Hi I wonder if anyone can help, I was speaking to someone the other day and I mentioned that I was a bit worried about my 11 month old GSD who although appears extremely healthy he is SO boney, he is very full coated so people are really shocked when they stroke him to feel his ribs etc are so prominent. He was weighed at 6 months and was a healthy 35 kgs, although the vet said he was slightly overweight but would grow into it.  The point is my I am not really happy with my current vet who I think charges exhorbitant prices there is another vet nearby and I mentioned to this person that I would take him there and I was shocked that she said you cant just change vets you have to inform your own vet first. I feel really awkward as I did work for this vet once and know her quite well, I thought I could just register him at another one and that was it.  I have always done this before, when my eldest bitch was speyed I rang several vets to check out their prices and took her to the cheapest.  Is this a new thing??

You can simply change vets, but the new vet will need to contact the old vet to get the medical records transferred over. Also it's very poor etiquette for a vet to treat another vet's client without informing them - it's been that way for very many years.

We've recently changed vets, didn't have to speak to our first vet at all, our new vet got in touch and got all our dogs records transferred.......although we did get a call from our first vet asking why we had changed and was it anything they did/didn't do, didn't have the heart to tell her she was charging DOUBLE what our new vet was!!!

Exactly, you don't have to contact your vet the new vet will for the records, much like when we change doctors, it is painless and very simple, just go into the new vet explain you wish to transfer over to them and they will do all the work.

Unless you buy a big boned GSD from a reputable breeder, it is quite common to see GSD's as you are describing yours, a lot of it is to do with age and he will fill out nicely once he gets to 2 years of age an awful lot of dogs go through the 'lanky' stage, as long as he is eating well and has not got an upset stomach don't worry, vets in particular will be happy with a thinner GSD due to it not putting pressure on their hips and causing medical problems in later life which is probably why your vet was happy with him, so don't worry too much about that, as long as he is healthy and full of life it is better to be lanky than overweight. :-)

Your GSD sounds quite normal to me The GSD should be a slow maturing breed & in Germany they don't even show their dogs until they are yearlings allowing the dog to mature physically & mentally naturally

Their are irresponsible breeders who breed GSDs with masses of bone which is quite alien to a trotting dog who should be able to gait/run for extended periods of time

I wouldn't expect a GSD to be physically mature until he/she was 2 1/2- 3 years of age.

Thanks for your replies... To be honest I wasnt too worried about my dog, but a few other people, some of whom have GSD`s (Far too overweight in my opinion)have remarked on him being too bony..which made me think.  I can understand being able to feel his ribs, but you can actually feel all of them individually with the gaps in between being quite obvious, if you know what I mean!!  I am sure he is fine and he has endless energy, good appetite and only twice has he ever had an upset tummy. I know I cant compare him to my older one, although she is slim you can feel her ribs but they do have a covering..I might just take him to the vets just to put my mind at rest.  By the way he has been wormed regularly with Drontal.

I'm looking into changing Vets too.  I am very happy with the level of service and care but their prices are way, way higher than anyone else's.  Unfortunately new Vets will not honour the previous VEt's prescriptions for even things like flea treatment and say they must see the animal.  Reasonable, I suppose, but I just had three of the cats for their annual and I don't want to do it again.  You might run into this problem too, even if they transfer the records. 

I have found there is a HUGE difference in what other Vets charge for flea meds and other items.  For the difference in price I could afford another cat or dog, actually two.  The dog and one more cat are due for their annual checkups in July so maybe I will switch them over to my friend's Vet. then.

I found a place to order $Canadian on-line but require a presciption form from the Vet.  The Vet says they want to check out the website first - now I am suspicious.  Why do they want to check the website?  If I want to waste my money on the internet that's my business.  My own doctor just writes a script for me and it's up to me to get it filled anywhere I want.  Ironically, there are very few websites where I can buy petmeds in $C as most sites are geared to Americans wanting to purchase at the lower Canadian prices.

I don't think the vet has a right to examine where you buy from but if it was me I would let him as there is a market of counterfeit drugs on the internet that are not just useless but positively dangerous.  Like purfumes etc, batch and lot numbers can be checked with the manufacturers.  What's the harm in letting him check it out for you?  He sounds like a very caring vet to me :)

I don't think I have a choice as they said they would NOT write a 'script till they had a chance to view the website.  But that particular Vet in the clinic is one who has often suggested ways for us to economize on some of our purchases.  The particular med that started me off on this quest is apparently counterfeited and you do have to be careful where you get it from. 

For anyone else who wants to investigate the on-line ordering route one thing you can check is the particular medications manufacturers website.  I have found that many list their approved distributors and even warn about what to look for if counterfeits are known to exist.

This is a hard decision for us as we are very happy with our Vet and have been dealing with them since Jet was a puppy, 13 years.  We have no doubt that they are caring and competent.  Plus, Jet has back problems now and one cat has serious liver problems and they have seen us through those two scary episodes that cropped up last summer.  But I'm finding prices are 25% to 30% cheaper elsewhere and we don't think we can afford to ignore that big a difference.

Vets have a legal obligation to give you your prescription so you can get it where you like!!! I think the only reason the new Vets have to contact the old Vet is if the animal is CURRENTLY receiving treatment! Otherwise you can go where the heck you like!!! You pay them, they don't pay you!!! All the best, Dawn

That is the case in the UK not sure about Canada, Dawn.

Ahh I meant repeat prescritions and in the UK they are...the laws have changed...honest...last year! Maybe you can check it out in your new job and tell me I've gone senile?? Nothing new there then! :D :D :D

You are going senile! It's JG with the new job :D 
I edited my above post when I realised you were talking about after the dog had been seen.

Sorry JG got the new job huh?? See I am senile...I didn't realise they lived in Canada, sorry again...seems to be my night for sorrys...maybe I should just give up now??? LOL :D

Sorry again, posting at the same time!! LOL

:D I think we need to leave this one alone :D :D

RFLAO!!! You're so right Isabel...Just leave it!!! LOL :D :D :D (don't cha ever get sick of being right and UNsenile??) LOL

Never ;)

It took a lot of searching but I've finally found a section on the local Vet university website where some recent Vet regulations are presented.  It says a Vet is only allowed to fill a prescription issued by another, primary Vet, if the primary Vet is unavailable.  And the amount of dispensed medication must only be enough to get the patient through till the primary Vet becomes available to supply the rest.  And the (secondary) dispensing Vet may be required to perform an examination as well.  The primary Vet is allowed to write a precription which can be filled at a pharmacy, but of course most pharmacies are set up for humans and don't carry a lot of Vet. items, like flea/tick, heartworm, etc meds, which is what set me off on this quest in the first place.

So how do you like them apples?  Sounds like your UK regulations are much more favourable to the consumer.  Guess I will email all my pet friends to warn them to never run out of meds. while their Vet is on vacation.

Edited to add:  I am in Ontario, Canada so if any other post viewers are too, be warned.

I use 2 vets from 2 different practices depending on what we need and the price and they both know it. I like them apples