"She Don't Know Nothin' "

Yesterday I got a call from someone who explained to me that "time is tight" and her dog was in pain and needed to be seen right away. Normally this isn't a problem, but Boss Man had just left and wasn't to be back until several hours later, and I offered her an appointment then. That wouldn't work, so she got down to the real reason for the phone call (free advice) and asked what over the counter drug she could give the dog, and oh yes, it was having trouble breathing. I told her I was not "familiar" with what was safe that was non prescription. She hung up on me.
Naturally the first reaction is to say she should make the time to get her dog seen ASAP. I do know what it's like to have a busy day planned down to the wire and be running behind when my child or my pet starts puking. It's just that one more thing that throws everything into a tizzy. So I'll be generous of thought and try to be understanding.
The internet brings plenty of advice, both good and bad. Some is from professionals in the industry (who always put in the disclaimer to see your medical/veterinary professional) and some are lay people. It's up to the asker of such advice to use their brain and a smidgen of common sense when presented with the information.
There are laws to protect the consumer, client, and patient, that are there for a good reason. Unfortunately these laws are so abused and people are so litigious the professional has to be very careful about what they say. The person who answers the phone at the doctor's or vet's office is NOT a medical professional. The only advice I can give is what the Boss Man relays to me, which he will only do if he's seen the patient. If we haven't seen the animal, I tell the owner to get them to a vet.  Doing so otherwise is considered Practicing Medicine Without a License, which can cause me to lose my job, or even my boss to lose his license. And I have yet to find anyone worth risking it over.
I also have to watch what I say with my opinions, of which I have many, when I'm at work, since even voicing them can come back to bite me in the ass. So many people want something that is free so caution is the order of the day. I have recommended certain tests or products under the supervision of Boss Man. But I'm sure as hell not going to give advice to some stranger wanting to medicate a dog who is obviously not well, since the wrong thing could have the worst consequences.
The person answering the phone may not be as stupid as you think, she just may be doing the smart thing: Cover Your Ass.

The Questions Get Harder.......

And the ass clowns are out in record numbers.
I've mentioned before that our office is in the dark ages and we don't have a computer. When someone brings a pet in, they give us their name, we look it up in our Rolodex file, which has their name, address and a file number. The file number contains the information we have on the pets that owner has brought in to be seen. Seems simple, doesn't it?
Some vet's offices keep files under the pets first name and the owner's last name. We don't for several reasons:
1. We'd have 5 times the files we have now.
2. Some pets are deceased, and the owner doesn't want the file named for a dead pet. Plus, pets are rehomed and their names can be changed.
3. Pets can't be financially responsible for themselves.
4. Pet's can't understand instructions we give for them. I can't call one on the phone and say "Hey, Barkley, got your blood work back and everything looks good. Keep taking your thyroid medicine and exercise. Send your human in when you need more refills. And if you try to bite me again, I'll put you on a strict diet, you little shitweasel."

So, it's less trouble to just put the file under the owner's name. The problem is, some owners can't remember what their name is. Or what name the file was put under when they first came in. This results in a search that may take longer than getting their pet seen and treated. You'd think since their own name is the first thing they learned how to say, spell and write, that they could do this. But it's harder than you think.

"Animal Hospital"

"Yes, I brought a dog in on Monday, first thing in the morning, and it had parvo, and I have some questions"

"Let me get your chart, what is your name?"

"Jane Doe" (looks through rolodex)

"I can't find a chart under that name, could it be under another name?"

"No, it's under MY NAME, JANE DOE. Don't you remember? I was there when you first opened on Monday."
My memory isn't the best, but I was the one who worked Monday morning. And I always remember Parvo cases. And who the first client in the door in the morning is.
"I can't seem to find your file, are you sure you have the right hospital?"
"YOU'RE THE ONE ON (OUR LOCATION)! I BROUGHT TINY IN ON MONDAY MORNING AND MY NAME IS JANE DOE!."
By this time, I go ask Boss Man. He remembers the client, and finds the file.

"Ma'am, do you know who Suzy Doe is?"

