What an ass. That's not any attempt at dialogue or conversation on his part...it's a put-down

Based on those remarks I WOULD find another vet pronto.

Even if he was joking, it wasn't followed by an attempt at dialogue. I too would dump him immediately.

I would be very inclined to say why, too. And I'd probably write it and enclose it with my final check. No confrontation anxiety and a chance to get it the way you want to say it. :>

I would also explain as I was interviewing new vets why I had fired the old one. Might bring up lots of attitude you want to know about.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Even if he was joking, it wasn't followed by an attempt at dialogue. I too would dump him immediately.

I would be very inclined to say why, too. And I'd probably write it and enclose it with my final check. No confrontation anxiety and a chance to get it the way you want to say it. :>

I would also explain as I was interviewing new vets why I had fired the old one. Might bring up lots of attitude you want to know about.

I like both those ideas!!
Maybe the 'god complex' vet will start to think a little bit. And bringing the old vet problem up with the potential new ones will will weed out the rude, arrogant ones pretty quickly.

I hope you find a good vet without getting too aggravated.

I have a good vet story.
I've been telling my vet and the receptionists about raw food and vaccinosis. First the vet wanted the vaccinosis websites I found (she has a new baby so she started listening partly because of her child, just mention SIDS increasing after vaccinations and you will get their attention), and on my last visit the receptionist was asking me about where I get the meat for my dogs. I have also been taking in my newly acquired 3 year old Chi. with the 10 year old plaque and showing everybody the amazing progress with the plaque dissolving off his teeth. I'm going to keep telling them about raw food and vaccinosis, they will either be sick of me or converts. Either way they are always polite.

Debbie, AWESOME approaches you have there! And the SIDS-after-vaccination stats are a brilliant opening for discussing over-vaccinating.

I have found that the younger vets are more accepting of raw diet.

There are older ones that accept it as well, but a lot of older ones are pretty set in their ways.

The younger ones I have talked with, are not pushy about the food (Hill's) that they sell, and they seem to admit faster than older ones, that they are not skilled in the nutritional aspects of care other than what they get in vet school.

That is just my experience.

Questions I included (and would use again if needed) are:

What is their availability in case of an emergency for me? (I live in rural SD so my vet is an hour away.) I do not have the luxury of an emergency clinic and I would rather see my vet anyway.

Are they willing to teach me and supply me with the medications, surgical staples, I.V. supplies, bloat kits.. ect... that I will need to support my dog until I can get them to the clinic?

Are they willing to let me assist with normal procedures with my dogs? Sit in or assist with any x-rays or surgeries that my dogs may need?

What is their take on raw diet? AND, since I feed raw diet, will they be open to learn about it and not blame anything that happens to my dog on raw diet (except if it is the diet causing the problem)?

What do they actually feed their dog? (One told me Pedigree....)

I also ask for a tour of the facility, including seeing how and where they "store" euthanized animals and ask what they do with them...(my vet actually promotes the owner burying them or he does it himself) and what their kennels look like (indoor and outdoor). I scrutinize for cleanliness and what the overall place and staff look and act like while I do this.

Of course some of the normal "companion" owner may not have to ask, but since I run the risk of snakebites, cuts, falls and such when I am training or on a real mission, I NEED to be able to perform supportive care until I can get to the clinic.

I have every possible number that I can get a hold of him (he offered them) and the other vet that is new there, also gave me his numbers, so in the event I have an emergency, I will be able to reach one of them.

I will say that I looked as far as four hours away. I had pretty much decided on who I use, but I still went and interviewed anyway. You never know, I may need one that far away someday.
I did pay for office visits in order to have time with the vets. It was the least I could do for taking an appointment slot.

I also utilized the Vet School in Ft. Collins, Colorado. They are great and can do things that my vet may not be able to do.

It takes a while to build a relationship, but if you are serious about finding the right vet for you and your dogs, the work seems minimal.

I am now in the process of discussing the minimal vaccines and titers with my vet......

Good suggestions. I will print that list to take with me when I find a vet who seems likely.

As an update, Leonidas seems better. He had a little yogurt this morning, and a little bland chicken with rice this afternoon (very little, he thinks I am purposely starving him and am the meanest person...) No vomiting all day and it has been 3 hours since his last stool (still runny). He wants to eat badly, so I will give him a little more chicken/rice for dinner.

Thanks for all your care and concern. Maybe I will get to sleep tonight, in a bed, without the dog....

My vet has given me immodium for Bayley the last time she had a bout of the runs. It was the regular strength once a day dose that people take. Now I keep a box at home just in case.

I thought of that, but read somewhere that if you don't know why you dog is sick and there is a remote chance it could have eaten something toxic, you shouldn't give it. I believe it slows down the action in the gut and can make them absorb more toxins. Someone let me know if this is true or not.

On a side not, he eats his kibble (canidae) ok, but he LOVED the chicken and rice the vet had me give him. It makes me think even harder about raw. I would like to see him love all his meals. I am trying to bring my husband over to the "dark side". He isn't convinced. Worried about the cost, salmonelle, etc. and I haven't found a good cheap supplier yet....I am asking around though. Hopefully...

 Quote: Shody Lytle

.... read somewhere that if you don't know why you dog is sick and there is a remote chance it could have eaten something toxic, you shouldn't give it. I believe it slows down the action in the gut and can make them absorb more toxins. Someone let me know if this is true or not...

It is true.

Imodium and Kaopectate slow down the action, which is good if the hyper-action bowel problem is triggered by overindulgence or a new food, etc. It's very bad if the problem is something that needs to get out the other end asap.

I wouldn't give either one except when you know why the dog has diarrhea, or when the vet says to give it.