This evening we decided to have a bit a stroll down to the canal with the collies (litter brother and sister - Oliver and Pagan) to let them have a swim and then call in at the local pub.  All was well, we let the collies off the lead and they ran to a gap in the reeds waiting for us to throw their toys in.  We chucked their tpys in and they duly did their customary flying leap into the water - then swam back and climbed out up the bank.  Little did we know that in the bank was a wasps nest HUNDREDS of wasps went totally berserk!  They repeatedly stung both dogs and me.  We ran away like people posessed and got the dogs to go in the water again to get them off but it didn't work.  They were all over their heads, trying to get in their eyes and ears.  I was flicking them off as fast as I could.  Luckily there is a vets surgery about 300 yards from where we were so I ran over there with them.  I explained what had happened and was STILL picking wasps off them in the surgery waiting room.  We waited 30 MINUTES until they had a gap in their appointments and were then seen by the vet.  He asked me if I was registered with them - I said no.  He asked who my normal vet was - I told him and explained that I had come to them rather than my own vets because of the close proximity (my vets are 8 miles from where we were).  I couldn't believe it when he said "well you'll have to go to them - we can't treat your dogs here if you're registered somewhere else"   I almost hit the roof!  Both dogs were in a lot of pain and Oliver's eyes were swollen shut!  In the end he gave them both cortisone jabs and charged me £68 for the privilage! 

It's now three hours later and thankfully both dogs are much more comfortable.  Have to say I'm seriously unimpressed by those vets though :(

Debs

What is wrong with some people   Surely a vet's job is to help injured animals.  What if you'd been on holiday and couldn't go to your own vet.  It's probably something to do with their liability insurance but they could have been more sympathetic.  Hope you're all OK - I can't think of anything more horrendous than being attacked by wasps.

CG

Poor dogs! What a load of rubbish from those vets! You can be registered with more than one practice and there's nothing to stop you from registering when you walk in!

I can't believe some vets that is outrageous!!!

At least they are feeling a bit better now, hope you are ok too its not pleasant being stung!!

The one that hurts the most is the one on the bridge of my nose.  I look like Cyrano de Bergerac! LOL  It's so painful - never felt anything like it.

Debs

Oh Debs what I nightmare!
That would be my worst nightmare, having a swarm of wasps come at me and my dogs.

I really don't get vets, like it has been said vets are ther to treat animals, and with the situation your dogs was in they should have got to it quicker.

When I was a wee girl my pet cocker spaniel had eaten away at his back foot, there was blood pouring everywhere, the nearest 'vet' was a PDSA, my parents at that time did not realise PDSA was for families on benefits, we rushed him up there only to be turned away because we was not on imcome support, my dad offered to pay the full vet fee to have our beloved pet treated, but they still turned us away, with blood pouring from the dogs foot! :(

We managed to find a 'private' vet that treated him.

OMG to what happened in the first place and for that vet. Sorry but I would report him straight away, I think he needs striking off for doing something like that to you and especially making you all wait 30 minutes that could of been a life or death situation for all three of you

What an awful evening. Hope you are feeling a bit better today. As for the Vet I think you should report him, what if the dogs had had an allergic reaction, the dogs could have died. I could be wrong but don't they have some duty of care to treat a sick animal? As far as I am concerned the dogs were potentially an emergency case and should have been treated immediately. Check with your own Vet who is the first port of call to start a complaint proceedings.

i would be writing to the rcvs straight away about that vet!!!

Well the dogs are absolutely fine this morning thank goodness - and so am I! LOL.  I'm definitely thinking of making a complaint.  I rang my vet this morning to tell him what happened and to make sure he knew the collies had been treated.  I didn't tell him about the other vet's attitude as I didn't think it'd do any good.  I also rang the council to inform them of the nest (it's in a place where people walk with their kids and dogs all day, every day AND right next to a pub) but they said they probably wouldn't do anything because it wasn't in a built up area! :rolleyes:

Debs

glad to hear you are all ok this morning, you poor things, I had one wasp sting a few weeks ago and it was so painful and itchy

I'd definitely report that vet - I cannot believe how uncaring some people are as for the council, I just despair sometimes :rolleyes: 

Vets are in it for the money not the love nowadays doesnt it seem?

Glad youre dogs are ok now but if something should have happened because of that stupid vet....Its not even worth thinking about is it?!

So glad to hear you are all OK.  Probably the dogs' coats saved them from worse stings?

Where I am a Vet may not legally treat an animal under another Vet's care without a full examination of the animal.  But surely an emergency such as yours is an exception.

