Most important thing you wish your vet would understand...

[Vicky the vet]

Angie, I can see where you are coming from. What if the vet sold the old lady an ointment for the most common cause of goopy eyes in cats and asked her to call back if it didn't work in X number of days? What would be the harm in that?

#1 I can lose my licence by dispensing a prescription med without an examination. Thus my livlihood is on the line.

#2 That old lady has the option of getting over the counter eye meds ie polysporin, at least in Canada, to treat her cats with a trial drug if she so desires. If she needs stronger, she needs prescription meds. And the most effective meds by far are prescription.

#3 What if the meds dispensed without an exam cause problems, or if there are corneal ulcers present and the eyes burst--and yes, that happens, all too often.....

And yes, I have more examples. Remember, I can't help you if I'm not allowed to work, or fighting too many lawsuits. Oh ya, someone may win, but then either my prices go WAY up or I quit. Not everyone has insurance out the wazoo.

Remember, there are always two sides to every equation.....

 

[mnmtranching]

I have a friend that is a vet, known him for most of my life. In his younger days would treat a sick cow anywhere. Now he wants his clients to have working facilities. Or bring them to his clinic.
Don't blame him a bit.

He raises registered polled Herefords. Because he likes them.

I take my dogs in for shots.

I ask my friend advice sometimes, But have not hired a vet for anything with my cattle for at least 15 years.

I've been able to take care of things myself. Lucky? probably.

And I very, very seldom lose a critter.

 

[Little Cow]

I see your point, Vicky.

 

[angie1]

Angie, I can see where you are coming from. What if the vet sold the old lady an ointment for the most common cause of goopy eyes in cats and asked her to call back if it didn't work in X number of days? What would be the harm in that?

#1 I can lose my licence by dispensing a prescription med without an examination. Thus my livlihood is on the line.

#2 That old lady has the option of getting over the counter eye meds ie polysporin, at least in Canada, to treat her cats with a trial drug if she so desires. If she needs stronger, she needs prescription meds. And the most effective meds by far are prescription.

#3 What if the meds dispensed without an exam cause problems, or if there are corneal ulcers present and the eyes burst--and yes, that happens, all too often.....

And yes, I have more examples. Remember, I can't help you if I'm not allowed to work, or fighting too many lawsuits. Oh ya, someone may win, but then either my prices go WAY up or I quit. Not everyone has insurance out the wazoo.

Remember, there are always two sides to every equation.....

OK ~ I still disagree. For years our vets gave out eye meds w/o seeing the animal. It is a barn cat, it is not going to get any medical attention.

Another true example ~
Cat is hit by car on gravel road and badly injured. Good Samaritan picks up the 1/2 dead cat and brings it into the vet. Vet says they cannot treat the cat w/o someone commiting to pay the bill. GS asks vet to put the cat down then, end the suffering. Vet says it can't do that ~ owners maybe out there looking for the cat and would have wanted cat to get medical attention. SO cat sits 1/2 dead in box in vets office until the GS contacts someone at an animal shelter, who then calls the vet and accepts responsibility for medical treatment. Vet wants aggreement in writing. Animal shelter volunteer faxes permission to vet. Several hours have passed. Cat dies before getting help.
THIS is NOT the act of people who go into a profession to help animals. This is bad and wrong.
Vicky, I love the SA vet I currently work with, I'm not saying all SA vets are bad. I understand people have to cover their butts, but I think the SA vets locally need to remember why the choose to be a vet. Many locals leave town for SA vet.
I have more examples.

 

[Little Cow]

I was in that situation once when I found a half grown kitten that had been mauled and paralyzed by a dog(s). I winked at the vet and said it was my kitty, I just forgot. He winked back and ended it's suffering. Any owner that might come around could yell at me. I called the pound and reported it's approx. age, sex and description in case someone was looking for it. Many animal control places have a section for 'DOA' cats and dogs. This vet has been working for over thirty years and is one of the top vets in his state.

Vicky, is there any release of liability you could get a lawyer to draw up for 'barn kitty' situations? I know there are a lot of nuts out there, but wouldn't a stern warning about possible side effects and a release help CYA?

 

[Ryder]

Angie, I can see where you are coming from. What if the vet sold the old lady an ointment for the most common cause of goopy eyes in cats and asked her to call back if it didn't work in X number of days? What would be the harm in that?

#1 I can lose my licence by dispensing a prescription med without an examination. Thus my livlihood is on the line.

#2 That old lady has the option of getting over the counter eye meds ie polysporin, at least in Canada, to treat her cats with a trial drug if she so desires. If she needs stronger, she needs prescription meds. And the most effective meds by far are prescription.

#3 What if the meds dispensed without an exam cause problems, or if there are corneal ulcers present and the eyes burst--and yes, that happens, all too often.....

And yes, I have more examples. Remember, I can't help you if I'm not allowed to work, or fighting too many lawsuits. Oh ya, someone may win, but then either my prices go WAY up or I quit. Not everyone has insurance out the wazoo.

Remember, there are always two sides to every equation.....

OK ~ I still disagree. For years our vets gave out eye meds w/o seeing the animal. It is a barn cat, it is not going to get any medical attention.

Another true example ~
Cat is hit by car on gravel road and badly injured. Good Samaritan picks up the 1/2 dead cat and brings it into the vet. Vet says they cannot treat the cat w/o someone commiting to pay the bill. GS asks vet to put the cat down then, end the suffering. Vet says it can't do that ~ owners maybe out there looking for the cat and would have wanted cat to get medical attention. SO cat sits 1/2 dead in box in vets office until the GS contacts someone at an animal shelter, who then calls the vet and accepts responsibility for medical treatment. Vet wants aggreement in writing. Animal shelter volunteer faxes permission to vet. Several hours have passed. Cat dies before getting help.
THIS is NOT the act of people who go into a profession to help animals. This is bad and wrong.
Vicky, I love the SA vet I currently work with, I'm not saying all SA vets are bad. I understand people have to cover their butts, but I think the SA vets locally need to remember why the choose to be a vet. Many locals leave town for SA vet.
I have more examples.

