Veterinarians

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

I have a very hard time sometimes with my vet, because if I bring something up, or question her, it's almost as if she gets resentful, and then I've lost her. She's right, and I'm wrong, so I've basically learned to be quiet, which isn't good. I'm not a person who does good with situations like that. The one day, when I brought in a fecal sample, I used a wrong word to describe something, and she got this very arrogant tone about her. I've learned just to deal with it because in an emergancy, I will need her. However, I don't just settle for whatever she says if I have doubts about it. I'm always on the net researching things. It's amazing what you can find. I do agree that self-diagnosing isn't the correct way to go, but sometimes, especially for those of us who do not have a vet we feel comfortable with, it's the only thing we have. To this day, my vet insists my little gelding who coliced and had chronic diarreaha, had sand colic. All I did was, after reading about how salt can sometimes cause colic, take away his salt and mineral blocks, and go to topdressing. I increased his hay a little, and between that and the topdressed minerals and salt, he has had solid poop ever since.

There is one particular vet in that clinic that I do like very much, but unfortunately for me, she is one of the owners of the clinic, and not always on the schedule to be available for appts. She is more willing to listen, and talks to you as if she doesn't know it all. Her I like very much, but she'd been on maternity leave for a while, and then wasn't sure if she was going to come back after having her last child. I can request her for my appts, but it's usually quite a long time before I can get her out here.

 

[kimie28]

Soggy Bottom Ranch, if possible, keep looking for another Vet but in the meantime, do what you are doing with the one you have, for that "emergency" that may come one day. Just to let you know that is what I ahve done. I FINALLY found a Vet that I feel confident in with the horses and he comes from over an hour away! I am so glad I found him and you know how I found him, I called the closest, biggest mini breeder I knew of and asked who they used. I am so glad I picked up the phone and did that day! He lets me call him day, night or weekend and will answer any questions I may have. PLUS, he respects that I was a Vet Tech and listens to what I say, takes it into consideration and tells me what to do next. I also respect that he only does horses and cows, period. I think it's hard for Vets to do small AND large animals. Just like in humans, there are specialist for a reason. You have a General Care Doctor but if you want somebody treating you for something with your brain or spine, your way better off seeing a Neurolgist. Same goes with animals. Vets either specialize in a field, sees small or large animals but both is hard. Doesn't mean they can't or are bad Vets but they prefer one or the other, trust me!

 

[DreamKeeperMinis]

I used a wrong word to describe something, and she got this very arrogant tone about her.

Boy and I thought it was just my vet who got testy about things like that. lol

I have done that to and he has to be arrogant and correct me. I just told him I was getting tired of him doing that cuz he knows what I mean. We had a real bad spat out here one day and once he found out he couldnt talk down to me everything has went alot better since. Just because he is the professional and I am the client doesnt give him the right to treat me as stupid. I flat told him that he was going to get off his ego trip or I would go elsewhere. And I really think I earned his respect because he doesnt do it anymore. I very well could have went somewhere else but he is a good vet and you cant beat his prices.

 

[jdomep]

I have always trusted my vets when it comes to my horses - it is my donkey care I always question - if it hadn't been for me, my books and you guys I would have lost Minnie...they are learning about these long eared guys and do contact other vets when we had our big problem. Though they were ready to send us to New Bolton

: Luckily someone here told me what to have her check and she is now alive and hee hawing :bgrin

 

[Marnie]

We haven't had the best luck with vets in our area, they just don't know minis. However, the one I've been using now for years, has been willing to learn. He has read up alot on minis, I gave him a medical book on minis. He just got a wand to use with his ultrasound machine, I left him do his first practice on one of my donkeys the other day. He has learned alot and is very willing to listen to what we have to say. He has a good attitude and we have a good relationship. He'll normally not do cows but did come out the other day for a cow of ours. He did just buy a new white truck, I teased him that I must be paying him to much and I noticed he did raise his farm call price to $28. He is still very cheap for his service, he sells us bottles of banamine, SMZ's, etc at half the price the vet clinic would (they also charge a fortune for a farm call and $65 an hour for being here) and will always help us through problems if we choose not to have him come out. He's always willing to come if we need him and doesn't usually take to long to get here. He's talking about retiring but I sure hope he never does. If I were ever to move, I'd look into the horse vets in the area before I decided on moving to a new location. And do I trust him completely? Still not yet, if I have doubts, I feel comfortable questioning him right there and I will still look up on the net or ask on the forum for other opinions if I feel I should. But he's the best we have and has come a long ways and I feel he likes the mini horses and donkeys, where alot of vets just don't, they feel they're a waste of an animal.

