Friday, August 26, 2016

Veterinarians Are Greedy Bastards

I'm LIVID. My Godchild is a vet, working at a practice too far away for me to get to or I would pack up my kitty and drive that far. Coco has been with me since she was 6 weeks old, she's 8. She's always been a thin cat, Her brother is heavier. But not Coco,who,  in the last week has been attacked by fleas. She's anemic. Severely. So we packed her up and hauled her to the emergency vet. 1800.00 to do a blood transfusion and run some fluids into her. I don't have 1800.00. Thanks to other life crap I have 42.00 to get through to the first of the month.So we brought her home, with some immediate flea killer in her and bundled in warm towels. I sat with her the rest of the night, begging her to live.
This morning she went to our regular vet. The one we have had a standing relationship with for almost two years. After explaining that there had been extenuating circumstances the month before that left us at  the bottom of the money barrel this month, they refused to work with us. Nope, will not take a post dated check, nope will not take the credit card number and run it on the first. Nope, will do a damn thing that actually helps the situation. Not until my husband said "So you want to call my wife and explain why we will have to put down the cat because the dollar means more than the animal?" She acted like she had been slapped in the face. "Well that's not it at all, none of this is cheap" When he responded with "Our godchild is a vet, she said even with you quoting 600.00...you are still 200.00 over the actual cost. And there's only 3 cat blood types- A, B & AB, the latter is extremely rare, Bs tend to be more west coast cats and no, no one really knows why, and most east coast cats are As. She came out of Michigan so, probably an A. 
THEN. RIGHT THEN is when she decided to do something helpful. NOT until it was waved in her face that we had inside knowledge of the costs did she even mention, "well we can do this, lets get her some flea prevention, her body temp is up but still low, we'll do some sub cue fluids and I'll send you home with needles, the fluid and a supplement," They ran fluids then and she immediately responded.
So I asked my god child why they had told me it would dilute her blood too much to give her fluids- "because they only wanted to do IV which they can then charge more for."
They have a frigging oath for god's sake.

Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.
I have gone to the source and asked why they even bother with an oath. I mean really. My son knew he was going to lose his horse to colic, after meds and endless hours of walking her through snowy mud, so we called Dr. Knight and his wonderful comment was "well if she's going to die-she's going to die" Really ass wipe? And then he was offended when I banned him from ever coming back on my property under threat of leaving in a body bag. He was the on-call for 9...N-I-N-E vets that weekend and this is what we got?? Really? Then he said "well my wife is pregnant" No sympathy bud- I had 6 kids in the military with a deployed husband. Maybe, if you wanted to be glued to her side & by the way- she is a vet too- maybe you should not have agreed to being the weekend emergency guy...just saying.
https://www.avma.org/About/WhoWeAre/Pages/contact-confirm.aspx is where I went for answers- not getting any. Just telling me what I already know- I can lodge a complaint which goes to a group of fellow vets and not a whole hell of a lot really happens