*** client of the week

Re: *** client of the week

Melanie Solomons — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:42:06 GMT

Talking about weird phone calls, I had the strangest one few years back when BSE crisis was at its worst. Guy calls the practice, I picked up
-Can I help?

-What happens when you put an animal to sleep?

-I thought I'll put my most sympathetic voice on and explained the procedure briefly.

-WHat happens to the body afterwards?

-Well, we use a very reputable pet crematorium.

-But I mean what happens to the animal after you put it down? Where do you store it?

-They go into our morgue, in a large freezer and get collected within a few days.

-Anyway we could get hold of some bodies?

-Sorry?

-Could you eat them?

- Excuse me?

-Could you eat them? uuuhhhh (what the ****)

-well, the drug we use (by this stage I think I am getting a prank call from a radio station or something similar) causes major liver problems and is a heavy anaesthetic as well.

-Ooooh that sounds interesting, how does it make you feel?

I hang up and had a large glass of wine that night.

Re: *** client of the week

Utlendigur — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:14:28 GMT

Must be the same one that rang us

Nurse "Hello Oddball Veterinary Practice" (name changed to protect the innocent)

Client "Who is that?"

Nurse - gave her name and repeated name of practice

Client "Go on then"

Nurse "Uh??"

Client "What were you going to tell me?"

Nurse"But you rang us"

Client "Oh yes, of course I did"

Re: *** client of the week

Sarah Keir — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:42:18 GMT

Defiantely left the doors of the looney bin open today! Where to start?

Currently in a one vet plus receptionist branch, a group of 4 kids just turned up for an appointment with new dog (new client too). Oldest one looked about 12 years old. Currently having a good laugh though.

Half an hour ago the receptionist spent 15mins trying explain to someone how to get to our practice - 5 mile drive, couldn't uderstand the map on the website! Poor receptionist - she now has a sore head.

Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!

Re: *** client of the week

Bob Russell — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:06:17 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

Client in earlier in the week for a second visit for an unwell westie. I managed to persuade them to have basic blood done but they declined further tests and the owner was adamant that early euthanasia was the correct course.

Yesterday got a call from the practice down the road because she decided to get a second opinion! Whats the betting that they will do the investigation I was not allowed to do? I bet I never find out the outcome either (except perhaps a solicitors letter!) (very cynical smiley)

[/quote]

I've been on both ends of that sort of scenario Bob. Where I've recommended things and the client has gone elsewhere and then ahd exactly what I've receommended done, and I've been the second vet with a cleint that has now heard it twice and is keen to do what was recommended in the first place. Swings and roundabouts!

[/quote]

True enough!

Re: *** client of the week

Simon Neuhoff — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:34:09 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

[/quote]

Re: *** client of the week

Bob Russell — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:41:46 GMT

Re: *** client of the week

Clive Ansell — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:18:25 GMT

I take it back, I'm so sorry, I was wrong. I have had an even more idiotic numbnut tonight.

Elderly dog was seen about 10 days ago with pyrexia, weight loss and a cough of sudden onset, investigation was offered and declined based on costs and antibiotics were given. Owner telephoned moaning that dog no better/worse and treatment hasn't f***ing worked, so re examine advised, but owner refuses to bring dog in and wants a repeat prescription of the drug which she has just so eloquently described hasn't worked ?*!"£$%^&*

Is it me or are they brain dead?

Re: *** client of the week

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:46:28 GMT

This is why I dislike the buying and selling of animals. The abuse of the animals and outright fraud appalls me.

Re: *** client of the week

Clive Ansell — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:19:41 GMT

Only 2 more working days this week, but this weeks candidate for the idiot prize showed up last night I think.

2 young women just bought a Shih tzu puppy for £400, sourced on the internet, mobile phone number only, cash only, handover on a car park in Maidstone. Terrible specimen; heart murmur, umbilical hernia, overshot jaw, no descended testicles, very underweight and pot bellied, and covered in fleas and faeces. otherwise in perfect health! No money and cannot afford veterinary fees

the words idiot and brainless spring immediately to mind, but in a different order.

Re: *** client of the week

Utlendigur — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:53:35 GMT

Client who already has one persian cat went and bought two persian kittens. I went through the usual worming, vaccination etc until I got to neutering, when she announced that she was thinking of letting them have a litter.

"But I thought you said they were brother and sister?"

"Yes - would that be a problem?" At this point I couldn't help glancing at her children!

Fast forward a few weeks and she brings the adult cat in with a "scratch" on his nose. I suggested it looked more like ringworm - "Do you think he might have caught it from the kittens? - the breeder said they'd got it when I bought them" nb there weren't any obvious lesions and she hadn't mentioned this little snippet at the time. I went on to discuss the zoonotic potential "Oh I know all about that, the GP said he thought my rash was ringworm". Cat tested positive for M. canis, so we tried to contact her - in vain for several weeks. She finally got in touch. Double appointment booked tonight to discuss/start treatment - no show - I suspect something to do with the questions like "How much is this all going to cost?" - significantly less than two pedigree kittens....

Re: *** client of the week

Braden Collins — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:40:46 GMT

In Australia, we tend to have something called the Friday F-wit.

