I am officially hereby declaring today as “Thank Your Veterinarian Day”. Here’s why:
It’s not because a bevy of dedicated veterinarians saved Willie and will continue to partner with me to keep him healthy, although that’s a great reason.
It’s not because my animal’s primary veterinarians (more on them soon) are not just committed professionals but have all become good friends. Another good reason.
And it’s not because all of them never hesitate to move heaven and earth to be there for us if there is a crisis. Good reason number three.
What actually motivated this post was a talk I had with one of our dog’s primary vets, Dr. John Dally, about what it is like to be a veterinarian in 2018.
It’s not easy. For one thing the expectations of many animal owners are over the moon. I suspect that is true of any aspect of medicine now. Just recently I was dumbstruck that a dear friend, in horrific agony over a shattered and dislocated ankle, not only couldn’t be given any pain killers by the EMTs on the way to the hospital (not all EMTs are qualified to administer pain medication), but that the doctors had to reset her ankle without pain medication in order to avoid her losing the use of it later on. (Long story, but I’m assured it was medically the right decision.)
Whaaa…? In medically progressive Madison, WI in 2018, someone had to suffer like that? Western medicine has its faults and its critics (I am sometimes one) but it can accomplish so much now, especially in terms of acute injuries, that our expectations can be crazy high. This is just as true in veterinary medicine. I remember sitting with Willie in the Veterinary Emergency Service, desperate for the vets there to figure out what was wrong with Willie. I don’t think (I hope I hope) that I was ever over bearing or obnoxious, but I am well aware I felt like time had stopped. And yet they kept Willie alive and it only took a little over a day to figure out what was wrong. It really wasn’t that long at all, but it felt like eternity to me.
Veterinarians also suffer from a two-sided punch that human doctors rarely have to deal with. Along with pet owners who would do anything for their animals, they see people who simply aren’t willing to spend $50, $100 or more to save an animal from suffering. Yes, as in all medicine, some clients simply don’t have the money, and that’s hard enough to deal with, but vets tell me how common it is for them to work with clients who bring in an animal who could be saved, and tell them “to put it down.” That’s a lovely euphemism for “kill”.
Speaking of killing, vets have to do that a lot, often when a much-loved animal can no longer be saved and deserves to be relieved of its suffering. In this case, everyone knows it is a kind and benevolent act, but it still involves tremendous emotional pain for the clients, and often for the vet him or herself.
I’ve known a lot of veterinarians, dozens of them, and with one exception, every one went into animal medicine because they loved animals and wanted to help them. And yet, one of their jobs is to euthanize beloved animals and be there for grieving clients. How many times have I joked with Dr. John Dally that he simply is not allowed to tell me that Willie or Maggie or Tootsie has a fatal disease? We laugh. Ha ha. And yet I know he carries the knowledge that someday he will have to, and I will dissolve right in front of him, and his own heart will break a little bit too.
All of that is a lot to carry on one’s shoulders. Is this why the suicide rate for veterinarians is four to six times that of the general population? It’s a problem, a serious one. Even the Center for Disease Control has taken steps to do more research on this phenomenon. You can find a plethora of articles that speculate about why so many veterinarians are struggling–the journal VMD adds in the problem that so many clients want procedures done for free when their vets simply can’t afford to do so. I’m well familiar with that, having seen clients for 25 years as a way to make my living, and hearing far too often “But I thought you loved animals? If you did you wouldn’t charge us anything.” It’s soul killing, honestly.
And thus… my version of the official Thank Your Veterinarian Day. It turns out that there is a “Veterinarian Appreciation Day” already, June 18th, but the organization that started it won’t let me copy its link into this post so that you can see for yourself. (Alrighty then.)
Here’s what I’m going to do as soon as I click “Publish”. Send flowers to my three primary veterinarians and their clinic staff (who never get the attention they deserve in my opinion). Send $ to a clinic for a clinic to use for a client who can’t afford to pay.
Here’s what I’m hoping you’ll do: Write in with stories and thank you’s and gratitudes about what your vet has done for you. If you are a veterinarian, tell us what else we can do to help you. If you are in a position to, send flowers. Or send a thank you card. Who cares what it is written on–it doesn’t have to cost anything more than a stamp. (Personally, I don’t think email counts, although some of the eCards are more than delightful.) Pick up the phone and call. Send a bit of money for a client who wants to help an animal but can’t afford to. Do a loving kindness meditation for all the vets you know. And if you are slammed right now and overwhelmed, as many of us often are, just take a breath and thank the universe for the veterinary profession.
The vets and clinics I want to honor are )(1) Dr. John Dally, and Vet Techs Ruth and Vicki and all at the Spring Green Animal Hospital. (You’ve gotta love that the photo on his website includes me and Tulip. Hey, John, what goes around comes around!). John has been by my side for over twenty years, and I honestly don’t know what I would do without him.
(2) Dr. Carrie Donahue is at Full Circle Vet and specializes in holistic veterinary medicine in Madison, WI. Carrie is the one who came to Veterinary Emergency Service to give Willie acupuncture before and after his surgery. She is helping me with diet and supplements for Willie as a cancer survivor and is a vital addition to the team.
