New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Julie Innes — Wed, 24 May 2017 18:53:01 GMT

I salute your attempts to educate people Braden Collins! But some people refuse to be educated!

I had a couple who were clients with a cat come in and show me a picture of this "adorable" American Bulldog they had seen on Gumtree. I spent half an hour trying to explain to them why it wasn't a good idea to get a brachy breed, and certainly not off Gumtree. I suggested they look into bulldogs, and if they really really did want one I could steer them in the direction of a breeder who at least gets all the airway testing done at one of the vet schools, and who is breeding for better airways.

They came in the next week with the puppy from Gumtree. (Which is now atopic and they can't control the dog at all.) Next challenge is to persuade them to get it neutered and NOT "Take a litter from her, as she's so good natured")

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Bob Russell — Wed, 24 May 2017 10:41:00 GMT

People just don't listen! They are getting used to the convenience of internet shopping and this covers pets as well. Internet health advice, food delivered to the door. Even booking the dogs walk can be done on the internet!

Are we all really too busy to live a life rather than do everything on the internet?

I am probably at my happiest sitting by the pond, looking at the fish and my bees arriving to take on water! Tea or something a bit stronger near by! Even here the wifi works so internet enabled devices are banned!!

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 24 May 2017 10:29:32 GMT

[quote user="Braden Collins"]I have tried to take a more proactive approach to educating clients. By the time they come in the door with their defective dog, it's too late.[/quote]I'm not sure how you can do this without shouting it from the rooftops and the BVA paying for an article in every newspaper/magazine every week. I have a page on my website and write a monthly article in the local free directory which at least once a year features this issue.

Sadly fools and their money are soon parted, their brains go addled when they see the cute puppy and/or feel sorry for it. We had someone with a French Bulldog with BOAS and the owner insisted it had a cold, just would not accept that the noisy respiration was its permanent state and got moody when i wouldn't treat it's 'cold'. I get to the state I almost hope these dogs die and show them how they've wasted their money.

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Wren — Wed, 24 May 2017 09:03:50 GMT

[quote user="Utlendigur"]

[quote user="Lucy Fleming"]I'm just getting sick of having the BOAS and luxating patella conversation [/quote]

I had a 15mnth old obese pug with severe BOAS in last week. I was somewhat blunt as to the dog's life expectancy and QOL without weight loss and surgery. The day after was quite hot and the dog collapsed. They admitted they were oblivious to the problems with the breed until after the appointment and bought her because she looked "cute". It's just too easy to impulse buy, too many puppies available, too many bracycephalic dogs in the media, too much normalisation of deformity, or worse portraying it as cute.

We also see quite a lot of puppies (collies, terriers) off farms. Often not chipped, not wormed, fleas, lice etc - but at least they can breathe and move.

[/quote]

The idea of impulse buying a £1500 puppy is crazy to me in my impecunious state. I have rarely spent that much buying horses! My neighbour has just sold her last French bulldog puppy for £1500. Its legs were horribly bent and it could barely breathe. Oh and the cherry eye.... Mind you it didn't all go her way as apparently the bitch was scanned in pup with 7 puppies, had the inevitable Caesar and there were only 5, 3 born dead or died shortly after birth. So only £3000 minus vets fees, instead of the £10500 she was expecting....

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Braden Collins — Wed, 24 May 2017 02:18:15 GMT

I have tried to take a more proactive approach to educating clients. By the time they come in the door with their defective dog, it's too late.

I wrote a book (pdf version available here: https://www.bunburyvets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017_bc_ePDF_new_dog_guide.pdf)

We have had it printed as well - it costs about a pound for each copy, and give them out to everyone who wants one. We do posts on Facebook offering free copies we send out, and have now got them in to the local councils to give to everyone when they register their dog.

It's a chance to educate clients as to how things should be done, rather than them just relying on the breeder or Dr Google. We also find it builds trust, so it's a good tool to attract new clients, and when clients come in the door they are already educated about what we will recommend and are ready to follow our advice.

For the next print run, we have offered several companies a chance to write a "guest chapter". For example, our preferred food supplier could write a chapter on nutrition, our vaccine supplier on vaccinations, etc. We will charge a fee to the companies to include their chapter. This will mean the book should cost us close to nothing to print, and the companies have a chance to get their information in front of more potential customers.