 

[Warpony]

I don't know if I trust my vet with my horses yet or not. I just started using her and so far i like her... a lot. She is very down to earth, very good with the horses, and she actually LISTENS to me. The first day she came out I complimented her on how she actually paid attention to what i had to say and she said, "You see your animals every single day, you know what is normal and what is abnormal. I may know the biology and physiology of your animal better then you do, but you know the ANIMAL and most of what I need to know to treat your animal only YOU can tell me."

i do know that I don't fully trust either of my vets with my Chinese Crested Dogs. Like Mini horses, CCD's have some special issues and neither of my vets has ever done much of anything with CCD's simply because there are VERY few around here. One of mine has a skin condition that I suspect is an infection of some sort and they just keep telling me it is allergies and wanting me to spend a couple grand for allergy tests and shots. I know he has allergies, and those are under control, this other skin issue is NOT allergies but I can't get them to test or treat for forms of mange or bacterial/viral/yeast infections.

I also had a terrible scare with my other Hairless, I almost lost him, he had horrible diarrhea and collapsed. he almost stopped breathing 4 times as we rushed him to the vets and the vet on call was one I do NOT like. When i described his symptoms she said, "You know, sometimes dogs just get the runs. You can;t over react to every little thing." I INSISTED that she draw blood to check for liver and kidney function, and that they get him rehydrated and keep him for observation for the day, and she tried to refuse! I had to threaten to go over her head to get her to do it and she was very snooty about it. A week later we went back for a recheck and for the blood work results and the GOOD vet there said his liver showed signs of having been seriously compromised and the supportive care I had to throw a hissy fit to get probably kept him alive. We had to get xrays to see if his liver was permenantly damaged, it was slightly inflamed but was returning to normal, thankfully, since this dog is my heart dog. The thought that I could have lost him if I had just taken the vets word for it makes me want to punch her in the face. (not that I would ever do that, lol)

So I'm getting ready to start shopping around for a new dog vet. My horse vet also does small animal practice, and so far she seems willing to listen to me and consider my opinions and look at my research, so I may try her. I DO trust my current small animal vet clinic with anything surgical, though. Even if I switch for normal care i will always take my dogs to that clinic for surgeries, even if it is over a two hour drive.

 

[cmcwc]

I lost trust in myvets after losing Fantom this year. :no: . I'm in the process of looking for another, but using a new vet means you have to gradually build up trust for him or her too.. I have a great fear of vaccinantions and shot now too, just so terrified that it's going to happen again..

 

[Lauralee]

I have two wonderful vets.

Locally, is the all around vet, home town boy that went to vet school. Dr. Spencer does tons of dairy work, but also horses and small animals and even exotics. He must work 100 hours a week. I use him for 95% of our vet work and he is super. And will be here within 10 minutes if I have an OB emergency in the night....he loves OB!

If I have a problem that requires a true miniature horse specialist, such as dental or reproductive issues....I use a vet that is 45 minutes away....great diagnostician...a little more pricey....only drawback is that he does not take call any more so must be seen appointment only. Dr. Howard is also a super vet for working out difficult cases.

Even though my two vets advice may sometimes contradict one another, I trust BOTH of them completely. There is always more than one way to do things.

 

[joyenes]

I absolutely love my vet. She has ton's of knowledge and is so easy to work with. I'm so luckey to have found someone who I can trust and doesn't have a God like complex. Yes I had plenty of vets like that in the past. Also she has all the latest equipment and even ultra sound machines she can use on the minis.

