Since being 'requested' by our vet to take our business elsewhere, it has been suggested by friends/contacts that I should submit a complaint to the RCVS.
(For those who may not be aware, out vet decided she no longer wanted to have us on her books because I said I was unhappy about a particular drug being given. She took this as a personal criticism and felt that this had destroyed the basis of trust and communication needed for a professional relationship.)

Although I was initially quite shocked at the reaction, I felt that there was nothing I could do except look for another practice.

I really don't know if the RCVS would be interested or not - I think they mostly deal with complaints about negligence and misconduct.
On balance I think it's probably not worth the hassle but there's a little bit of me that feels she should not get away with such petty behaviour !

Any thoughts one way or the other ?

Joyce

I know for a fact that Doctors can get away with doing this ..so I cannot see what would stop the Vets from being able to do the same.

IF you took it to the RCVS what would you hope for in the outcome? I think that is an important question to ask ..I mean do you *want* to go back with that particular vet practice? The are as far as I am aware , pick and choose their customers and are under no obligation to have anyone on their books that they don't want .....personally I would have told the Vet in practice where to get off :)

Melody

http://www.rcvs.org.uk/
For your own peace of mind I think you should look at the website and see if there's any relevant information. An enquiry is one thing, but if you actually write a complaint, most organizations would have to look into the matter.
Julie :)

Hi Joyce

I would write back to her - sending a copy of the letter to any professional body that she may belong to - suggesting that perhaps she is not acting in the best interests of her clients if she cannot accept, or indeed welcome your perfectly innocent questioning of her decision.

You could keep it really polite and make her look the unreasonable one. Might not get you anything other than satisfaction - but it might make her think twice about intimidating other less knowlegable people into medicines that she *wants* them to use.

Chloe

I think I would have to write a letter For my own peace of mind but before I posted it I'd have to think about what I wanted to achieve .
Also , how many vets are around your area -do you want to be known as 'a trouble maker ' NOT that I'm saying you are but people in the same proffession tend to talk to each other
Difficult one .........
Liz :)

<<<I really don't know if the RCVS would be interested or not - I think they mostly deal with complaints about negligence and misconduct.>>>

I remember watching a programme quite a while agao about bad veterinary practices and what happens when people make a complaint. Bearing in mind it was a while ago and my memory is lousy, I can't remember the finer details, but, it left me in no doubt that like the doctors GMC, they tend to stick together and are in favour of their vet's! Things could have changed since but who knows?

I'd feel put out if this happened too, but apart from find another practice, I'm not sure there's anythhing you could do about it without maybe blackening your name further, if word got around, like Liz mentioned.

I would tell all to a new vet' that you find though.

I lost a dog on the operating table at one vet's and although I didn't blame her at the time and put it down to one of those things, when I went to pick up his ashes a few weeks later, the vet' couldn't or wouldn't look me in the face! That made me think that someone had maybe 'mucked' up big time! I didn't do anything about it for fear of never being able to stop...it also would not bring the dog back. I just changed vet's and explained how I'd lost faith in the other practice.

I've requested too that my dogs not be given Rimadyl after one had a bad reaction. It's on the front of my both dogs notes....they've been fine about it. You're trusting your animals lives with these people and there should be a two-way relationship.

In one way I'm glad I changed, in another I'm sad at the way it came about....<wishing I'd gone there in the first place>

Thanks - you've all made some really good points.

In hindsight I wish I'd reported these vets years ago when they gave my previous dog a fatal combination of medicines. But I was so upset at the time and believed them when they said it was just an unfortunate one-off incident.

This unexpected turn of events has, I think, brought back unpleasant memories of that very sad time.

You'll probably find that the rcvs aren't interested. My (ex) vet killed one of my guinea pigs by giving her an injection of penicillin (well known fact that penicillin kills gp's) at the beginning of last year. I looked into complaing, with the rcvs, i even downloaded a complaints form from their website. However they weren't interested. I wrote to THE vet concerned, but he wouldn't even acknowledge that he'd done anything wrong. The best advice i can give is don't go back, tell all your friends and family what the vets have done, and hopefully they will leave too.
The complaints system for the rcvs seriously needs looking at. My eyes have been opened in the last year.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Hi Joyce, if it makes you feel better by writing to the RCVS then I think you should, whether or not they do anything isn`t important, besides, you`ll never know if you don`t and it might make you feel better.
Christine, Spain.

It does seem wrong, but I think vets are like shops, they don't have to serve you if the don't want too. I think your vet over reacted and is, in all probability, not very confident. If that is true she did you a favour by asking you to move, I'd be pleased about that and let it go. Jackie

Me too, when I was a kid the vet we used injected my guinea pigs with peniciliin and hence killed them I was devasted.

So with my dogs I always question and question again and I think if they wont take that form of questioning (as after all when your pet is sick you need reassurance and understanding not to be made to feel you've asked something wrong) I would CHOOSE to go elsewhere for my pets treatment , not just because they asked me to.
Just MO though
Lynsey

its not a vet in the north is it!!?????--and the ones that said its not worth reporting are right---ive known some ridiculous goings on that have been reported , might as well not of bothered :(

It's a vet in North Wales, dizzy. And I think you're right, I don't suppose anything will be done if I do report it - but like Christine said, it might just make me feel better :)

I've since heard from an old lady (great dog lover) that this vet won't do home visits. The lady has a lovely old red setter and she is starting to get worried that, when the times comes, the dog won't be able to be put to sleep at home. I am trying to persuade her to register with another practice for peace of mind if nothing else.

Joyce

Joyce,
I haven't forgotten about you my friend is checking with people she knows in that area and I will get back to you as soon as I hear anything.
Anne

Thanks, Anne - that's really kind of you :)

I have been asking around locally and there are a couple of possibles. Trouble is some people recommend surgeries which others say they wouldn't touch with a bargepole !!

I was recommended to a vets who were fantastic with all three of my dogs.They are always there to give help and advice and I have no complaints at all. However while talking to another dog owner she said she would never use them again as they had killed her dog. I think that all you can do is either ring the different vets by phone or visit them and decide for yourself which you are most happy with.If you listen to every negative comment people have to make you will never settle on a vet because you will be worrying about their suitability.
Best of Luck
Amy

Joyce,
That's really confusing when that happens, why not go along to any that sound OK and have a look see maybe ask a couple of questions
Anne

I was lucky when I changed vets recently because my usual ones (albeit very very good ones) upped their consultation fee to £30. The vets I now use have ben recommended by many of my dog friends and they are absolutely wonderfull and I only pay half the price :D
Bec

Hi Bec
That's a big price difference isn't it ? How long a consultation would you have got for £30 ? Would it be about the same as what you're getting at your new vets ?

Consultation was as long as is needed. My new vets consultations is as long as is needed and half the price! They did try to explain it all to me and saying I could pay over a period of time etc etc but if I can't afford the fees it doesn't really matter how long I get to pay it off!
Bec