I think that, as a profession, we need to be more proactive in educating clients. With so much information and alternative facts out there, it's very confusing for clients. The more we can do to educate them and make sure we are their preferred source on information, the more chance we have of ensuring they buy their pets from ethical sources/rescue organisations, and look for healthy breeds.

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Utlendigur — Tue, 23 May 2017 19:35:13 GMT

[quote user="Lucy Fleming"]I'm just getting sick of having the BOAS and luxating patella conversation [/quote]

I had a 15mnth old obese pug with severe BOAS in last week. I was somewhat blunt as to the dog's life expectancy and QOL without weight loss and surgery. The day after was quite hot and the dog collapsed. They admitted they were oblivious to the problems with the breed until after the appointment and bought her because she looked "cute". It's just too easy to impulse buy, too many puppies available, too many bracycephalic dogs in the media, too much normalisation of deformity, or worse portraying it as cute.

We also see quite a lot of puppies (collies, terriers) off farms. Often not chipped, not wormed, fleas, lice etc - but at least they can breathe and move.

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 May 2017 19:07:21 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]I get frustrated that even nice clients who I thought had a bit of sense turn up with these pups with dubious origins. [/quote]I know people lose touch with their senses when they see the poor little cute puppy and even when told about it they say things like 'at least I've got it away from those horrible peopleand can give a nice home'. How can they not see they are just perpetuating the trade and the dealers are laughing all the way to the bank?

[quote user="Julie Innes"] I get excited when I see a half decent pup of a breed I recognise from a breeder who obviously gives 2 hoots[/quote]Me too and congratulate the new owner and tell them how are an occurrence this is.

The reason I started this thread was that I saw a first vaccination appointment for this afternoon and feared the usual. It turned out to be a kitten not a pup but nothing changed, runty kitten obviously a lot younger than stated.

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Lucy Fleming — Tue, 23 May 2017 17:56:00 GMT

I'm just getting sick of having the BOAS and luxating patella conversation with the owners of brand new French Bulldog

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Julie Innes — Tue, 23 May 2017 16:35:33 GMT

I'm another one seeing a lot of gumtree puppies. Here we also have a fair amount of puppy smuggling/ illegal imports etc. I get frustrated that even nice clients who I thought had a bit of sense turn up with these pups with dubious origins. Had 1 of 2 puppy farmed puppies die of parvo last month. The public don't seem to be getting the message at all, despite all the press/ media reports. I don't know what else we can do . I get excited when I see a half decent pup of a breed I recognise from a breeder who obviously gives 2 hoots

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 May 2017 15:44:40 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"] I did see a puppy yesterday without a microchip and with a very unconvincing history from the breeder, but that is unusual, the majority of puppies I see are happy, healthy, have been microchipped and have been treated with effective wormers.[/quote]I guess it depends where you are. Woking is probably quite a wealthy area with a high proportion of middle class clients with a brain. Sadly West Drayton is not - we have John McDonnell as our MP FFS with a majority that even Labour's current ineptitude won't create a big enough swing to the right to unseat him!

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Bob Russell — Tue, 23 May 2017 15:43:13 GMT

Occasionally see the 'We could not leave him there!' brigade but generally not that much of a problem.

Could be the 'buy em on the internet' clients prefer to go to the 'cheapest practice on the internet' to see the vet with poor English but is a bargain price!

Perhaps I am getting a little cynical in my old age but no, most of our puppies are fine even if from unclear origins.

I have no doubt that there are vets aiding and abetting the puppy traders but not near here!

RE: New puppy appointments - love 'em or hate'em?

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 23 May 2017 15:37:39 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Anyone else feel this way?[/quote]

Not really. I did see a puppy yesterday without a microchip and with a very unconvincing history from the breeder, but that is unusual, the majority of puppies I see are happy, healthy, have been microchipped and have been treated with effective wormers. We have had quite a lot of some of the designer crossbreeds recently, things like Cavashons and Cavapoos, and while I suspect the owners have paid more money for them than I would we're not seeing many health problems.