and all...but vets need those tests to come to a diagnosis. No, they are not cheap, but no medical care is whether for animals or humans.

This is that vet who brought this issue to 20/20. Note that he has written a book. I would like to know what the dispute was:

Andrew Jones worked as a veterinarian for 17 years. He left the industry after a dispute with his medical board over marketing issues, and wrote a book called, "Veterinary Secrets: Revealed."

I ditto that.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by IDPiper

Sorry, you wanted to know why she was mad and I told.

You would think though if she was a vet because she loved animals that she would be happy the public is being informed.

[gemy]

Here is the link about a similar story in Canada the link takes you to the thread and within the first is the link to the CBC video and article on same.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...reporting.html

Some interesting facts from that article - this is all with in Canada

There are 1.9 vets per 1000 dogs in Canada as compared to 1 MD for 1000 humans. A rough and quick financial outlook for a general vet would be - there going in market is 500 dogs per one vet. Roughly an office visit is $45 dollars that is just on regular wellness exams $45x500=$22,500. Not much to come up to a low annual income of $45,000. Now of course regionally numbers will differ, I believe the proportion of the dog population is not evenly dispersed throughout Canada, nor for that matter are the vets!

6 out of 10 vets recommended or wanted to give a booster shot, even though there were clearly told by the owner that the dog was up to date on shots. THat is way too high a %.

This is not good news for the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. THis is not even getting into the fact that the CVMA does not support the AVMA recommendations on immunization.

[veggienut]

I saw the TV show on this and was a bit shocked. I'm glad I have a good Vet who cares about ALL pets and treat them as if they are their own. They have 1,000s of patients and people come from out of state to get their pet the best care for their pet~!

[ladyjane]

I personally felt that it was a bit misleading. Most dogs do need dentals at some time or other, especially the small breeds. They really played up the anesthesia risk and honestly in this day and age, the risk is not like it used to be. Sure, there is a risk, but when you weigh the likelyhood of a pup becoming ill from the bacteria from periodontal disease against the risk of anesthetic death, hands down the risk of illness is likely while death is unlikely. There are so many people who let their pups get sick due to their fear of anesthesia and then a vet gets on there and plays into it. He had business, in my opinion, to be a bit more informative about what kind of risk there really is.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I personally felt that it was a bit misleading. Most dogs do need dentals at some time or other, especially the small breeds. They really played up the anesthesia risk and honestly in this day and age, the risk is not like it used to be. Sure, there is a risk, but when you weigh the likelyhood of a pup becoming ill from the bacteria from periodontal disease against the risk of anesthetic death, hands down the risk of illness is likely while death is unlikely. There are so many people who let their pups get sick due to their fear of anesthesia and then a vet gets on there and plays into it. He had business, in my opinion, to be a bit more informative about what kind of risk there really is.

Definitely state your facts and the research that supports those facts. I probably agree that the risk given new procedures and alternative meds being available in general dogs do okay under anaesthesia. How-ever I have not yet seen a specific study that elaborates if "senior" dogs are at a much higher risk and how much higher the risk is for different scenearios.

Well Linda there are many breeds for example sighthounds that are at high risk from any anaesthesia. Anaesthesia risk overall needs to be assessed against the breed of dog, and for certain the age of the dog, and of course the complicating health factors of a particular dog.

A fully informed disclosure, would state the "reasons" why this dog needs a dental, the risks of this surgery for this dog, and a justification as to why the benefits outweigh the risks. That is a fully disclosed consent to treat in my opinion.