Do you trust your vet? (Shar-Pei, allergy, clean, prescription)

[Needaplace]

I am so sick of Vets, they are so expensive, and whenever I go to them I feel they dont really give a crap and alot of times times they give wrong information and stuff me with this useless medication that they probably have stock in, I wish I could find a good Vet who didnt seem like there main concern was maximizing profits

[Katie1]

We have been over this. Check the other threads....

Yes I trust my vet, but I have had a few I didn't.

[surfingatwork]

I guess I lucked out because I trust my vet 100%. A few times one or both of my two have needed to take medication for one thing or another and on almost all occassions my vet has given me suggestions/alternatives to help reduce the cost and i've never had her give me bad or wrong information. so i know she's not all about making money. maybe it also helps that my vet lives less than 5 miles from me and sees me walking my two on an almost daily basis.

[Travel'r]

Here is part of my letter as seen in National Pet Press (www.thedogpress.com) (broken link) (Editor Titled "McVet Pushers")


Veterinarians in facilities which push substandard dog food should be a huge concern among pet owners who take advantage of the (high volume) concept for convenience sake -- even more so with all the recalls going on. And talk about a CONFLICT of INTEREST! If you take an affected pet to a McVet who sold you an affected food (Hill's prescription cat food, for one, has been recalled) you’ll NEVER KNOW it.

And please click for the truth regarding vets and food they sell, or do a quick search for these same facts: Myths About Raw: Is my vet really qualified to be giving nutritional advice?

These are the first ingredients of Hill's Prescription WD, which one veterinarian, aggressively, tried pushing on us: Ground Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Peanut Hulls, Chicken by-product Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Meal, Soybean Mill Run, Dried Egg Product, Soybean Oil, Corn Gluten Meal, Iron Oxide, Choline Chlori...

The first ingredient in this food is Corn. Corn is a difficult to digest grain, which limits its nutritional value for dogs. We consider this to be a low quality ingredient. It is also commonly associated with allergy and skin problems. Corn appears a second time on the ingredient list as corn gluten meal. This is the “dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ …. In plain English, that which remains after all the nutritious bits have been removed. Powdered cellulose is further filler - more commonly known as sawdust. Peanut hulls are the ground outer casings of peanuts, and an utter waste product… This food uses by-products as the sole meat-related ingredient. Chicken by-product meal - a very low quality ingredient ... Dog Food Reviews - Hills Prescription W/D - Powered by ReviewPost :

The best of vets do not have the time to sell SD and other not-so-good foods, as they are too busy DIAGNOSING and TREATING, and are more than sufficiently overwhelmed with business due to their reputation & word of mouth. Please urge your readers to look to a Holistic vet for diet advice, and look to a “no frills” vet to just get to the bottom of health issues? And please consider comparing the overall care and thoroughness; cost; required visits for an ailment (no matter how minor) of a place which pushes things other than just being doctors, with a single doctor whose only goal is to just diagnose and treat? Sure, no frills vets may not be so fancy.... But they're not there to push sales, up-sell, and misdiagnose due to inexperienced youngsters pressured to push the sales, either....

...Perhaps you know an investigative reporter who may want to visit such places, and compare them with "no frills" vets who are in business to just diagnose and treat? The contrast -- and not coincidentally, the cost difference as well -- should amaze. >>>

Also, imagine all the drugs the McVets sell you to treat the common ailments caused by the common culprits/allergents in the crup "Prescription" dog foods, such as corn and soy!! Check out the prices for this junk they sell, then compare the ingredients -- and price --with those of ALPO!!! It's one thing for stores to sell this stuff. But somebody you trust with your dogs' health?? Sorry, the hugest conflict of interest ever, especially beings they keep the profits.
And yes, they D0, INDEED, receive "points" for the drugs they sell from the drug companies.

Our large family's experiences: Best to deal with a Vet who's just in business to diagnose and treat. Our family learned the (very) hard way after having been spoiled with Angel Vets for four and a half decades before we moved.

[cleosmom]

I too have lucked out in having the most wonderful vet for my two. She will allow my female whose a senior piggyback on the male's appt. so she can give her a six month check up at no charge. She knows my firm stand on Science Diet and knows better than to go there

Through the years we've also become friends outside the clinic as well and I know when "the time" comes she'll come out my house to help my kids to The Bridge.

[citybythebay]

Sorry to hear about your vet, Needaplace.

I couldn't be happier with my vet. And totally trust this person with my pets. I've been taking my pets to this same vet for over 15 years.
I will say before I found her, I went through about three vets I didn't care for at all.
My friends and family have switched over to my vet and they all love her as well.


If there is something you don't like about a vet, find another.
I wouldn't continue going to a doctor if I didn't have a good patient/doctor relationship.

[BrianH]

Good advice CBTB.

I love my vet, and think I found a true professional that cares more about making the animal better than getting $$$$$$. Unfortunately (for him!) during the first few months I was calling or going down and asking question after question after question .... and was never billed once. Allt he advice ive gotten has been A1.

[dreamofmonterey]

Yes- Its hit or miss. I finally found a good one. But they sometimes over-prescribe cortisone and other meds -Shar-pei do have some skin issues but if kept clean they dont need anti-inflammatories- It makes me annoyed when vets assume you have no medical knowledge and try to give you Rx's for the cortisone-IMO cortisone is not something to be given lightly, causes liver problems, etc.

[Moonlight4]

I trust my Vet but he is SUPER expensive and I'm so tired of it. I'm looking for a new Vet.

[riveree]

I've had bad and I've had good. I keep looking until I find the good (got it now ).

Price is secondary. My vet works hard and has to do things most people could not......put dogs to sleep, perform autopsies, etc. He's well worth every buck he makes.