Re: vet input

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Posted by cirsisue on January 26, 1999 at 23:17:24:

In Reply to: vet input posted by Joan on January 26, 1999 at 11:45:44:

: Finding a herp vet is really tough. The first
vet we used for our turtle was our regular vet.
It was the receptionist that say yes we handle
turtles, bring him in. I did, this was just for a
check up and nail trimming. Luckily our vet is a
honest person. His first comment was he was sure
happy to see it was not a snapping turtle. He
asked us lots of questions, answered none of ours,
trimmed his nails and said there was no charge as
he knew nothing about herps and we had taught him.
He didn't even know what type of turtle he was,
Bailey's a box turtle. So much for the first vet.

: I tried calling vet offices and seeing whether
they handle herps. This doesn't work over the
phone. Every receptionist called said that they
would make an appointment and could handle herps.
Some did say "They would give it a try", which
gave it away that they really didn't normally take
in reptiles. The very first thing in finding a
vet is to visit the vet's office, don't call. I
found by visiting the office your able to get a
better feel of what is going on. I used to travel
for my job alot and when I was close to home I
would stop at vets offices. When my first ig
Merlin, may he rest in peace, was shedding around
his ear I was worried as I new and hadn't seen
this yet. It didn't look right but it didn't look
wrong either. I stopped at a vet's office about
45 miles away and they gave the standard bring him
in routine. So I just said that I didn't want to
bring him in if there was nothing wrong, could
they tell me about the shedding. They went back
and talked with one of their vets and he
: recommended that I see a vet that was another 30
miles away. If you can get the receptionist to
actually ask the vet something you can get a
better feel and maybe get them to recommend
another vet. I was headed in the direction of the
other vet they recommended so I stopped at their
office. I asked the receptionist the shedding
question and she went back to ask the vet. He
actually came out and talked with me. Said that
his partner was the one who actually handled all
the herps. His partner actually had iguanas and
had been treating them for quite a while. He said
that he could handle the more routine questions
and it sounded like from what I described that the
shedding was normal. He did mention that he was
going from what I was telling him and that they
really needed to see the iguana to know for sure.
From a five minute conversation I found him to ask
good questions, show concern, honest about what he
knew. I believe that I could trust them. Problem
they are 75 miles away on curving roads, about 2
hours. Still needed someone closer, but it was a
start.

: Next one is a tough one. You can ask the pet
stores, who you trust, who do they use for their
herps. Here is nowhere, Idaho, we actually have
two pet stores that sell nothing but fish and
herps. One is a nice store and they try hard.
They gave me the name of a vet that alot of their
customers use. I haven't checked him out yet as
in the phone book it said his speciality is large
animals. This didn't give me any inducement to
call him. The other pet store has about 1/3 of
its herps not for sell as they have been with them
since time began. Their in store pets are a 7'
aligator, a 4' ig, a 14 year old boa and many
others. I asked them who they use and they gave
me the name of my current herp vet, only 14 miles
away. She is kind, considerate, and
knowledgeable. Guess you have to be when taking
care of a 7' aligator named "Nasty Ed". LOL This
process took me about 3 months. Only because I
didn't even know where to start. The listings on
the vet site had the closest herp vets at 140
miles away. Not a big help. I also heard of one
person with a very sick lizard and no herp vet
calling the zoo in the area and they couldn't
recommend any vet but were willing to help
themselves. This maybe an option.

: Rules to finding a vet: ( Only from a newbie
point of view )
: 1) Visit the vet's office in person.
: 2) Ask a simple question on shedding,
lighting, or calium intake.
: 3) See if the reception will go ask the
vet.
: 4) Did he/she come out to talk with you?
: 5) Did you like the way he/she showed
compassion and interest?
: 6) Did he/she have questions and answers?

: Also be sure that you take a look around the
waiting room. If the vet seems a little hurried
it could be because he was a backlog of patients
waiting. One place I went I might use as a back
up. He did come out and talk with me for maybe
one minute. The question was on calium, the
answer was correct but hurried. He had four
people waiting on him.

: I think that this is a great idea. I think that
we should all post who our vet is and compile a
listing of our own. Maybe someone who was a web
page would post it.

