What kind of Vet do you use? Why?

[Corey]

Before my question, I want to say what a great group of people there are here on the forums. The topics and discussion ranges from informative to fun and some are just heart wrenching.

 

My hat is off to you all.

 

So back to my question.

 

What kind of vet practice do you have your pets go to. Do you like the traditional type or more of a holistic approach?

 

I know that many do a bit of both so that's an option too.

 

Why didd you choose this type?

 

Thanks!

 

Corey

[juliepoudrier]

Corey,

I use both, and which I choose generally depends on the issue at hand. My holistic vet is pretty far away (a little more than 2 hours), so I use her mainly for special cases or when I think her expertise is really needed. I have a local vet (traditional) I use for routine stuff, and another local vet (closer to work than home) that I also use, especially if it's a special case relating to one of my working dogs.

 

I chose my holistic vet (recommended to me by a friend) when I was having medical problems with one of my dogs and we didn't seem to be resolving it easily using a traditional approach (although ulitmately it *was* the traditional approach that provided the cure). I use her especially for rehab and physical therapy type stuff. My next appointment with her is for my old guy who has spondylosis that is finally causing enough stiffness in his spine to give him trouble getting up (from lying down) and jumping up on things (or into the van). I choose her for things like that because I know she can give me physical therpeutic approaches to making him more flexible and comfortable without resorting to the more traditional NSAIDs and the like.

 

So for me, it really depends on what the issue with the particular animal is and who I think can offer the best approach *for that animal and that animal's situation.* When Jill was injured, I used both my traditional vet and my holistic vet (I asked them to work together on her case).

 

I fall squarely into the "bit of both" camp I suppose.

 

By the way, no matter which vet I go to, I *always* fill them in on any treatments, etc., that may be taking place at the direction of the "other" vet.

 

J.

[AK dog doc]

I go to me!

[Eileen Stein]

And you couldn't be in better hands!

 

I go to a traditional vet whom I like very much. I feel he (his practice, really -- there's more than one of him) takes my input seriously and works together with me, rather than just telling me, "It's this, and I'm going to do that." I also think he and I have the same sense of proportion about when to "wait and see" and when to go to the mattresses. We seem to be on the same wavelength, and I think that counts for a lot.

[donna frankland (uk)]

i have a traditional vet for emergencies, spay/ neuters etc, and a classically trained homeopath who treats my dogs via email updates etc.

i love my traditional vet she truly is a lovely woman who knows her stuff, when she told me of tikki's diagnosis she was very honest and said there wasnt anything she could do for him. she has been 100% supportive of my decision to treat him homeopathically and has been stunned by how well he is responding. both are supportive with my desicion to feed raw and not vaccinate etc, this took a little while with the trad vet, but i feel we have a very good relationship now.

[DeltaBluez Tess]

My vet is great....although since I moved away from him almost 6 yrs ago, I still do the 45 minute trek to his office. He loves the dogs and when my back is turned, he is SPOILING them rotten. When I drop a dog off for the day and when I go back to pick him/her up, they are usually in someone's lap and being treated like the royalty they are!!

 

He still sees my dogs and cats and I get my sheep meds from him. If I have a sheep issue, I call him and he does research. Now, I have a student of mine who has worked on sheep and we exchange lessons/stock time for her vet work.

 

I have local vets that are 5 minutes from me, but I still go to Kit. You know, you have a good vet and why should I change.....been going to him for almost 13 yrs now. And don't plan on going to anyone else!!

Diane

[Rave]

I use both as well and have been known on several occassions to drop everything and drive 2.5 hours north for an "emergency" trip to my holistic vet. I have a few vet and vet tech friends who always help me out with free advice and discounted drugs/services, so I rarely go to my "regular" vet anymore. There is something to be said about going to a vet who really knows you and your dogs... I do miss that, but I no longer trust the general vet I used to go to and am still searching for one to take her place.

 

-Laura

[Pipedream Farm]

We recently moved to a new traditional vet (about 2 years ago) and I like them. They seem to understand working dogs and they often work with Border Collies, one of the vets and several clients (including client in BC rescue) have Border Collies. They listen to what we tell them and are interested in keeping up with the latest vet research. I am even working on getting our vet added to the ABCA hip study as a location to get films taken.

 

Mark