Vet Who Books Saturday - I'm Over The Moon!

[Blueeyedroan]

I just have to share this because I am SO excited for this!

Vet and farrier appointments have become a major stressor for me. I was born and raised in southern British Columbia which has become, in my 32 year lifetime, a very sought after and wildly expensive place to be.
The horse community here is now predominantly ladies who are well-off enough that they do not have to work in any form.

The local horse service industry has gotten all-too used to this. Appointments are loosely booked at best, changes are last minute, and they expect that you have the day to just wait around and be at their beck and call. It’s obnoxious.

I work full time, and then some. In the past 5+ years I have not had 7 consecutive days off. There is no vacation time. I do not work a job where there’s someone to cover for me. I am married to my job, and have to remain that way to pay the absolutely insane, inflated prices that are charged in this region. I cannot just “take a day” to wait around. And at the suggestion of this, I am usually treated like a problem customer.

Well a new vet practice just opened up in the area, and they are booking saturday appointments at NO EXTRA CHARGE!!! Be still my heart!!!
No missed wages! No fights with boss!! No mechanics or customers calling my personal cell because the owner (who really doesn’t know how to do my job, and isn’t up to date on shop happenings and job statuses) is covering for me!
A vet that understands some of us work, work a lot, and do not have a flexible schedule!!!

I just had to share how happy this makes me and how thankful I am to have this service available! Yay! Booked floating and vaccinations - stress free!

[trubandloki]

That is amazing!

I have no doubt you will be doing this on your own, but going to say it anyway - be sure to tell them how amazing they are!

[KBC]

Treat them like the unicorns they truly are!

[islgrl]

My small animal vet is closed friday but open Sunday. Its great except my animals only get sick on thursday nights

[hoopoe]

I worked over 20 years in vet med as staff, I never had a saturday off. Clinical practice has changed so much, we were open 6 days a week

[trubandloki]

I have to assume it is regional.

Both my small animal and large animal vet have Saturday hours, unlike where the OP is.
Now, my farrier does not do Saturday hours. Hmpf.

[Blueeyedroan]

It definitely seems regional. Vets here are royalty and expect to be treated as such.

A basic PPE here in southern BC is minimum $600-$1500.
I had a PPE done on a track horse out in Manitoba and the vet did a wonderful report, talked me through it on the phone, and the bill was UNDER $200.
Service providers here get away with a certain amount of murder due to high demand and “fru-fru” horse owners with more money than knowledge about horses. Every bump and scrape is an EMERGENCY vet call.
Dude… clean that thing, put some betadine on it, check the related tendons and ligaments for obvious puncture or damage, monitor. And if your horse won’t stand for this un-sedated, then you have bigger problems and probably shouldn’t own the horse in the first place.

[Ghazzu]

When I was in practice, I did a lot of late afternoon appointments so people didn’t have to take off from work–I loved it because I am so not a morning person, and the clients were pretty happy, too.
Also did a lot of Saturdays, which as you say, people love.

[Larksmom]

I had an old dog during covid. She needed to go to the vet, and my usual one (that I didn’t like anyway,) said I could come in in a week or two. I called all over town, it was the same everywhere. One of the vets finally mentioned the one I am now devoted to in the next town over. NO APPOINTMENTS!! This is a small animal vet, but I was able to walk in and wait a bit, but they took me. When Toffee passed, they took me right in and made it as painless for her and me as possible, and they did send me a sympathy card. They have me forever.