X-mas a**holes

[surlykate]

This still has me stewing over it because I wish that I could have smacked these people. Thank you in advance for allowing me to vent.

I work in a veterinary emergency clinic. We are open nights, weekends, and holidays. We are closed when day practices are open (i.e., 8am to 6pm). Animals cannot stay at the clinic during the day as no one is there. This is usually explained to people so they know to pick up their pet before 8 am.

Ass #1 apparently misunderstood or someone didn't make it clear. She called around 6:30 am to check on her cat, and she said she would be by after 6pm to pick him up.

Me: No, all patients must be picked up by 8am as we are closed, and no one is here.
A1: This is unacceptable! My husband was told that we could come after 6 pm!
Me: Ok, do you know who you spoke to?
A1: (hysterical) Why are you asking me this! You must have a reason! There must be something going on that you would ask me that question!
Me: Well, I wanted to know if a veterinarian told you that or if it was the receptionist.
A1: It was the receptionist! You must know something is going on!
Me: No, I was just asking (for a couple different reasons, not least of which is to slap the dummy who said that).
A1: How much is the bill?
Me: The balance is [whatever].
A1: I paid a deposit of $175 and I was told it was going to be [whatever] and now it's [whatever, about $30 more than the estimate she was given]! You better get me an itemized bill before I pay and you can bet that I am going to be difficult about it! I have a real bad taste in my mouth about this place! I am going to cause a scene!
Me: (thanks for the heads-up, lady) We always provide a detailed invoice to everyone.
A1: (I can actually hear the cat-butt face over the phone) You better. You're going to see me at 8 am and I won't be happy. *click*
Me:

She showed up and was, as promised, a huge bitch. I had a big smile for her and had everything ready to go for her and that just pissed her off more so she yelled at the vet since I didn't give her any reason to. ("I don't want to buy the antibiotics here, you will rip me off. You are just trying to make more money." Sure lady, we gave your cat a pneumothorax because we wanted that $24 for the antibiotics.)

Ass #2:
Right after #1 called, I get another call. It was some guy who wanted a dose for aspirin for his dog. We don't advise giving meds over the telephone because of liability and also we can't see the animal to make a diagnosis and might be telling people to give meds that won't help or might make a situation worse.

Me: I'm sorry, but legally we can't advise giving any medications over the telephone.
A2: Huh.
Me: Can I have your name for our records?
A2: (sarcastic) Oh, I can't legally advise you of my name.
Me: Hah. Fine. Goodbye.

Nothing pisses me off more than passive-aggressive crap. You want to be all snotty to someone, go call the State Board of Veterinary Medicine who makes the regulations that we must follow.

This guy pissed me off even more than the first crazy lady.

I'd rather deal with the nastiest rottweiler* than some people... at least with the dog you can use the snare pole and give them a sedative.


(*not to disparage rottweilers... insert any breed of dog)

[Cedophile]

A2: (sarcastic) Oh, I can't legally advise you of my name.
Me: Hah. Fine. Goodbye.

Did you really do that? Did you not take a little joy in shutting that guy up?

Seriously. There's no reason to be like that to staff who are following the law.

Yes, I'm doing my job. No, I'm not breaking the law for you. No, that does not give you permission to be snotfaced with me.

[Becks]

Me: Ok, do you know who you spoke to?
A1: (hysterical) Why are you asking me this! You must have a reason! There must be something going on that you would ask me that question!

If she gets hysterical over THAT question, how does she react to a death in the family?

[South Texan]

Seriously. There's no reason to be like that to staff who are following the law.

You are assuming that SC's comprehend reason??????

[Shacky Whacky]

Surly, the work you do brings joy and comfort to many pet lovers. Don't let the idiots bring you down.

I've had to use the emergency vet services several times and I know it is not cheap. I think the only thing that really cheesed me was when my furbaby had a blocked UT and they had to put him under to catheterize him. They had me sign a form that would allow them to perform CPR if his heart should stop beating. The CPR (or whatever they did) is really expensive, and there's no guarantee it would work. I love my kitty-man, but I had to draw the line at kitty-cardio-jump starting him. I mean, if it's his time, it's his time. But damn, they make you feel bad when you sign the line that would refuse it.

