Where would you file a complaint against a veterinarian? - Page 5

I never received an estimate on paper- they verbally told me what it was to remove the tumor and it sounded reasonable, so I agreed to bring him back the following Friday for surgery. I did sign a waiver of liability about the iso. gas anesthesia, and the permission for the  full blood panel and promise to pay for it. No vaccines were mentioned or signed for when I dropped him off. Just permission to anesthetize and authorization to pull full blood panel, since there's an extra charge for that.

Your castration analogy made me chuckle, becauase as part of my rant in their lobby, I asked rather loudly if they neutered him as well, since now THEY were the ones making decisions about his health, and my wishes obviously didn't count anymore.

"How is it contradicting? I was a tech...the vet didn't know much about what food are good for dogs....only the prescription ones so yes they would have the client talk to me.What is so hard to understand about that?"

Because you said they didn't care.  But he obviously did care, because he specifically referred them to you to advise them about correct feeding.

Oh, wait - I get it.  Does he wasn't "too keen" mean that he wasn't knowledgeable so he referred them to you?  I thought you meant he "wasn't too keen" on it meaning he didn't bother or didn't care.  Ahhh, the English language!

Jenn,

I am with you on the one vaccine at a time.  No shotgun blasts to the immune system for Pharaoh.

That is what I do and the vet said, OK.  I am willing to pay the price.

I will take a lesson from your experience and if Pharaoh ever needs a procedure, I will have them sign a statement that they won't do any concurrent vaccination and maybe place a set financial penalty.

Michele

Probably a good idea to go on the offensive with a paper like that. Who'd have thought that your specific instructions weren't enough??? Hopefully signing something like that w/a set monetary penalty will make a point. Lord knows, it's all about $$$ to them. No other reason for doing what they did.

In one fell swoop, they undid what I worked his whole life for.

Just because I want to start with something positive completely unrelated, congrats on your Chico/Capri Litter. I know Chico's owner and Chico and it looks to be a very promising litter for you! :)

 On to the subject at hand, this makes me sicker than I can express. While I do realize there are worse things that could happen, that is entirely not the point!!!! I skip around to different vets as well, mainly because I can't find a single one that will vaccinate in accordance with my wishes! So now I do them myself. I go to a local pet supply store for the rabies as they hold clinics. I told them I wanted the 3 year rabies, they asked if the dog had the vac before, I said no. They told me that he would have to have the 1 year first. I said they are the same damn vac. She told me that the 1 year would only work for a year. I said to her "How the hell does the vac know if it's going into a dog for the first time or not??? She just looked at me, thenof course I got the song and dance from the vet when she gave him the vac Will you be neutering, I said no, she felt the need to go down the laundry list of ailements that occur in unneutered dogs. To which I replied and do you also tell people about the health risks that go along with neutering and spaying? She just looked at me.

I really hope that your complaint is not just heard, but that someone actually takes notice. There is much information out there with regard to vaccinations and how much is to much and so forth. There are studies proving that dogs as they age are starting to suffer from being vaccinated so much so often. You don't vaccinate yourself or a child every year do you, nor do you do them all at once. Your temper seems to equal mine and I am not very good at putting a cap on it.


Theresa or Traci (depends on who ya are)

Jenni, that really sucks.

Sounds like it's the tech's fault your dog was vaccinated but the ultimate responsibility falls on the vet in charge at the office.
There is a difference in a staff vet and a vet in charge in case you didn't know. Some places a vet doesn't even give the shots, the techs do it. The tech you spoke with in the morning should have noted the vaccs were refused in the file and notified the incoming tech and the vets. You should have been made aware of the vaccination policy at the office in the morning before leaving the dog and given a chance to refuse the surgery there. Some places are very firm on this and you either get the shots (good or bad) or they can and will refuse you service. It's stupid as all get out, but they do it anyway.

This place screwed up all around. Sure, policy is policy but, vaccinating an animal against the owner's express instructions is stupid and irresponsible. If the dog had a reaction to the vaccines and died from it they would be liable. It does happen and that would make their "policy" and carelessness change a little bit.

I'd get copies of all my animals records from that office, find another vet and get first and last names of all people involved.

Then, I would send a letter to the vet's office (certified & return receipt) outlining what happened and complain about the morning and evening staff members you saw and the ones who treated your dog. The afternoon tech's attitude didn't set well with me either from what you said. I'd be demanding my money back for what they charged for the vaccines. And I would file a complaint against the office, the individual techs and vets with the AVMA.

The way I see it, if they won't listen to the owner, they don't need to be treating the animal. I fired my best vet over this. Had to take in a very aggressive Chessie. Big bold red notes on all his records "aggressive biter/muzzle/owner handle". SOP with this one, make a slack time appointment, make sure they know who it's for. Dog stays in the car until we're ready. Dog is muzzled, brought in the back door, treated, then back out the back door to the car. Lacerated nose needed stitching so no muzzle this time. New tech in the office just had to learn the hard way I guess, she was told repeatedly and loudly by everyone, the dog will bite, stay back. She kept walking up anyway with that stupid "aw what a sweet puppy" crap and got nailed badly. The dog got sewn up, I apologized to my favorite vet, got my records and left. His job to control his staff.

"I told them I wanted the 3 year rabies, they asked if the dog had the vac before, I said no. They told me that he would have to have the 1 year first. I said they are the same damn vac. She told me that the 1 year would only work for a year. I said to her "How the hell does the vac know if it's going into a dog for the first time or not??? She just looked at me, thenof course I got the song and dance from the vet when she gave him the vac Will you be neutering, I said no, she felt the need to go down the laundry list of ailements that occur in unneutered dogs. To which I replied and do you also tell people about the health risks that go along with neutering and spaying? She just looked at me." 

I know in some states that the first rabies vaccination is only considered good for one year by law, so in that instance the vet would only be doing what he or she is required to do.  But that obviously should be explained to the customer.

As for neutering, my vet's office automatically sends out a neutering scheduling "reminder" by mail at one year of age - and the vet always tells me I'll be getting it because the process is automated, but not to pay any attention to it.  

Sounds like some of you people need vets who are better communicators. 

"I know in some states that the first rabies vaccination is only considered good for one year by law, so in that instance the vet would only be doing what he or she is required to do.  But that obviously should be explained to the customer."

Excellent point. 

In PA, dogs 3mo. and older must be vaccinated against rabies, however, any dog vaccinated when it's under 1yo, according to state law, must be vaccinated against rabies again 1 year later.  Then it can get the 3-year, but they want that initial series closer together.  State law, not vet office law.  Because of this portion of Pennsylvania law, if you cannot prove that your dog had a rabies vax within one year, then the first shot the vet gives, even if the dog is over 1 year of age, is considered a 1-year vax, then you go longer.

Thank you all for understanding why I'm so upset. Yes, there are worse things happening in the world, but that is absolutely NOT THE POINT! The point is the right to choose what we feel is best for our dogs.

Shrabe, thanks for the positive opening comment;-) I am really looking forward to the litter.

I will not let this drop, which is why I wanted to know the best way to fight it, productively. I didn't know which board would be most effective; I have no problem filing a complaint with all of them. I need to stay away from there myself though. I would lose it and it wouldn't be productive at all.  What I'd like to do to them can't be put on the internet, LOL. All I kepe thinking is HOW DARE THEY undo everything I've worked so hard for?!

On neutering...when they try to scare me about testicular cancer, I ask them what they recommend for brain cancer. Never gotten a response to that one. I don't know why they push neutering...they couldn't charge me the extra $116.25 if I neutered.