Emergency Vet availability

[splash]

I’m my view the vets of 30 years ago will struggle to be bettered !
Don’t get my wrong the treatment available now is more advanced, but I think the level of Animal care and sense of duty has shifted to improve practices financial gains.
Small independent vets are few and far between large animal hospital ( insurance grabbing) nationals are taking over at the detriment of dedicated individual vets !
Fortunately my vet is a small farm/equine vet so she’s realistic and doesn’t ask if my dogs are insured before she even looks at them.
And yes she’s on call 24/7 and all sick animals stay at her practice

 

[wully1234]

My mutt had an injury around a month ago, 5" cut on outer thigh ,down to the muscle but no muscle damage, it was on a Sunday with a bank holiday Monday so there was no chance I was taking her to an emergency vet as my normal vet does not provide cover, only a phone number.
I had a stitching kit from a medical kit donated to my by some us navy guys so she was stitched up .. the bugger managed to pick at the stitches, so last 2 popped but by this time I had ordered and received a skin stapler so stuck 3 staples in and solved that issue and fitted a collar on her. The stapler was far easier to use and so much easier on the dog so lesson learned there!
After more than a day from treating the main injury, I noted on her underside so she a gouge out too which I hadn't noticed, this became infected due to the dirt left in it so she was given amoxycillin for a week and I cleaned it out twice a day with iodine which sorted the problem.
If I had of took her to the vet they would most likely have found the secondary wound but I reckon it would have cost me atleast a grand for the complete job..
If I had deemed it serious enough..for example,if the muscle was damaged then she would have been straight there...

 

[VSS]

My mutt had an injury around a month ago, 5" cut on outer thigh ,down to the muscle but no muscle damage, it was on a Sunday with a bank holiday Monday so there was no chance I was taking her to an emergency vet as my normal vet does not provide cover, only a phone number.
I had a stitching kit from a medical kit donated to my by some us navy guys so she was stitched up .. the bugger managed to pick at the stitches, so last 2 popped but by this time I had ordered and received a skin stapler so stuck 3 staples in and solved that issue and fitted a collar on her. The stapler was far easier to use and so much easier on the dog so lesson learned there!
After more than a day from treating the main injury, I noted on her underside so she a gouge out too which I hadn't noticed, this became infected due to the dirt left in it so she was given amoxycillin for a week and I cleaned it out twice a day with iodine which sorted the problem.
If I had of took her to the vet they would most likely have found the secondary wound but I reckon it would have cost me atleast a grand for the complete job..
If I had deemed it serious enough..for example,if the muscle was damaged then she would have been straight there...

There's a fine line between carrying out first aid, and carrying out veterinary procedures on your own animals. The latter is, I believe, illegal if you're not a qualified vet.

 

[wully1234]

There's a fine line between carrying out first aid, and carrying out veterinary procedures on your own animals. The latter is, I believe, illegal if you're not a qualified vet.

I wasn't aware of that

 

[dvbookshop]

What are your views on the care that you feel should be available for your dogs (I'll stick to pets here) after normal hours? I'll not put a poll up, and await the answers with interest and trepidation....

Having had the “opportunity” to use my vet’s OOH referral service for my fitting Vizsla and the practice itself seeing my “paralysed” Teckel at closing time, I know what I prefer - the care, engagement and communication by the practice was so much better. However, I know exactly where you are coming from and as we left after 23:00, I felt very bad for keeping the day team at work - it cannot be easy.

Been there and done that. I had no idea that referral centres charge about 10 times the normal rate and that insurances have exclusions for after-hours consultations. £600 for overnight observation; £10,000 plus for an urgent op. with little chance of success; they wouldn't even let me in with my little Teckel.

 

[Stalker62]

Been there and done that. I had no idea that referral centres charge about 10 times the normal rate and that insurances have exclusions for after-hours consultations. £600 for overnight observation; £10,000 plus for an urgent op. with little chance of success; they wouldn't even let me in with my little Teckel.

Dare I ask the outcome?

 

[dvbookshop]

Dare I ask the outcome?

I asked what £600 worth of observation entailed and they said they would pinch him occasionally to see if he had lost any more sensation! It wasn't made clear to me that with IVDD you are against the clock and progressive damage is potentially irreversible. I decided I could do that myself so they told me that if there was no change to get him checked by a vet in the morning to see if he was fit to travel to my vet at home. this vet told me he might well get better with rest!
I was away from home because I got the call to say my mother was dying literally minutes after seeing my dog wobbling on his hind legs for the first time. Instead of going straight to a vet I had to spend the day in a care home 150 miles away by which time he had completely lost the use of his hind legs, while with my brother. Later my own old-school vet at home (and his son) advised me that Titch would never recover enough function to live an active life even if he were to be given an emergency op that evening (£10,00 minimum) and that there would be months of cage rest. I decided that it would be no life at all for him.
I will never get over it; worst thing I've ever had to do. It's hard enough with a dog who has had a full life but he was only three and it was completely heartbreaking.
Here's an odd post-script though. My mother died on the Wednesday evening; I lost Titch on the Friday (I had adopted him from her) and on the intervening Thursday, unknown to me, a lab pointer cross was born who is lying next to me now.

