Hello everyone! I have a vet question I really need answered.
My B girl is a little over 7 months and I am not going to show her so of course she is going to be spayed. I am going to wait until about 8 or 9 months to do this. The vet I currently have her seeing is different from any vet I have ever taken a pet to…in the past when I have been to the vet and a pet needs a shot or what ever they will do it in front of you. This vet takes the animal in back where the vet tech does there thing and then brings them back. This is new to me and rather uncomfortable.
How do your vets do things? Is this normal? I wonder if I should find a new vet to do the spaying and everything else going forward. 
What I find helpful is when making an appointment, tell them you want to be present when the shot is given. This may, however, then be called an 'office visit', and you might be charged for it.
Our vet will also take animals 'to the back' to get an injection. When they do this, the customer is not charged for an office visit.
Walter, I'm like you. I want to always be present when something is being done to my dog, unless it is a surgery. Then I feel it is best to let the experts do their work in peace.
I agree with Fran, you need to make your request to be present known before hand, if they can not do that or do not want to do that, then your choice is to find another Vet.
Keep in mind that most pet owners "don't" want to see… or make such a fuss that it makes the dog even more nervous then if the Tech quickly "wisk" the dog off, do what needs to be done, quickly and with confidence.
Not to say that I would do that... but if I didn't speak up, they would not know....
The vets I have gone to will give vaccines in front of you which is done by the vet but anything like drawing blood the vet tech will do in the back.
My vet/vet techs do everything with me in the room, except surgery. I thought that's how it was done. Never thought to ask about extra $$ if it's done that way. Hmmmm.
Uggh! I don't know, the vet seems nice enough but the shot thing bugged me. How can I keep an eye on the injection site for issues if I don't even know where they gave it to her. I'm not a dog expert and perhaps they always give shots in the same place but I'm not sure where that is. They leave me in the exam room and whisk her into the back which is, as far as I can tell, just on the other side of the door…the last time she had her last shot I heard her squeal real loud when they did, not that I would be difficult about it but being separated from your human by a "stranger" is hard enough on pets not to mention getting stabbed with a needle. Perhaps having me in sight would have helped...having to request to be in the room makes me upset. I shouldn't have to ask...you wouldn't have to with a human child and my B is just as important.
Not all shots are given in the same place- some are given in the shoulders and other on the hind end and sometimes on specific sides depending on the vaccine
My vet does it all in the room with me..even if the vet tech does some things it all happens in the room right there.
My vet/vet techs do everything with me in the room, except surgery. I thought that's how it was done. Never thought to ask about extra $$ if it's done that way. Hmmmm.
same here….
Every time our vet gets a new tech, we have to break them in, the vets both know we handle our dogs, we have been very blessed with out vets. They tell the techs that we are going to handle our dogs and that we are perfectly capable of handling any problems. Go with your dog, it will help keep him calmer.
So should I look for a new vet who lets there animal owners see the treatment process (obviously surgery is never allowed) without having to ask, is my vet not the norm? I mean it should be offered and not asked for like I'm a three yr old…I am paying them, RIGHT!
So should I look for a new vet who lets there animal owners see the treatment process (obviously surgery is never allowed) without having to ask, is my vet not the norm? I mean it should be offered and not asked for like I'm a three yr old…I am paying them, RIGHT!
You are paying them, that is why you should ask or tell them that is what you prefer. If it is their normal practice to do it that way, nothing wrong with asking?
Walter, Pat is right. Talk to them and let them know what you want. If they find this an issue, maybe you should find a vet who is more open to listing to you.
Okay. But the next interaction I will have with this vet is her spaying, so even if I talk to them about it now it won't have any affect until next years boosters.
This is my current issue…so if I ask about it and they say fine they will do the injections in front of me (to put me at ease) and I fork over money for the spaying, come booster time they act like we didn't even have this conversation. I've given a vet I'm not pleased with money!
I know I may sound whiney but I love my B!
Basically, it sounds like you are talking about Companion or Banfield.
The HMOs of veterinary care.
That is how they do their visits.
Personally, I would rather see them give my dogs the care.
I go to a great guy that does everything himself…
he will never have a large clinic...
he is too busy going hunting when he wants.
