I ran into to work early to check on yesterday's patients and try to catch up on phone calls and paperwork before I see appointments from 3 to 8 this afternoon and evening.
Also because my mom called at 8:30 am to ask if I had taken a look at their dog that my dad had brought up form home on Sunday. Seems their "other Vet" (they live 4 hours away so they have a vet at each location, great idea for those of you with multiple houses or vacation spots). Well their "other vet" had told them that both of their Jack Russell's had a terrible mouth odor which was especially evident as they lunged to bite at her face. (That bologna works for the "other vet," but I am family, it doesn't work with me, I call them out on their rotten behavior and remind them that we go waaaay back and they can't pull this with me and get away with it. I also use a muzzle and remind them to give up. They always do after 3 minutes of nasty looks).
"The "other vet" recommended $200 of pre-op blood work and a $500 dental for each of them." Of course I was the referral vet from the recommendations of the other vet, so I recommended they bring them to me for a looksie.
This morning was the looksie. Elsie is 14 year old full blooded Jack Russell Terrier. She bites first, barks later. She bit my dad as he tentatively picked her up and then tried to bite my technician. I put a gauze strip muzzle on her and we had a short talk. (See my blog on how to make an at home muzzle). She gave up 4 minutes later and I trimmed her nails, and brushed her horrible teeth. I also took blood, urine, and x-rays. I then showed my dad (for the third time) how to brush their teeth. He, like all of my clients, is going home with a bag of supplies, and written instructions. Based on prior experience and his too tentative brushing demo I think she will be back in a few months for me to repeat the procedure. (Sigh).
I checked on Cassidy, my elderly Lab with the cruciate repair from yesterday. She is doing really well. She seems to like the cage life. She gets to see all the action, (because the hospital cages are beside the surgery area, which is always bustling), gets lots of attention, two square meals in bed and walks. Her knee looks like it is on its way to healing and I have a very good feeling that she and I will be fast forever friends.
The receptionist came back to me while I was looking over Cassidy to tell me that KayLee's mom had just called and requested that we fax her records to another vets office. Problem was that I wasn't able to do much other than assess her. She also hadn't been to us in 3 years. So everything was expired, or absent because 3 years ago they declined everything but her rabies shot.
I called Mrs. Sleepyhead to inquire about her request. And to tell her that I didn't have any real records for her to take. She said that she was going elsewhere "to get a second opinion before they euthanized her." I reminded her that all I was able to do for KayLee when she was here was an examination, which they didn't pay for because they told me they had no money." I also reminded her that there were no current records that would be of any value to the referring vet. "And I was not hoping to euthanize KayLee I was hoping to treat KayLee." "She told me that "the other vet would allow her to pay later." I wished her luck with that.
I then called the other vet to explain why I had no records to send them. When I explained the events they told me that they "would not be able to give her any goods or services without payment up front, and that Mrs. Sleepyhead was lucky to have come to JVC because a free exam, fluids, and medications would never happen there."
I am now left worried about a dog who needed help last week, came to me on Sunday, and has been dying at home for over a week.
How do you not lose sleep? Burn out? or eventually get so jaded that you forego caring anymore? I really don't know?
Also because my mom called at 8:30 am to ask if I had taken a look at their dog that my dad had brought up form home on Sunday. Seems their "other Vet" (they live 4 hours away so they have a vet at each location, great idea for those of you with multiple houses or vacation spots). Well their "other vet" had told them that both of their Jack Russell's had a terrible mouth odor which was especially evident as they lunged to bite at her face. (That bologna works for the "other vet," but I am family, it doesn't work with me, I call them out on their rotten behavior and remind them that we go waaaay back and they can't pull this with me and get away with it. I also use a muzzle and remind them to give up. They always do after 3 minutes of nasty looks).
"The "other vet" recommended $200 of pre-op blood work and a $500 dental for each of them." Of course I was the referral vet from the recommendations of the other vet, so I recommended they bring them to me for a looksie.
This morning was the looksie. Elsie is 14 year old full blooded Jack Russell Terrier. She bites first, barks later. She bit my dad as he tentatively picked her up and then tried to bite my technician. I put a gauze strip muzzle on her and we had a short talk. (See my blog on how to make an at home muzzle). She gave up 4 minutes later and I trimmed her nails, and brushed her horrible teeth. I also took blood, urine, and x-rays. I then showed my dad (for the third time) how to brush their teeth. He, like all of my clients, is going home with a bag of supplies, and written instructions. Based on prior experience and his too tentative brushing demo I think she will be back in a few months for me to repeat the procedure. (Sigh).
I checked on Cassidy, my elderly Lab with the cruciate repair from yesterday. She is doing really well. She seems to like the cage life. She gets to see all the action, (because the hospital cages are beside the surgery area, which is always bustling), gets lots of attention, two square meals in bed and walks. Her knee looks like it is on its way to healing and I have a very good feeling that she and I will be fast forever friends.
The receptionist came back to me while I was looking over Cassidy to tell me that KayLee's mom had just called and requested that we fax her records to another vets office. Problem was that I wasn't able to do much other than assess her. She also hadn't been to us in 3 years. So everything was expired, or absent because 3 years ago they declined everything but her rabies shot.
I called Mrs. Sleepyhead to inquire about her request. And to tell her that I didn't have any real records for her to take. She said that she was going elsewhere "to get a second opinion before they euthanized her." I reminded her that all I was able to do for KayLee when she was here was an examination, which they didn't pay for because they told me they had no money." I also reminded her that there were no current records that would be of any value to the referring vet. "And I was not hoping to euthanize KayLee I was hoping to treat KayLee." "She told me that "the other vet would allow her to pay later." I wished her luck with that.
I then called the other vet to explain why I had no records to send them. When I explained the events they told me that they "would not be able to give her any goods or services without payment up front, and that Mrs. Sleepyhead was lucky to have come to JVC because a free exam, fluids, and medications would never happen there."
I am now left worried about a dog who needed help last week, came to me on Sunday, and has been dying at home for over a week.
How do you not lose sleep? Burn out? or eventually get so jaded that you forego caring anymore? I really don't know?
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