When Is Your Vet A Good Vet or a Bad Vet?

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It goes without saying that not every single client experience is a walk in the park. Usually, it’s unilaterally uncomfortable — for the veterinarian, I mean. Which makes sense. After all, YOU pay US, right? And that means we have to bite our tongues more than we’d like to. But seeing as we humans can’t always exhibit perfect control … sometimes even veterinarians clash with clients.

A good vet
A good vet

Unfortunately, that means we speak our minds — which is not always to our client’s liking. That’s why after these uncomfortable events I inevitably worry about whether I could have handled the situation differently. Was I professional? Check. Was I correct? Check. Was I fair? Check. Was I diplomatic? Hmmm … maybe not so much.

Yet you may disagree on all these points. Read my story and decide for yourself…

To be fair, yesterday’s scenario was pretty typical. This was a new client with a brand new French bulldog puppy. Cute as a button.

Unfortunately, this newly minted client arrived 20 minutes late for her appointment — the very last one of the day. To make matters worse, new pet visits typically require owners to arrive 15 minutes ahead of time to fill out paperwork (though it’s possible our receptionist may not have mentioned this policy yesterday, as sometimes happens). Unfortunately, all this meant I wouldn’t get up close and personal with this pup until 35 minutes after her allotted time.

Now, normally I’m OK with this. Though I’m never happy about it, I nearly always work around the schedule abuse these scenarios offer. Only rarely will I have a major schedule conflict, as I did yesterday. And I’ve never ever had cause to explain, face-to-face, why it’s important to arrive on time to one’s veterinary visit.

Essentially — and unfortunately — I lectured the poor client on the importance of timeliness to success and the need to respect others’ time. Though to be fair to my side of things, this patronizing explanation came only after the owner refused my offer to reschedule for any other time this week (including my days off) … and definitely after she became visibly angry because I wouldn’t stay an extra half hour to see her new puppy. It certainly didn’t help when she demanded to know what I had to do that was more important than her puppy. Ouch!

After hitting each other below the belt, we were at an impasse. She ripped up her intake forms and stormed out. Next up: The angry husband calling to complain over our mistreatment of his wife. That I had called her all manner of rude things (untrue, though I did passive-aggressively call her “Honey” — and I hate that, too), and that I had demeaned her (OK, so I did wantonly belittle her ability to pick up a phone and call when one is running late).

In any case, here’s the upshot: I have plans to call and apologize for making her feel like a heel. Because it doesn’t matter so much to be right in this case — nor in most, really. In the end, I’d rather have one more patient — even if it does come attached to a client that may or may not reciprocate my attempt at reconciliation with a grudging respect for my time.

About Post Author

Dr. Patty Khuly

Dr. Patty is a small animal veterinarian in Miami, Florida, where she practices medicine at Sunset Animal Clinic and serves on the board of the South Florida Veterinary Medical Association.
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9 years ago

I’d rather go see my vet than my doctor – mind you, my doctor would rather I go see my vet than him… 😉

Jessica
14 years ago

Hmm, you are certainly a better person than I would be in this situation. Like you said though, you would rather have that extra patient with the baggage that goes along with it. I think she and I would be having a conversation about how each of our time is just as valuable as the other, that is just me though.

=^..^=

Admin
14 years ago

Is that cat supposed to have red eyes?

14 years ago

I find taking my cat (thanks for the picture) to the Vet is a little less time consuming than taking myself to the human Vet, but just about as expensive.

Reply to  Holte Ender
14 years ago

You got that right Holte!!

Admin
14 years ago

I do hope that cat lovers everywhere (especially Oso) take note of the picture. It is NOT a dog, and my dogs are very, very unhappy about that.

Jessica
Reply to  Professor Mike
14 years ago

This cat lover thinks it is a beautiful picture and thanks you for posting it for us.

=^..^=

Morgalla
14 years ago

I have noticed that Vets are more often “on time” in regards to seeing a patient than are doctors for humans. Plus IMHO you have to be smarter to be a vet in the first place, as a human can tell you what is wrong, but you have little subjective analysis to use to assess an animal that can’t speak, and often hides symptoms as a survival mechanism.

Mike if you need a “cat writer” or “other” pet writer, I could help you out. You may peruse a sample of writing here. It at least has chickens in it. http://mistressmorgala.livejournal.com/1895.html

Reply to  Morgalla
14 years ago

Wow! Thanks Morgalla. Can you send me an email?. I am always looking for good writers. The salary not so good but you get a lot of time off 🙂

madmikes1@gmail.com

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