Annoyed, anyone know a good vet in Johnson County TX? - Page 1

Took my dog to a new vet in Texas (we have moved).  Ronin is 12 years old, arthritic (chronic trauma from multiple beatings with an old police night stick), and the sweetest boy ever.  He has had terrible abuse his first 6 months before I got him.  That said, he has never ever ever growled at any human ever.  I took him to this new vet and when I said I want to go with them to the back or else have them do the procedures in front of me, they said "we always do the first time away from the owner to see how the dog is then the next time in front of the owner and then if there are no problems we will do everything in front of you."  Hmm, ok, sounds reasonable, and they were very highly recommended.  So I advised them he will be a sweetheart if you give him lovies and pet him, he will lay on his side and you can do just about anything to him. he is very trusting.  So the picture below is of Ronin after he came back to me and hid by my leg.  The vet tech said "Wow he doesn't like needles much does he, doesn't like blood draws."  I asked what happened because he loves his acupuncture and has never fought getting blood drawn or anything.  Vet tech said "yeah he fought us and we had to hold him, he growled twice at us and it was probably because he had to hold his leg in a funny angle and he was in pain."  I was floored, not having a good feeling about this vet.  Anyone recommend a vet in the Johnson county area?

Can't help finding a vet, but I will never ever let my dog out of my sight at any vets clinic.

I don't like to either I even want to go back if doing xrays   Not many vets will allow for that so shopped around until I found one. They don't treat a GSD the same as a small pet type.

NO: I don't go with them to the back, my dog does not go either. Also had to learn the hard way, especially with these old guys; we are all they have and know to take care of them. Hate vets... Nan

Have been in So. California for 8 l/2 years and still have not found a vet I trust. Does that tell you anything; have been in dogs, raising, showing and training for showing and caring for 40plus years. Still cannot find a vet here I feel comfortable with in a reasonable distance from home. s = = = ///

Would you believe the office called me to tell me his medication is in (Nexguard) that I paid for and never once asked how he is doing knowing full well they hurt him?  Also said they may not be able to guarantee my medication will be there if I don't pick it up immediately (I reminded them of paying for it in advance).

They also told me that Ronin is too skinny and needs to gain about 10-15 lbs. He has lost his tuck up because of his age but still has a waist and his ribs and chest are padded.  He weighed 95lbs at this vet and when I left Florida and my wonderful vet there said he is perfect weight, no more.  The vet also recommended Science Diet for the "absolute best food that meets all his requirements and will keep his arthritis in check." 

I did find one close to Ft Worth, Harris Parkway Animal Hospital.  If anyone has any comments on them, let me know please.

 

P.S.  Ronin is finally moving on his own and actually felt good enough to run over to the fence I share with my neighbor and bark at their chi-chi dogs (Chihuahuas).  Lots of TLC, massage, pain management, and keeping him somewhat quiet. 

Mindhunt, that picture of Ronin absolutely breaks my heart, and he's not my dog...I cannot even begin to measure the depth of the pain you must have felt when your boy came back out to you and did this.

I do think you should tell the practice manager or owner exactly why you won't be bringing that sweet grey muzzle back there again... Frankly, the explanation you were given actually doesn't make ANY sense to me--why on earth would one separate a dog from his or her owner on the very first visit 'to see how the dog is'? The ONLY time the practice I worked would split the animal from the owner was in cases where the dog was clearly feeding off the owner's over-the-top anxiousness--such as the owners who can't trim their dogs nails because they're too scared, which in turn scares the dog, and it turns into a writhing ball of neurosis.

I'm glad he's recovering and is back to marshaling the Chihuahuas next door...it will remain to be seen how he's going to view the next veterinary clinic you enter, however. I wish I could refer you to someone down there that I could vouch for, but I don't think I have any vet contacts in private practice in Texas at the moment...but I'll check just to be sure. Folks relocate and with communicating via email addresses instead of snail mail, it's easy to forget someone has moved.

I work at a small vet in Mansfield. If we take a dog into the back, we don't allow owners back with them since it's the same room all our meds are kept, but our doctor uses as little restraint as possible. We're a very small clinic. 1 vet, 2 techs. Our vet has been in practice since the late 80's.

Never, ever, been asked by any vet, or med student, not to be present
at any stage of any dog's out-patient treatment ... I have always
appreciated what Hexe gives as a reason for vets sometimes wanting
to separate dog and owner, sometimes the energy is all wrong and
the pet will behave better when the doting and worried owner isn't in
the room. But I really don't know what I would say if a vet said they'd
rather I wasn't there ! I particularly thought Mindhunt's vets practise
of separation ON THE FIRST VISIT really weird; surely any vet worth
their title (ie not just treating owners as money machines, who can't
match their superior knowledge!) will give it a first go with the owner,
to assess the relationship with the animal ?
Mindhunt, I do hope you find someone different and more acceptable
to take your lovely old dog to, and I hope his experience has not
soured him towards veterinary treatment. Good luck.