how's this for a vet?

Veterinarians (and technicians) are trained on proper holds and restraint procedures.  The behavior described in this article is completely unprofessional, unnecessary, and cruel.  Good vets are normally cautious when working on Aussies, or any other breed that is known to be reserved with strangers, and would likely have "read" the dog better, and taken precautions, especially with a dog that "had to be sedated" on a prior visit.  Any vet that kicked my dog would be lucky if all they got was a misdemeanor - I'd be searching out any other client I could find with a similar story so that the state would take the vet's license to practice and toss it in the ash heap.

I don't know if I can really say I blam the vet 100%. Yes it was horrable that he kicked the dog but when someone has a dog latching onto their hand ther natural instincs is to do what they can to get the dog off of them. From the sounds of things the vet just foughyt back for the fear of his own life. Of coures a vet of all people should know how to handle agressive dogs, especialy if this dog is know to be agressive. If the owners knew their dog was agressive they should have brought it in with a muzzle on.

I don't know if I can really say I blam the vet 100%.

 
OH PLEASE!!!!!!
There is no reason that this should have happened. A vet is supposed to be trained to "read" behavior and they do have sedatives in their office and I'm sure a pole syringe would have done the trick if the dog was THAT freaked out. Vets and their employees should be well versed in how to handle a fear aggressive (or any dog for that matter) dog. There should be equipment available at any clinic that enables them to control and out of control animal. Physical abuse should NOT be tolerated OR condoned for ANY reason. If the vet got bitten, it's HIS OWN FAULT. I have been bitten twice and both times it was MY fault, not the pets. I did not beat the living crap out of the dog for protecting itself. I should have known better.
 
Just my [sm=2cents.gif]

I do agree with the fine he recived infact it should be higher. Almost every vet will get bit in their life at least once or more and should know how to react to the situation. I should rephrase what I said and say it was 75% the vets fault and 25% the owner for not muzzling or sedating their known agressive dog befor handing it over to the vet. The employee could have also given some waring to the vet beforehand as she witnessed agression in that dog. The vet did kick the dog but it could have been advoided if given some thinking ahead of time. Yes I have been bitten also and i did not freak out and did not fight back like that vet did, it shure does hurt like **** but it should be exspect when you work with animals.

Wilcox testified the dog has a history of aggressive behavior and had to be sedated on its previous trip to his office. Wilcox said he was fearful the dog was going to bite Barham so he intervened.

 
This vet already knew this dog's history, so it is 100% his fault. 

The first thing I learned in vet school was how to read a dog and cat, and that he knew that this dog had a problem in the past he 100% should of taken percautions. 
 
Yes there are times where you can't read a dog, I have had it happen to me in lab where the dog will just decide it doesn't want to be picked up and put on the table and will try and nail you while you are picking her up, no growling, no showing teeth, no hackles raised.  But when she tried to nail me (I felt teeth on skin I was quicker then her that i got my hand out before she bit down.) did I kick, yell or scream.  No I showed her that it was unacceptable and she was not going to get what she wanted by biting.  She was qucikly muzzled with the leash lifted on the table and pinned until we could get the regualr muzzle on her and we went about our business, I said nothing to her because she deserved the cold shoulder. 
 
Now we know Cher is a fear biter and she is muzzled before she is even brought into the lab.
 
So not only are we trained how to read a dog, we are trained how to handle a dog when it does show signs of aggression.  And it sounds to me like this poor pup was a fear biter, not aggressive.
 
If the dog was truly agressive then he should of sedated the dog before bringing it into the exam room.  It is easily done.  You take the dog and have the owner string the leash through the gap on the door by the hinges, you then wedge the dog between the door and the wall while a tech or the owner keeps a tight hold on the leash, you give them a little shot and wait for then meds to kick in and wala a more relaxed pup.
 
There is no excuse for what he did.
 
Sherri

For your information, this case has been in the news since May.  The date of the Associated Press release is October 1.  The time to speak up and show public disgust was before the judge gave the vet a slap on the wrist.