Vets' staff could be more sympathic.

[toady123]

OP, I am so sorry that you are having to go through this with your horse.

As others have mentioned, it is entirely possible that the receptionist was asking legitimate questions in an attempt to arrange the booking - but clearly didn’t understand that the questions were causing you stress.

I would have the discussion with the vet so they are aware, but would perhaps consider giving the benefit of the doubt. Of course none of us where there, but I think there could be a valid explanation - and perhaps a learning opportunity for the receptionist to improve her customer service.

With that said, I do know there are just some people who are just rabid about this kind of stuff. And those people have no business dealing with the public in this capacity.

[Ambitious_Kate]

I will never forget putting my cat down, years ago. We had the cat from about age 1 year, her name was Mush, she had been an outdoor cat who was loved and had a happy life, for 19, get that?? 19 years!! The last year she developed cat diabetes, and for some time I had given her a better diet, but it wasn’t working for her any more, was pissing everywhere, had dementia and was probably blind. I took her in to be PTS and the receptionist was INCENSED that I wasn’t going to try giving her insulin (a daily shot). She had ruined my (rental apartment) and I couldn’t handle the ill cat, unfortunately. She was just almost gone. Couldn’t walk. was 19 years old. This woman at first refused to take her. Then said she would call the vet to talk to me (who wasn’t in). Tried to make me feel guilty for not giving a 19 year old cat insulin shots, and I just lost it on her. Basically told her it was none of her business, either she could make the appointment for us or her boss would get an earfull of how inappropriate she was recommending medical treatments or procedures. She shut up but it made me feel that the cat was being handed over to a hostile environment at the time. Very sad experience.

[atlatl]

[QUOTE=Alagirl;8217876]
Crass, but funny in a morbid kind of way (yeah, I got a pitch black sense of humor)[/QUOTE]

I don’t disagree with you, as I too appreciate the dark humor. This one was just totally unexpected at the time.

[FalseImpression]

After overhearing a CSR talk rudely to customers, I made the decision that if I ever was at the other end of the line and got that kind of treatment, I’d call right back and ask to talk to a supervisor. I know how frustrating it can be that one person is rude and nothing happens because people do not report!! No more!!

I am really sorry for the treatment you got, but please speak up! This person has to learn and be told… or shown the door!!

Hope the next few days are spent enjoying some good times with your horse!

[Dispatcher]

Peon receptionist? Wow.

[HungarianHippo]

[QUOTE=glitterless;8218171]
I am obligated to ensure that the dog or cat is being euthanized for a justifiable reason. So many pet owners euthanize because they are basically tired of the pet and are not interested in re homing for whatever reason. If I book a euthanasia, we believe that it’s only fair for the vet to follow through and not tell the client during the appointment that she is unable to euthanize. This has happened in the past where euthanasias were scheduled - no questions asked and the vet felt that euthanasia was not in animal’s best interest.

I realize that many people believe that as pet owners we have the final say. Unfortunately some owners should not be able to make that call and it is up to the vet to advocate for that animal.

With that said, I usually fight back tears during every horse euth phone call and would never drill someone on whether or not particular treatments had been tried. Tell me that you’re moving and need to euthanize your 5 year old cat? That’s another story.
…[/QUOTE]

So, do you know the statistics on how many adult cats are successfully adopted out from shelters? You really believe that it’s in the cat’s best interest to get shoved in a cage in a stress-filled shelter for months, and THEN be euthanized because they are out of room?

I completely agree that it sucks for someone to toss aside an animal that they can no longer take care of. But that’s not the question in front of you. The question is what is the best path for that 5y/o cat. Someone who is moving homes next week and who does not already have a friend who can take the cat, is out of options. It’s euth or animal shelter. For an adult cat, which are notoriously difficult to adopt out, I think euth would be more kind.

[Lady_Eboshi]

Very often, receptionists and techs in vet practices are overworked, underpaid, and get snarked on all day long by people who are stressed out, upset, and generally not at their best. They are also trained to screen calls and collect bills like pit bulls, and some of them relish that aspect of the job. This cannot be changed.

The solution is not to “get into it” with the office help. If you’re hitting some kind of resistance, the best answer is to say, in a commanding tone of voice, “Please ask Dr. Who to call me back ASAP at this number. Thank You!”

Your animal husbandry decisions are beyond the scope of their job, so just don’t engage. Easy-peasy!

[Jumper_Bump]

I have not read all the posts here so if I am being repetitive I am sorry.

First off, I am sorry for your loss, it sounds like you put a lot of thought into your decision and came to the outcome that was best for you and your horse.

That being said, we recently went through a situation at my farm where the owner of a horse put it down because it was only “pasture and light riding” sound. Basically the girl just didn’t want to pay for it anymore and didn’t want to put the effort into re homing it. So she called a different vet from the one who told her it was only light riding and pasture sound and that vet didn’t ask a lot of questions and now the horse is gone.

I wish in that situation the vet or someone had asked more questions. That being said I think it could definitely be phrased politely i.e “I’m sorry you have had to make this decision, we require more information for our records” in this situation one of the questions should have been “who diagnosed it as pasture sound, and when” then the other vet could have been contacted (yes I know this is in an ideal world).

