Upsetting situation at the vets.

[jumbyjack]

My dog needed a post op check, in the waiting room were an older couple with a little dog. A vet came to speak to them and it became clear the dog was to be euthanized. Both owners were of course very upset and the vet just continued with the conversation. My friend and I were sitting right next to them and could hear every word! Then the lady went into the surgery leaving her husband in the waiting room, he was so upset and crying hard. My friend and I removed ourselves to the cat area to give him some privacy, one of the nurses sat with him for a minute and offered him some water. We were then taken into another room for my dog's check. I'm appalled that the whole thing was done in an open waiting room and they would have to leave through it with other clients sitting there. My friend and I were quite upset and disturbed by how this was so publicly handled so I'm going to raise this with the practice and suggest they think about how they deal with such a distressing situation. Sorry for a bit of a rant but it really rattled us!

 

[COldNag]

That's awful

My vets are really good on this. Conversations in private, and you can go out through the back door to avoid having to go back out through the waiting room.

OT but they have always also been really good when I have taken deceased cats to them which have been run over (not by me, found at the roadside - sadly happens a lot in this area). Will take delivery of poor cat by the back entrance, and they aways handle the cat very respectfully, plus they always take the trouble to ring to let me know if they have managed to find a chip/trace the owner.

I am very lucky to live near such a lovely practice.

 

[Fjord]

Oh that's awful. Whenever we've had to have any of our cats PTS at the vets, we've had the conversation in the consultation room and had the opportunity to leave via the side door so we don't have to go through the waiting room. They've then forwarded the bill a few days later so we don't have to deal with that bit while we are upset.

I would definitely tell your vet that they need to rethink their approach. How horrible for the poor couple, and everyone else having to witness it.

 

[BBP]

I had to lose a cat like that, I walked out of the room into a busy waiting room, absolutely sobbing, and then had to stop at the desk and pay the bill. It was a horrible experience.

 

[Bionic Boy]

That is awful. That sort of thing needs to happen behind closed doors.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

There’s a tiny separate room at my old vets but nothing at my current converted from a house practice. I think when the time comes for Bear, I’ll insist on waiting outside til it’s our appointment.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

OP, that does sound distressing.

Our small animal vet insist on full payment in the front office for pts before you go through to consultation room, but at least you go straight through after.
Last time I needed that, I ended up getting a house call instead, was £45 extra but much more relaxed for poor cat.
They also never let anyone leave before payment made, no bills sent on, ever, no matter how long you've been a good client.
I understand all the other local ones are the same. At least my equine vets bill out every Friday.

 

[nagblagger]

OMG, that is awful !
When my vets know i am on my way down to euthanize an animal, whether an emergency or pre-booked, as soon as i get there i am taken into an empty examination room away from the prying eyes in the waiting room and i'm allowed to have as much time with the animal I need. Always leave by a back door and have never been asked to pay at the time.

 

[Flyermc]

this happened to me

I took my cat in a carrier, booked in and waited in the waiting room (clearly upset) went in the room after what felt like ages in the waiting area. He was PTS and then i had to walk out with my cat in the carrier, back in the waiting room and que-up to pay my bill. I could hardly speak when i got to the counter and i felt like everyone was staring at me. It was awful

 

[Zoeypxo]

I had to lose a cat like that, I walked out of the room into a busy waiting room, absolutely sobbing, and then had to stop at the desk and pay the bill. It was a horrible experience.

me too, except it was for a chinchilla and i was probably 16-17 at the time ! It was awful.

 

[MurphysMinder]

That’s not good at all . My vets have a special room with a sofa and carpet so you can spend time with your pet . I lost my GSD rather unexpectedly and they told me to phone and pay when I was ready .

 

[dogatemysalad]

That sounds awful. I feel so sorry for the couple.
My vets, at various practices, have always been lovely and without exception, have offered to allow me to come back at a later date to pay the final bill, rather than having to return to the reception area.

 

[smiggy]

We are very hot on payment at the time but never with a euthanasia
I do have some people that ask to pay then, in which case I charge up beforehand and get a nurse to take card machine into consult room before we do anything.usually though we say just go straight out and call us later .
and yes if we know a euthanasia is scheduled, it’s straight into a consult room , with a nice fluffy blanket for the animal and box of tissues for client.
your situation sounded horrid

 

[Honey08]

I’ve only ever had a rabbit pts at the actual surgery, everything else has been pts at home. But I didn’t like that we had to come out to the waiting room to pay afterwards, it would’ve been much better to be able to pay “backstage”. Even a simple sum up machine would enable that without costing much to tbe vets. They had a candle lit in reception, to let clients know to be sensitive because someone was losing their pet. I found it a bit humiliating, even though it was meant to be a kind thought. It felt like it drew attention to us, when I didn’t want it. I couldn’t have done that with a dead dog. I’d have been in bits.

