A question about vet emergency services

Hi, I’m having lately some emergencies with my beautiful doggies (one of them, sadly already in Heaven).

The thing is that seemingly here all vet hospitals or emergency services at clinic are run only by a single professional when it’s emergency time or schedule.
We are talking about the city where is the best University of Veterinary in Spain.
When I say only one professional I mean only one and (s)he must be an orchestra man/women because thus assisting pets in emergency (like today, a surgery) s)he also is in the reception, taking notes, being paid…that is, doing all the paper work.

I asked the doctor who were there this evening how she handles when two pets at risk come at the same time? She says there’s no problem. She says that it doesn’t often happen and when it does, she can call another colleague.

I was today there not because of an emergency but for a regular treatment that has to be applied to my doggie each 24 hours. Being Saturday is in emergency schedule. I don’t mind to wait because I already knew it and my doggie and I were pretty busy opening the door for clients and assisting people who come to ask for a direction…but a man arrived with her doggie in a pretty delicate state and they had to wait for an hour.

Still, the doctor told me that it wasn’t needed more than one person because sometimes, when there were more than one, there were moments in which they didn’t have anything to do.

I wonder if this situation is the same that happens where you live.

I changed the vet hospital for this reason when I took my Miky who was between life and death. The doctor (the only person at the hospital) introduced him in a box for oxygen and left him alone coming outside ask all kind of questions and take all kinds of notes. We couldn’t go with him so she could assist him while asking these questions. It was terrible.
Now, I changed the hospital, and it’s run in the same way.

My regular vet place has more than one vet. We've only carried a pet to emergency care a coupld of times. I only remember one vet there. But I bet more could be called in if necessary.

When I took Hazel to the emergency vet there was one vet, someone like a vet resident, about a zillion vet techs and front office staff. I don't see how one person could do it all.

As for order patients are seen, there's a big sign at the door listing what order patients are seen, starting with life threatening emergencies go first. Since Hazel was bitten by a venomous snake they took her straight back when we got there even though there were people waiting.

Our emergency vet is similar to lizardlady's but a bit lower key. One vet, some vet techs/assistants, and a front office person. When we brought our dying cat Star in, parvo was running rampant in the area so they were really busy, and she was left alone most of the time while she was there overnight.

A friend had a bad experience like that some years back. The clinic normally had just one vet on duty, if that. Otherwise, they employed a few vet techs and a bunch of veterinary students working cheap or for free. The vet took off to the beach for the national holidays. She brought in a sick dog, and the students just kept him under observation until the vet finally got back from the beach. Her dog didn't make it, sadly.

That place always gave me bad vibes. I never took an animal there, but I did accompany her a few times with a pet. She never brought an animal there after that bad experience. If you look at the google reviews, many people have had the same experience with that place.

I feel fortunate that our town has the most modern zoo/animal rehabilitation center in the country. They also operate a 24/7 veterinary clinic that takes care of the zoo animals and regular pets, staffed with professionals in a range of specialties. When our dog, Jade had a large bladder stone, our regular vet sent us there because they have an excellent imaging center. She was old and he wanted to get a good look at what was going on to plan the surgery. We've never had to go there late at night, but it always seems well-staffed when we've gone there. You'd think they'd have to be to handle any emergency with the zoo animals.

I’m shocked because when I took my doggie for her injection last weekend on emergency schedule, the doctor who were there had in front of me a telephone conversation with another coworker and in that conversation they were talking about her (the doctor) needing or not needing more help.
Maybe it was casualty but too much appropriate conversation to have in front of me who was the only one to complain.
I don’t buy it. To be honest.

I want to make clear that I’m not referring to ordinary vet clinics here. I’m talking about vet hospitals or clinics that provides an emergency service.

The clinic where my friend took her dog promoted itself as providing 24-hour services. In practice it really didn't.

Really? Why? Did she go in an emergency and found noone or closed?

Yesterday, I went with my Perla in emergency because I didn’t like how she was breathing and it was great. They have different pets hospitalised and there were two doctors. Thanks god, my Perla was breathing well. It was only my obsession because my Miky who passed away a month ago, had the same desease.
I’m relief that I can go with Perla there, no matter which day of the week it is or the schedule.

They even didn’t ask me for paying because she was ok and they didn’t inject her or did any test but the assistant and auscultation.

I’m very relief.

It was that clinic I mentioned that was staffed by vet students and techs. There was no fully trained vet on duty for days because the vet was at the beach. All they did was put him under observation without giving a diagnosis. By the time the vet returned, he said there was nothing that could be done. She should have pulled him out of there and taken him somewhere else.

That place has so many complaints against it, I'm amazed it's still in operation. Everyone tells similar, detailed, horror stories.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzulOscuro Yesterday, I went with my Perla in emergency because I didn’t like how she was breathing and it was great. They have different pets hospitalised and there were two doctors. Thanks god, my Perla was breathing well. It was only my obsession because my Miky who passed away a month ago, had the same desease. I’m relief that I can go with Perla there, no matter which day of the week it is or the schedule. They even didn’t ask me for paying because she was ok and they didn’t inject her or did any test but the assistant and auscultation. I’m very relief.

This is great news. Glad Perla is okay.

Yes, I understand. It’s incredible the place is still running. 🥲
I understand how your friend felt frustrated. She did the best she knew, though. Poor pet.

Yeah, it was terrible for her and for me. Someone found him and his sister in a box on a sidewalk in on one of the coldest nights in winter. I ended up volunteering to take care of them. They were so tiny that they had the stumps of the umbilical cords still attached. My husband and I had to bottle feed them. Miraculously they survived. I think it is because our dog Jade sort of acted like a mother to them. They would cuddle up with her. He was younger than Jade, but she ended up outliving him.

Anyways, my friend took care of him and his sister when they were somewhat older and we were on our honeymoon. She fell in love with him and adopted him. Her husband worked at another vet clinic and a client of theirs adopted his sister.

At least after that experience she learned her lesson and never uses them. She either uses the vet where her husband used to work or one other vet clinic that is quite well respected.


Someone my husband used to work with said that the horrible clinic also encourages people to have their dying pets intubated in cases where there's no chance they will get better. They take advantage of people that can't accept their pet's condition to make money.

Wow! They take advantages of their clients and their love for their pets relatives. It’s insane. They only care for money. 🥲

Your husband and you are such great people. 😀
Even if Jade wasn’t there that she was (a real mother), you both, guys, are able to assist these puppies. I have no doubts about it.
Thank you for people like you and your husband. 👍