The Worst Vet In The World

[Dorothy Uranga]

The first thing I'd like to say is that I joined this forum because of this stupid vet who did not help at all. Thank you so much for being here, helping me with my Chispita who passed away on march 19th.

I posted here the worst experience I ever had with a vet but I never said what happened exactly.

One tuesday I decided to go to a vet near my area because my Chispita suddenly stopped eating. The first vet who saw Chispita had some kind of knowledge about guinea pigs, everything was OK, so we came back a week later with this SAME VET, but the guy who attended to us just left her behind. He just began to ask what we used to gave him to eat.

"We give him veggies, like lettuce, tomato, pepp..."
"WHAT, IS THE ONLY THING YOU GIVE HIM? THEY NEED TO EAT PELLETS TOO BECAUSE IF YOU JUST GIVE HIM VEGGIES THEN HE'LL HAVE A LOT OF DIARRHEA".

HE NEVER LET US TALK ABOUT HIS DIET AND JUST SUDDENLY STARTED SCREAMING! I mean, SCREAMING. And when he left us talk, I said:

"We give him his pellets, timothy..."
"WHAT IS TIMOTHY I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT SOUND BAD WHAT IT IS?!"
"It's dry hay"
"IT REALLY IS HAY?! I DON'T TRUST YOU LITTLE BRAT" turned his head to the other vet, with doubt.
"Yeah, timothy is like dry hay"
"OKAY I TRUST THIS WOMAN CONTINUE, CONTINUE, I WANNA HEAR ALL THE CRAP YOU GIVE TO YOUR PIGGY" (I know he did not say that, but he made me feel very bad of all the stuff I used to give him, you know, veggies, some fruit, pellets and hay).
"... pellets, timothy, some fruits..."
"PELLETS! HOW MUCH?!"
"Like 1/4 cup per day"
"THAT'S TOO MUCH YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM THEY'RE VERY INTELLIGENT BRAT AND YOU'RE NOT YOU'LL KILL HIM IF YOU GIVE HIM THAT MUCH YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A VET AND YOU'RE IGNORANT YES THAT IS YOU'RE REALLY IGNORANT" (again, he made me feel like I was doing everything wrong with my baby) "I'M AMAZED HE'S 5 YEARS OLD WITH A OWNER LIKE YOU. WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU DONE IN THIS WEEK, TELL ME". When Chispita stopped eating, we used the syringe to give him some food. I asked here what should I do and some members told me to give him smashed pellets instead of veggies, so we did.
"Me and my sis gave him smashed pellets with a syringe".
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU'RE WRONG YOU CAN'T GIVE HIM FOOD LIKE THAT YOU'RE REALLY IGNORANT LEAVE HIM ALONE HE'LL EAT WHEN IT'S NECESSARY YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE JUST WATCH, ANIMALS ARE VERY INTELLIGENT LITTLE BRAT AND HUMANS (LIKE YOU) ARE NOT" (yeah, he said that, but I decided to stop talking). "WHERE DO YOU SEE ALL THAT CRAP?".
"Internet forums" I said, referring to Guinea Lynx and here.
"INTERNET DOES NOT EDUCATE" (yeah, he said that, but I think he only searches on facebook and crappy spanish websites). "I'LL TELL YOU, KEEP GIVING HIM LAXANT AND BRING HIM BACK NEXT WEEK".

We NEVER went back.

When I was outside with my sis, obviously, I was very angry. He never let us talk about his condition, he never weighed Chispita, he never checked him (not even touched his tummy), but OH YES, he complained a lot about my methods and made me feel, just like I said, like the worst owner who ever existed.

I don't know what's wrong with this people who think they're better than everyone.

 

[Galaxy&nibbles]

Firstly I'm sorry about your loss. But with regards to your post, I'm Sorry I'm confused? Going by what you've written here it sounds like you're a child (ie brat), (big apologies if not) if this is the case was no adult with you? I don't understand why the vet spoke to you like that? Did you or anyone else complain? If it were me I wouldn't have let him finish and I'd of walked out and complained and booked an appointment to see another vet. Sorry if anything I'm saying is wrong, it's just my perception of things as I read this post. I had a bad experience with a vet (they gave me back a Guinea pig which was no longer with us) and like you never have gone back and certainly wouldn't recommend!

 

[ayemee]

Sorry to hear about your awful experience.

There are a lot of people who think they're better than others. Just got to learn to ignore them!

I would of complained. He didn't sound very nice at all.

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry about your experience! That was totally out of order. I would have taken Chispita and walked straight out...

If I were you, I would write a letter of complaint to the clinic stating that:
- during his consultation, Chispita was not properly checked and weighed.
- that the behaviour and language of the treating vet was demeaning, inappropriate, unprofessional and completely unacceptable under any circumstances.
- that his knowledge of appropriate guinea pig care and good quality products was clearly insufficient.
- that his treatment would have definitely killed Chispita.
Ask them to please close your account with their clinic as a consequence. As a conscientious and caring owner who is keeping up with internationally acknowledged best practice, you are preferring to take your future custom to another place that was more suitable for treating your pets.

