[wolfsnaps]

So I tried a new vet. I have switched a couple of times, trying to find the better ones. I had to use this one because my semi regular one was booked for weeks. Well, the price seemed a little high. Also, the vet talked to me like I was a moron. She had this air of superiority to her.

I made the mistake of telling her I feed raw. Well, I mean they asked me. She told me she has seen so many bad things because of it, though she didn't elaborate. I am assuming she meant obstructions and bones poking through. I didn't bother to ask because I already know they pros and cons of it, having studied it to great lengths before making an informed decision.

I asked her what she fed. Eukanuba. Her dogs are 14 and blah blah blah. I asked her what she thought about the corn they use and she said its fine. Thats when I realized I should never use her again and tell as many people as possible not to as well. She even thinks meat meal or meat by products are ok as long as its a reputable comapny

She ALMOST made me feel bad but I know better and I shouldn't be made to feel that way as I pump her bank account.

The dogs need to go back for boosters to the vaccinations they got. They also estimated pulling my dogs tooth at about 1200....maybe a little less. Seems a little high to me.

It just frustrates me how she talked to me. I do more research for my pets than the average person and while I am not a vet (nor act like one) I am educated on things. I know she is probably used to having to speak that way to the general public but I made it clear to her and I do my homework. Sigh, and I did not agree with the whole corn thing.

ERGH, had to vent. PLease comment!

 

[Pai]

Corn is not a bad fiber source. It should not outweigh the meat content of a kibble, however. The problem with it is many food brands use it as the #1 protein ingredient or else use Corn Gluten Meal, which isn't even edible to dogs (its a type of chicken feed). Corn's protein digestibility is around 50%, so it's the worst source of protein to use, and very inferior to meat.

Some Corn info:
Journal of Nutrition
Science Daily

Note that both studies are talking about Corn as a fiber source. No good dog food uses it as a protein source. I think some people get confused to think no dog food should use it at all. Like any fiber, it should not be the major ingredient.

The dogs that won the Iditarod eat a fish meal and corn-based dog food.

Regardless, Eukanuba isn't all that great. But then, you have to forgive a vet for being ignorant when it comes to dog food, since most of them are. Her comment about by-products would be true if there was any actual quality control of by products. Technically, the best 'by products' would be mostly good organ meats, but the current legal definition allows anything with no way to tell how much of the by product is actually useful vs garbage. She puts too much faith in the food companies to actually use quality stuff, which is natural seeing as how she probably got he nutritional training from them.

Being snobby though, is something I wouldn't tolerate either in my vet. I want a vet who won't treat me like I'm an idiot.

 

[wolfsnaps]

Thank Pai, informative and you agree with me haha. That crested is hot by the way.

 

[Pai]

Finding a good vet can take a while. Once you get a good one, don't ever let them go, lol! =)

 

[3212]

Yeah I can most definitely relate to this! I work at a vet and the doctor work mostly with and I are always arguing about food!

I don't feed raw, but I feed Natural Balance. We sell Science Diet, but only prescription. He doesn't like the regular Sci Diet, but he thinks the prescriptions are fine. I have to say I have seen some animals do really well on prescription Sci Diet (like for kidney failure and what not)....but it's really not great food. He even admits that at vet school they don't do much on nutrition. In fact he told me once that the one in depth class was funded by Science Diet!!!

His boxer is on Sci Diet Z/D which is the allergy formula and despite it working for her allergies it's not that great in content. It's also 86 dollars a bag!!!! He doesn't pay full price, but he pays around 70 for it!! He's actually thinking of switching to the Natural Balance allergy formula I am giving Bridgette! Makes me happy!!

But yeah I don't think vets are always right when it comes to nutrition. He also has words to say about feeding raw....:rolls eyes:

ETA: 1200 for a tooth pull and dental is outrageous! It's not "cheap" at our clinic, but I'd say around 200-400 bucks which is far from 1200!!

 

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

We recently moved, and it's unfortunate because we're trying hard to find a good vet, especially with the horrors we've faced thus far. We went to a highly recommended vet for my dogs spay, and they ended up shaving half her lower body almost all the way up her sides for a one inch incision (which looks WAY too small for a spay) and then sewed the incision site too tight and overlapped the skin, causing the stitching to dig in and a massive infection to set in under skin and sending us to an e-vet within two days.

Searched for another vet for my doxie's neuter, found one with lots more recommendations. The incision looks like they just pinched the skin and hardly bothered to sew it shut. Also come to find they knicked his urethra. Another e-vet visit within two days.

In my old town before we found our regular vet we loved, we visited a vet recommended through the grooming salon I worked in. The guy not only in front of us said he didn't like animals, but kicked my dog (not pushed with his foot. Kicked.) when he vomited in the office and went back to eat/smell it.

 

[jesirose]

Finding a good vet can take a while. Once you get a good one, don't ever let them go, lol! =)

Agreed. I was using a vet that I didn't always agree with and then one night had a minor emergency and called another vet that was still open. I've never gone back. My new vet is pro-raw (as long as it's balanced) and does acupuncture but also practices regular old vet. medicine They also trust me to diagnose basic stuff like what type of worms the foster dog had and when my cat has recurring UTIs they don't need to examine him every time. (He gets them due to stress.) When Felix got the first UTI they said either try a prescription diet or add supplements to the raw and helped me research what to add.

Anyway I doubt I'll change vets, I love the new vet. They call me back quickly and they're very helpful. Sadie also likes going there. Another thing I like is that they take me back through the whole place when we go to look at x-rays, it feels very open, they're not hiding stuff.

We're likely going to start acupuncture for Sadie soon, since the medicine we tried is working. I liked his approach, we put her on the meds to make sure we were right about the problem (spay incontinence) and now that it's working we're going to phase out the meds and try acupuncture.

Keep looking, you never know what you might find. I suggest calling with a list of questions and see what they say about your areas of concern.

 

[nikelodeon79]

It's been my experience that most vets don't know diddly squat about nutrition/feeding, so I don't usually base my choice on that. My vet clinic sells/peddles Science Diet (both prescription and regular) but my vet did say that Taste of the Wild was "a great food with really good ingredients" when I showed her the label.

The prices sound outrageous, however, and the vet was rude, so I wouldn't go there, either!