About your vet (questions)

MY vet listens to their hearts every single time and gives them a complete physical every time.

As to vaccines, you might want to read this current thread -- it will help you decide:

http://community.dog.com/forums/t/85528.aspx

Every time I bring Apollo to the vet, whether is be for a check-up or something else, they ALWAYS listen to his heart, look at his gums, look at his teeth, look in his ears, and look at his skin/fur. I keep Apollo updated on all vaccines.

I have no idea about the gas, call your vet and ask though.

Anytime Ari's been to the vet, they listen to her heart, check her ears, look at her teeth and gums.  They'll look at her eyes and feel her skin and fur.  They also ask general questions:  eating normally?  stools look normal?  any changes in diet, behavior, etc etc?  As for vaccines - I've come to the decision each person needs to do their homework and decide what they are comfortable with.  That link is a good one to get you started!  For instance, despite living in a high tick area we chose not to do the Lyme vaccine. We also chose not to vaccinate for Lepto.

the_gopher

Anytime Ari's been to the vet, they listen to her heart, check her ears, look at her teeth and gums.  They'll look at her eyes and feel her skin and fur.  They also ask general questions:  eating normally?  stools look normal?  any changes in diet, behavior, etc etc?  As for vaccines - I've come to the decision each person needs to do their homework and decide what they are comfortable with.  That link is a good one to get you started!  For instance, despite living in a high tick area we chose not to do the Lyme vaccine. We also chose not to vaccinate for Lepto.

 

Ditto this! One of the deciding factors for me when choosing a vet is whether or not they try to do thorough exams whenever I come in the office. Eyes, ears, heartbeat, teeth, and basic "patdown" to check for any fur or skeletal/orthopedic issues. A vet that does a "checkup" by just looking at him and going, "Yep, 4 legs and a tail, looking good!" is not the kind of vet I want to be trusting with important decisions, at least IMO. But that might also be just because I'm a bit paranoid when it comes to vet issues, so a vet that makes a tiny bit of extra effort to be thorough makes me feel a lot better! 

I also really, really appreciate vet offices that do follow-up phone calls. ("Hi, you brought Rascal in for an upset tummy 2 days ago, how's he doing now?";) Not a requirement, but really appreciated! Even though it's almost always a vet tech that calls and not the actual vet. I still really appreciate them talking to me.

Cita

I also really, really appreciate vet offices that do follow-up phone calls. ("Hi, you brought Rascal in for an upset tummy 2 days ago, how's he doing now?";) Not a requirement, but really appreciated! Even though it's almost always a vet tech that calls and not the actual vet. I still really appreciate them talking to me.

Cita - that's another reason I love my vet, they make follow up calls - and it has been her actual vet to call.  I never had that before in any previous vets and it means a lot to me! 

the_gopher

Cita

I also really, really appreciate vet offices that do follow-up phone calls. ("Hi, you brought Rascal in for an upset tummy 2 days ago, how's he doing now?";) Not a requirement, but really appreciated! Even though it's almost always a vet tech that calls and not the actual vet. I still really appreciate them talking to me.

 

Cita - that's another reason I love my vet, they make follow up calls - and it has been her actual vet to call.  I never had that before in any previous vets and it means a lot to me! 

Same here. Our vet does this too, actually the vet techs do, but I like it.

 The vet I'm going to now believe there are 3 different ones at this place but we see the same person each time except for once and that was the first time going there, but like when Daisy been I believe once he checked her heartbeat and that was because I had said she has a heart murmur, when Lucky was in last week he didn't check her heartbeat or look at her ears or teeth,and it's just been on my mind that why aren't they checking that they asked me if Lucky was caught up on shots I said yes but she hasn't only rabies but they ask for no proof just odd to me, I was talking with my mom and told her she said well ask them to check their heartbeat, I said why should I have to ask shouldn't be done I think it should be done without me saying oh can you check their heartbeat and teeth and whatever else. The vet seems really nice he's called me back when I needed to speak to him, they called back when BabyCat had her tooth taken out to see how she was.  But I have a problem with them not checking them out.

This is the 3rd vet all the rest that around me are little places not big like the other 3 don't know if I should stick it out with this vet I won't take them to the vet office before this one because of what happened with Princess last year, which I lived in a bigger place lol 

I prefer the little operations for basic vet care- we go to a one-vet one-vet-tech place. They know the dogs by name and their histories without having to look at the charts. They do the exams right there in front of you- I hate places that insist on taking the dog off to another room for basic exams and so forth. I also don't like big places that it's the luck of the draw which vet you get. And yes, everytime we go, no matter what I say we came in for, the dog gets a thorough exam.

I like the smaller places as well. We had to bring Cheza to a dental specialist this year, and I was amazed at the quality of care we recieved. This place was 2 exam rooms, 2 vets, 1 tech. Both vets always examine the dog together, because they do the surgeries together. I wish I could find a regular vet like this. I think I need to expand my search a bit. The specialist was a bit of a trek, but I don't think I would ever bring my dogs anywhere else for anything dental related.

On the physicals, I figure I am paying for a full physical, and I expect it to be done. If they miss something that I think should be checked I tell them to check it. I think sometimes you need to be vocal about what you want. I also refuse to allow a vet to bring my dog to the ellusive back room for a check. I insist that everything be done in front of me. I had a bad experience with a tech bringing my dog to the back to clip his nails, and hurting him somehow (but not admiting it, even though I heard him screaming). This made him terrified to have his nails clipped, and he is still terrified to go to the vet. He is a shaking, panting, air licking mess the whole time we are there.

 Well when we go to the vet we go to now, they ask if we want to see the same vet so I say yes since he knows whats going on with Daisy and he did tell me about the specialist but I don't like that they don't look at their ears or teeth or listen to their heartbeat.  I guess I'll ask him tomorrow when Daisy goes in to check her pressure in her eyes again. Thanks everyone

 I always go to the little places - most of the time I do well but twice it's not been a good thing.  But compared to the troubles I see people dealing with, who go to monster mega vet clinics, that's a good track record.

I like a vet who will listen to me and respect the fact that I'm very interested in the whys, as best as I can understand, rather than just wondering what pill to give and how cheaply we can treat whatever it is.  I like a vet who listens and respects to my foibles (only rabies this time please, NO BORDATELLA, NO LYME).  And if they just give me that much, I give them the benefit of the doubt, don't second guess everything they say, and don't call them evil money grubbers on public forums.  LOL  If they don't satisfy me, actually, I still wouldn't do that.  I'd just move on.

i might get jumped on for this but... my dog goes to the vet for things like cat scratched his eye or hes acting sick and i dont know why.

as for his shots we go the the feed store and buy them and my dad gives the dogs there shot we save the sticky from the bottles and we save the recipts. and if im unsure of the shot or how to give it i call my vet and ask him. but then again my family has always be farmers and such. my shots run me about 15dollars including the surgens to give the shots with.

GoldeeLoxx

i might get jumped on for this but... my dog goes to the vet for things like cat scratched his eye or hes acting sick and i dont know why.

Why would you get jumped on? Your money, you can go to the vet every single day if you feel like it!

Better safe than sorry, IMO. I've taken Rascal in for a few really unncessary visits too, particularly before I was about to leave him for a few days (like if I was going on vacation). I figure most of the time you're paying for the peace of mind of the vet saying, "Yep, he's fine!" as much or more than for the actual exam.

I tend to trust my vet. He's been a practicing vet for as long as I have been alive. This year's vacc update included our three-year rabies. So, the total cost was $27, which has not changed in the four years I have had Shadow there for vaccs.