Joined
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21,504 Posts
I write this with head in hands.
So much work goes into promoting responsible breding from so many quarters, and those who we look to, to be the final push towards healthscoring before breeding, so very often let us down badly.
Now my own vet is fantastic (although I've seen a couple of ropey ones in this area in the past - including one who wouldn't take blood from puppies under 8 weeks old to Optigen litter test...!)), and because I don't use my own vet for my hip and elbow scoring, but of course they know I breed, came to me in a VERY concerned manner a couple of years ago to ask 'surely you healthscore?'. He was relieved to find I just go elsewhere for it.
HOWEVER, the longer I am in thie game, the more I hear which makes me want to DO something. I am certain in the main vets are wonderful. they work hard, they have the biggest sucicide rate proportionately in the population, and so I would hate to add to their woes, but BY GOD some are letting us down badly.
Just three examples:
About two years ago a lady called about using a stud dog. She wanted to do things the right wany hence calling WELL in advance. I talked about hip and elbow scoring to her and she was keen to get on and do it. The next day she called me back to say she had an appointment. However it had been awful because her vet and the receptionist, infront of a waiting room of people, had put on sarcastic voices and said 'ohhhhhhh aren't WE doing it the posh way!' Before telling her round 'her way' pups were selling like hot cakes and if it was just to get the pups sold there really was no need....
Yesterday someone (Rach) tells me that someone enquired about Jake. When she asked about hip scores and eye tests, the lady said 'oh no its fine, my vet said if I did them now I wouldn't get the results back in time as she is due in very shortly, so best to leave it and just do it for her next litter'....
Then just a month ago a lady used the dog here. Whilst sitting chatting, as you do, on the floor for twenty five minutes (grin), she said it was a 'damn struggle getting her scored at our vets'. I said why? She said because her vet had told her unless she was going to breed a lot of litters from the bitch it really just wasn't worth scoring!
Utterly illogical, unhelpful and negative responses. And I promise just some! I've had many puppy callers who turn out to be vet nurses or trainee vets who eally understand nothing about the schemes or how they work at all. Now that I can cut some slack on. They cannot be 'specialists' in 'everything', but even so shows a breathtaking casualness about something so important. its not even Labrador specific. If they are not promoting (and sometimes obstructing!) healthtesting in the best known breed that is tested commonly, then how about the more minority breeds with newer schemes!??
I have found a lot of vets very willing and keen to learn. But where is the BVA in this? Is it they don't inform vets well enough for such ignorance to shine through very often? Two of the three comments above were by youngish vets not old school old timers. The other we have no idea how old the vet was so will have to sit on the fence on that one...
Should these vets be reported to the BVA? Would the BVA CARE? Do they just lay the schemes out to use then say 'do what you will....' to the vets?
Any vets here care to comment, I know a few read. I love my own vet and many others. Its not a vet bashing exercise but these are people so seriously misled (or nearly in some cases but for their own strength of mind) that it really is of concern to me. Why put this effort in, to be kicked back by the one person who should be dead keen, even if only financially to get that dog on their Xray table?
Any thoughts? Should folks start naming and shaming these vets? Reporting them? Should mailings go out to them as and when we hear such rubbish happening?
Di
So much work goes into promoting responsible breding from so many quarters, and those who we look to, to be the final push towards healthscoring before breeding, so very often let us down badly.
Now my own vet is fantastic (although I've seen a couple of ropey ones in this area in the past - including one who wouldn't take blood from puppies under 8 weeks old to Optigen litter test...!)), and because I don't use my own vet for my hip and elbow scoring, but of course they know I breed, came to me in a VERY concerned manner a couple of years ago to ask 'surely you healthscore?'. He was relieved to find I just go elsewhere for it.
HOWEVER, the longer I am in thie game, the more I hear which makes me want to DO something. I am certain in the main vets are wonderful. they work hard, they have the biggest sucicide rate proportionately in the population, and so I would hate to add to their woes, but BY GOD some are letting us down badly.
Just three examples:
About two years ago a lady called about using a stud dog. She wanted to do things the right wany hence calling WELL in advance. I talked about hip and elbow scoring to her and she was keen to get on and do it. The next day she called me back to say she had an appointment. However it had been awful because her vet and the receptionist, infront of a waiting room of people, had put on sarcastic voices and said 'ohhhhhhh aren't WE doing it the posh way!' Before telling her round 'her way' pups were selling like hot cakes and if it was just to get the pups sold there really was no need....
Yesterday someone (Rach) tells me that someone enquired about Jake. When she asked about hip scores and eye tests, the lady said 'oh no its fine, my vet said if I did them now I wouldn't get the results back in time as she is due in very shortly, so best to leave it and just do it for her next litter'....
Then just a month ago a lady used the dog here. Whilst sitting chatting, as you do, on the floor for twenty five minutes (grin), she said it was a 'damn struggle getting her scored at our vets'. I said why? She said because her vet had told her unless she was going to breed a lot of litters from the bitch it really just wasn't worth scoring!
Utterly illogical, unhelpful and negative responses. And I promise just some! I've had many puppy callers who turn out to be vet nurses or trainee vets who eally understand nothing about the schemes or how they work at all. Now that I can cut some slack on. They cannot be 'specialists' in 'everything', but even so shows a breathtaking casualness about something so important. its not even Labrador specific. If they are not promoting (and sometimes obstructing!) healthtesting in the best known breed that is tested commonly, then how about the more minority breeds with newer schemes!??
I have found a lot of vets very willing and keen to learn. But where is the BVA in this? Is it they don't inform vets well enough for such ignorance to shine through very often? Two of the three comments above were by youngish vets not old school old timers. The other we have no idea how old the vet was so will have to sit on the fence on that one...
Should these vets be reported to the BVA? Would the BVA CARE? Do they just lay the schemes out to use then say 'do what you will....' to the vets?
Any vets here care to comment, I know a few read. I love my own vet and many others. Its not a vet bashing exercise but these are people so seriously misled (or nearly in some cases but for their own strength of mind) that it really is of concern to me. Why put this effort in, to be kicked back by the one person who should be dead keen, even if only financially to get that dog on their Xray table?
Any thoughts? Should folks start naming and shaming these vets? Reporting them? Should mailings go out to them as and when we hear such rubbish happening?
Di