 

[Stalker62]

My mother died on the Wednesday evening; I lost Titch on the Friday (I had adopted him from her) and on the intervening Thursday, unknown to me, a lab pointer cross was born who is lying next to me now.

Thank you for taking the trouble to post that story.

I am so very sorry for the loss of "Titch", and for that of your Mother.

It is clear to me, the you made absolutely the right decision for your little friend.

Unutterable grief - and all coming at the same time.

I hope your new 'best friend' will live a long and happy life with you.

 

[willie_gunn]

Our local veterinary practice no longer offers an out of hours service, instead directing us to use VetsNow.

Whilst I would prefer to deal with our vet, who knows our dogs of old, I have to say that the service we have received from VetsNow has been very good.

On the first occasion last year Singha, our young fox red lab, was vomiting continuously. We took her to the vet and they diagnosed the problem and issued a prescription. A costly exercise, but the peace of mind was priceless.

Then a couple of weeks ago Brocket, who is our oldest cocker spaniel now that we had Sika, his mother, put to sleep three weeks ago, had both sickness and diarrhea. We called VetsNow, and they talked us through the situation. They advised keeping him on chicken and rice, fed little and often, and to monitor how things progressed. After perhaps a 15 minute consultation they suggested we didn't need to drive in, and that we could just see our regular vet in the morning.

Personally I was flabbergasted, as I was fully expecting to have to hop in the car and then spend a few hundred pounds on a tube of Canikur, as that was how I figured out-of-hours veterinary practices operated. As a result, VetsNow has gone up in my estimation considerably. The duty vet couldn't have been more helpful.

 

[dvbookshop]

Thank you for taking the trouble to post that story.

I am so very sorry for the loss of "Titch", and for that of your Mother.

It is clear to me, the you made absolutely the right decision for your little friend.

Unutterable grief - and all coming at the same time.

I hope your new 'best friend' will live a long and happy life with you.

Thankyou, wondering whether you've done the right thing is hard to deal with.

 

[dvbookshop]

Our local veterinary practice no longer offers an out of hours service, instead directing us to use VetsNow.

Whilst I would prefer to deal with our vet, who knows our dogs of old, I have to say that the service we have received from VetsNow has been very good.

On the first occasion last year Singha, our young fox red lab, was vomiting continuously. We took her to the vet and they diagnosed the problem and issued a prescription. A costly exercise, but the peace of mind was priceless.

Then a couple of weeks ago Brocket, who is our oldest cocker spaniel now that we had Sika, his mother, put to sleep three weeks ago, had both sickness and diarrhea. We called VetsNow, and they talked us through the situation. They advised keeping him on chicken and rice, fed little and often, and to monitor how things progressed. After perhaps a 15 minute consultation they suggested we didn't need to drive in, and that we could just see our regular vet in the morning.

Personally I was flabbergasted, as I was fully expecting to have to hop in the car and then spend a few hundred pounds on a tube of Canikur, as that was how I figured out-of-hours veterinary practices operated. As a result, VetsNow has gone up in my estimation considerably. The duty vet couldn't have been more helpful.

Perhaps it's a postcode lottery. My old lab Blimey was referred to the Liverpool Veterinary Hospital and was there a week after having a tumour removed for his parathyroid. They were fantastic. The whole bill was just over £2000.00

 

[Stalker62]

Thankyou, wondering whether you've done the right thing is hard to deal with.

@dvbookshop

As a loving dog owner, you will always do the right thing.

It's hard, it's nasty and it's necessary.

I have done it. I hated it.

When I handed over the payment to the (excellent) Vet, I looked down and saw 30 pieces of silver in my hand. Such was the betrayal I felt.

I loved that dog more than any man should love anything, and releasing him from his pain gave me a lifetime of my own.

I would do the same again.

I have two elderly dogs now. I will (I have no doubt) have to do the same again.


There is that saying that dogs give you the best years of your life and the very worst day. It is true.

There is a poem about this issue which I will try and find.

I can never (never) finish it...

Here it is.

If it should be that I grow weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle cannot be won.

You will be sad, I understand.
Don't let your grief then stay your hand.
For this day, more than all the rest,
Your love for me must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years.
What is to come can hold no fears.
You'd not want me to suffer so;
The time has come -- please let me go.

Take me where my need they'll tend,
And please stay with me till the end.
Hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time that you will see
The kindness that you did for me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I've been saved.

Please do not grieve -- it must be you
Who had this painful thing to do.
We've been so close, we two, these years;
Don't let your heart hold back its tears.

