is this appropriate test results from vet?

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sodapop

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The last few months my gelding has been displaying "riggy" behaviour so I had a blood test done. I phoned the vet on Friday to ask where the results were to be told they had not arrived but would be chased up; I have just received a compliment slip dated for the Saturday, from the vet, saying "horse is NOT a rig"
I have not been given a lab report with the hormone levels on or anything"offical". I have had these blood tests before and have been sent the lab report with levels on and the categories of the levels. I asked for the results in writing so if I have to sell the horse I could prove his status and I really think I am entitled to know what his hormone levels are to see if he is just being badly behaved or is a bit super charged with hormones.
The vet in question isnt that easy to speak to and will put the phone down if they don't think the conversation is worth having. Am I wrong to be annoyed? What shall I do now??
 
Well, you can definitely get vets with attitude (my dad is a vet, he's come across some nutters), but that's no reason why you should put up with that. I too would get a new vet!
 
Just ring the surgery and say thanks for letting me know the result with a complement slip but please could I have the lab report , don't pay the bill until you get it .
Then find a nicer vet.
 
Goldenstar said:
Just ring the surgery and say thanks for letting me know the result with a complement slip but please could I have the lab report , don't pay the bill until you get it .
Then find a nicer vet.
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Absolutely this. Get what you're entitled to and then change vets! How terribly arrogant. You (and your money) deserve better. Especially with something as complex and often confusing as horse health issues, you really need an approachable, open minded professional.
 
I would say what difference does it make. Within normal limits is just that - your horse is not a rig. Part of what you paid for was interpretation - that's what you got. Get a new vet if you wish but I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown. The answer is either he's a rig or not and any variation within the normal is not likely to be a link to his "riggy" behaviour. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand, I would have called or got a nurse to call (or sent a text if appropriate) rather than post the result - that's a bit strange.
 
Eta - your horse is not a rig - allowing for false negatives if course, but the lab report is not going to tell you that. If you ring, the vet should be happy to tell you the exact results but I would not expect them to send you exact results every time - just an interpretation.
 
I've also just seen that you asked for them in writing - which is different to asking for a copy of the official results - hence the vet put them in writing - albeit relatively informally.
 
glenruby said:
I would say what difference does it make. Within normal limits is just that - your horse is not a rig. Part of what you paid for was interpretation - that's what you got. Get a new vet if you wish but I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown. The answer is either he's a rig or not and any variation within the normal is not likely to be a link to his "riggy" behaviour. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand, I would have called or got a nurse to call (or sent a text if appropriate) rather than post the result - that's a bit strange.
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So it is wrong to think that with the amount of money to be charged I am not entitled to results presented in a professional way? If I need to sell the horse I want to prove that I am not selling a rig. I will try to remember that with my patients-treat them like they are all thick.
 
Agree. Some vets seem to forget you're a customer paying for a service, not a layperson they're blessing with as little of their higher knowledge as necessary. I've been lucky enough to have some great vets but have experienced some properly shocking arrogance along the way sorting the wheat from the chaff. Basic respect for the client should be a given, and if someone asks for blood test results they should be given the full results, not just patted on the head and told 'it's not x' with no further discussion offered.
 
glenruby said:
I would say what difference does it make. Within normal limits is just that - your horse is not a rig. Part of what you paid for was interpretation - that's what you got. Get a new vet if you wish but I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown. The answer is either he's a rig or not and any variation within the normal is not likely to be a link to his "riggy" behaviour. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand, I would have called or got a nurse to call (or sent a text if appropriate) rather than post the result - that's a bit strange.
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Arrogance seems to be quite a feature of the vet community.

OP, I'd ask for a copy of the lab report and get a new vet. Preferably one that doesn't communicate by text, either.
 
I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask for either results or at the very least an official headed paper letter from the vet saying something along the lines of " on such and such a date, such and such a horse was tested for..... Results are negative and I can confirm that said horse is not a rig" Or words to that effect! Explain why you need it in writing and don't pay until you get it.
 
glenruby said:
I would say what difference does it make. Within normal limits is just that - your horse is not a rig. Part of what you paid for was interpretation - that's what you got. Get a new vet if you wish but I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown. The answer is either he's a rig or not and any variation within the normal is not likely to be a link to his "riggy" behaviour. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand, I would have called or got a nurse to call (or sent a text if appropriate) rather than post the result - that's a bit strange.
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But as the OP has paid for the test, she is entitled to have the results in full if she wants them , which she does. I don't see why that is "making a mountain out of a molehill". If she comes to sell the horse in the future it could be very useful to have the full details.
 
