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Author Topic: Not impressed with vets ..  (Read 6143 times)

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #15 on: March 28, 2017, 10:33:09 am »
It's not like it can't walk in that state, so fit to travel to vets IMHO.  If the vets were to attend every bad lambing they wouldn't have time to do anything else.
But isn't that what they're there for?

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #16 on: March 28, 2017, 11:32:58 am »
Normal to take ewes to the vet in this part of Wales too.

Not saying that they would refuse to come out but the norm is that sheep are taken to the practice.

Think that they struggle to cope at this time of year. They were rearranging all the non urgent small animal appointments last week as they tried to deal with all the lambing problems!

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #17 on: March 28, 2017, 12:08:42 pm »
We must be very lucky... our farm vets are only based up the road but come out to everything as standard and don't ask farmers to bring animals to them. No call out fee either just pay for the time on the farm and they also drop in meds free of charge  :)

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2017, 12:19:50 pm »
I can completely understand the disappointment of the OP. They had an expectation of the service they wanted and their experience fell short of that. I suppose that when we register with a vet we need to do more than give our name and actually discuss what we expect and what service they offer to avoid disappointment but also to be sure the vet provides what we expect.


Well done for sorting out the problem yourself.


I have said this before and I know it isn't always possible but having a local shepherd you can call on is a really useful thing at lambing time.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #19 on: March 28, 2017, 12:40:24 pm »
Interesting different opinions here, I can understand vets being rushed off their feet, not only sheep of course, all animal babies coming thick and fast I should think.
Glad to hear you managed CR, good outcome.
I try and get mine to the vet, about 30 mins away, not sure which I would do in an emergency.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #20 on: March 28, 2017, 12:58:12 pm »
I think there is something here about clarity of expectations. The trouble is, from the vet's point of view, we're not 'normal' customers, so until the vets get to know us personally, it's no wonder that their 'normal' procedures and advice don't always match our needs or expectations.

For example, the first time we had a ewe with an infection, I called our vet to discuss it. He was confused as to why it even needed discussion and asked 'which antibiotics have you tried so far?'. When I explained that we didn't keep any in stock, he was fine to prescribe them. However, when I went to collect them, the bottle was handed over without a syringe and without instructions.

Obviously I'm now fine with all that; we keep stock of syringes, and I know how to give an injection. At the time though, it was really quite bewildering. (Thank goodness for TAS eh? :thumbsup:.)


"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #21 on: March 28, 2017, 02:48:16 pm »
I think there is something here about clarity of expectations. The trouble is, from the vet's point of view, we're not 'normal' customers, so until the vets get to know us personally, it's no wonder that their 'normal' procedures and advice don't always match our needs or expectations.


But surely it is up to us to let them know what animals we keep and ask what services they offer. We shouldn't make assumptions. Finding out a vet doesn't routinely come out to lambing problems is something you want to know before you make that call and you are perhaps not in the best frame of mind to find out they don't.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #22 on: March 28, 2017, 08:44:48 pm »
Our vets are farm & equine only and although we've taken lambs to them in the past they normally visit.  There are ten vets at the practice.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #23 on: March 29, 2017, 09:22:10 am »
Our vets are farm & equine only and although we've taken lambs to them in the past they normally visit.  There are ten vets at the practice.


That is really good MF to have that facility. Unfortunately most vets now don't want to do farm practicing as it isn't cost effective. Our  first vets gave up farms.

Coximus

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #24 on: March 30, 2017, 12:47:28 am »
To be fair, most comercial farmers, and that covers 999 out of 1000 would have dealt with a non high value (Read sire breeding) lambing issue themselves, and the rifle or the best efforts would be the case, and as such the vet would be just acting as normal. A ewe worth 60 avg (ignore the smallholder pricing and think auction) with 1 or 2 lambs, which are worth 0 until weaned, is not worth a vets call out.
As such make clear your animals are pets, or your prepared to pay more than the animal is worth.

Also remember, they may be busy, what if they have surgery on, short staffed or just a busy day, visiting you may simply be a choice of one sheep, (an unimportant meat animal) or several seriously ill dogs and cats. Travel time etc.

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #25 on: March 30, 2017, 07:22:56 am »
I think both [member=91599]Coximus[/member] and [member=2128]Womble[/member] make good points (as do others). There is certainly something about agreeing expectations. And also that some Smallholders are thinking along the lines of a pet and hence willing to pay disproportionate to £value. In other words, a pet service for a livestock animal. So maybe if you want a pet service it should be a pet service, that is, you take it to the Vet?  So three things to consider; the added cost of a call out, the time The Vet spends in the car is the same time the Vet isn't treating someone else's animal, how practical is it to move the animal?  I'm struck with how expectations for people has changed so much, home visits by Doctors very rare, and the first think you do in an emergency is call an ambulance, not a Doctor.  My animals get a better deal as my Vet service is excellent, but I can see why others are different.

crobertson

  • Joined Sep 2015
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #26 on: March 30, 2017, 07:33:19 am »
I think like some have said it is about expectations of a service. I am happy to take ours to the vets, in fact I did so last year with a severe flystrike case etc but when in a situation I think the animal is not fit to travel I hadn't thought that a call out would be refused at a time we really could have done with their help.

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #27 on: March 30, 2017, 08:06:05 am »
Yes of course [member=146945]crobertson[/member] my point and no doubt some of the others was more generic   I would hope a vet responds if at all possible in that situation.

Coximus

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #28 on: March 30, 2017, 09:45:09 am »
When I started with sheep, I had much the same response.
My learning curve was the vet turning up for 60 quid, angry I wasted his time for a pedigree ryeland.
He said "tenner to put to sleep or fiver and its instant?"
I said "cant she be treated"
"Shes a sheep, get over it, their are millions of them and they like to die, if you cant accept that your not fit to keep livestock. Shes fecked, she has no teeth and wont live another month, no amount of long grass will be chewed properly. She wont get condition on. End it now."
8 out of 10 sheep needs are preventable!

An eye opener for me and the beginning of a long journey to good husbandry.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Not impressed with vets ..
« Reply #29 on: March 30, 2017, 10:18:01 am »
.... whereas I've had the opposite experience. When one ewe had a recurring face abscess, our vet basically said "stop thinking you have to behave like a commercial farmer. She's a valuable pedigree animal, and you're giving her the best of care. Provided you don't mind the cost and hassle, and seeing as she's not in pain, I think you should keep her for another lambing at least, and just manage her through it".

He was right too. After the third recurrence in quick succession, the abscess cleared up (I guess she finally managed to expel whatever had got stuck in her jaw to cause it). She's now been fine all winter and is expecting twins in a fortnight.
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

 

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