• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

my vets just had me in tears

Crystal butterfly

Warren Veteran
:cry::cry::cry:

Crystal went down for her dental today, i was rung at work at 1pm and told that Crystal was fine and that i could pick her up i said i couldnt becaus ei was at work and that id be straight there to get her at 4 when i finished.

went in to get her i spoke with the vet nurse asked about the abcess and the vet nurse said that there wasnt one which is surprising from the state of her mouth!

anyway the vet came out and started being nasty to me which ended in an arguement and tears from me heres how it went...

vet- do you even feed your rabbits
me- of course i do
vet- when
me- every day
vet- its hard to believe because crystal is so famished! she jus gobbled down 3 plates of food
me- shes obviously just being abit of apig because shewas fed this morning before she came down
vet- shes skin and bones i cant believe shes actually eaten anything
me- shes not skin and bones the other day when i had her down you even commented on what a good size she was why change your mind now?
vet- no rabbit we've ever had in here has ever eaten so much she was famished!
me- shes not famished at all shes obviously just been greedy.
vet- her mouth was a state i cant believe she was actually still eating with teeth like that.
me- check your records ive had Crystal down every 3 weeks for teeth checks and every time ive been sent away and told that they've been fine, so i havent left her to suffer at all!

i ended upin tears and even checked Crystal when i got homeandi cant feel her spine or anything ive seen skin and bones and Crystals not that :cry:

I just cant believe my own vet is accusing me of neglect :cry: i feed my rabbits before i feed myself, i guess im now expecting a visit from the RSPCA but i dont care ive got nothing to hide, they all live in 6ft hutches with runs attached and get out in the run/free range of teh garden most days, are fed a good diet... yes i may not be the perfect owner but my rabbits are better looked after then some!

it surprises me that they even operated on an animal that was 'skin and bones' my mum thinks i should make a complaint to the vet council or what ever you call it :oops: for the accusations and the fact i was never prescribed any pain relief or any antibiotics for the infection in her mouth.

oh yeah i nearly forgot the above convo between em and my vet happened in the waiting area infront of 3 people waiting to be seen :roll: she could have at least pulle dme into the consultation room :roll:
 
:( That's so sad and unprofessional.

If I were you I would document everything that happened, as well as documenting past visits to the vets in relation to this and what was said, and then yes, make a formal complaint.

My buns get fed a good amount, and yet they always act like they have never been fed. Some buns are just like that.

If the RSPCA come then, like you say, you have nothing at all to hide, and it will show the vet that she has been horribly wrong because they will probably report back to her.
 
awww hun thats really nasty of your vet... just cus theyve had a bad day shouldnt mean they can say such horrible things to a customer :(
 
So sorry you were treated like that. If you don't mind, out of curiosity would you mind pm'ing me which vets you use?

I had a dental bun who had the most horrendous mouth my vet had even seen. I had been taking her EVERY week to see an existing who insisted there was nothing wrong with her..even though she developed a calcified lump of bone on her jaw (at this point I wasn't as clued up on rabbits and even I could feel it) the vet insisted he couldn't feel it :?

Anyway, throughout all of this she ate like a pig, I have no idea how. In fact ALL of my dental buns have never gone off food...I have always been made aware of their teeth problems due to regular checks. I never wait for symptoms to appear to diagnose a problem. It goes to show you care by the fact you take her in so often. It is a legal requirement that they document every visit so I suggest you change vets, ask for a FULL history and put together a statement to make a complaint to the RCVS.
 
That's horrible.
Even if there was an issue of poor care (and I'm sure there is absolutely no grounds at all in your case), there are ways to deal with it tactfully.
I would document everything that was said and done while it is still fresh in your mind, then put it to one side for a day or to until you feel less angry about it. Then write a formal letter to the practice (to senior partner or practice manager) explaining the situation calmy and clearly and stating just how unreasonable and poorly handled those accusations were.
Vets are professionals and should act in that way. Guidance on correct management should have been discussed if there was thought to be a problem rather than a personal argument.
hope you're feeling ok
 
:shock::shock::shock::shock:

I would complain to whoever runs the practise and tell them how unprofessional that specfic vet acted, I'd also point out to them that the accusations were TOTALLY unfounded as can be seen from vet records and that you demand an apology from said vet or you will be finding a more professional and caring practise.
 
soo sorry your vet was soo nasty :cry: we all know how greedy some rabbits can be if he saw mine omg they adore food and never know when to stop, they's eat a full bag if they could
 
I'm sure if a vets practice put a huge bowlful of food in front of my buns they would also stuff their faces like they'd never eaten before. It doesn't mean they're underfed, it means they're given a good healthy diet involving lots of hay, so they behave like kids and a jar of sweets when they're given pellets :roll:

I would definitely write to the practice manager and complain. Even if the accusations were true (which I'm sure they're not!) having that sort of discussion in a public area is not on.
 