"Yes, that's me!"
I check the chart, and it's the late shift worker's handwriting. So not only did this ass clown not know her own name, she doesn't know morning from evening. I let Boss Man deal with her.

Like everything else in the vet world, we seem to get people like this in clusters, and usually when we're insanely busy. I had four or five of these in a few hours, including one kid who couldn't spell his mom's name.
I'm tempted to buy some name stickers, put their names on it, and stick in on their shirt like they did in kindergarten. How the hell these people can find their own way home is beyond me. They can't give me the right name, and the questions get harder.

Reviews

Occasionally, I'll do a Google search on our practice and read the reviews. Many are not very complimentary.  Further research shows that most of the others have their share of bad reviews too.
Since I'm employed by a small business and married to a small business owner, I prefer to support small businesses and indy companies. And since the advent of the internet, many of the places I frequent aren't brick and mortar stores, but internet companies. So I do check reviews, and read what bloggers have to say about them. A negative review doesn't necessarily frighten me away, but I keep the information in mind when I'm making purchasing choices.

I'm noticing a trend on some of my favorite blogs: negative reviews by a blogger brings a shitstorm of  nasty comments from those who support and like the company. There's nothing wrong with saying "hey sorry your experience was bad, I've always had good luck."  But nasy vicious personal attacks on the blogger do nothing but keep those of us who lurk (and there's way more us who lurk rather than post) far away from the company. Who wants to shell out hard earned money to somebody with rabid batshit supporters?
So those of you who are new to indy internet business, you need to learn one thing quickly: not everyone is going to love you. Not all the reviews will be gushing. Put on your big girl panties and get over it. How you handle the negativity is going to make a big difference in your reputation, because that is what customers remember.
Now, on to other annoyances. To the ass clowns who insist on being in front of me for reasons known only to them: I get that you are in a hurry and don't want to follow me.  I'm just thrilled for you that you got to the red light first and have to spend 5 seconds waiting instead of the half second you'd have if you stayed behind me. But since you insist on being in front, for crissake get your thumb out of your butt and step on the damn accelerator pedal. You know, the skinny one on the right.

The Blame Game

Some time ago I got a call from a man whose dog was not eating or pooping but was vomiting for several weeks. He asked for advice about a home remedy to make the dog poop. Since we have to watch what kind of advice we give over the phone, I talked him in to bringing the dog in to be seen.
The dog had clearly been in a bad way for some time, dehydrated and severe weight loss. The owner agreed to a blood test, and some prescriptions to deal with the vomiting. He refused further diagnostics, and in fact refused to pay for some of the other prescribed stuff, stating he could buy them cheaper at a vet supply.
Over the next few weeks, he called the Boss several times, demanding answers as to why the dog was not getting better. Boss Man told him that without further diagnostics to pinpoint the cause of the problem, he couldn't begin to speculate why the dog was still sick. Which turned into an altercation that ended up with the owner picking up the dog's records from our office and finding another vet.
Fortunately, the new vet wouldn't touch the dog without full diagnostic work up. A simple x-ray (which the owner refused to have done at our office) showed that the dog had eaten a sock. Unfortunately by this time the dog was so emaciated that surgical intervention was life threatening, so the dog was given some stuff to hopefully pass the sock on his own. I don't know whether it was successful or not.
Boss Man, through no fault of his own, was labeled a Bad Vet by the dog's owner. I see at least one of these types of reviews on the internet for just about every vet listed.
Unlike human hospitals who must treat everyone who comes through the door, veterinary hospitals are businesses and the depth of treatment depends on the owner's ability to pay. Diagnostics can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, hard to do in a bad economy. The scope of diagnostics and treatment is determined by what the owner can afford. It's a tough choice.
Like human medical science, veterinary science is not exact. Every practice has seen patients who we are sure will be fine suddenly take a bad turn and die, and those who we are sure we are seeing for the last time defy the odds and live to try to bite us for years. I've lost count of the owners who come in angry and tell Boss Man "you didn't tell me my pet was going to die!" or "you treated my pet and he's not better, I want a refund!" Sadly, these people are beyond reasoning with, and the reason why many vets won't touch a sick animal without full sets of diagnostic tests. Which of course makes the bill higher.
There are so many factors that determine how an animal will respond to treatment, and many of them are beyond our control. If something goes wrong, the vet gets blamed. The veterinary profession is definitely not for the faint of heart.