(3) Well, heck, no photo can be found of our sheep vet, Dr. Jeffrey Kunert at the Mt. Horeb Animal Hospital, so I’ve substituted some sheep. But Jim and I couldn’t manage without him helping to take care of our flock. Right now Lady Godiva, my pet ewe and best lamb producer (of course), has a nasty bacterial infection, and right before she lambs too. Dr. Jeff knows sheep as well as anyone and is as good as any vet in the state. Dr. Jeff: Do not retire. Please please please.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm. After the warm glow I hope I’ve left you with in the post above, please forgive my abrupt turn into an all out whinge (Scottish for whine, best word ever) about the weather. Yeah, it often snows in April but it’s not usually 12 freaking degrees outside in the morning with high’s in the twenties. Everyone I know is sick to death of the cold. This weather this winter has been ridiculous–warm in January, then brutally cold, then unseasonably warm, then dangerously icy and cold. It’s as if the weather gods have been flailing their arms around as if drunk. Please someone sober them up.
Okay.. (she said grudgingly), snow can be pretty.
Here’s a tiny iris last week:
Here it is this morning:
Sigh.
Now, I’m off to send some flowers. What a great way to start my week!
Minnesota Mary says
Lovely post. Made me have even more empathy for my vet and her staff. Last year, end of February, my beloved Hazel collapsed on a Sunday morning. The emergency vet loaded her up with pain meds and antibiotics and strongly urged me to see my regular vet ASAP. Regular vet squeezed me in after work on Monday. Hazel was a favorite of theirs and they always “threatened” to keep her every time I brought her in. She had such a sunny disposition!
When I mentioned that Hazel’s belly seemed full even though she had refused food for over a day, Doc asked if she could try to withdraw fluid from Hazel’s belly. When she drew blood, she gave me a look of such sadness and empathy (which I didn’t completely understand at the time). She bumped a couple of surgical patients for the following day to open Hazel up and see what was going on, in hopes of being able to extend her life. It wasn’t meant to be. Hemangio sarcoma had completely enveloped all her internal organs and was causing the internal bleeding. No way to suture the bleeders as they crumpled upon touch. She sewed my sweet girl up and called me. I rushed from work, lay on the floor and held her while she was humanely euthanized. She wouldn’t have made it home. What anguish for both me and for my vet. She was as kind and supportive as anyone could be.
The vet and her entire staff takes such great care of my dogs at every visit. They listen to my concerns and do everything they can to support me and my beloved furry family.
I love my vet and her staff. More often than not, I bring healthy snacks for them when I bring my dogs in. They appreciate it, but after reading this, I’m inclined to buy a smaller snack and donate the balance of what I would have spent to a client who can’t afford to pay fund. And I am planning to send them a thank-you card!
Trisha says
Oh MN Mary, what a story. I’m so sorry about Hazel. Years ago I lost two dogs to hemangio, and it is just evil. Both dogs died within days of their diagnosis. I’m sure your vet and clinic staff appreciate you too more than they can say. Dr. Dally told me in one of our talks about how much they appreciated clients like us. I’m sure your vet clinic feels the same way.
Gwyn says
The practice that is my primary vet has two doctors who have been exceedingly kind to my pup and I. Several years ago, my dog suffered from a twisted stomach while at the boarding kennel. They took her to (not my primary) vet, who performed surgery, including a pexy, and that was that. Six months later, her stomach twisted *again*, around the pexy. I delayed too long taking her in because I thought I was just being paranoid. When I did take her to the vet, he pulled a marathon 6-hour surgery, during which (according to my layperson understanding) he basically reconstructed her digestive system out of scraps and string.
During that surgery and the recovery process, the vet’s office was so kind, and really treated me like a partner in my dog’s care. They made sure I knew what was going on, they went out of their way to make the daily transition between their office and the overnight E-Vet as smooth as possible, and generally were awesome people.
Beyond that, despite that potentially traumatic experience, my girl still loves going to the vet!
Then a few months ago, my girl got sick again. She just was really lethargic, wouldn’t stand up unless she HAD to, so off to the vet I went. They did some tests, weren’t sure what was up… the vet then said she wanted to do another set of tests, but we were getting into expensive territory — $1,000 for the next set. I told her to go for it, as I had a fund set aside for my dog needing expensive medical care. She was visibly relieved, and after more tests and some serious research on the vet’s part, my pup was diagnosed with Addison’s disease (which is another $200/month in medication, which to my undying gratitude the rescue I adopted her from is covering).
I also have a good relationship with the folks at the local E-Vet, because if there is one thing I have learned, it’s that waiting just makes things more expensive and harder to treat. I’d rather spend $100 at the E-Vet and find out it’s nothing than wait too long and have another incident like the serious surgery. They have commented that it is a relief in their day to have a dog come in who is not actively dying, and an owner who isn’t expecting them to fix everything for free.
There is a local business who delivers fresh-baked cookies. I should send my vet some warm cookies.
HFR says
The most wonderful compliment I ever received in my entire life was when my vet told me I was one of his top five clients who took the best care of their dogs. Wow. That must have been 20 years ago and I still can play the whole interaction in my head like it was yesterday. But enough about me. 🙂
To me, vets are movie stars, royalty, rock stars. Imagine, loving animals as much as they have to in order to pursue a career that took years and years of schooling and hard work (and money) knowing how much sorrow they would have to see in their lifetime. I love medicine and I love animals and people have often said to me “You should have been a vet.” Besides the fact that I’m nearly smart enough, I could never have done what they do. I don’t particularly like people for one, but I don’t know that I would ever be able to put a dog down that I thought had a chance to survive.