: The rambling and out of breath, Joan

I've got plenty of space on two web pages we can use

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: : : Finding a herp vet is really tough. The first : vet we used for our turtle was our regular vet. : It was the receptionist that say yes we handle : turtles, bring him in. I did, this was just for a : check up and nail trimming. Luckily our vet is a : honest person. His first comment was he was sure : happy to see it was not a snapping turtle. He : asked us lots of questions, answered none of ours, : trimmed his nails and said there was no charge as : he knew nothing about herps and we had taught him. : He didn't even know what type of turtle he was, : Bailey's a box turtle. So much for the first vet. : : I tried calling vet offices and seeing whether : they handle herps. This doesn't work over the : phone. Every receptionist called said that they : would make an appointment and could handle herps. : Some did say "They would give it a try", which : gave it away that they really didn't normally take : in reptiles. The very first thing in finding a : vet is to visit the vet's office, don't call. I : found by visiting the office your able to get a : better feel of what is going on. I used to travel : for my job alot and when I was close to home I : would stop at vets offices. When my first ig : Merlin, may he rest in peace, was shedding around : his ear I was worried as I new and hadn't seen : this yet. It didn't look right but it didn't look : wrong either. I stopped at a vet's office about : 45 miles away and they gave the standard bring him : in routine. So I just said that I didn't want to : bring him in if there was nothing wrong, could : they tell me about the shedding. They went back : and talked with one of their vets and he : : recommended that I see a vet that was another 30 : miles away. If you can get the receptionist to : actually ask the vet something you can get a : better feel and maybe get them to recommend : another vet. I was headed in the direction of the : other vet they recommended so I stopped at their : office. I asked the receptionist the shedding : question and she went back to ask the vet. He : actually came out and talked with me. Said that : his partner was the one who actually handled all : the herps. His partner actually had iguanas and : had been treating them for quite a while. He said : that he could handle the more routine questions : and it sounded like from what I described that the : shedding was normal. He did mention that he was : going from what I was telling him and that they : really needed to see the iguana to know for sure. : From a five minute conversation I found him to ask : good questions, show concern, honest about what he : knew. I believe that I could trust them. Problem : they are 75 miles away on curving roads, about 2 : hours. Still needed someone closer, but it was a : start. : : Next one is a tough one. You can ask the pet : stores, who you trust, who do they use for their : herps. Here is nowhere, Idaho, we actually have : two pet stores that sell nothing but fish and : herps. One is a nice store and they try hard. : They gave me the name of a vet that alot of their : customers use. I haven't checked him out yet as : in the phone book it said his speciality is large : animals. This didn't give me any inducement to : call him. The other pet store has about 1/3 of : its herps not for sell as they have been with them : since time began. Their in store pets are a 7' : aligator, a 4' ig, a 14 year old boa and many : others. I asked them who they use and they gave : me the name of my current herp vet, only 14 miles : away. She is kind, considerate, and : knowledgeable. Guess you have to be when taking : care of a 7' aligator named "Nasty Ed". LOL This : process took me about 3 months. Only because I : didn't even know where to start. The listings on : the vet site had the closest herp vets at 140 : miles away. Not a big help. I also heard of one : person with a very sick lizard and no herp vet : calling the zoo in the area and they couldn't : recommend any vet but were willing to help : themselves. This maybe an option. : : Rules to finding a vet: ( Only from a newbie : point of view ) : : 1) Visit the vet's office in person. : : 2) Ask a simple question on shedding, : lighting, or calium intake. : : 3) See if the reception will go ask the : vet. : : 4) Did he/she come out to talk with you? : : 5) Did you like the way he/she showed : compassion and interest? : : 6) Did he/she have questions and answers? : : Also be sure that you take a look around the : waiting room. If the vet seems a little hurried : it could be because he was a backlog of patients : waiting. One place I went I might use as a back : up. He did come out and talk with me for maybe : one minute. The question was on calium, the : answer was correct but hurried. He had four : people waiting on him. : : I think that this is a great idea. I think that : we should all post who our vet is and compile a : listing of our own. Maybe someone who was a web : page would post it. : : The rambling and out of breath, Joan : I've got plenty of space on two web pages we can use

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