A Breech of Trust......

Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes working a horse in an English saddle knows that it is essential to wear breeches when riding.
Anyone who has ever shopped for a pair of breeches soon discovers that they are the single most unflattering piece of clothing they will ever own. Those tall slender people who can wear anything right off the rack may do okay breech shopping. But if you're anything close to a plus size, things get ugly fast. Being a short fat woman I've learned this quickly. I need something that, while maybe not my best wardrobe piece, at least looks Not Bad. Something that allows freedom in the saddle, doesn't scare the horses, give me more dimples than a 5 pound tub of cottage cheese, or let me jiggle more than Jello.

Then I discovered Aanstadt Das breeches. Made by a woman named Sonya who realizes riders come in all shapes and sizes. A design that flatters and fits, and no more camel toes. A genuine deerskin leather seat, and priced less than the higher end manufacturers fake leather seats. Sizing to fit everyone, and if you still couldn't find your size in her generous range of choices, she'd custom make them for you. Classic and fun colors. Even better, she had a "recycling" program. When your breeches wore out, you could send them in and she'd take the seat off and put them on a new pair, at a reduced price. Alterations and repairs were reasonable. I was in heaven and a loyal customer for many years.
Several years ago, I mailed in a pair of breeches for recycling with a check to cover the cost plus postage. My breeches were received and the check was cashed. A few months later I got a call from an employee to "tell our preferred customers about our specials." I ordered 2 new pair, paid with a credit card and told her to just send them with the recycled breeches when they were done.
Over the next several months I made several phone calls to find out where the hell my breeches were. And I always got a new employee, and was told that the last person I spoke to was "fired for stealing." Too late to have my bank or credit card company help me, I tried a threatening letter and the police. And more than 7 years later I'm still out my money and my breeches.

Unfortunately, as I have found out, my experience with this company isn't unique. Look up "Aanstadt Das" on any horse message board and you'll find a ton of people who were similarly taken. There's always some excuse why Sonya can't deliver your breeches. Personal problems. Bad business partners. Thieving employees. Always a promise to deliver the breeches, never an offer of a refund. Second verse, same as the first.

A couple of years ago, Sonya and Aanstadt Das resurfaced with an ebay store. She listed a used pair of her breeches, worn by a well known Mrs. Clinician at an exorbitant price. Those who have met her thought the cheese had finally slid off the cracker. But it was a brilliant business move, and her ebay store has done well. Burned former customers felt safe since the purchase fell under the rules of ebay.And it seemed okay for awhile. The negative feedback is the same old story. Currently, the store is empty.

Sonya's taking her stuff to the trade shows and has a booth at the Horse Expo. I was recently made aware of someone who took some breeches to be repaired at the Expo, and she ordered some more while she was there. 7 months later, she's out her money and her breeches. The name of the company that her card was run on was not Aanstadt Das. The last known address for Aanstadt Das is not the correct one, and hasn't been since April of 2010, according to the Better Business Bureau, who unsurprisingly has given this business a rating of F. Yet she can still get a booth at the Horse Expo.
So, if you absolutely must have a pair of Aanstadt Das breeches (and I totally get it, the damned things are like crack), only purchase what is there on hand. Do not leave any repairs there, and definitely do not make a prepaid order. If you get sucked in and order anyway, be aware of the time limit for a chargeback, and make sure you take care of it before your money is lost. Don't fall for empty promises that don't deliver.
If you get ripped off by any vendor at a trade show, be sure and make the trade show organizers aware of the issue you're having. They need to be made aware of the kind of people they're selling booth space to.

If you're looking for breeches of similar design and quality, try Equissentials. I ordered a custom pair of breeches from them at a trade show and got my breeches in the time they promised them. Hot Damn, what a concept!. They also offer a recycling program, even with breeches from another company. This company is a class act.