I like his commitment to his clients...
it works for me AND my dogs get great care.
Check with your dogs breeder for a vet in that area... there are many folks in the Seattle area... so there must be the vets too!
Hmm, Paco is my first dog, and for his first check up and round of vaccinations, and for his neutering, I was asked to drop him off and return later. I think because they have a LOT of animals to work with since there are few vets on the island. I never questioned it, and Paco always seemed happy and fine when I picked him up.
For his one-year follow-up and vaccinations, they asked ME to bring him into the back when I came in, which surprised me. They had me do a lot of the handling, and when he got nervous while having his stool sample taken, they put a muzzle on him and took over the handling. I actually didn't like being in the room - I felt like Paco would be thinking, "Mom, why are you letting them DO this to me?!?!" I also don't know if I would know any "better" way for him to be handled than the way he was being handled…so I'd feel like a nuisance if I said, for example, "I know he's being difficult, but do you really have to squeeze him against yourself that way to make it easier to give him the injection?"
Maybe a lot of people are like me, so you have to ask if you want to go back there?
Well I stated early that I heard her squeal loudly in pain after one of her shots…I don't know if she was being a drama queen or if they were being forceful, that's part of the problem. Accountability for the care received, was it good or bad...if they don't let you watch you don't know!
It definitely sounds like you are uncomfortable with the situation. I think however you decide for the spay it should be fine. And then for next year, just say "I feel more comfortable if I help hold her"…if they say 'no, no we don't do it that way' then you can say "well, I will find a vet who does". But, if you are happy with other aspects of the clinic, then give them a chance to accomodate you first. My vets always let me help hold the dog...but they know that I am totally comfortable and knowledgeable about how to do it. One time (ONE) they took Ivy into the back to draw her blood...I heard a loud (LOUD) scream (dog)...and they immediately brought her back and asked me to help hold her 
She was fine...total drama queen, but she scared the heck out of them...
We laways had vets that did all the care right in the exam room, till a few years ago. We switched to a newer vet who routinely took dogs to the back for shots and blood draws. We said we wanted it done in the exam room with us and she was fine with that. We left because she changed policy and when Topper needed a quick repeat chest x-ray, I was told to drop him off in the morning and pick him up later, and when I refused to do that, I wanted to bring for the apt., have the x-ray done and read while I was there, like we had done before, and they refused so I picked up my records and found another vet. This vet is older and has a physically small practice with tiny exam rooms, so he takes dogs to the back simply as it is just easier for everyone, I trust them and my dogs seem fine with it. He would let me go back with them if I wanted to, actually.
As someone said, most people don't want to watch. And many drop in AM and pick up after work for even routine visits and exams. That seems to be the 'new norm' at least in the urban setting. I like being there with my dog, having my list of concerns and going over the dog together with the vet.
Being a certified vet tech and having been in the field for over 15 years I think I can speak with a bit of knowledge.
I have never heard of, or worked in, a practice that took the animals into the back for routine care (ie vaccines). Blood draws, anal glands (if that is the only thing they are coming in for), x-rays and the like - yes, vaccines no unless the circumstances are "special" - to mean a very agressive dog which needs special handling (catch pole, etc) in which case the owners are thrilled to have us take care of it out of their view. :O)
I personally would not return to a clinic that did such routine, minor things in the back, away from my eyes. I want to know where a vaccine was given, insure that it WAS given, etc.
As for owners handling their own dog - it is not a matter of whether or not we want them to - it is a matter of liability. I have been privvy to an owner, who insisted on handling their animal, get bit. Care to guess what the owner did to the practice? I am paid and insured to get bit by an animal, it stands to reason to let me do my job.
Besides most folks are so fawning and appeasatory to their animals, they make them worse, which in turn makes them doubly worse the next visit, which in turn makes them tremble in fear at the very thought of being in a vet clinic for the rest of their lives. Best to just calmy have a seat, let us do our job and create a confident animal not afraid of other people handling them and not needing mom to stand over them telling them "it's ok to quake in fear, good doggie!".
I think if you are feeling uncomfortable in something as routine as vaccines, you will not feel comfortable with the spay, no matter how many people you ask. The fact that you are asking - is a red flag you need to find another vet.
Good luck.
