Just had an email telling me about the programme on this Thursday about vets

http://coldwetnose.blogspot.com/2010/07/vets-are-bracing-themselves.html

May be good watching

Peanuts

thanks for posting, ill defernatly be watching.
From reading the links in that link some vets are worried

I am hoping too back from England in time too watch this i so wish i had sky plus so i could tape it!

Do you know which channel and the time as I train Thursday and will have to record.

Just had a look at the link should have done that first. I was with Medivet and wasn't happy with them so change they also tried to put a bill up by £200 when they knew the ins. were paying

" Do you know which channel and the time as I train Thursday and will have to record."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t66pb

I cant watch this it looks horrific. I trust my vet and want to stay that way.

Typical. Scotland doesn't get it on Thursday. Will probably forget to look again to se when we get it.

It's on BBC1 Scotland digital same time thursday

The preview looks horrendous, don't think I will be watching, but then there wouldn't be a programme to make if vets cared for their patients. Hope I'm proved wrong.

I just hope people don't tar all vets with the same brush, they aren't all like that, most genuinely care.

This is the link from the vet's where the 'vet nurse' was undercover. I'd be pretty annoyed if someone took MY animals records and personal details, isn't that against the law to take them off the prmisises in any way?

The problem with a company like Medivet is that they have lots of vet clinics and there will of course be some vets who are better than others. Just like a doctors surgery, with lots of staff.
We don't see what goes on behind the scenes and the work and the costs involved. Looks like another PDE.

http://www.medivet.co.uk/

> Looks like another PDE

Jemima?

Did you have a hand in this?

Looks worthwhile.

not sure i can watch this, i cried all the way through bionic vet last night.
such a pansy :(

I have to admit to already having set this programme for me to watch although I know it will make me furious!  Having said that, I'm with a small, local Medivet practice who I would trust with my life - and Whom i did when our old fella got sick last year and I couldn't praise them enough for the care and support they gave us. Our dog Salem, got very excited when he went to see them and he loved them all - thankfully, our is one of the good guys in the franchise, so I hope people do not all ssume that all medicare vets are as terrible as they are to be shown as on Thursday. My long time good friend, is also a vet nurse and she has left several good jobs from other vet practices because of what went on behind closed doors.

> i cried all the way through bionic vet last night.

It was so sad seeing the Lab pup like that, poor wee mite :-(...

I was surprised to see someone i knew on there, wasn't expecting that..

> My long time good friend, is also a vet nurse and she has left several good jobs from other vet practices because of what went on behind closed doors.

Sadly me too, was very happy in my job then a 'new vet' took over, in the end i couldnt be part of that 'work ethic' any longer and left, but missed the job, the animals and all my friends alot.

I will be watching tommorrow night and no doubt will upset myself :(

Jemima?

Did you have a hand in this?

Nothing to do with me - but will be watching with interest.

Jemima

As will I.
About time this was investigated.

Jemima I hope you don't mind me asking- You obviously have a knowledge of dogs and strong views whether others agree or disagree and yet we hardly ever see you joining discussions or giving advice when people ask. Is there a reason for that?

> Looks like another PDE

>Looks worthwhile.

As a former client of Medivet with a few stories to tell (although not behind the scenes ones) - I too will be watching with interest - and IMO this program is long overdue!

Jemima I hope you don't mind me asking- You obviously have a knowledge of dogs and strong views whether others agree or disagree and yet we hardly ever see you joining discussions or giving advice when people ask. Is there a reason for that?

Don't mind you asking at all. Re general dog care, there are usually others more qualified than me (or who have already advised as I would).  I did contribute on a recent thread about steroid-responsive meningitis, as I have a crossbreed here who suffers from it and we're managing it rather conservatively (and counter to the veterinary literature in that when he has an episode we wean him off the steroids he must have to treat it rather quicker than is generally advised, to no ill-effect). I also recently gave what I hope was some useful info re where to walk dogs on Anglesey.

My Champdogs habit is sporadic and don't see much point in duplicating advice that's already been given. But happy to join in I have time and there's something that I'm partic interested in. I'm rather hoping someone might start a thread about the KC registering puppy farm dogs, for instance - something I've had a pop at them about in this week's DogWorld. Would join in on that one... :-)

Jemima

> I'm rather hoping someone might start a thread about the KC registering puppy farm dogs, for instance - something I've had a pop at them about in this week's DogWorld. Would join in on that one... :-)
>

Sounds like it would be a good thread as most have strong views on this. Why not take the lead and post it?

This is the same lot where Betty was admitted recently as the emergency cover for our vets.

I do not see anything that made me have any cause for concern apart for the way the bill was shoved into my face before they would do anything. They looked after her well and kept me informed with calls at 11pm at night so cannot fault the service we got. However it did lack the intimacy and assurance that I have with my vets who run a small but excellant Practice.

I have just paid double for what I could have paid through Pet Drugs online. Its a rip-off

>Its a rip-off

Do Pet Drugs online have the equipment and staff ready to operate on your dog at 3am? Just sayin'.

Precisely. Pet drugs online probably have very few overheads, vets have huge overheads in comparison. Vets can't even buy in the drugs for the prices some people are paying from internet pharmacies. They aren't ripping you off, they are just trying to make money to keep the business going.

>They aren't ripping you off, they are just trying to make money to keep the business going.