Most of us in this community are coveted clients for vets. Even if we aren’t rich, money is no object for the most part when it comes to our dogs. We are educated about our dogs and we are amateur students of animal behavior. There are plenty of lousy vets out there, I’m sure, but for some reason I’ve been lucky enough not to have ever met one.
It pains me to think they have such a high suicide rate, but it also pains me to think that I’m not surprised.
HFR says
Uh-oh. “I’m NOT nearly smart enough…”
jen says
Thank you for this post! And to add to all of the other stresses, the pet insurance industry and the big chain clinics are making life even more difficult for small veterinary practices. They are also caught between clients and the insane price jumps of veterinary pharmaceuticals. I’m making a card of photos of my animals to send to my clinic today. I have done that as a thank-you at the ends of my animals’ lives, but they deserve support and acknowledgement during the daily slog, as well!
LisaW says
Oh, I have loved all our vets over the years. Our first vet was an old-school country vet who had a clinic attached to his house. The stories he could tell. The vet and the house are long gone.
Our next vet was a short, stocky, crew-cut, ex-marine (rumor had it he had a pistol strapped to his ankle, I never asked). But he would get on the floor and talk baby talk and squeal and caress and was the best diagnostician I ever saw. When our dog, Sadie (she was our million dollar dog at a time when we barely had two nickels to rub together), died from osteosarcoma after having her hind leg amputated and having a good many more months of camping, swimming, exploring, he sent in a donation to Cornell Veterinary School in her honor. He was gruff with people but so good with animals.
Our next vet had her own practice doing house calls. We became good friends and helped each other out aside from the vet/client relationship. She did an emergency surgery on Grace’s hematoma ear on our kitchen floor that literally saved her ear. (Phoebe and I watched from the other room!) When Olive was diagnosed with a torn CCL, I had to look outside of her expertise to get the holistic care and rehab I felt we needed. It was such a hard decision. It was like breaking up with someone not knowing if it was the best or worse decision you ever made. But, I had to do what seemed right and what was more in line with the dog in front of us. We found an amazing integrative vet who is the perfect vet for Olive. She goes slow, she knows about animal behavior, she looks at the whole dog and is instrumental in both our DWI’s (dogs with issues) health and wellbeing.
We now are facing another possible switch. We moved a little farther away from her already far-away clinic than might be practical if we had an emergency, and even though our vet’s practice allows for house calls, the cost of the house call alone has increased dramatically. We now live less than a mile away from a very good animal hospital and rehab clinic. But, change is hard when it comes to who we trust with the dogs. Not sure what we’ll do. For now, we drive very far or pay for her to come to us (I am so lucky to have that choice in terms of our vet and our ability to pay).
Regardless of who was our vet at the time, they all have come to the house to put down our dogs when the time came. I will always be grateful for their care and their compassion and their presence right to the end.
I do send our vet an annual, hand-made card with our gratitude. I’ll see if they have a way to donate to or set up a there-but-for-the-grace-of-dog fund.
Diane says
What a fine line vets need to balance daily between human needs and demands, and the care for so many species. It’s amazing to me. I know I could never be a vet. We lost our wonderful dog the end of last year. I am ever so grateful that a kind and understanding vet helped us all through that painful time. Truly dedicated and amazing people.
Rebecca Rice says
I wonder if it is easier on vets if they are the one that euthanized a pet that has been a long-term client, or if it’s better if the pet is put down by someone else? I have had to euthanize 4 pets (1 cat with a liver tumor , 2 greyhounds with cancer, and one cat that just got old). The only one euthanized by our primary vet was the cat that got old. The two dogs were euthanized by specialists that I was referred to (one was an oncologist, the other an emergency surgeon). And the cat with the liver tumor was euthanized by an at-home service. I don’t know if that is easier for the vet, since they don’t have to euthanize an animal that they may be attached to. Or if it’s harder hearing about it afterwards, and wondering if they could have saved them if they were there? I know how much dealing with my pets’ passing emotionally devastated me. I can’t imagine being a vet and having to deal with that with all your clients, potentially multiple times in a week or day.
Mary Beth Stevens says
Vet love, we’ve got it here in this house for sure! Four months after adoption, our Tippy tested positive for heartworm (after being inadequately treated for it down south, pre-adoption.) The rescue stepped up and volunteered to pay for treatment with the only caveat being that we had to use their vet. Their vet is a fine veterinary practise, but it is 30 minutes away vs. a 10 minute trip to our vet, and well, it isn’t OUR vet office, where we know everyone and everyone knows us. I gave our vet a head’s up call just so he’d know what was going on. His response? “Let me call them.” I said no, no need, we’ll be fine, you’re too busy, blah, blah, blah, all the while secretly hoping that something positive would happen. It did. He called, then called again, and then called ME to let me know that he offered to do the treatment for the same discounted rate offered by the rescue’s vet, and they agreed. It meant the world to us. There is no taking away the fact that our poor dog had to go through heartworm treatment, but knowing that our parner in this was going to be the guy that I’ve probably cried in front of more frequently than any other human being with the exception of my husband made it infinitely more palatable. Blake Liebert, Muddy Creek Animal Care Center – you are the man! And the idea of making a donation to a veterinary practice’s client emergency fund is awesome. Consider it done!