Glenruby, you sound just like my vet! I can't understand why you think we are not worth at least a discussion about the results of a service we have paid you for. We are a customer of your business and I would say your attitude and customer service is appalling! Arrogant, condescending and patronising! When are (not all) vets going to start to treat owners with some respect?
 
glenruby said:
I would say what difference does it make. Within normal limits is just that - your horse is not a rig. Part of what you paid for was interpretation - that's what you got. Get a new vet if you wish but I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown. The answer is either he's a rig or not and any variation within the normal is not likely to be a link to his "riggy" behaviour. Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. On the other hand, I would have called or got a nurse to call (or sent a text if appropriate) rather than post the result - that's a bit strange.
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Good god, I certainly hope you never have the misfortune to have me as a cilent I would take a very dim view of meeting this attitude when I was paying the bills.
 
Fore the record I always have a discussion with owners and do not use the same approach as the vet in question. I just thought from the op's post that it wasn't clear what she had asked for from her vet.
 
I suspect your poor vet is overwhelmed by paperwork. It used to be that being a horse vet involved some paperwork - passport markings, vettings the odd report etc. Nowadays the job has become a constant battle with paper (or more commonly computers). Clients now demand a written report for even the smallest of things such that I probably spend 1/4 of my working life in front of a screen and I will routinely finish my work at home-much to my wife's chagrin. I wouldn't mind so much but I often spend more time writing the report about the examination than the examination took in the first place. This additional paperwork is rarely a chargeable item and is just another job to do for an already over busy person.

There is a subtle but important distinction between the customer/service provider relationship and that of client/professional. No doubt if you hassle your vet enough they will provide you with a written copy of what they have already told you (do expect to pay extra) but you will forever fall into the 'customer' bracket and you can expect a commensurate level of service.
 
stranger1612 said:
I suspect your poor vet is overwhelmed by paperwork. It used to be that being a horse vet involved some paperwork - passport markings, vettings the odd report etc. Nowadays the job has become a constant battle with paper (or more commonly computers). Clients now demand a written report for even the smallest of things such that I probably spend 1/4 of my working life in front of a screen and I will routinely finish my work at home-much to my wife's chagrin. I wouldn't mind so much but I often spend more time writing the report about the examination than the examination took in the first place. This additional paperwork is rarely a chargeable item and is just another job to do for an already over busy person.

There is a subtle but important distinction between the customer/service provider relationship and that of client/professional. No doubt if you hassle your vet enough they will provide you with a written copy of what they have already told you (do expect to pay extra) but you will forever fall into the 'customer' bracket and you can expect a commensurate level of service.
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I find this attitude staggering and have never met it from the vets I use ,my bills are huge I expect to recieve clear results in a paper form or by email if the vet prefers for tests I have paid for .
To be blunt vets are paid for the services they sell in that I reguard them as being no difference from any other buisness I use there is no distinction in my mind at all .
To imply that you would give a reduced level of service to a cilent who had the temerity to say they wished to view a lab report they had paid for is disgusting.
I really had not appreciated how lucky I am with the practise I use.
 
You make my point for me rather well.

In your own words you have "huge" vets bills. If you were my client and I was treated "like any other business" then you would get a good professional service but you would pay a premium for it. It would still be delivered in a polite and professional manner and you wouldn't notice the difference but I would be sure and charge like the proverbial wounded rhino.

You might feel lucky, but just be a little poorer!
 
stranger1612 said:
You make my point for me rather well.

In your own words you have "huge" vets bills. If you were my client and I was treated "like any other business" then you would get a good professional service but you would pay a premium for it. It would still be delivered in a polite and professional manner and you wouldn't notice the difference but I would be sure and charge like the proverbial wounded rhino.

