Raw Diet And General Lack Of Knowledge.

1 bruce 1

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I have heard this conspiracy theory thrown around that vets or higher organizations making profits out of forcing packaged food. I wouldn't believe in something without proof. But some vets do work hard I guess to fuel the fire.
Based on my own experiences I think the theory is correct and incorrect for different reasons.
Nutrition courses in vet school are usually short and are usually taught/funded by Hill's reps/Royal Canin reps.
If I was a rep for Hill's and my job depended on selling food, I don't think I'd mention the downside to feeding Hills nor the benefits for feeding an alternate diet.
However I've seen my own vet tossing bags of Science Diet into their own vehicles to take home for their own dogs. I know for a fact another vet in this clinic feeds her kitten Science Diet....they think it's the best deep in their hearts.
I don't think the vets are "out to get us" or rip us off, usually. Some probably are, but they're medical doctors, not nutritionists and don't make diet and it's importance in prevention as their study of choice. Treatment of disease is their choice, and I'm grateful for that because I never went to vet school, nor did I care to =)
These vets (for the most part) IMO are excellent medical doctors and are very good at recognizing and treating diseases. They can and do save lives in acute conditions and if my pet were hit by a car or suffering from bloat or acute pancreatitis, that's the vet I would seek out. They can use drugs and medical means to keep my pet stable and alive. Holistic vets can do this, too, but IME they vary in "how far" they're willing to go when it comes to drugs. When it's my pets life on the line, I say forget the herbs and stuff and do what needs to be done to keep the alive, THEN once they're stable and doing well, we'll discuss alternative means that might help them heal.
Holistic vets OTOH do take an interest in prevention and diet is part of that protocol.
I wish the two schools of thought would quit bickering and come together to realize they could save a LOT more lives together than they could arguing and squabbling.
JMO.
 
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hell_storm2004

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Nice info. That being said, how do you go about choosing a vet? Is it just word of the mouth? Some online database? Or just keep switching till you think you have found a one you think you can trust.

I guess I have to find one as I will pick mine up middle of next week.
 

sabrinah

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The first things I look for are cost and reviews. I'm on a tight budget and the vet needs to be affordable. Because of that, I can't afford cat specific vets. If I can I like animal hospitals because in my experience they've had all the equipment on hand for tests. Instead of waiting a week for blood work and urinalysis results I just had to hang out for an hour. That might not sound like a super big deal, but if your cat has something going on quick results are such a relief. I like choosing a place with multiple veterinarians so I can try a few in the same office to see if I like one better than the others. Sometimes each pet prefers a different vet and that's pretty easy to do with multiple options in one place. It's also useful if I need something done, such as draining salivary glands, that one vet is very experienced in but another isn't quite as much. The more experienced vet can take over the appointment. Multiple vets are also great for having a free second and third opinion if you happen to have something interesting going on. This was the case with my cat's salivary gland issue - multiple vets checked the sample that was extracted from her lumps- as well as when my dog was having ear issues for no apparent reason. I don't like any of the vets it's off to another place. The last vet I saw was by far my least favorite vet ever, so I'll be trying the other vets at the same office.
 

orange&white

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Nice info. That being said, how do you go about choosing a vet? Is it just word of the mouth? Some online database? Or just keep switching till you think you have found a one you think you can trust.

I guess I have to find one as I will pick mine up middle of next week.
Proximity to my house is important to me. If there's an injury or sudden illness, I don't want to have to drive across town. I've used the same vet for over 20 years now. They aren't the closest to me, but they are the third closest. The clinic closest to me is terribly expensive, and the 2nd closest had horrible Yelp reviews.
 

maggiedemi

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How I chose my vet was there were only 2 vets in the whole town who would treat ferals (or former ferals). Of the 2 vets, I picked the one with "Clinic" in the name because it was cheaper. I ended up being really happy with them. I read reviews that said the other vet that I didn't pick pads the bill with lots of unnecessary treatments and tests. Thankfully the one I chose does not do that. When Demi had a UTI, they knew exactly what it was and it was only $100 to treat. They earned my loyalty by being smart but also affordable.
 
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hell_storm2004

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Ah. Thanks for the info. Proximity is not an issue where i live. 8 vets all within 5 kms of my home. Just dont know which is good. Now i might have to google some info on them. I will look for the ones which ones clinics and work my way down.

Thanks for the info! :)
 

1 bruce 1

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I guess when it comes to finding a vet for my cats it can be more difficult than finding one for my dogs.
I've seen some posts here where people have taken cats to a new vet or an emergency clinic and were really put off by the attitude of the vet because the vet says that "they're a dog person." Well, that's great. You can be a dog person until your blue in the face, but if you advertise yourself as a small animal vet, small animals include cats, so get over it.;)

Cost is a driving factor, but that takes on a world of it's own, or can. If I'm quoted $250 for a spay from a vet working alone (no after hours emergency services or no 24/7 staff for hospitalized pets) and the medical kit contains a scalpel, a dental scale and a surgery table, I would probably be happy to pay twice that for a vet that has 24/7 staff, state of the art equipment to keep my pet as safe as possible, and offers emergency after hours visits.
Higher cost with more trained, competent doctors that have common sense as well is important for me. If the office call is higher, that does suck, but if the vet is good and isn't a price gouging machine (and doesn't work for a corporate world that demands price gouging), that's a huge bonus...and it's a HUGE bonus if that vet treats minor ailments as minor ailments and doesn't recommend a CAT scan or an MRI or X-rays or something really invasive/expensive if I have a dog or cat in the office for their first ever ear infection in 6 years, etc.
On office calls and cost...I want to know what that office call consists of. Is it a good over all exam, maybe some blood work, discussing recent problems or concerns? Or is it a 2 seconds once over, a glance in the ears, a glance at the teeth and then being sold unnecessary junk and being charged $600+?

