I've noticed a trend that bugs me alot when I visit the vet. For some strange reason even for the most common things they don't want you in the room and need to take the dog to the back. Finally last time I was at the vet and he needed to take Bodie to the back for a simple microchipping I said "No, you can do it here or not at all." and he looked downright baffled and didn't say much to me the rest of the visit. I'm sure there is a comment about me on the dog's chart now.

Has anyone else noticed this as a change? I guess I don't understand the fear. Are they worried I might do something if they have to restrain my dog? or if the dog yelps? Am I distracting them? Is there a liability I'm not aware of? I personally don't like other people handling my dogs to begin with and I want to be assured that it is done properly, they're doing what they say they're doing, and that any simple procedures are done in a clean orderly fashion. Seems to me that being in the room is the best way to do that.

I've got the opposite

My vet know's i have "dangerous" dogs (ringdogs) and i've an understanding with him that i restrain the dog and that i'm the one who administers injections.
Better be safe than sorry when it comes to biting.

Greetings

Johan

I find vets in Europe to be alot more relaxed in "rules" and alot more accomodating than Florida vets. Local vets here are also often working alone, whereas in Florida all the vets I've been to have a team of vet techs to do all the heavy lifting, then the vet just makes a 90 second appearance to tell you something, then leaves again.

I went to a vet in Orlando once to ask about a tooth problem. They told me they didn't do anything dental there. I asked if I could talk to the vet anyway and ask a couple questions. I was told that it would cost $80 if the vet entered the room, but it was free if I asked the vet tech who would go ask the vet on my behalf. I was the ONLY PERSON IN THE CLINIC and he cant spare 60 seconds to answer a question??

I emailed my orthopedic SPECIALIST in Belgium and got a reply at 11pm on a Sunday night. No charge. My local vet sometimes won't even charge me for the visit if I have to buy meds, or if it's something simple she won't charge me either. If I need xrays, they give me a lead coat and I help restrain the dog. Everything is done in my presence. I am dealing 100% with the vet, not a vet tech. I can spend 20 minutes talking to the vet and she will be taking all the time in the world leaving other patients waiting.

I think the problem with the US is that people are sue happy, so vets try and take every precaution to avoid malpractice suits, which means they are going to have their vet techs do as much as possible so that the client can't do something to cause a problem and turn around to sue the vet for it. I can't imagine my vet in Orlando letting me give my dog his own injection. If I did it wrong I could probably sue the vet for letting me do it. I think if a client weighs their own dog and gets an incorrect reading, that the vet then prescribes medication for and the dog overdoses or dies from insufficient dosage, that again, I could sue the vet for not administering the correct dose because I didn't let them weigh the dog.

My general rule in life is: If I don't like how someone does something or treats me, I simply go somewhere else. I dont try to argue the point or change the way they do things, instead I find someone who already does it the way I would want. If you dont like the way your vet's practice is run, then find a new vet.

Melissa, where do you live? Just curious. I assume the US?

Barring surgery, I would never expect nor let my vet take my dog out of the room and work on him without me. Microchipping without you??? That's ridiculous.

Either he/she is a novice and is nervous having an "audience" or he/she's usual and customary methods in operating his/her vet practice is suspect. I compare leaving my dog alone with a vet with leaving my child alone with a doctor during an exam. I just would never do it. I have absolutely nothing to gain and everything to worry about by leaving them.

What's strange to me is that I'm assuming this vet of yours has a following, has been in business for a while? Have they always done this to some extent? Or is this a completely new thing?

Last point: I'd be shopping for a new vet.

I've worked with the same vet for 27 years. I've been through lots of dog issues with him. He would even help me for free with dog health problems when I lived in Costa Rica. I didn't trust most of the vets there.

Vet techs allow the vet to see more patients which adds up to more money in the till. I've watched that evolve over the years. It started with medical doctors.

I'm dating myself here but I remember when MD's came to the house to treat a sick child. What a change!

I worked for a vet for a while (about a year) and she did everything in the presence of the client, with the exception of very few things, in which case the animal was dropped off (things like surgery of course, heartworm treatment, x-rays, etc). If it could be done during a regular office visit, the client was pretty much expected to stay w/the animal. A few times (very few), clients would be squeamish or feel guilty and leave the room.

I can't imagine being expected to just trust them to take my dog out of sight and treat him. I trust my vet totally, but that's not the point. I personally feel responsible for what they do, and I am going to supervise, if you want to call it that. Not to mention, I'm sure my dog feels better with me present.

I would probably have been a little less blunt w/the vet re: microchipping, and just asked them why I couldn't be present, so they had a chance to explain, at least. But I would be looking for a new vet, if I were you, regardless of their explanation. I've never heard of a vet basically not letting the owner be w/their dog during office visits. JMO.

I've never been asked to leave the room, and wouldn't leave if I was asked. Most of the time I'm asked to help hold the dog, and have even been asked to bring the dog in the back for them once or twice.

Locally, the only person that I know of who's been asked to leave while her dog was being treated is my very nervous friend who can't stand the sight of blood. She's so high-strung at the vet that her presence makes her dogs nervous so she can't be in the room. She knows this and understands, and has no problem leaving for her dogs' sake .

Barring this type of situation, I would take issue with a vet that wouldn't let me be present while he (or she, in my case) was treating my dog.

I count myself lucky to have a vet who is very good. They never ask me to leave the room and seem to like me in the room with the dogs. The only time I'm not with the dog is if a surgical procedure is involved. This practice uses vet techs too but not at the exclusion of seeing the vet. The vet always comes in and examines the dogs and spends time in the room with me. I think that there are some good vets out there. I also have excellent vets for my horses. I went through a number of them before I found the two that I use, but it was well worth the search. You may need to get a referral from someone who lives in your area who has a vet that they trust and make a change.

Unless dog is getting surgery I think most Vets want the owners in the room. I know that is what they teach that at U.C. Davis Vet School.
I would fire your Vet and hire a new one. Think about a Pediatrician who would only see kids when parents where not present.
NOTE: I do not equate value of dogs to value of children but the over all principle remains the same.

I have never been asked to leave either. Most of the time I will take my two big dogs in at the same time and when the exam starts, a vet tech will take one for a walk, while the vet and I stay in the room.

My little chihuahua though is a different story. I once had to drop her off in the morning to have her teeth cleaned. I put her in the kennel and left. One hour later, they called me at work. They couldn't get her out of the kennel. She had turned into a whirling, snotty little brat. (I know I should have socialized her more growing up). Since her blood pressure goes up when she is stressed, her eyes were about to pop out of her head when I got there. They let me calm her down and take her into surgery and I held the gas mask over her face until she fell asleep. We now know how to handle that 5 pound monster.

It is great when you have a good working relationship with your vet and if you don't, it's time to find another vet.