Should I have kept my mouth shut about a woman's relatively new puppy?

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@S1969

Actually - I was at TSC buying things last week and heard people talking about the impossibly long wait to get into a vet for vaccines, and some cannot get in at all. Especially new dogs/new clients – can get absolutely no vet care. It’s actually quite terrifying that the vet shortage is that noticeable - I have heard before that there will be a shortage of vets, but since COVID it seems that the increase in pet ownership has aligned with the decrease in vet availability and the backlogs are apparent already.

My vet is really experiencing this now - they have been advertising for another associate vet for about 6 months now, and as far as I know, haven’t had any good applicants. Meanwhile, they are booking spays and neuters out 2 months AND trying to take new clients. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was there when a couple brought in their dog. They were from 50 miles away. Said they had gone to their local vet, sat in the waiting room for four hours, then were told the vet couldn’t see them that day, AFTER making an appointment. So they decided to go to my vet instead.

My vet has gone to doing walk-ins only on Saturday. The first 20 - 25 in the door get in. Clients start lining up 30 minutes before they open. Those are usually vaccines, etc. but the occasional emergency comes in (like me), too.

[Rackonteur]

@Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom

My vet has gone to doing walk-ins only on Saturday. The first 20 - 25 in the door get in. Clients start lining up 30 minutes before they open. Those are usually vaccines, etc. but the occasional emergency comes in (like me), too.

Your vet is a hero for being open on Saturday. None of the vets here are anymore.

[Mosey_2003]

When I got my little monster the vet couldn’t get us in for a month, and we’re established clients. I went ahead and vaccinated him with farm store vaccines, myself. i figured something was better than nothing, even though the vet was peeved about it and said that it’s worse than useless since you don’t know how they were handled. Welp, it was the best I could do while we waited

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

@Rackonteur

Your vet is a hero for being open on Saturday. None of the vets here are anymore.

Yes, they are!

To make things worse, one of our local long-time vets just retired about 2 months ago, and his practice his up for sale. Or at least, the building is. I have a feeling my vet is being overrun with their clients now. We have another vet practice that opened a few years ago, and then the one that I won’t use no matter what (I’ll drive my animals 60 miles to the emergency vet first). One in each of our neighboring towns, with a mixed practice. And that’s it. I think most of them do Saturday hours, but they’re limited.