Bruce says
I am particularly grateful to the veterinarian who stitched up our Jack Russell mix after he was picked up and shaken (while on leash) by a neighbor’s German Shepherd. That veterinarian was an excellent surgeon.
Also very grateful to the vets who provided discount surgery to remove a 2-pound tumor from our Labrador at a time when money was tight. The Lab survived another three mostly-healthy years afterwards.
I love our current veterinarian. When he first met our nervous Sammy he immediately got down on the floor and started shoving treats in her mouth, which was perfect.
While we are giving props to veterinarians we should also appreciate the veterinary technicians who do so much to put our dogs at ease while drawing blood, giving shots, and sticking thermometers in uncomfortable places.
Lisa says
This is particularly timely today…more on that later. When I got my first dog, I had never met a veterinarian in my life, and chose to go to the one closest to my home. He was probably a good doctor, but he was incredibly unsentimental about animals. I never once saw him pet or show any sort of empathy with my Sugar. My husband was convinced he didn’t even like animals. So I thought that’s how vets were. It wasn’t until we went to an ER and I first saw a vet pet and sympathetically caress my dog (and we changed regular vets), and I realized that the first guy was the exception.
More recently, with our Zoey, our old-school, small-town kind vet, Dr. Breslin, sent us to Tufts Veterinary ER when he didn’t have the tools to do further testing. It was sarcoma, and every person we met at Tufts was incredibly sympathetic, patient and caring. What we found most impressive and helpful was that the oncology doc at Tufts and our local vet so beautifully (long distance) coordinated Zoey’s care during the 3-month treatment period. We really felt like we had a community getting Zoey and us through it. The last time we saw our guy was when he euthanized her. Of course, we sent all of Zoey’s caregivers profuse thank yous.
But here’s some happy news. We adopted a rescue just last week, and we are bringing her in to meet Dr. Breslin this afternoon! I don’t know how much longer Dr. B. will continue practicing — he’s semi retired already — but I’m glad he’s still around so we can start the cycle again.
KATIE ROONEY says
Just found http://www.WorldVet.com (World Veterinary Association) which has declared April 28, 2018 WORD VETERINARY DAY. I am supporting Trish’s VETERINARIAN DAY as of the publication on April 9th. I’m going to fudge date for my local veterinarian so that our small Humane Society she supports can get a presentation together to present to her and her staff.
Mary says
A few years ago my GSD/Lab mix, Kita, developed cancer in her left front leg. We decided that even though she was 11 yrs old, she was healthy enough to deal with an amputation. Kita had severe separation anxiety that was only partially resolved. Through years of work, she was able to wait for me in the car, and in the living room with the TV on for short periods while I was outside. However, the one time she’d had to stay overnight at the vet’s, she’d broken teeth trying to break out of the crate. That was when she was a youngster.
Now, with a new vet, I explained to Dr. W that I’d have to take her home that day. He was reluctant, but allowed me to come in to try to get her shortly before they closed. Kita was so “out of it” that I wouldn’t be able to get her in the car (she weighed 90 lbs) and Dr. W thought she would still be under the influence of the drugs for most of the night. So, reluctantly, I agreed to leave her.
Well, Dr. W was worried enough that he went back to check on her around 9pm. He found her still drugged up but trying to chew out of the crate. So, he called me to come get her and because I couldn’t handle her on my own, helped me get her in the car. In addition, he followed me home to help get her in the house. That is way beyond the call of duty!
Regina R. Allen DVM says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! As a Veterinarian who graduated in 2001, I can probably count on my set of fingers and toes those clients who honestly thanked us after we put a ton of work and energy into a difficult case. It’s such a difficult and emotionally draining job that I actually left private practice after 6 years, and now I’m a professor teaching future Veterinary Assistants and Technicians. I can assure you that the statistics on suicide in the Veterinary field are accurate – I lost two of my classmates to suicide, and several in classes of other years at my school are gone also. Plus, we’ve heard of the suicide of beloved Sophia Yin. I know that we don’t get everything right all the time. Some of us may seem rushed to get through your appointment, but we have a ton of pressure on us to get an enormous number of procedures and appointments done in a day, usually on very little sleep. We try, honestly. But like Patricia said, we lose a little bit of ourselves every time we have to euthanize an animal that could be saved. The worst is when people have the money and simply refuse to spend it, because “it’s just a cat/dog that I got for the kids and I don’t really care about it.” The emotional drain is unbelievable. So I really, really appreciate Patricia’s Thank Your Veterinarian idea. The best gifts are donations to use for those who truly can’t pay for services, but have the pet’s best interest in their heart, and food for the staff. We really, really love food, since we often have to work through lunch. So subs or sandwiches or pizza at lunchtime is fantastic! Just no donuts or other junk food (unless it’s homemade cookies) because we get plenty of that. Thank you so much for taking time to appreciate the hard we do for your animals!