Oh, kitty got better. He spent a few days in the clinic (they were open because of a local flood emergency and my regular vet was unable to even get into his office) and I signed over two weeks worth of pay. Was it worth it? You betcha. It's like he knows we did something so that he could pee again and has been extra lovey since the episode.

Also, I brought goodies to the girls that worked through the rough three days that the clinic stayed open 24 hours and took such good care of my kitty. Asshole #1 has no idea what it costs to run a vet clinic and you should have provided her with an itemized list of all the bills the clinic has to pay just to open the doors.

[Primer]

I'd rather deal with the nastiest rottweiler* than some people... at least with the dog you can use the snare pole and give them a sedative.


(*not to disparage rottweilers... insert any breed of dog)

I worked 2 1/2 years at an emergency vet clinic, myself. I was the one called up to do intake on Rotties and Dobies, as nobody else wanted them. The only dogs I really had any problems with were Chihuahuas, Chows, and the occasional abused animal.

One woman I recall brought in her terrier that had been ripped up in a fight, but claimed she had no money for treatment. The kicker--she was just dripping with diamonds and gold jewelry. I wanted so badly to tell her to go to the local pawnshop to get some money.

At times, I miss working with the animals, but in no way do I miss the people who owned them.

[chainedbarista]

i worked for the military vet clinic (as active duty and civilian) and military owners are a special breed of their very own.

they figured because they were working during clinic hours, that they could come in when they were off (um, no, because i'm off at that time, sorry). some thought it was ok to stop me on my personal time for discussions about their pet's care (while i love animals, i also love what little time i have off, so save it for when the clinic is open, ok?).

a few threatened my boss with calling her boss because she wasn't properly 'respectful' to them (let's see, you were condescending, acted like an ass, then actually had the nerve to threaten us; let me see, i can do the same for you, but your husband will get into more trouble, i'm betting, over you than my boss will, because TWO can play this game, little girl).

one wife actually threatened me with sending her husband after me (woman, i outrank him, what is he going to do to me, exactly? take your threat and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine, bitch).

i even had a couple of skanks who were 'dating' a pair of seals (they shared the building with us) wanting me to play doorman for them? wtf? if you're too weak/lazy/stupid to open a pair of doors, that's hardly my problem, so bugger off.

i also miss working with animals, but the owners, not so much; there were some that were perfectly lovely and i enjoyed their visits, however, those were among the minority...

[Getoutofmylobby]

[QUOTE=surlykate;65579] I'd rather deal with the nastiest rottweiler* than some people... at least with the dog you can use the snare pole and give them a sedative.

[QUOTE]

I would love to live in a world where this would be ok to do.

"Ma'am, you're absolutely right, $24 bucks for medicine is a total ripoff . We tried to hose you and you caught us. Damn, are you smart or what! Now if you could just stand perfectly... still..."

[karma_gypsy]

I have a real bad taste in my mouth about this place! I am going to cause a scene!

Well I hope her cat was a bit more pleasant to deal with. I almost feel sorry for the kitty having to go home with her almost. And because she was "going to cause a scene" did it get her bill lowered? No. Did it make her look like an ass in front of the other people? Hopefully.

[surlykate]

Did you really do that? Did you not take a little joy in shutting that guy up?

Oh, yes. I have near-zero patience for passive-aggression. My first reaction is to smack people like that but I'll settle for being snarky, if I can get away with it.

The stupid thing for him doing that is, that if he had been nicer, I would have looked up his records and asked the vet about it, because he had been in a few weeks before.

Thanks for the support, guys! Most people at the clinic are so nice, and I know that having a sick/injured pet is stressful, and vet care isn't cheap, but c'mon.

Recently I had very minor abdominal surgery and just got a bill for nearly $10,000 (covered by insurance, thankfully). I feel like bringing it in to work and showing it to people who complain about the cost of major surgeries in their animals.

