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Location: Surrey
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,420
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Making a complaint about a vet
Have you done it before? Did it improve the situation, do you know if they were reprimanded, or did it worsen the situation/cause friction with them or other staff at the practice?
I've been back and forth recently with Kiki about her thyroid, initially saw a fab vet (head of the practice actually), but then he was sick and I ended up seeing another vet. This is when I wanted to query the blood test results about the possibility of hypothyroidism. I just felt like the vet really couldn't be bothered to listen to me - he started off the appointment actually saying "I'm not even sure why you're here, I haven't looked at Kiki's file" (I'd made the appointment the day before and he'd actually been in the appointment room on his own before I went in, so time to at least glance at it!). Then wasn't really keen to listen to me at all re. borderline hypothyroidism, wasn't keen to look at any of the articles I took in (I'd highlighted relevant parts so not as if he had to browse it all), told me "you could diagnose yourself with anything if you Googled enough" (way to patronise me) and basically I just kept talking and talking until he finally said he'd consider it. I stressed that I wasn't saying that I'd Googled it and decided that was the cause - infact, I'd made the appointment to discuss the possibility of medication like Clomicalm for her separation anxiety, but just wanted to rule out the thyroid being an issue, but he just kept implying it was a complete stretch to think it was that, and if anything why hadn't I assumed it was hyperthyroidism (er, perhaps because her thyroid results were right at the bottom of the range instead of the top?
). He kept blabbering on and on about being worried about hyperthyroidism - which I've since read is pretty difficult to do with Soloxine anyway.
Anyway, despite telling me he "wouldn't sit on it too long", he took ages to look at the paperwork and whenever I rang to check up, he made excuses. I'd stressed at the appointments that we'd had some regression with her SA and I was eager to trial the Soloxine ASAP because of that. I wasn't expecting a response within hours but it took a week for me to get an answer - and only because I called myself. When I called he had a real stroppy attitude, he actually answered the phone asking "what do you want?" and told me in a huff that he'd dispensed the Soloxine - no one had called to tell me so how was I supposed to know?! He said he'd asked someone else to call me, but he'd told me himself that he would contact me, and they only call my mobile so if I'd missed the call I'd have had a notification or voicemail.
Anyway, the Soloxine seems to be helping so we went back for our checkup today, had blood drawn to re-test and got some more tablets. I specifically booked with the head vet again and had a lovely appointment, his attitude is just polar opposite to the other vet. While he was off drawing blood from Kiki I could see her screen left up on the monitor - and was annoyed to see several notes by this other vet that have peed me off and made me debate making an official complaint. Firstly there's one saying how he doubts the credibility of Dr Dodds - but he's not contacted her and showed no interest in researching her (I actually doubt if he read the articles I gave him because he said several things that suggest not - e.g. insistant we do a repeat blood test 6 weeks later when most of the articles I gave him state that so he should have known I'd be totally fine, if not requesting it myself). There was a note from a receptionist, when I dropped the claims form in I hadn't put the reason for the claim, not being sure if it would go under separation anxiety or hypothyroidism. The receptionist had put a note of the screen saying could they hold off on the form to prevent any problems with the claim or me having to pay two excesses (e.g. one now for SA and one for hypothyroidism if the tablets worked/she continued on them) but right underneath this vet had put a note to file the form as separation anxiety - fair enough, their call and it's good of them to do direct claims anyway so I'm sure they want their money ASAP, but someone could have called to let me know. Then there's a note from the time I got dispensed the tablets and phoned to query if they were to be given once a day or twice a day - I mentioned about studies showing Soloxine to have a half-life of 12-16 hours (so giving twice a day gets a more level dose) and this note on the system was in his same patronising tone saying he'd tried to call and not got through but that all their medication had a
shelf life of a year and no medication would ever have a shelf life of 12 hours. Yes, you paid so much attention to my message then
I don't know if I'm just taking it personally, or if he's got an issue with me. He used to be great actually, the vet of choice when I had rats as he was always so open to alternative medications, research I took in, etc. so this is all a real surprise to me now, but then I had a rabbit die suddenly and he did the PM and basically accused me of leaving the rabbit to die a slow, painful death as the PM results indicated such a high level of coccidia that it would have had violet diaorreah for weeks - said rabbit had been in to their practice a week prior due to my concern over some slight weightloss and been deemed perfectly healthy and just in need of some extra food due to colder weather! I hadn't seen him since, not for any reason but just because I hadn't been in half as often once I stopped doing rehoming of rats etc., but I had no qualms seeing him again, I figured he'd had a bad day at the time or something. I don't know if he remembers me from that incident or if he's just completely lost any sense of customer service, or if I'm overreacting, but today's appointment was just such a contrast it's made me question why I put up with being spoken to so rudely. Just trying to decide if it's actually going to achieve anything or not - I'm hesistant to stir things up as I don't want to change vets, 95% of the time I'm more than happy with them, I love that they do 24/7 emergency cover in-house, there's several vets I'd trust completely with the lives of my pets, but as a paying customer I just feel like this vet has decided I'm nothing better than a bit of dog poo on his shoe
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