 

[Gena]

I have 2 vets and I trust theme completely, the rest of the vets in our area---NEVER! Dr. Barr is in love with minis and I feel right at home with him, 150% comfortable with anything he has told me, my other vet Dr. Linda I am also 150% comfortable with, and if there ever is any question that shes feels I am not comfortable with she knows I will be asking Dr. Barr.

: Dr. Linda has been a very good personal friend of mine besides, and I can call her anytime with any questions, even if she is a few hours (she has a very LAGE area to cover) she gets back to me quickly, she also has sent people to me with minis or questions about them . As for the other vets around here... :no: :no: :no: Corinne

I agree with this completely and most miniatuare horse owners in this area would too!

:

 

[Miniv]

I have a very hard time sometimes with my vet, because if I bring something up, or question her, it's almost as if she gets resentful, and then I've lost her. She's right, and I'm wrong, so I've basically learned to be quiet, which isn't good.

There is one particular vet in that clinic that I do like very much, but unfortunately for me, she is one of the owners of the clinic, and not always on the schedule to be available for appts. She is more willing to listen, and talks to you as if she doesn't know it all. Her I like very much, but she'd been on maternity leave for a while, and then wasn't sure if she was going to come back after having her last child. I can request her for my appts, but it's usually quite a long time before I can get her out here.

I would shop for another vet clinic. You can always keep your first one as Back-Up. A GOOD vet is willing to LISTEN and willing to LEARN about new things. And not having your favorite vet available for emergencies does you no good.

MA

 

[disneyhorse]

My vet is expensive, but he's a good vet and the area I live in is very expensive. He's also a surgeon so I think that adds to the cost

:

I have GREAT respect for my vet, Dr. Paul Wan. He is always seeking new innovative treatments and medicines. He is willing to go the extra mile to try to help a horse, yet has a very practical side that understands that a client has a monetary consideration against the realities of survival.

He has gotten me through many difficult procedures, treatments, and is just the best vet around.

Thank you, Dr. Wan!

Andrea

 

[Tammie-C_Spots]

My vet is out of Tufts University in Grafton, MA and have had the same vet for about 8 years. I'm very happy with them!

Tammie

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

I switched to an all equine practice (Henderson & associates) a few years ago and LOVE THEM! There is one vet in the practice who really likes the Minis and you can tell. I have been very happy with them, always good about answering questions, listening to my concerns and being conservative about treatments when warranted. I would "shop around" until your find the right vet, it is worth it!

 

[Nichcole]

I totally trust mine but I had a hard time finding him.. I woke up one morning and one of my horse I noticed was rolling, we I went out and checked on him, he was colicing and I called about 5 different vets and nobody wanted to come out b/c it was the weekend.. At thsi point I could barley keep him up , I finally got a hold of a vet but I had to drive to his office to get a tube of Bandamin(sp?).... After giving him pasta he did not so any signs of getting better so I calle dhim back and he told me to give him more .. this went on till the whole big tube was gone., he did not get any better so I called him back 6 hours later he decided to finally come out , and check him and told us he need colic surgery and wanted us to take him to OSU (which is over a moutntain pass and about 200 miles away).. We did not feel the horse would make it over there so he told us about a equine clinic in our area we ended up having to give him an injection of bandamin and hauling him 20 mile to a equine facility that we had no clue was in the area. When we got him there we were now close to 8 hours in to tryingto get him help. When we got him there he could barely stand , they did a belly tamp and he already had blood in his stomach, so we chose to put him down . The cost of the suygery would have been close to 7000.00 and he was so young(4 years old) that they attending vet felt he would be a cronic colicer. The stupid very that came out first had the nerve to charge us 500.00 for the emergancy call ...

Our new vet drops everything if he gets a emergancy call..... He is also extremaly resonable and will split your farm call if he has another call in the area.

 

[wildoak]

We are very fortunate - the hardest decision here was choosing which of the really good vets to use. I had used two clinics, one for many years and the other mostly for repro work as we got into the minis about 10 years ago. Silly to split things and haul two different directions, so we finally went with the latter but it was a tough decision as I like them both personally as well as professionally. The clinic we use is a busy one, and has continued to add vets and services so has much to offer. They are willing to listen and ask questions, and have been very compassionate.

Jan