lak says
I had a great vet for my rescue but we moved. She had taken great care of my dog and me as I was a first time dog owner in my 50’s. When we moved I went to a clinic recommended to me and to make a long story short, after 3 visits for a young muscular dog limping at times and having difficulty getting to a standing position at the end of the day I was told to give her glucosamine “she is fine”. I went to the humane society vet who looked further into it with an X-ray and was given anti-inflammatory and told to rest her for 2 weeks. That done and the dog seemed great!!! Then after chasing her ball she went down like a shot!! Grade 4 CCL rupture and torn patella, when I called the vet in a panic to get her in not knowing what was wrong I was told if I could make it in 5 minutes yes, if not they could not see her. WTF, I spent over $500 dollars on well visits for my dog with this vet-Sheesh. My neighbor recommended her vet and called the vet while I drove my dog over there; they were waiting in the parking lot to help me carry my dog in. I wanted to burst into tears I was soooooo grateful. A huge surgery a week later and some rehab and my dog is 95% better and has a new vet. Thank god I had the money although they would have made a payment plan if need be. We love our vet, both doctors and staff, and they seem to love us. I will send them a card and some goodies!!!
Jill Evans says
I like to take fruit and cheese/cracker platters to my
Vet’s clinic. A little healthy food to get them through hectic days, and an easy way to say Thank You!
Rebecca Rice says
@jen Could you clarify how insurance is making life harder for vets? I would think that it would make things easier, since it makes money less of an issue for the owner when they are trying to deal with medical issues. I recommend that all of my friends get it when they get a dog, and would like to know the downside that you have seen, so that I can provide balanced information.
Christine Zeltner says
I found this to be a very timely post as I just had to put my Pyr Howie to sleep. He had epilpsy and went into a seizure. They did their best and I so appreciate it. Sometimes you just
have to do what is best for your dog. I can not imagine how hard it must be to have to take care of this kind of event on a regularly.
My vet and his team have my gratitude and yes I told them so.
Diane says
One thing we pet lovers could do to help our vets is not delaying euthanasia of an ailing aging pet for one last Christmas or important holiday. The few days after those holidays are really hard for the vets as they may get asked to do many dogs in one day. My ER vet has had to do 7 euthanasias the day after Christmas. That makes a day very difficult.
Our contact with vets through a difficult case of inflammatory bowel disease in our 7 year old Aussie who did not survive was full of compassion, respect and complete explanations. We also found the collegial contacts between primary and specialist vets to be extraordinary and reassuring to us.
I periodically stop by with doughnuts for the ER clinic to boost their spirits. The hours of 5pm to midnight can be very long!
Thanks for all the education you do for us pet parents.
Mary says
I think it was Mark Twain who said vets are the smartest doctors because they had to treat patients whi couldn’t tell them what was wrong.
Corrina says
I love this post, and love that Bruce added appreciation for vet techs, which may be one of the most underappreciated jobs in the world. We’ve had some truly wonderful vets and vet techs in our lives. I was honestly horrified, though, by the high suicide rate for vets–this seems like a public health crisis, albeit for a relatively small group of people.
I wasn’t sure if you all know about this organization, but I’m a volunteer ambassador for (and monthly donor to) Frankie’s Friends: https://www.frankiesfriends.org/. This fantastic non-profit is dedicated to both finding cures for life-threatening illnesses in animals and to help people who can’t afford to save a beloved fur baby pay for their (emergency) vet bills. If you have an interest in helping, even a small monthly donation can do wonders for the lives of pets across the country. The story that made me want to donate and volunteer was that of Slayer: https://www.frankiesfriends.org/in-the-news/2017/8/meet-slayer-and-paco-two-heroes-whose-lives-were-saved-with-the-help-of-frankies-friends-and-now-their-story-has-gone-viral. Spoiler alert: Slayer is doing great, but the story will make you weep in your office. Or if you’re me, the story will make you weep anywhere you think of it. Every. Single. Time.
Diane Mattson says
At our last vet clinic, they light a candle on the receptionist’s desk, to let people know that someone is saying their last goodbyes to beloved pet, so please keep voices down. I think that’s a poignant and beautiful signal.
When our Bridget wasn’t much more than a pup, she had to go into the vet’s on a Sunday, for emergency stitches. The vet took his time with her, even though he was busy with farm calls. I’ll always remember him in his overalls and farm boots, lying on the floor, to coo at our silly little girl, who just absolutely gobbled up the attention!
Anne says
My husband is a vet. He just got home at 8:30 am Tuesday after working all night. And working all day Monday, a 24 hour day. I get to be the venting board every day about the pains, heartaches and anger. What if you told your doctor “But you care for people, don’t you? Why do I have to pay you?”
One of the hardest things he has had to do is put down our own dogs when they were dying. To partly answer the question above, he would rather do it himself, at home, than have someone else do it in a strange place (and he does make housecalls for long time clients too).
Ashley says
I have to give props to our primary vet and our previous ophthalmologist who keep Max, our elderly cocker with a spate of health issues, running zoomies like he’s 3 instead of 12. Both docs are both optimistic and pragmatic, realistic about illness progressions but encouraging about treatments and therapies. It should go without saying but should be mentioned frequently, that the staff at each office are fabulous too. I am a lucky pet parent. I have a great dog and a great team of kind, innovative, knowledgeable and empathetic vets and techs to keep him in great health.
