Switching vets: were my expectations too high?

Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.

Rene

"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

Let me guess: it was diet kitty food, dry?



I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.


Rene: it was just the receptionist. While to us they appear to be
representing the vet, they do not always limit their behavior to
that their bosses would endorse. Call the main vet and tell him
about why you are leaving them and the receptionist's response.
He/she would probably want to know. (The people who answer
the telephone in any number of types of businesses have a great
deal of power and know it. Until you zoom over their heads and
speak with their bosses. Before any of you get mad at me for this,
I WAS a receptionist for three years.)

I have a part time job as a receptionist at a vet clinic. I know that if
one of our regulars called up and asked us to fax their records somewhere
else, I would definitely ask them what was up. At the same token, we HAVE
had a couple of our regulars get a second opinion somewhere else (just in
case) but they still return to us for regular vet care.

However, if someone calls us up wanting us to fax their records, and I
wasn't familiar with them (i.e. they didn't partake in regular maintenance
vet care) then they would simply be transferred and deactivated without a
question. We can't waste our time crying to our clients to find out why
they are switching vets. It just starts to sound really desperate and makes
us look bad.

Kelly

"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.

Rene

Oh and you also might want to consider that maybe the receptionist you were
talking to was new and really had no idea who you were. In addition, many
receptionists are not instructed by the administration (the vets) to find
out why people are switching.

Kelly

"Kelly" wrote in message
. ..
I have a part time job as a receptionist at a vet clinic. I know that if
one of our regulars called up and asked us to fax their records somewhere
else, I would definitely ask them what was up. At the same token, we HAVE
had a couple of our regulars get a second opinion somewhere else (just in
case) but they still return to us for regular vet care.

However, if someone calls us up wanting us to fax their records, and I
wasn't familiar with them (i.e. they didn't partake in regular maintenance
vet care) then they would simply be transferred and deactivated without a
question. We can't waste our time crying to our clients to find out why
they are switching vets. It just starts to sound really desperate and
makes us look bad.

Kelly

"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.

Rene

"Mary" wrote in message om...
"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

Let me guess: it was diet kitty food, dry?

Yep. I bought two different kinds (almost for two years total).

I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.


Rene: it was just the receptionist. While to us they appear to be
representing the vet, they do not always limit their behavior to
that their bosses would endorse. Call the main vet and tell him
about why you are leaving them and the receptionist's response.
He/she would probably want to know. (The people who answer
the telephone in any number of types of businesses have a great
deal of power and know it. Until you zoom over their heads and
speak with their bosses. Before any of you get mad at me for this,
I WAS a receptionist for three years.)

Don't worry, I wouldn't get mad. Usually, the folks who answer the
phone are also the techs and assistants, so they know me and have
assisted with my cats. I didn't know the woman who answered the phone
this time, so I don't know who she was.

You have a good idea. First, I want to see how the appt. goes at the
new vet's. If all goes well, I'll definately call or visit the old vet
and speak with them--or send a letter, at least.

Rene

"Rene" wrote in message
om...
"Mary" wrote in message
om...
"Rene" wrote in message
om...
Hello all,

For a while, I've been contemplating switching vets. I was *very*
disappointed at the way they prescribed food for my Tucker, which
caused him to gain 5 pounds--and their only answer was "oh, sometimes
this food doesn't work." There are other reasons for making the switch
too, but this one sent me over the edge.

Let me guess: it was diet kitty food, dry?

Yep. I bought two different kinds (almost for two years total).

One of my cats was on SD Light dry from for weight loss. It worked, but
only because the vet gave me an exact amount per day to feed her, for her
size frame - ½ cup. If a cat overeats, they'll gain weight, even if it's a
diet food.

I got a recommendation from a woman I volunteer with at the local
shelter, so I called and made an appointment. The receptionist was
very nice, and asked if I could transfer Tucker's records.

I sucked it up and called the original vet's office, simply asking for
his records to be faxed to this number. The receptionist said "do you
want us to inactivate your account?"

This, I don't feel was particularly weird. It wasn't the actual vet you
talked to, it was a receptionist. Even if you know that particular
receptionist, I would assume that she didn't feel that it was her place to
question your motives for changing vet practices. Oh - just read your reply
father down; in that case, since you didn't know this person, I don't find
her reply the least bit strange.

Cathy


I was shocked. I've been going there for six years and have spent
thousands of dollars there. I guess I was expecting more of a "why are
you leaving us after all this time" vs. a request to close my account.
Have any of you encountered this? Is this the way some vets are
becoming? If so, it's very sad to me.

Don't worry, I wouldn't get mad. Usually, the folks who answer the
phone are also the techs and assistants, so they know me and have
assisted with my cats. I didn't know the woman who answered the phone
this time, so I don't know who she was.