You and the dogs were lucky.  A few years ago our papers carried a story of a boy and his collie type dog who got into a hornet or wasp nest.  The dog was on a leash, the leash got wrapped around the boy and he fell and both boy and dog were essentially trapped on the ground at the mercy of the wasps.  Two neighbour ladies did all they could but the boy later died in hospital from the stings.  He received far more than his long coated dog.

Probably the dogs' coats saved them from worse stings?

This is something I was thinking about once we got home.  What if I'd had the Pharaohs with me?  They have such thin short coats and soft pliable skin - it would have been far worse if they'd been there   It doesn't bare thinking about.  It's certainly made me a little more wary of where the dogs run.  Mind you, I've been taking dogs to that particular spot for nigh on 30 years now and never  had a problem before.  Just goes to show you can never take anything for granted.

Debs

Oh Debs, that sounds awful, like a nightmare. I can't believe the vets left you sitting for so long - at our vets Im sure you would have been whisked straight in. Glad to read further down that all are ok today  :)

I'm afraid the vet was right,i believe a vet isn't legally allowed to treat an animal registered at another practice without the other vets say so. You aren't really supposed to be registered with more than one, but i'm not sure how the work that in with people with holiday homes. At my vets if you want an appointment with us but are registered with another vet they usually ask that you change to them, unless it is specifically a second opinion.  I would have thought in the case of an emergency like yours they should make exceptions though.
I hope you are all ok, it sounds like stuff of nightmares!

really how does the duty vet at a show treat a dog then  How when I was at away at working  trials and had a hound suffer from a kidney infection, did i get him treated with out any problem I am registered with 2 vets! My usual vet, who is an hours drive away....and a local one purely for emergency torsion where time is of essence.

Yes, just realised that my dog was treated for a wasp sting on her flews at Darlington Champ Show a few years ago.

>I'm afraid the vet was right,i believe a vet isn't legally allowed to treat an animal registered at another practice without the other vets say so.

Er no that would be restrictive practice(not like the NHS as you do not pay to see a GP)& there are no laws that state you can only use one surgery

You are a paying client & you can take your dog to any vet you like, you do not have to get a vets permission to have your dog treated by another surgery, it's like having a new car & the maker insisting you use a main dealer to maintain the warranty-this was ruled a restricive practice & thus against the law & now makers have to uphold warranties no matter were you have taken you car to.

I use a different vet to have my dogs hips x rayed & I never ask my vets for their permission & the vet I go to doesn't contact my GP vet either. When I had Loukar MRI scanned for SM the specialist, asked for a letter from my vet, but he didn't have to he was just being courteous-he was actually one of my vets tutors in the past !

Debs glad to hear you and the collies are feeling better today.

Pam

Yes same here, I use 2 vets and have done for many years. One for all the normal stuff, one for routine stuff like vaccinations and cat neuterings as they are a lot cheaper and I have a lot of animals. Most breeders I know do the same.

Vets don't like treating other Vets patients, and that you might use more than one, but you are perfectly entitled to, in the same way you don't have to sue the same mechanic or plummer.

A vet has recently been struck off for refusing a house call, and the owners had to ring another vet who rang the first vet and he wouldn't come out so the second vet did.

Okay I FOUND IT. Quote from the RCVS about vets:

"A veterinary surgeon must: (cut past other things, then:)     iii.   not unreasonably refuse to accept responsibility for an animal from a colleague, in order to provide first aid and pain relief for that animal

Clients of another practice may be directed to their own practice, at least in the first instance."

So seems the vet has to use their own judgement but cannot actually refuse to give first aid.

Yep they must give first aid!  My uncle just retired from being a vet. 

One night recently when he was still working I was there is was about 11pm and the phone rang. A lady had a rabbit with a bad gash and she had no vet to treat it because she could not pay the vet bills and several vets now they would not see her.  So he asked her to bring round the rabbit. Took her to his home surgery room and fixed up the rabbit. He asked her for no money ( because he already knew she couldn't pay ) but instead asked her so send the payment in installments over the next few months.

After she left his wife said did she really expect her to pay and he laughed and said no but you can't leave a bunny with a hole in it's side!

But he was one of the old style vets!  I do hope plenty of them still exist!

To Debs ...Glad you and the dogs are okay.  What an awful experience. I check out for broken bottles, bikes, cars and trolleys, toxic waste and any things that can hurt or stab the dogs before I let them jump in and swin but never thought of something natural like a wasp nest.