MI says
Dr. McConnell,
that’s a very thoughtful post. Have been just reading and nodding for the last few years, but it’ll probably be nice for you to know at least 1 vet reads you. So here’s my personal 2 pence as a small animal vet in UK.
Having cards and flowers and (un)healthy snacks is good. What I would really appreciate is:
1. Trust me. If you don’t, find a vet you do trust. Nothing more pleasant than to hear 8-10 hrs into my shift – ‘but my breeder/Google/groomer says…’. This is not the same as asking for more explanations when you don’t understand what I say. That you should certainly do. Just don’t reply to facts with beliefs.
2. Love your animals. Pets that have a safe and nurturing home are considerably more trusting with everybody else and easier to work with.
Treat them as the species they belong to, not as humans, that usually confuses them terribly.
Teach them basic body parts manipulation – having their ears/eyes/mouths inspected, paws touched, etc. (I’m talking about cats/dogs/rabbits here. Don’t do that to your snakes, please.)
Some pets got damaged forever, before you got them, I’m aware. If that is the case, call upfront and ask if there is anything you could collect and administer at home to lower their anxiety before they are brought to the clinic. As a team we can overpower most patients, but that’s not what it is about. Struggling with pets is the most exhausting thing. After struggling with clients.
3. Be nice and understanding yourself. Use common sense often.
You might be heartbroken and I know what it means to have years of love put to sleep, I have pets too. While you’re dealing with one euthanasia, for me it could be the 4th or 5th on that day. And I can’t cry while I’m injecting, I have to watch. And comfort you.
When you want to share with me that story about Cookie’s antics, remember you might be doing that at the cost of my break. I might have not had lunch yet at 5 pm. My bladder might be bursting. The next three clients might be waiting. Don’t be selfish with my time.
4. Don’t book a consult and bring a severely ill animal in just to say – I can’t afford any treatment or even euthanasia. That is outright cruel of you. I have just as much liberty to give you free treatment as the supermarket cashier to give you free groceries.
5. Don’t arrive late and hope to be squeezed in. If you can’t make it on time and it’s not an emergency, re-schedule. Also, don’t throw tantrums in the waiting room if I’m running late myself. You don’t know what happens in the back. A cat brought in for a quick check-up because it’s not ‘doing right’ might be bleeding internally on my exam table. Living beings are unpredictable.
Give us the best client you can be and the best patient you can educate. We’ll sort out the rest.
HFR says
I think the other thing that must be hard for vets to understand (I know it is for me) is how long most people wait to take their pet to the vet to begin with. I recently had to sit in the ER with my older dog (he’s fine) on a Saturday night. Almost everyone who came in described a situation that had been going on for days or weeks. One dog couldn’t open one of his eyes, it had been going on for 3 days. Another one had stopped eating — for a week. If I were a vet, I’d want to slap those people. Yes, I’d be a lousy vet.
I have a great vet, but I can’t get him to stop attaching a price tag to all his recommendations. “Well, we could do an x-ray, but that would cost you $150…” Of course, I care about costs, but I’m fortunate enough that it doesn’t have to be the deciding factor. I’ve told him many times, that if he thinks I should do something, just recommend it and he doesn’t have to waiver on his advise because of the cost. He still does it. So I asked him why he always insists or pricing everything. He said that when he was first starting out as a vet, a client accused him of being a con man and trying to rip him off with tests he didn’t need. It hurt him so deeply that even after 20 or more years as a vet, it has stayed with him and he’s afraid someone will accuse him of that again.
It makes me think that perhaps one reason why vets may be so susceptible to depression and suicidal thoughts is because those who have to be attuned to an animal’s well-being are probably naturally sensitive themselves. They are attracted to working with beings who can’t communicate with words so they need to be able to read their feelings and maybe that makes them more vulnerable to hurt and sadness.
I wonder if the suicide rate thing is recent or if it’s always been true. The funny thing is that the vet my family had when I was growing up was a big, burly manly man who always had a lit cigar stub hanging out of his mouth. I don’t remember him ever hugging or showing any affection to an animal, but he was a great vet who took very good care of our dogs. I remember he always had Great Danes. He was also extremely funny. I loved that guy.
Another big hurrah for vet techs from me. They are the nurse practitioners of the vet world and they can make or break a practice.
Debby Gray says
This is such a timely post. On Sunday February 11, my MeMe had to be euthanized. Her vet answered the clinic’s emergency line. We had worked closely over the previous 3 weeks to give MeMe some quality of life. Her vet is the younger of the 2 vets and always works the Saturday clinic. She is also the mother of young triplet girls. Her answer was immediate,”what time do you want to get here?”
When we arrived, MeMe’s favorite vet tech was at the office too.