 

[Dorothy Uranga]

Firstly I'm sorry about your loss. But with regards to your post, I'm Sorry I'm confused? Going by what you've written here it sounds like you're a child (ie brat), (big apologies if not) if this is the case was no adult with you? I don't understand why the vet spoke to you like that? Did you or anyone else complain? If it were me I wouldn't have let him finish and I'd of walked out and complained and booked an appointment to see another vet. Sorry if anything I'm saying is wrong, it's just my perception of things as I read this post. I had a bad experience with a vet (they gave me back a Guinea pig which was no longer with us) and like you never have gone back and certainly wouldn't recommend!

I'm 22 years old, and that guy treat me like if I was 15.

I don't know why I did not argue or said something, bad thing I have low esteem.

 

[Dorothy Uranga]

I am very sorry about your experience! That was totally out of order. I would have taken Chispita and walked straight out...

If I were you, I would write a letter of complaint to the clinic stating that:
- during his consultation, Chispita was not properly checked and weighed.
- that the behaviour and language of the treating vet was demeaning, inappropriate, unprofessional and completely unacceptable under any circumstances.
- that his knowledge of appropriate guinea pig care and good quality products was clearly insufficient.
- that his treatment would have definitely killed Chispita.
Ask them to please close your account with their clinic as a consequence. As a conscientious and caring owner who is keeping up with internationally acknowledged best practice, you are preferring to take your future custom to another place that was more suitable for treating your pets.

Yes, I was thinking something like that to do. At least that vet was very awful. Bad thing the laws in Mexico are... ugh... how to explain it? Like, if nobody cares about a person's life, with an animal is worst. But maybe if I give it a try then I will change something.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, I was thinking something like that to do. At least that vet was very awful. Bad thing the laws in Mexico are... ugh... how to explain it? Like, if nobody cares about a person's life, with an animal is worst. But maybe if I give it a try then I will change something.

Being treated like that firstly takes you by surprise. You also need quite a bit of self-confidence to actually stand up to a guy like that and to walk out with your head held high. Not at all easy when you are one of the shy ones, like I was when I was your age, so don't beat yourself up over it. At your age, I wouldn't have been able to do it either.

A bully like that counts on getting away with it although I can't see how he is ever going to run a successful business in the long term if he keeps alienating his customers.

 

[Galaxy&nibbles]

I'm 22 years old, and that guy treat me like if I was 15.

I don't know why I did not argue or said something, bad thing I have low esteem.

Same age as me, I guess some people just think they're better than everyone else and can treat others however they want. Someone like that shouldn't be doing this job if they behave like that!

 

[The Furry Godmother]

I was ever so saddened by Chispita's passing myself, I'm even more saddened by the ignorance of the vet as if he had got off his soap box and carried out his actual job he may have actually dealt with the issue at hand. I second the letter, this person is irresponsible and nasty and it should be brought to the attention of the practice.

I probably wouldn't have said anything myself, however I certainly wouldn't go back there, I've had experiences with bad vets and I left it and went to another vet. I wish now I had written a letter and dealt with them head on as I may have been able to get back some of the money they screwed out of me! Would have also made them aware of how not to practice!

 

[Julesie]

Gosh I am so sorry. That is utterly horrible. I, being very shy and full of anxiety would probably have behaved like you in that situation so I can totally understand how you felt.

What a horrible, despicable vet. Sadly I had a vet not yell at me, but act similarly towards me, putting down everything I knew about guinea pigs, rolling his eyes, acting like I was dumb. In the end I phoned up my friend who is a rodentologist and she forced him to listen to her advice and thankfully he followed it (though you could tell he didn't believe anything still...) and thus my piggie ended up being fine.

 

[Dorothy Uranga]

Really I don't understand, just like you're saying, he's a professional but acts like he's the best vet of the world who knows everything and all the owners are idiots. I'm glad I didn't come back and went to another with more experience (not enough though).

Anyways I'm going to search for someone professional (at least who knows about guinea pigs). I knew someone who was very good, but was expensive and far away from my home.

That reminds me to a medic who treated me like an idiot too. He prescribed me medicine for my stomach and bye-bye. At the end I got sick, with an infection in my kidneys.

 

[Wiebke]

Really I don't understand, just like you're saying, he's a professional but acts like he's the best vet of the world who knows everything and all the owners are idiots. I'm glad I didn't come back and went to another with more experience (not enough though).

Anyways I'm going to search for someone professional (at least who knows about guinea pigs). I knew someone who was very good, but was expensive and far away from my home.

That reminds me to a medic who treated me like an idiot too. He prescribed me medicine for my stomach and bye-bye. At the end I got sick, with an infection in my kidneys.

Poor you! Finding a good vet can be very difficult and not all vets have good manners and tact. that vet sounded like somebody who was overcompensating for lack of competence and knowledge.