Also, the food thing. If a vet sells vet diets, that's great. If they suggest it, that's more than fine, but I will decline. If they push it, or pull out scare tactics and stuff, I'm done with them.
I don't allow staff to take them into the back room anymore unless it's an X-ray or something that obviously can't be done. Blood draws, shots, anal glands, nail trims...I don't coddle them if they act up. The vets I take them to know this now and routinely let me stay and the dogs, especially, are WAY better behaved when I'm there to be of comfort AND a reminder that acting up "because they can" isn't allowed!
I've also seen a lot of vet visits and am aware sometimes they flinch, cry, bite, bleed, etc. Some things look really scary to owners, but unless we're talking about a leg amputation or a surgery, I want to be there.
If a new vet refused to let me stay for a minor procedure, I would refuse the minor procedure.

Also, location. I want to be close to a vet, especially a vet that does offer 24/7 care. We are located near a vet like this and I'm very happy. The primary vet isn't so close, and we use that vet for exams/wellness visits, acupuncture, chiropractic, and diet talk, as well as quality of life in the old ones and ways to improve it.

I sound really picky, but I'm really not as bad as I sound =) Treat me nice, treat my animals nice, don't rip me off, and don't take me for a brain-dead moron. Easy. :p
 

Tobermory

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I also prefer clinics with more than one vet. I had that when I lived in Colorado, and the particular vet I chose at that clinic treated all animals but specialized in cats. She was terrific, but I knew I had backup for her if she wasn't available, someone who had access to the girls’ current records. I got the “I’m really more of a dog person” at the clinic I tried before that and I didn't go back. Oh, and the terrific vet’s office also had separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats, a definite plus.

I like the vet I'm using here in Oregon, but it’s definitely a negative that he's a solo practitioner. He’s often not available, he doesn't have Saturday hours, and he seems to take a lot of time off...and then I end up with a less competent replacement. The last time that happened, I found myself at an emergency clinic with a very sick cat at 2 a.m. and a $700 bill. She had been seen earlier in the day by the vet substitute at a cost of $150. So, I’m going to be looking for an alternative clinic with at least two docs.

Closer to home is nice both for the convenience and the sake of the kitties who are not fans of car rides.
 

1 bruce 1

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I also prefer clinics with more than one vet. I had that when I lived in Colorado, and the particular vet I chose at that clinic treated all animals but specialized in cats. She was terrific, but I knew I had backup for her if she wasn't available, someone who had access to the girls’ current records. I got the “I’m really more of a dog person” at the clinic I tried before that and I didn't go back. Oh, and the terrific vet’s office also had separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats, a definite plus.

I like the vet I'm using here in Oregon, but it’s definitely a negative that he's a solo practitioner. He’s often not available, he doesn't have Saturday hours, and he seems to take a lot of time off...and then I end up with a less competent replacement. The last time that happened, I found myself at an emergency clinic with a very sick cat at 2 a.m. and a $700 bill. She had been seen earlier in the day by the vet substitute at a cost of $150. So, I’m going to be looking for an alternative clinic with at least two docs.

Closer to home is nice both for the convenience and the sake of the kitties who are not fans of car rides.
I hate not being able to see the same vet at every turn, but that's outweighed by the fact that when our regular vet is taking a much needed day off, there's someone there to see my cat(s) and (as you say) has an immediate medical history under their nose so they know what they're going to be dealing with.
For non-emergencies, I ask the receptionist on the phone if I could please schedule an appointment with (Doctor Name). If it's an emergency, I give them our name, our cats name, and tell them that their regular vet at that clinic stated that if I see A,B, or C symptoms I'm to get him in immediately. They bring up the cats file, see the notes, and tell me to come out ASAP.
I do think, too, that in a lot of cases, loyalty pays off. If you dislike a vet, find one you like, and I know that's easier said than done. But if you find a clinic you're happy with and you like the vets and the staff there, be loyal to them. I've been with our vets for many years after years of weeding out vets I felt were either money-hungry or not as good as the ones I have now. When you make, and maintain, a good relationship with your vet, they know you, they know your pets, and they know your style of treatment and a lot of really unnecessary BS can be skipped in the event of an emergency, which is always a plus. JMO =)
 

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Regarding choosing a vet, I suggest getting out a map to see which vets are close by, asking your neighbors, and checking yelp reviews. Then, look up the vets and their credentials (i.e. where did they train and what's their experience). Then go for an initial visit, be honest about what you feed your cats, and you'll know pretty quickly whether you want to continue with that vet. If a vet makes you uncomfortable that's reason enough to move on.

Raw has quite a presence online, and facebook groups, forums like this, and local raw feeding coops are super helpful for gathering info and getting support. It isn't a common practice though. I once put out a bulletin board request at my coop (~350 apartments) for people to split Hare Today orders with. I got exactly one response, and it was a person who ordered one item then decided not to continue.
 

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I'm sure they are going to bring a lot of joy into your life...and a little angst! Mostly joy. :)
Angsty-joy, then angst, then total joy has been our pattern, and we wouldn't have it any other way!!!
 

Tobermory

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What cuties! Interestingly shaped head and face on kitty in the first photo. And I’m very partial to calicos. There’s one snuggled next to me right now. :)
 
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