I was very grateful to the two of them for giving up family time on a Sunday to ease MeMe’s out of her unresponsive body and wondered how to thank them. I decided to write each a thank you note and in each note I enclosed a check made out to the clinic. In the comment line I wrote “in honor of” the vet or vet tech under that I wrote”in memory of MeMe” I asked that the money be used for a client who might have to make a decision based on their finances but not in the best interest of their dog. I think sending flowers to the practice will be something I may do at the end of the month . After reading this post, I wondered if there might be a vet appreciation day. When I looked online I learned that April 28th is World Veterinary Day.
pbw says
I have been with our vet clinic for over 20 years. I currently live almost 2 hours away from the practice and have 2 elderly dogs, but we make the trek because those people know my dogs, they respect what I have to say (hallelujah!) and I think they’re just the most amazing people on earth. They also put up with the constant stream of rescue dogs that I bring in, some of which are in need of exorbitant amounts of care and are absolutely terrified of everything. For their gentle, tender care of those broken little souls I will always be grateful.
Betsy Lane says
I am tremendously thankful for our vets at Terry Animal Hospital in Wilmette, Illinois. These fantastic women have stood by our side (literally and metaphorically) through countless ups and downs, and have always included me in making choices about care in ways that felt simultaneously respectful and appropriate. Just over a year ago, they made a rare house call so my vet-phobic GSD could be euthanized in our family room, rather than spending the last moments of a very good, very long life in one of the few places that truly freaked her out–the clinic. We all cried–me, my husband, two vets, and a vet tech. And then, exactly six months later, they all literally cheered when I called to make an appointment for a new-puppy exam! When I heard their jubilance and excitement in the background, I knew the entire staff really and truly “got it.” Just last week, I went in with what might have been dismissed as a silly concern (“My adolescent dog is acting like he’s lost his ever-lovin’ mind!”), and was again treated with compassion and respect. (Turns out, he’s just a teenage boy–go figure!) As I checked out at the front desk, one of the assistants who hadn’t seen me since I came in to collect our old girl’s ashes smiled broadly and said, “It’s SO nice to see you happy again!” We can’t imagine having to go someplace with less-nice, less-capable, or less-compassionate people to care for our beloved pets! God bless them all!!
Jann Becker says
We go to a fairly large clinic with, get this, 24/7 hours! We pick a primary vet to see regularly; we recently got vax’s, exams, preventative meds for 2 dogs at 9 PM, in and out in an hour. It’s good knowing that they’re there for an emergency and it’s really helpful for even routine stuff, like being able to go when they’re not insanely busy.
I chose to leave our old solo practitioner when he didn’t just make mistakes like mixing up the weights of our 2 cats, but got defensive about it and insisted he was right. Then Kira came home from her spay with a UTI. Maybe a future column could be “Breaking up (with your vet) is hard to do.”
Jenny H says
I ALWAYS thank my good veterinarian, doctor, dentist, shop assistant. Dog Obedience Instructor, teachers, and bus drivers.
But I do not thank the bad ones 🙁 The ones that bung your elderly dog in pain and distress onto a cold stainless steel examination table, give the lethal injection and then bung him in a plastic bag when you say you want to take him home. Or the ones who tell you no you cannot be suffering THAT side effect, because it is not listed here. Or the ones who talk to their teenage friends the whole time they are putting your groceries through the check out machine, and don’t even look at you. Or the ones who don’t wait for the anaesthetic to take effect before they start drilling, and then refuse to see you for a fornight after they’ve left you with a too high filling. Or the ones who say “I know what’s wrong with your dog! ” without suggesting way of overcoming the problem (Though I DID find the solution for that problem – never train under that instructor again! Instructors whi run biring cklasses WILl have problems with the dogs in the class being bored — as well as the people in the class.)
Cleodhna says
On Thursday, it will be one year since the death of beloved Habibi. Another one lost to hemangiosarcoma. For all the time we had her with us, she enjoyed perfect health, a fortunate state of affairs in any wise but particularly for her, since she was a very nervous patient who didn’t much like to be handled at all by anyone she did not know well. I am grateful to our brilliant, kind, wonderful vets, who always handled her with grace and respect, even when gooshing out her anal glands (which thankfully they did not have to do too often). I am grateful to them for taking me seriously when I kept bringing her back, even when her bloods suggested she was in stunningly good shape for a dog of her indeterminate age, because I knew something wasn’t right. I am grateful to them for being honest about the prognosis once the biopsy from her splenectomy came back. I am beyond grateful to the vet and nurse who took the time, when the time came, to come to our home, to give us time, so that Habibi could feel comfortable, fed and warm, safe and relaxed, in our arms, on her own sofa, when they eased her out of life before the disease could cause her any more pain. That kindness was above and beyond, and it looms large, but it is one on a continuum of other kindnesses. I am so grateful to have vets I trust so much. Thank you for reminding me to remind them that they matter.
Bill and Marge Stern says
Thank you, thank you, amazing people who chose to be vets!