[MadMike]

I'm a little late getting here, but I'm another one who had to rely on an emergency clinic like the one you mentioned. They are expensive, but worth it when they're needed.

My own personal example: About four years ago, right around Christmastime, one of my cats started acting strangely. He was just lying around the house not doing much, and every so often, he'd let out a strange-sounding yelp. At one point, I saw him go to the litterbox, and start straining, and nothing would come out. I figured he was constipated, so I got him something for that. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to help. I decided that if he wasn't any better the next day, I'd call my vet.

It turned out it was far more serious than I thought. Fortunately, I popped into the chat room and started telling people what was going on with my cat, and one person recognized the signs of a blocked urinary tract, and urged me to get him to an animal hospital right away. If it wasn't for that, he might not have made it.

Did it suck having to pay $80 just to have him looked at? Of course it did. Did it suck having to pay another few hundred to have the operation done? Naturally. Did it suck having to go back there at the crack of dawn to pick him up, after having been there in the middle of the night to drop him off? Definitely. But having the poor kitty die would have sucked a thousand times more.

Some people don't seem to understand that these aren't "just animals" to us, we love them like our own family members. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried when I didn't know if he was going to make it or not. I had to take him to my regular vet for follow-up care, and things were pretty indefinite for the first few days. In the end, I paid roughly $600 to save him, but it was worth it just to seem him alive, healthy, and happy again. I affectionately refer to him as "The $600 Cat."

[Becks]

I was the one called up to do intake on Rotties and Dobies, as nobody else wanted them. The only dogs I really had any problems with were Chihuahuas, Chows, and the occasional abused animal.

I wish I knew why people hate on certain breeds. (OK, I DO know, but bear with me...) Any dog can be the sweetest animal ever, or the most evil ever. It all depends on training, treatment and how inbred it is or isn't. I know a girl who owns a sweet pit bull. I know someone else who has an evil cocker spaniel. (I try to avoid any animal I see in certain neighborhoods.)

[chainedbarista]

i like rotties and dobies; they were some of the better dogs. the little lap dustmops, however, are another story. they tended to be more prone to fear biting, freaking out and just being a pain when it came to care.

i also had to take my dog in for emergency care a few years back (he had gastroenteritis, a fancy term for inflammation of the intestinal lining, but it sounds scary as hell to hear) and even though it was costly, it was worth it to know he would be fine as long as we followed the vet's directions for care.

the second time wasn't so happy; my other dog was feeling poorly (not eating, vomiting, listless). after some x rays and an ultrasound, a mass was discovered in her abdomen. i hoped and prayed for it to be nothing, but it was as serious as it gets-pancreatic cancer, last stages. we opted to put her to sleep, rather than wake her up and take her home, only to have to turn around and bring her back in or die a slow, painful death. it still bothers me today, but i paid the bill without complaint or argument.

if only people realise that veterinary care is expensive for a reason, rather than just worry about each and every line; the people have done something for a reason, and unless you know what it was for, don't argue it, period.

[Barefootgirl]

i even had a couple of skanks who were 'dating' a pair of seals

Given that this is a thread about animals, I had to read that line a couple of times to make sense of it, and I had the nastiest image in my mind before i "got it". (I also mis-read skanks as skunks, which didn't help - its like Fantasia in my head sometimes )

Let me just get that straight in my head - seals as in Navy SEALs, right? Not the things with flippers that live in the sea and eat fish?

Four years ago, my old cat Higgins came down with something that gave him horrible itchy weals on his head and other skin problems. We tried several vets and vet consultants, even ensded up at the Royal Vet College, but nothing seemed to help. In the end he died of acute kidney failure, but in the two years we tried to cure his skin problems and his other illnesses, he cost us over £2500. Thank God he was insured, because he was my baby cat and not being able to do the best for him would have devastated me.

[HYHYBT]

I had to read that line a couple of times to make sense of it, and I had the nastiest image in my mind before i "got it".

Glad I'm not the only one...