*Note: I do not, and have never, been an employee of either company mentioned here. But I've been a customer of both.

Color Me Impressed!

A few months ago we had a new client come in with a large (100 lb) dog that she had just adopted from a shelter. This was a young dog but no longer a puppy age wise. She didn't have any real history on this dog, but it was clear that he lacked any socialization skills, and possibly had been in an institution type setting for some time.
This dog was one huge ball of reaction. We are equipped to deal with out of control dogs, but when they are very large, it's nothing short of a train wreck. Before she left, I gave her some pointers about the equipment she was using (she had small dog stuff) and suggested working with a trainer. Then I put the office back together and hoped that the dog would have a long run of good health, or at least not be booked to come in on my shift.
Today, she had to bring him back in for some ear problems. I was extremely impressed with what I saw. He'd been through an obedience course. He was still obviously very stressed, especially since we were slammed and there were a ton of dogs in the office, and she did put his muzzle on for the exam, but he was much, much better.
The root of misbehavior in most dogs is fear, and lack of direction and reinforcement on how to behave. The vet's office is a high stress situation for any dog. My own dogs don't like coming to work with me, even if they aren't getting a procedure. Training and reinforcement give the dog the tools to deal with stressful situations, whether it be encountering other animals or going to the vet's office.
I think that training should be a part of the expenses set aside when getting a new dog. There's something available for every budget. The key to successful training is lots of repetition and practice, it does no good to take the dog to the weekly classes if follow up isn't done at home. I've seen my share of aggressive and vicious dogs come in. These are not trained guard dogs, but dogs who have been so starved for socialization that they have become a liability to their owners, who are afraid to deal with them. What I don't understand is why. Why take in an animal that is supposed to be your friend and companion, then not give it the necessary attention to truly enjoy the friendship? Why spend years tiptoeing around a vicious animal when the shelters are full of friendly ones needing a home?
Sure, there are truly vicious dogs that are not trainable, and should be put down. But there are many who, had they been given some training and proper reinforcement, would have never had reached the point where they were unmanageable. When I first saw this dog, he was on the on the border and going in the wrong direction. Thanks to the past (and future) hard work of his owners, his life is truly turning around. They have, in the purest sense of the word, saved him.

It's a Tie!

I've promised it, now here it is: The First Annual Cranky CatWrangler Ass Clown of the Year Awards! Since I can't pick a single one, this dubious honor is shared among a few:

This piece of shit- I'm not going to retype the experience again, since I only get more angry.

The freebie: I've seen more than a few tricks to try to get out of paying the bill, but this woman has turned it into an art form. She brought her cat in for vaccines. A few days later the cat is sick with a urinary blockage, which isn't uncommon in cats, especially male. The cat needed to be hospitalized, and because of her finances, we agreed to let her pay by post dated checks, since she was an old client and in need. First, she insisted that the vaccines caused the problem, which is not the case. Then she faked a heart attack in our waiting room. When that didn't work, a few days later she requested copies of her pet's file. When she came to pick them up, she informed me that she was turning us in to the state veterinary board. I happily supplied our license number. Since we still didn't take the bait and give her free services, she stopped payment on the checks she wrote us. We are in the process of prosecuting her. The sad outcome of this is that we have stopped a 30 year policy of accepting post dated checks for services, which hurts our honest clients.

The psycho: This idiot literally flipped out when informed he'd need to pay for his cat's second vaccine. I've had people get truly upset over their pet's condition, but his actions were so over the top over something simple as a vaccine. He was screaming in our faces, and it got worse when I asked him to either calm down or leave. I started to call the police and he was screaming at me to bring them on. Note: if a business owner asks you to leave and you refuse, it is a trespass, and the police can and will remove you. This man is dangerous and needs either confinement or medication. I feel sorry for his cat.

Well there you have it. The competition was fierce. It's a new year, and one that I'm sure will bring ass clownery to new levels. If life were fair, their prize would be to spend an hour in a small room with hellcat after he's had a full meal and a tube of laxative. But I'll have to settle for wishing for the best for their pets.