[trubandloki]

In a vet practice where there is a good computer system it does not make sense to me that the person answering the phone has to ask any questions at all. When the person calling identifies themselves and the name of their pet there is almost immediate access to all the stuff that owner has already tried for their pet (or not tried).

[QUOTE=Jumper_Bump;8219805]

That being said, we recently went through a situation at my farm where the owner of a horse put it down because it was only “pasture and light riding” sound. Basically the girl just didn’t want to pay for it anymore and didn’t want to put the effort into re homing it. So she called a different vet from the one who told her it was only light riding and pasture sound and that vet didn’t ask a lot of questions and now the horse is gone.[/QUOTE]
The horse does not know that gone is bad so I am not sure why you are so upset about this.
If you cared so much about what happened to this horse then you should have taken ownership of it.
Putting down a not sound horse prevents it from changing hands and ending up at an auction or neglected.

One thing I have learned from horse forums is - no decision an owner makes regarding their not sound horse is going to be right in the eyes of the person looking in from the outside.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=Jumper_Bump;8219805]
I have not read all the posts here so if I am being repetitive I am sorry.

First off, I am sorry for your loss, it sounds like you put a lot of thought into your decision and came to the outcome that was best for you and your horse.

That being said, we recently went through a situation at my farm where the owner of a horse put it down because it was only “pasture and light riding” sound. Basically the girl just didn’t want to pay for it anymore and didn’t want to put the effort into re homing it. So she called a different vet from the one who told her it was only light riding and pasture sound and that vet didn’t ask a lot of questions and now the horse is gone.

I wish in that situation the vet or someone had asked more questions. That being said I think it could definitely be phrased politely i.e “I’m sorry you have had to make this decision, we require more information for our records” in this situation one of the questions should have been “who diagnosed it as pasture sound, and when” then the other vet could have been contacted (yes I know this is in an ideal world).[/QUOTE]

Pasture sound and light riding and unable to afford it is a legitimate reason to PTS in my book. There are very few homes for pasture sound horses and once you move the horse on to another owner you lose all control over its future. Too many pasture sound horses end up in really bad situations. There are worse things than dead.

Go check out the Mill Creek “sanctuary” thread for an example.

[RiderInTheRain]

I’m too am confused by Jumper Bump’s wish that in the scenario described with a new vet being called in to euthanize there were more questions asked before euthanizing the horse. What would the desired outcome of that have been? GOOD homes for pasture sound horses are very limited, especially when the person providing the home does not already have some emotional connection to the animal.

I’m also in the camp that pasture/light riding sound and without the resources to afford it anymore is a valid reason to euthanize. Not all horse owners keep there horses at home or live in an area where retirement board is easy to find or relatively inexpensive. Additionally, I’m sure we all know of more than a few “pasture/light riding sound” horses who can requires hundreds if not thousands of dollars in special shoeing, joint injections, special diets, other medications, etc. to keep them that way. If you are unwilling or unable to pay for that sort of care for your horse, why would you expect someone else to?

To get back to the original discussion, I’ve had a similar experience with an elderly dog and it was awful. I think the place the quality vs. quantity of life discussion belongs between the owner, vet, and (if applicable) the horse’s regular daily caretakers (if not owner) who can likely provide the best information about the horse’s current health and behavior. With any animal, but especially horses due to their size and expense, cost should be and needs to be part of the discussion. I think it would be absolutely appropriate for you to let your vet know that in the future you would prefer to discuss information regarding euthanasia decisions only with him/her.

[trubandloki]

Andylover, I am curious what the vet said when you brought this topic up.

[Foxtrot_s]

After 20 years with a vet, he knows the story of the horse. The receptionist was totally out of line with her questions, but more than that it would be the tone of the questioning, sympathetic or not. (She could always check by looking at the file.)

With a small animal vet, it would be easier to change vets, but in this case I would definitely tell the vet and why you are displeased.

I even know a woman who put in her will that upon her death from cancer, her perfectly sound horse would be put down. Lots of people disagreed with her, but she knew that the horse could very well end up on that downward spiral and being moved from new home to new home as the mare got older and less able to do her job.

I love my vet and his staff for just those reasons - they are caring and compassionate and go over and above all the time. Over 30 years of being our small animal vet - just love them.

[BuddyRoo]

I’ve worked in vet med on and off for 20 years. Most practices I’ve worked at, there was a policy in place for not scheduling a euth unless it had already been discussed with the veterinarian and many refused to euth animals with “treatable conditions.”

Why? Because there were more than a few instances where an angry husband/wife wanted to euth the spouse’s dog/cat/horse due to divorce. Or they couldn’t afford treatment that we’d willingly make a payment plan for. Or they simply didn’t want the animal anymore and we could assist in rehoming.

I’m not making an excuse for the receptionist that the OP referenced. Just saying that there are often instances where people are doing it nefariously or because they aren’t aware of options that may be available to them.

That said, I’m a big fan of better a day too soon than a moment too late in the case of an elderly critter. I’m so sorry for your loss OP.