Without taking time to go into details, Angie I agree with you right down the line. some of them are asnine ridiculus.

Dentist the same these days. I went through six dentist before I found one that knew what honesty and ethics meant. Been with him a while now and he and his staff are great.

 

[Vicky the vet]

Vicky, is there any release of liability you could get a lawyer to draw up for 'barn kitty' situations? I know there are a lot of nuts out there, but wouldn't a stern warning about possible side effects and a release help CYA?

For me it is not liability. There is a prohibition from my provincial licencing body, called the CVO, which prohibits dispensing medication without a valid client/vet relationship. I will literally lose my licence to practice and pay a hefty fine if I am caught dispensing prescription medicines without having examined the animal within a set period. For ongoing meds, it's within a year. For acute meds, I need to examine for that problem prior to dispensing. If it is an ongoing barn cat situation where I have been to the farm/barn or have examined one cat, I could stretch it and dispense for the cats in the barn...but I have to have seen this problem in this group of animals within the past year to dispense, or risk not having my licence.

I have fantastic clients. I trust them, and know that they would not ask for meds that aren't needed, but I still need to see the animal prior to treatment. Frankly, it's not worth it to me to pay a few hundred bucks to a lawyer for some waiver so that I can send home meds as you ask, because I can still lose the licence, and I suspect that it is the same in every state.

In Ontario, it is expected of every vet that if presented with an animal in distress, that we either stabilize it up to $100 or euthanize it, whether owned or not. The humane society will reimburse us if required to that amount. Perhaps it's not the vet but the humane society which should have that program available in your area.

I am not saying that all vets are infallible, but we're sure not all money grubbing morons, as presented here.

See, still two sides to every issue.

 

[angie1]

Vicky, is there any release of liability you could get a lawyer to draw up for 'barn kitty' situations? I know there are a lot of nuts out there, but wouldn't a stern warning about possible side effects and a release help CYA?

For me it is not liability. There is a prohibition from my provincial licencing body, called the CVO, which prohibits dispensing medication without a valid client/vet relationship. I will literally lose my licence to practice and pay a hefty fine if I am caught dispensing prescription medicines without having examined the animal within a set period. For ongoing meds, it's within a year. For acute meds, I need to examine for that problem prior to dispensing. If it is an ongoing barn cat situation where I have been to the farm/barn or have examined one cat, I could stretch it and dispense for the cats in the barn...but I have to have seen this problem in this group of animals within the past year to dispense, or risk not having my licence.

I have fantastic clients. I trust them, and know that they would not ask for meds that aren't needed, but I still need to see the animal prior to treatment. Frankly, it's not worth it to me to pay a few hundred bucks to a lawyer for some waiver so that I can send home meds as you ask, because I can still lose the licence, and I suspect that it is the same in every state.

In Ontario, it is expected of every vet that if presented with an animal in distress, that we either stabilize it up to $100 or euthanize it, whether owned or not. The humane society will reimburse us if required to that amount. Perhaps it's not the vet but the humane society which should have that program available in your area.

I am not saying that all vets are infallible, but we're sure not all money grubbing morons, as presented here.

See, still two sides to every issue.

I apologize ~ if that is what you are hearing, then there is a misunderstanding. I love the small animal vet I currently work with. I think my large animal vets are fantastic. I think they are caring, commpassionate people with common sense. I am speaking of policy at a specific clinic with specific vets. They are not morons, actually probably very smart. Money grubbing? ~ in this case, with this clinic, with this specific set of SA vets ~ yes.

 

[Little Cow]

Ah, now I understand. That makes sense. So, basically, if the little old lady could have just brought in one kitty to be diagnosed, it's possible that the veterinarian may have felt comfortable dispensing enough for all. Exams aren't THAT expensive.

I like Canada's approach with reimbursing up to $100. I think US vets just have to take a loss.

 

[Jogeephus]

What I wish my vet would understand is that unlike the $2000 per head and $1000 per calf he appraised my cattle at to try and convince me into partaking in an expensive treatment, my cows are not worth that. Wish they were but they are not. I was able to cure the problem myself much cheaper by administering a small dose of Pb.

 

[Vicky the vet]

Pb.

Lead?

 

[Little Cow]

(Psst, I think the reference is to a bullet....).

 

[rockridgecattle]

I thought peanut butter

 

[Little Cow]

Nah, peanut butter just makes the cows smack their lips a lot and look at you funny! :lol:

 

[GMN]

What is your experience with vets? Are the newbies right out of school any good? What are your pet peeves about the vets in your area or things you wish they would understand about raising cattle? Are your local vets cattlemen (cattlewomen)? If so, what type of cattle do they raise (commercial, seedstock, dairy)? Are there any more crusty ol' rancher vets out there, or are they all horse vets that dabble in cattle?

Thank you for your responses!

The Vets we use, one just retired , that leaves one older one, which is good for large animals. The lady Vet is the best one there now, she is good for both large and small, she was raised on a Dary Farm, but has worked for what she has. Then there is a new one straight out of school, does everything by the book, and the other likes to do cows, not horses, and does small animals also. They come out anytime, weekends, emergencies, all a bunch of real professional Vets, and nice people too.