 

[foxdropper]

There's a fine line between carrying out first aid, and carrying out veterinary procedures on your own animals. The latter is, I believe, illegal if you're not a qualified vet.

I understand that any procedure undertaken to save life follows without prosecution .I’ve sutured dogs with bad gashes with staples then taken them in for check ups with never a word to the act being negative .
My own dealings with vets have been very one sided and I have no time for them at all I’m afraid .
Once took a lurcher to out of hours who had run into a water trough that had barbed wire wrapped around it .The dog had a 6 inch gash down its front and back leg opened to the bone at the hock .
Was told to meet a vet at the local H practice and was told before we brought the dog in it would cost £120 to look at it before doing anything .
I explained the injuries and one of the vets came to the truck window and said it would cost £1300 to stitch the dog up .
We left and I stapled the bitch up and she’s still running to this day .Try to do the right thing and they have you in a ball clamp which tightens the more you value the dog I’m sure .
Add to that the time I took a terrier bitch to be pts out of hours as I was sure she had cancer ,swollen abdomen ,yellow eyes and off her food .Seen it few times and didn’t want to prolong her suffering .She was 12 so I thought it best to do the right thing .Oh No says the vet it’s jaundice .She would be ok after a course of tabs and this and that .£450 later the bitch is no different and coughing up blood .I take her in and same vet says I think you are right it’s cancer best pts .
I might have lost it ,was a bit of a blur tbh suffice to say I got a written apology from the partners saying the vet was under stress at work .Wtf .
Combine with this the price of drugs they charge ,same drugs readily available online with a prescription ,sometimes without .
Im not a fan of the whole profession tbh .

 

[Ronin]

24 hr vet essential

Had a flat coat that bloated a few years ago and without this she would have died - cant than the person concerned enough (they're a member here)

Also have horses, one went down with colic (spring grass and enthusiastic feeder....) two months ago and we had the vet out who came within an hour despite it being a sunday evening, they sorted it reasonably quickly, but which without intervention would have meant a large loss both emotionally and financially - let alone the peace of mind it gives to know your animals have someone who can care for them professionally if and when needed

 

[Alex88]

I work as a farm animal vet. Hardly any new graduates are coming into farm work now because they can go to a small animal practice that closes at 5pm, whereas we have to provide our own emergency cover. The out of hours centres know how to charge that's for sure! The whole industry is brilliant rapidly destroyed by corporate ownership

 

[Millerich]

I work as a farm animal vet. Hardly any new graduates are coming into farm work now because they can go to a small animal practice that closes at 5pm, whereas we have to provide our own emergency cover. The out of hours centres know how to charge that's for sure! The whole industry is brilliant rapidly destroyed by corporate ownership

It’s no picnic in independently owned small animal practice currently.

 

[WH308]

I work as a farm animal vet. Hardly any new graduates are coming into farm work now because they can go to a small animal practice that closes at 5pm, whereas we have to provide our own emergency cover. The out of hours centres know how to charge that's for sure! The whole industry is brilliant rapidly destroyed by corporate ownership

Out of interest, why do you feel corporate ownership is destroying the industry? What downsides do you see?

 

[Alex88]

Out of interest, why do you feel corporate ownership is destroying the industry? What downsides do you see?

My boss sold out about 3 years ago to one of the biggest corporates. Prices went up because they don't care at all about the customer, instead of wanting to make clients want to use us, the new mentality is to buy all the practices in the area so that clients have no choice but to use us. Everything is target driven, and the customers bill now has to cover the costs of many many head offices and many managerial roles who don't really do anything. Ultimately we went from a nice little practice that cared about the clients, and offered the best service we possibly could, to a big business who ruthlessly cut costs and put up the invoices. Almost overnight it was ruined. From a personal point of view they treat their vets like rubbish

 

[VSS]

I work as a farm animal vet. Hardly any new graduates are coming into farm work now because they can go to a small animal practice that closes at 5pm, whereas we have to provide our own emergency cover. The out of hours centres know how to charge that's for sure! The whole industry is brilliant rapidly destroyed by corporate ownership

Small animal vetting also pays better.
My sister is a small animal vet, and the sort of fees she's charging compared to our local, rural, predominantly large animal practice are eye watering. No-one around here would / could pay that much. It would just be a bullet at the bottom of the garden instead.
My eldest daughter, now studying at vet school, is (currently) determined to stick with large animal work. She won't ever earn as much, but I think she'll be happier. Unless the dollars wins, and she changes direction.

(Good to see another vet on here btw, @Alex88 . Welcome to the madhouse!)

 

[wildfowler.250]

These threads just highlight why the profession is in a bad way.

Same entry requirements as dentistry or medicine but get paid significantly less.

Everyone feels the final bill should be cheaper,(probably as a result of not having to pay directly for the NHS).

And you’re expected to be available 24/7.

All for an average salary of about 45k.. no wonder there’s recruitment problems.