50 years ago, my husband and I, as a couple, got our first cat, a street cat, whose vet became Dr. John Barnes –you might know him from his later career with Alliance for Animals–at Westgate Pet Clinic. Our dear cat was fearful and skittish and pretty much trashed his office, on his first visit, but Dr. Barnes seemed unfazed! The wonderfully caring, compassionate Dr. Janice, who later joined Dr, Barnes at Westgate Pet Clinic, took loving care of our cats as well as a bedraggled, badly injured small black stray dog that we had found huddled under our car when we were attending a function in another town. When, after much work and angst on her part she found that she could not help the dog that, as it turned out, had apparently been shot through the throat quite some time earlier by some low life human animal, attain any kind of quality life, she refused to accept any payment from us for its care and ultimate euthanasia, stating simply that she did not think it was our responsibility to do so, since this wasn’t our pet. She took great care of our pets until her retirement. And then, there is our wonderful vet, Dr. Gus (John Gustafson of Muirfield Pet Clinic) and his assistant, Diane, who along with Dr. Janice, both worked at Westgate Pet Clinic and took care of our pets for many years before establishing their own clinic. From their Westgate Clinic days to the present, they have both been wonderful, compassionate animal physician/nurse/caregiver/friend to our dear animal companions –and us! We just want to add our voices in thanks to some of the amazing folks who have taken care of our furry friends over the last 50 years! And thank you, too, Trish, for helping our long-lived, dear friend, Heidi, the “ADHD” dog, live a happy life.
Lisa Bricker says
I recently went through cancer treatment (mass cell tumor) with my 18 year old beagle /catahoula mix, Sadie. The tumor literally popped up overnight. I am a Frankie’s Friends employee ( http://www.frankiesfriends.org) and took her to BluePearl hospital in Tampa. Sadie fought a brave battle with cancer but the monster won out, as it does sometimes in dogs and humans. All I can say is the team at BluePearl were amazing. From treatment, to my frightened calls, to her last day when we had to send her to the Rainbow Bridge. (January 26, 2018) My cancer doc was amazing…she actually took the time to stay with us at the hospital when we euthanized Sadie and did the actual procedure because Sadie knew her and loved her and she didn’t want her to be scared. Thankful and grateful are ALWAYS the words I use when I think of my BluePearl veterinarian experience.
For those of you who do not know about Frankie’s Friends, we are a non-profit foundation that helps family pets when they have a life threatening illness or injury. Frankie’s Friends helps by providing financial assistance to the family when the cost goes beyond what they are able to pay to save the life of their pet through veterinary care. There are qualifying requirements for receiving the funding, so please go to the Frankie’s Friends website to see how it works. http://www.frankiesfriends.org If you are not in the 20 states where we have existing partners, as of 2018 we have a National Frankie’s Friends Fund that allows people around the country to apply for a grant as well.
Jody Bearman says
I read the comment that vets must be very sensitive themselves- this is very true! In my profession, I have only met one vet who was not kind, compassionate and sensitive. This is not a new phenomenon (suicide in vets)- my family vet committed suicide in the 70s- it just wasn’t talked about much until recently, and a friend from vet school killed himself in the early 90s. It is common for me, and a lot of other vets I know, to stay up worrying during the night about patients. I have had to learn techniques to help with the anxiety about the lives of patients, such as meditation, yoga, calming music, breathing techniques and working only with people who truly care about animals. These were not things we learned in vet school at all. I have been impressed with the schooling differences our chiropractic friends have enjoyed- they learn self care in school, and practice it. Most veterinarians don’t become veterinarians to be business people, and often give away or discount services just so patients will receive needed services. I am happy that my children are looking at other fields that will reward them with regular hours and better compensation, although I never regret the path I have chosen, especially all of the alternative medicine which brings me only wonderful clients who truly love their animals and want the best health for them.
Andy says
I’m very grateful to two vets who helped me through euthanizing Duchess. I felt extremely guilty because frankly I felt I’d waited too long, and her life was me was pretty imperfect since she was my first dog and I didn’t really know what I was doing. One vet, prior to the procedure, told me Duchess was lucky. The second, who administered the procedure, wrote me a card afterwards telling me how visibly important my bond with my dog was and wishing me the best in dealing with the grief. Very kind people.
Rather than send flowers I think I’m going to write a few reviews detailing these very facts and how grateful I am for these two.
C. Lee says
Patricia, I’m a small animal veterinarian and appreciated your post so much. You asked what pet owners can do to help make things easier for us – you wouldn’t believe how unexpected and welcome a simple, verbal “thank you” is. Clients are often a very difficult part of our job, as many prioritize google search results over professional opinions, can’t/won’t pay for services, etc, etc. Many of us are perfectionists, pleasers and animal lovers, and it can be so very hard to meet everyone’s needs (and our own) in many situations. So heartening to see some positive comments here! Thank you, thank you! This is a very difficult job and it is people like you who help ease the burden! The best thing about my job is definitely the happy, wonderful dogs who wake up from anesthesia wagging their tails – and I hope to continue doing this for decades to come!
Cathy Wallace says
As a vet the thing that would help the most is have a plan. Have a plan for routine care and catastrophic care even if that plan is euthanasia.
And if I discover a problem never ever say “oh he’s alright”. Buy the medicine and give it to your pet.
Paula Dail and Bill Ladewig says
Dr. Dally is our vet too, and he, and all the staff at SGAH, have been absolutely WONDERFUL helping us w/our aging and beloved beagle, Ernie, as he has developed challenging health issues. Ernie is a great dog and has made all the difference to my husband as he’s dealt w/some serious health concerns, and the the vet staff understand how important Ernie is to us and go way above and beyond normal expectations to walk with us on Ernie’s journey. We trust them and know they really care, and we are deeply grateful. Thanks millions!