Mine last week was a client who came in with his 4th puppy in 2 years with Parvo, having made no attempt to vaccinate any of his dogs, going against our advise to not get another puppy, and then having the cheek to say to me in a rather pointed manner: "It's like someone is spreading it around deliberately to get more money".

Sometimes you just can't bite your tongue hard enough and have to give a good lecture back to them. He at least left promising not to get another dog.

Re: *** client of the week

SteveOwen — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:31:49 GMT

How lucky we are :)

Re: *** client of the week

Dagmar Steele — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:42:27 GMT

I didn't take it as an offense, hence the smiley at the end. I just felt the urge to mention it ;-)

Re: *** client of the week

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:11:50 GMT

I mean absolutely no offence, Dagmar.

Re: *** client of the week

Dagmar Steele — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:05:33 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Unlike Evelyn I envy Dagmar

Wynne

[/quote]

Well, I guess when it comes to a particular bee in one's bonnet, we all like to think that the full might of the police state machine should be ready to descend upon the wrongdoer.

On reflection however, I feel that most people would prefer to live in a free country.

[/quote] I actually would like to mention that Germany is a free country as much as the UK ;-)

Re: *** client of the week

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:05:41 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]I had a 3 month old kitten brought in by someone of low mental ability (not just my opinion - it was obvious.). Wanted it put to sleep as it 'is suffering' but no specific reasons given. Absolutely nothing at all wrong with it. It is the first time I have not followed the client's wishes but have instead rehomed it. [/quote]

Good for you.

Re: *** client of the week

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:45:52 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Unlike Evelyn I envy Dagmar

Wynne

[/quote]

Well, I guess when it comes to a particular bee in one's bonnet, we all like to think that the full might of the police state machine should be ready to descend upon the wrongdoer.

On reflection however, I feel that most people would prefer to live in a free country.

Re: *** client of the week

Bob Russell — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:08:07 GMT

[quote user="An On MRCVS"]

anonymous for obvious reasons......

I had a 3 month old kitten brought in by someone of low mental ability (not just my opinion - it was obvious.). Wanted it put to sleep as it 'is suffering' but no specific reasons given. Absolutely nothing at all wrong with it. It is the first time I have not followed the client's wishes but have instead rehomed it. I know it is illegal and I would get my knuckles severely rapped by the RCVS but, seriously - who could do that?

In this particular instance, I envied Dagmar.

[/quote]

A person has to have the mental capacity to sign a euthanasia consent (or any consent form). In a situation like this you may have some defense, at least in moral terms. Doing this could get you into very murky territory but at least you can finish the day with a certain degree of spring in your step! Of course it is not something I would dream of doing - it would be far too naughty.

Re: *** client of the week

An On MRCVS — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:22:07 GMT

anonymous for obvious reasons......

In this particular instance, I envied Dagmar.

Re: *** client of the week

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:27:52 GMT

Unlike Evelyn I envy Dagmar

Wynne

Re: *** client of the week

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:32:40 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]Me, desperately fighting the urge to beat them both to death with my chair [/quote]

What a great quote.

Re: *** client of the week

Mark Holmes — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:46:10 GMT

[quote user="Tim Browning"]

Under current PDSA rules this owner could only register one pedigree puppy at PDSA and unless a clinically driven euthanasia may not be able to substitute adult for twelve months.....

[/quote]

It would expect them to only register one dog with the PDSA. Both same age, same sex and similar looking. They would only require one registration.

Re: *** client of the week

Mark Holmes — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:42:50 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]

MArk of course you can - you are not forced to give ANY roputien treatment to any client. Verbal abuse (tempting though it might be) would be an issue but you could certianly "fire" them as clients.

[/quote]

Unfortunately it was the verbal abuse bit I was interested in. An open and unrelenting tongue lashing in the most expletive terms possible.

Re: *** client of the week

Simon Neuhoff — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:30:50 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]

Not so much client of the week as f*ckwits of my career. Not so long ago I had a couple of clients with a Rottie bitch who used us for vaccination and went to the PDSA for treatment. The guy was an arse, they could have well afforded pet insurance, but he used to laugh that they "didn't need it" as they "were entitled" to free treatment at the PDSA. Anyway they were in with their cat for its vaccines and I leant that they "couldn't cope" with the Rottie and so had had her put to sleep. Less than a month later and they are in for puppy vax for TWO Rottie pups. "We couldn't live without her so we decided to get another one and well they were so cute we bought them both" Me, desperately fighting the urge to beat them both to death with my chair : "So have you looked at any insurance" Them, holding onto £1000 worth of puppies "No were entitled to treatment at the PDSA"

AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I know the RCVS fowns upon it but surely we are allowed to tell clients in shorter and more explicit terms to "Leave these premises please" in these circumstances without risk of visiting the PIC

[/quote]

MArk of course you can - you are not forced to give ANY roputien treatment to any client. Verbal abuse (tempting though it might be) would be an issue but you could certianly "fire" them as clients.

Re: *** client of the week

Tim Browning — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:06:37 GMT

Under current PDSA rules this owner could only register one pedigree puppy at PDSA and unless a clinically driven euthanasia may not be able to substitute adult for twelve months.....