I don't have a problem with vets making money from a mark up or their charges, what I do object to is having unnecessary investigations relentlessly pushed in order to increase the bill, being told because I have insurance it doesn't matter and in one case actually being told that it was a shame we couldn't add a few more things to get me some money back because it was only just over the excess (sadly vet didn't realise that it would not benefit me, but them by adding things to the bill)

Under Jens' post, but not directed to Jen.. just general thoughts (I really should stop thinking :-) )

I have never once moaned about my vet.. why...

because he is always there when I need him
He does not make me wait for 3 weeks for 1st available appt.
he does the job he has trained for, and is skilled enough to make decisions..
I trust his judgement, although I do question him sometimes (it helps ME understand and learn)
He listens to my point of view, whether he thinks I am a total fruitbat, he has respect for me (to my face ;-)

And yes.. he asks me to pay for this service..

I have decided not to watch the programme tonight.. edited & biased...

While I do believe some practices are less than scrupulous, I also believe that two sides of a story should be heard..

We have all done things we are not terribly proud of.. under duress we make certain decisions that would make us cringe in another circumstance

We moan about the bad things.. why not praise them once in a while.. some of your pets would not be here today without our vets help

finished

with the new 28 day rule on drugs, vets bills will probably increase, and it won't be their fault!

what new 28 day rule ?
xx

ANY drugs opened, be them a bottle or box of tablets have to be used up or disposed by day 28 (after opening). Many bottles of injectable drugs will be binned half used. A waste. And will probably be reflected in cost of drugs to clients.

Some drugs have a short shelf life, I would rather pay a little more knowing that the AB's or painkillers are effective.. less costly than paying for goods that are not working to full effect.... We may moan, but this has nothing to do with vets.. they have overheads.. they have a business to run.. staff to pay.. equipment to maintain..

Kay, Im supporting the vets here. I order drugs daily and the majority have expiry dates well over a year later. There are some drugs that just do not get used up within 28 days. The vets just have to bin them. The VMD cannot explain why they chose 28 days. Its just a waste and may well cause bills to go up to cover the costs of re ordering new bottles, boxes every 28 days.

I'm not sure you've understood it correctly; many drugs are actually sold in larger pack sizes, and are designed not to be broken. Nobody is expected to buy a 100-pack (standard size) of a particular drug and bin 72 of them!

I understand it. It is any OPENED packet binned after 28 days. Any bottle of drugs where the seal has been broken, binned after 28 days. Its mainly the injectables that will not be used up. The expiry date gives you at LEAST a year, yet they have to be used up within 28 days. Some drugs are just not used up that quickly.

The expiry date gives you at LEAST a year, yet they have to be used up within 28 days. Some drugs are just not used up that quickly.

Most perishables are subject to this.. a jar of jam my have a 2 year shelf life unopend.. but once opened need to be used within 3 weeks..

I don't understand what the problem

The problem is the cost I guess of throwing away in date drugs.

I have to say, so far along in this programme, the trainee Vet nurse behaviour is APPALLING.

>the trainee Vet nurse behaviour is APPALLING.

Do you mean the undercover reporter?  If so, why?

No it's some of the trainee staff nurses.. Not all of course but the stress and their actions caused me to cry. The vets in these places are giving nurses or lower responsibility they shouldn't have.. Now have the most wonderful vet and I fully trust him...

Nope.
I mean the trainee VN's that badly restrained the cat, because scruffing a cat is the LAST resort. And then moving it around like a puppet?
In 15 years as a qualified VN, the only cats I have ever scruffed have been FERAL.

>It is any OPENED packet binned after 28 days. Any bottle of drugs where the seal has been broken, binned after 28 days.

I think you'll find that it's only medication that needs to be refrigerated.

> t is any OPENED packet binned after 28 days. Any bottle of drugs where the seal has been broken, binned after 28 days

Has practice changed. Like Jeangenie I thought that it applied only to medication that needed to be refrigerated, liquids or drops?

no it is not.

i have just sat and watched the documentary about medivet that is quite scary to think that things like that happens especially after the vet was struck off and is allowed to carry on practising for the 28 days until the appeal then becomes the practice manager but still giving his input to the other vet and the way they add on fees that they haven't even used.at least we now how they can afford brand new cars,from the unsuspecting clients who just want the best for their pets was very much an eye opener its disgusting did anybody else see it and what are your views

There are already two threads going on this at the moment..

it wasnt as bad as pde but very upsetting. charging for that blood was apalling and re-using it too and so was the charge for BP monitor- £72! and it wasnt even used on the animal but the vet said it was. not sure who was going to benefit from the 3 claims for the insurance, was it more money for the vet? presume the owner had to pay 3 lots of excess as that was refunded?
i will be looking through my bills carefully from now on but luckily i dont use medivet. i think they may be losing a lot of customers by tomorrow morning.

I'm afraid Medivet (who have quite a few branches around here) have a very bad name for overcharging and pushing owners to put their animals through unnecessary tests and investigations.  None of what was shown tonight surprised me, apart from allowing unqualified trainees to perform procedures they shouldn't have been doing.

i agree the thing that got me was the greyhound x lurcher who had cancer the vet wanted to do an mri costing over two thousand pounds when human one would only cost six hundred the dog was already riddled with cancer why couldn't they just tell him that there was nothing they could do its sad to think that these vets just want to make money and not caring for what these pets really need the care and dignity