Yesterday I brought Sonya to a vet recommended and used by the Philadelphia Police K9 Unit. Let's just say I don't think I will be bringing her back there.

I brought Sonya in and everything was fine she barked a few times in the waiting room, really no big deal. Once the Dr met her she barely tried to earn any trust with the dog. The only thing she did was give Sonya her hand, which Sonya happily licked. After that she talked to me a bit about why I brought Sonya in. I told her about the OFA preliminary x-rays I wanted and she said they don't do OFA but can take the x-rays and give their opinion on them and I can send them away to the OFA (I know they aren't the OFA?). She made it seem like I didn't know what the OFA was, she even asked if I knew what it was.

Second strike was when she tried to examine Sonya and Sonya started to growl (Sonya has never growled at anyone besides a repair man when she was caged) she immediately got a muzzle (Even my other dog that is aggressive doesn't get muzzled by her vet). Then she goes on, "Does she always act this way?".

Third strike was when we talked about vaccines, I was going to get her 3 year rabies since she was due for it and legally need it for her license. The Dr said they recommend the 3 year shot every 2 years. I told her I wanted only rabies eventhough her distemper shot is due.

Fourth strike was when we taked about her diet and she gave me a lecture of how bad it is to feed raw food and a well balanced diet from a commercial dog food is best and she can get salmonella like humans do from raw food. I told her about the problems my other dog had on Science Diet and other big brands and let her know that my other dog is on Chicken Soup for the dog Lovers Soul and she looked at me like she never heard of it.

The main reason why I went was to check on Sonya's fur loss, but since I have been using a medicated shampoo on her it has cleared it up. We both believed it was yeast but there are no longer any signs that she had it besides areas where fur is growing back. She took blood for a blood panel and I will get the results in about a week.

Kimberly

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Fourth strike was when we taked about her diet and she gave me a lecture of how bad it is to feed raw food and a well balanced diet from a commercial dog food is best and she can get salmonella like humans do from raw food.

Hmm...Did she have any comment about the MAJOR commercial pet food recall that is all over the news because animals are dying? I'll bet she didn't.

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I told her about the problems my other dog had on Science Diet and other big brands and let her know that my other dog is on Chicken Soup for the dog Lovers Soul and she looked at me like she never heard of it.

My vets never heard of Chicken Soup or Innova when I had my pup on them. And of course, since they had never heard of them, those foods couldn't possibly be good

I have this beautiful large clinic that's at the end of my block and I don't go there anymore. I thought I would try going there as it's so close, but left after consistently being treated like an idiot and finding them extremely rigid in all things. I went back to my other vet who is a lot farther away and who doesn't understand miminal vaccinating at all and hates raw feeding, but she's willing to work with me on things and thinks outside the box as needed. We have just agreed to disagree on those two subjects and go on from there.

I'm with you on not liking how you were treated and would have to weigh how much I liked the care my dog could get there versus how I would be treated and the care my dog would get somewhere else and then decide if I was going to switch or not.

I would rather take Sonya to my other dog's vet than the one she was just taken to. My other vet is a lot closer and I guess I could walk there since it is about a mile away. This other vet was far from me and I had to borrow a friend's vehicle to take her there. My other vet actually has the dogs records available online and e-mails you when routine care is needed. They also call to talk to you about any findings and send you the full test results and conclusions in the mail for my records and give you printouts of any procedures or diseases your dog has and what exactly it is and what may occur (they also take a picture so they know what the animal looks like). Plus the Dr loves shepherds, he went on about how rare they are to see in the city now compared to other breeds. Between the 2 places I would choose my older shepherds Dr, eventhough me and him don't agree on vaccinations. I think the way he would try to take care of my dog would be a lot better then this new vet. I just hope Sonya doesn't hate vets now because of this whole experience, she started to shake during the exam while she was muzzled and physically restrained by a vet tech on a table and she has pretty solid nerves. She was fine when we went back in the waiting room. I don't know if I should just try a new vet all together for her or just use my other dogs vet. This whole experience was just a huge disappointment for me. I could have gotten the same care at a cheaper clinic like the SPCA.

Kimberly

I think your other dog's vet sounds great! I love the email options, how thorough he is in going over things with you, he loves your breed, you like the care he gives, he's closer - ok, why would you go anywhere else? I'm ready to go to him too I have no problem disagreeing on vaccinations so long as your vet understands you are firm in your views and only makes the one annual speech about it. Some vets are slower than others on going over to minimal vaccinations and some never go there, so long as you stand your ground and smile and nod your head when they bring it up, I don't see a problem.

Sarah, Just curious (since I feed raw & haven't had much chance to see the news lately....new job, my own clients, out training & playing with my dogs when not working,) what major dog food had the recall? I would like to be able to mention it to friends that feed kibble, just in case thay haden't head about it. Thanks.

Edited to say: I sure am glad that I have several vets close to me that are really great. One being the noteworthly Dr.Martin Goldstein's Smith Ridge practice, another world renown holistic & chiropractic vet,Dr. Allen Schoen & a western medicine vet; all of which are happy to see dogs on raw when the owner is well educated about raw feeding requirements, minimal vaccinations & titering. I guess that my dogs are very lucky.

I think I will just take her to my other vet from now on. I was hoping to find one that does holistic and traditional medicine, but I may be hoping for too much. I'm not sure how my other vet stands on raw feeding but at this point I really don't care.

The new vet I went to made a big deal out of me wanting to buy heartworm meds on the internet. She told me they are usually overstock and made for/in other countries. My other vet had no problem with me saving money by buying meds online, he told me to just give them his name and phone or fax number.

Kimberly

Connie had this link on another post:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/17/america/NA-GEN-US-Pet-Food-Recall.php

Your other vet still sounds wonderful. Yes, it would be even better if you had the option of both types of care at the same place, but this guy sounds great as he is. Maybe I'm just in a better position as I generally know what's wrong with my dog, what I want tested, what kind of treatment I want, and at the very least I have a good clue of direction to look into when my dog is ill or hurt. I don't know it all, but I generally have a good clue and I feel I'm in charge of my dogs' care and my vet is my partner in that care. I am willing to go with traditional medical care to begin with, but then as with anything over and above that, if I feel my dog would benefit from some non-traditional or specialty care, I would go and get it elsewhere.

 Quote: Kimberly Bunk

I think I will just take her to my other vet from now on. I was hoping to find one that does holistic and traditional medicine, but I may be hoping for too much. I'm not sure how my other vet stands on raw feeding but at this point I really don't care.

The new vet I went to made a big deal out of me wanting to buy heartworm meds on the internet. She told me they are usually overstock and made for/in other countries. My other vet had no problem with me saving money by buying meds online, he told me to just give them his name and phone or fax number.

Kimberly

My vet will match internet prices. All I have to do is print it out and show them.

Can't hurt to ask. My vet can't be the only one doing this.