I have complained about a vet's treatment of me and my rabbits before, when I got a letter of apology from the practice manager. And the vet concerned disappeared soon afterwards so I think it wasn't just me.

Always speak up, you don't have anything to lose by writing a letter about what has happened.
 
Omg!! That is just awful. Personally, to cover yourself I would get Crystal reassessed by another vet a.s.a.p so you have documented evidence of her wellbeing. Don't tell the new vet why, if you tell him he will frantically backpedal thinking he's going to be involved in some kind of bunfight. Just say you are wanting her to be given the once over and ask key questions like 'in your opinion, are you happy with her weight?', list what she has to eat, hay, grass, veggies etc and ask 'whether there is anything else she should be having?', get her weighed etc, they will document that too. YOU know you're feeding her right, but by getting her condition documented by another vet including her weight, you have some proof by another vet that all was well, cos he said, she said doesn't wash too well if you need to make a formal complaint. The vet appears to have failed in their duty of care. xx
 
Oh My God! I would have been insulted and embarrassed if that had happened to me! if i was you i would leave that vets and register to a different one and i would also report the vet.
 
I'm so sorry that this happened, I could understand if it was a nurse who said those things, I've had some ridiculous conversations with some nurses in the past but never a vet.

Like others have said put it in writing and send it to the practice manager and see what sort of reponse you get.

As far as the RSPCA are concerned, my vet once told me but I'm not sure if it is still correct, that a vet cannot call the rspca over an individual case as if a person has taken the animal to the vet regardless of its condition they were actively seeking medical attention so it is not seen as neglect or abuse.
But like you say even if they did call you have absolutely nothing to worry about
 
OMG!!! that is discusting! If that happened to me I would complain to everyone! and never go there again!! It's obvious to anyone that you care for crystal!
 
I'm sure if a vets practice put a huge bowlful of food in front of my buns they would also stuff their faces like they'd never eaten before. It doesn't mean they're underfed, it means they're given a good healthy diet involving lots of hay, so they behave like kids and a jar of sweets when they're given pellets :roll:

I would definitely write to the practice manager and complain. Even if the accusations were true (which I'm sure they're not!) having that sort of discussion in a public area is not on.

i agree with that like a bowl full of sweets, just what my rabbits would do :)
 
Omg!! That is just awful. Personally, to cover yourself I would get Crystal reassessed by another vet a.s.a.p so you have documented evidence of her wellbeing. Don't tell the new vet why, if you tell him he will frantically backpedal thinking he's going to be involved in some kind of bunfight. Just say you are wanting her to be given the once over and ask key questions like 'in your opinion, are you happy with her weight?', list what she has to eat, hay, grass, veggies etc and ask 'whether there is anything else she should be having?', get her weighed etc, they will document that too. YOU know you're feeding her right, but by getting her condition documented by another vet including her weight, you have some proof by another vet that all was well, cos he said, she said doesn't wash too well if you need to make a formal complaint. The vet appears to have failed in their duty of care. xx

100% agree, very good idea!
 
I just agree with what everyone else has said, I'm so shocked on your behalf.

Whatever the vet thought about the welfare/care of Crystal it should have been done in private and is totally unprofessional and unacceptable that it was done in public. That just strenghtens my view that the vet was talking rubbish - if they don't even have the tact and deplomacy to get that right, I wouldn't give any credence to what they were saying either. I've got to say if I was in the waiting room and heard a vet talk to someone else like that I suspect I'd be considering changing practices anyway, I'd certainly loose all respect for that vet.

It's really obvious you care deeply for your rabbits from any posts I've read and this is a horrible thing to happen.
 
I agree that you should make a formal complaint. I think it would be a good idea to ask to see the practice principal face to face so you know they don't just bin your letter. doubt they would do this but you never know. I would see what he says and if he won't do anything or address the situation go to th RCV and they may do something about it :)

Sorry you had to go through this, the vet certainly did this the wrong way, your meant to do it in a way that is subtle such as suggesting that the know how much they should be feeding their rabbit. A vet should never have said anything to you in front of everybody! You can get him done for that alone. He was discussing private buissness in the waiting room. He didn't ask to take you to one side and obviously didn't intend on keeping his voice low.
 
Back
Top