You might feel lucky, but just be a little poorer!
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Of course I have huge vets bill at times I have had up to eleven horses competition and hunters three dogs and cat of course I have large bills.
I don't what favours from my vet you sell a trade like the feed merchant and the people that provide the bedding and farrier all are experts in their field and I have no problem with paying you all well for their service.
Vets have trained a long time and where the at the top of the academic heap when they went to uni , I expect vets to be expensive you have to be to provide a comprehensive service but I don't reguard wishing to keep records of what's been done to my horse being difficult .
Your final comment insults my vet and her pracise who are extremly professional .
 
There is no reason why you should not have a full report. This can easily be emailed to you. Just saying that the results are negative or within normal limits is to me not good enough.

I had a horse that went into AF (during an event) when he went to Liphook Equine Hospital they could not find any problem, bloods and urine tests were taken and the results came back normal, But when I looked at the results I saw that 2 of the minerals were right at the bottom (Magnesium and Sodium). I had taken him off the Magnesium as he had calmed down. Since re introducing the Magnesium and adding a small amount of Salt in his feed I have not had a problem.

If I had gone by what he vet had said I could not have know that there could have been the problem.

I always have any blood results sent to me in full.

There is no reason why any results can not be sent to the owner. In these days when we pay high vets bills we should be able to have that service.
 
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Just to add though Paulineh (completely off topic) - you are saying the results were within the normal range - albeit at the lower end? Also, spontaneous AF in most cases never occurs again or occurs years later so it is highly unlikely you supplementing a mineral which is already within reference range has made any difference at all. Also, blood samples for many minerals usually underestimate the quantity of those minerals within the system.
 
Glenruby

I understand what you are saying but the results were discussed with two very good vets and an Equine Cardiologist. This was not the first horse that presented with AF that I have had, both with an electrolyte imbalance. Both corrected and have not had a problem since.
 
stranger1612 said:
.....There is a subtle but important distinction between the customer/service provider relationship and that of client/professional.....
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Would you care to elucidate?

stranger1612 said:
...... If you were my client and I was treated "like any other business" then you would get a good professional service but you would pay a premium for it. It would still be delivered in a polite and professional manner and you wouldn't notice the difference but I would be sure and charge like the proverbial wounded rhino. ......
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Does that mean you would rip me off if I didn't kow-tow to you?

glenruby said:
......I don't feel the need to send official lab results to every client when only a fraction can read them anyway and the majority nowadays will google them, put 2+2 together and get 5 and have a meltdown ....
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How do you know that I don't have 3 degrees, 2 PhDs and may be able to explain a bloods report better than you!! - don't recall being asked for my IQ when I registered with my vet!
 
stroppymare153 said:
Would you care to elucidate?



Does that mean you would rip me off if I didn't kow-tow to you?



How do you know that I don't have 3 degrees, 2 PhDs and may be able to explain a bloods report better than you!! - don't recall being asked for my IQ when I registered with my vet!
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My vet used to discuss things in detail with me, but only because he knew I was interested and could talk to him on a level slightly nearer to him, but he did say once that many of his clients barely knew that a horse had 4 legs, let alone any veterinary terminology at all. I have the pictures from the portable scanner when she busted a tendon and he taught me how to use the scanner while he was at it. As someone else has said, your vet is probably swamped with paperwork (the drugs I used to have for my horse created all sorts of work for the practice because they were class B controlled). If you want the full report, just ask for it.
 
stroppymare153 said:
Would you care to elucidate?

There is a purely transactional relationship between service providers and customers, the client/professional is one built on mutual respect. I will answer the phone to some of my clients in the middle of the night, regardless of whether I am working or not- I know that they wouldn't call unless they really needed to speak to me. I will rearrange my entire day to help a client out. Clients regularly benefit from free 'whilst you are here' exams because I know that they will not abuse my hard working nature. Customers get what they pay for- an extra horse to look at gets an extra fee, If you want to speak to me and I don't have time then you will wait until I do have time. If you have to ask the difference you are probably a customer.


Does that mean you would rip me off if I didn't kow-tow to you?

No it means I will charge you for everything I do- nothing more, nothing less. Sometimes clients request things that force you to work when you are not on call (e.g if I vet a horse for a client on Friday afternoon and they need the cert straight away I will do it from home on-line over the weekend) my customers wait until Monday. If I happen to be passing a client and they ring for a visit, they will get a reduced fee, customers pay the standard rate. Again it sounds like you are a customer.
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I always thought the difference between a client and a customer was a client bought a service and a customer bought goods.
 
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