[Kwill]

[QUOTE=Ambitious Kate;8218638]
I will never forget putting my cat down, years ago. We had the cat from about age 1 year, her name was Mush, she had been an outdoor cat who was loved and had a happy life, for 19, get that?? 19 years!! The last year she developed cat diabetes, and for some time I had given her a better diet, but it wasn’t working for her any more, was pissing everywhere, had dementia and was probably blind. I took her in to be PTS and the receptionist was INCENSED that I wasn’t going to try giving her insulin (a daily shot). She had ruined my (rental apartment) and I couldn’t handle the ill cat, unfortunately. She was just almost gone. Couldn’t walk. was 19 years old. This woman at first refused to take her. Then said she would call the vet to talk to me (who wasn’t in). Tried to make me feel guilty for not giving a 19 year old cat insulin shots, and I just lost it on her. Basically told her it was none of her business, either she could make the appointment for us or her boss would get an earfull of how inappropriate she was recommending medical treatments or procedures. She shut up but it made me feel that the cat was being handed over to a hostile environment at the time. Very sad experience.[/QUOTE]

I totally sympathize. I had to give my husband’s cat sub-cutaneous fluids daily for 6 months (he traveled for work, couldn’t do it), I hated that so much, yes, the 19 year old cat did great, more or less (kept him alive) but I did not enjoy that procedure one little bit. We waited way too long to put him to sleep and he was really suffering in the end. I am not doing that again, sorry vet folks who think we should nurse ancient cats so they can stay alive. Now let me tell you how I really feel about it!

Having the technology/ability to do something extreme to keep an animal alive is not always a justification for doing it.

I also agree on the pasture sound horse, that was probably a kindness and responsible on the girl’s part.

[PaintPony]

[QUOTE=LauraKY;8219826]
Pasture sound and light riding and unable to afford it is a legitimate reason to PTS in my book. There are very few homes for pasture sound horses and once you move the horse on to another owner you lose all control over its future. Too many pasture sound horses end up in really bad situations. There are worse things than dead.

Go check out the Mill Creek “sanctuary” thread for an example.[/QUOTE]

My vet of 20 years refused to put down my 25+ year old Appy with severe ERU when I was struggling to find a suitable place to keep him. They said they were not comfortable with that because he was sound and happy. (yeah, except for all the incredibly painful (and expensive) eye infections - his blind eye even started to shrink).

I was seriously shocked! I’m sure I could have pursued it with another vet, but I lucked in to a good situation for him. In the end I found a wonderful place for him and he lived until age 33. He was fat and happy there and had a girlfriend he loved. Unfortunately he colicked over night, got cast, and suffered for a while before they found him in the morning. At that point the vet who refused the first time was willing to put him down. :rolleyes:

I’m only somewhat bitter about it because he really did love the place - the owners were devastated to lose him and even buried him there for me. Still, I think it should have been my choice.

[2DogsFarm]

OP:
I am so sorry you had to deal with that receptionist making a difficult situation even harder.

I once had a deskwarmer ask me - out loud, in a crowded waiting room, while I was holding the aged cat I brought in to have euthanized - “What do you want to do with the body?”
You can bet I mentioned that to my (very caring) vet when I had stood by stroking my old lady cat as he gave her that last shot.
He was not happy to hear it, and said he’d talk to the idjit.
OTOH:
When I had to put down DH’s horse at Purdue vet college the vet & techs could not heve been nicer or more sympathetic.
Even though none of them knew me for more than the 2 days he was there. Techs helped ease him down after the tranq shot, then let me hold his head while the euth shot was given.

There’s a Right & kind way to handle this, sorry you did not get that treatment.

[SLW]

OP- I’m sorry that happened to you and completely support your thought out decision with your horse. Was the receptionist new to your veterinarians staff?? I would visit with the vet about that experience so he/she has a chance to make it right with you. What you describe is over the top- the receptionist is not a vet or in the position to discuss further treatment for your horse.

I work part time for a mixed animal solo veterinarian so I am learning who her old time clients are and who the ones new to the practice; she recently spun off solo from working with another vet. As some have mentioned while listening to the client requesting euthanasia I can pull up the file and see the history and usually schedule the appointment with no problem. Something like that usually makes the Doc sad because she has a shared history the pet/horse and owner.

[glitterless]

I’m not stating that surrendering to a shelter is any better, but our goal at this clinic is to not euthanize healthy animals and to look into an alternative solution when ever possible. Our vets are not obligated to euthanize healthy pets and some will simply refuse. I would much rather see an animal humanely euthanized than become stressed in a shelter, but we do what we can when we feel that an animal has a chance. And yes, we have rehomed some adult cats.

But yes, when out of options, I agree that euthanasia is kindest.

OP, I’m so sorry to hear about your horse.

[Kwill]

I want to add here that in the past year I adopted an adult male cat around 10 years old who had serious behavioral issues (including not using the box). The shelter gave him a chance, and so did we – and he’s a fantastic, affectionate cat now. He’s still neurotic at times but he is loving and most importantly, he’s happy. So adult cats do get adopted, even difficult ones.