 

[scats]

That’s awful. Our vets are so good about those situations. You are taken into a side room and a little candle is lit in the waiting room (on the reception desk) next to a sign saying that if the candle is lit, someone is saying goodbye to their family member and please be respectful.
They never ask for payment straight away.

 

[Moobli]

How upsetting for everyone and very badly handled by the Practice . I’ve only ever had one dog pts at the vets (all others at home) and I was allowed to stay with my dog after he’d died for a few minutes and was shown out of the back door to avoid walking through a busy waiting room.

 

[AmyMay]

It was so beautifully handled when we had to put Jack to sleep last year. They were a referral practice, and had never met us before. Our last goodbye was not rushed, and the vet and nurse were incredibly respectful. I was shown to a side door for private exit and told to phone in a day or so to settle my (£1500) bill.

 

[Thistle]

My vets book pts before the surgery opens or after it closes, back door in case people still there.

 

[Archangel]

Unfortunately I had a similar experience when my cat Matilde was pts. It was unexpected so maybe they didn't follow their usual procedure but I found carrying her out and paying really hard. Also a snotty receptionist rang later to try and charge me as I didn't turn up for Matilde's original appointment at 5.30pm (I had rushed her in at 12.30 as she was clearly deteriorating). She wasn't that apologetic either. I really didn't need that argument.

 

[fidleyspromise]

This has me in tears.
I have had 4 animals PTS, one we didn't know the outcome until we were in the consulting room.
one I suspected would be and that was mortifying. I had my hamster PTS. I was so upset I put his carrier back together (thankfully they kept him to send for individual cremation) and as I was halfway through the waiting room the bottom fell out and bedding was everywhere. I just put as much back in and ran out I was very upset and not thinking. My partner was in car and went in to pay and saw the mess but nothing was said.

My dogs we said goodbye to were booked in advance so we were given the last appointment of the day. We were given as much time as needed before and after. We were also advised not to worry about payment that day.

When I was 15 we had our family dog to the vet and I insisted on going with my dad despite my mum being against it. They explained to us she has kidney issues plus other stuff (18yr old Pomeranian) and I told my dad I wanted to PTS. Not fair to trial medicines etc when it would be prolonging her life for us. What I didn't expect was for us to be left in a waiting room while they took her away alone to be PTS. Standing there (no seats) just waiting was horrible and then they handed her to my dad wrapped in a blanket - I held her on the way home and we buried her. (That was 1999).

That poor couple and that poor man. I can't imagine how horrible that is for everyone involved and how a vet can think that is OK.

 

[babymare]

How awful and the poor couple to have had to go through that. In all the years of owning and having to say good bye to numerous pets i have always been shown compassion and respect by the vets. When my daughters hamster was PTS she wanted to be there and hold Twinkle. The vet took so much time explaining to her what will happen and gave her all the time she wanted. She held twinkle has she went, and after, the vet hugged her and made a lot about telling her what a lovely kind owner she was to put Twinkle before her own feelings. My daughter learnt an important lesson that day just because the vet showed compassion and took time with my daughter.

 

[ester]

I’ve always carried out and paid at the desk, I didn’t realise that wasn’t the case everywhere

 

[Jenko109]

Not nice.

My vets are very good. They book a double appointment out for euthanasia so you have plenty of time. You dont pay on the day either.

 

[Shady]

That's awful and I would definitely say something.
My vets are amazing and will come to the house out of hours at no extra charge if a client really wants this. Or at the surgery first appointment or last if you want. There is a side door and they never ask for payment afterwards. You can pay if you feel up to it , or leave and they will send the bill or you can pass by and pay on another day.

One of the saddest things I saw just before I moved to France was whilst waiting for the pet passports to be completed .
The waiting room was full and opposite me was a very elderly gentleman with an equally elderly Basset hound. His owner looked so sad sitting there quietly stroking his dogs head and I could see that the dog didn't look good. He went in and I was still there when he came out alone with tears streaming down his face. He just stood there looking completely heartbroken and bewildered with a room full of people staring at him. He went to leave , which I assumed he'd been told was ok and suddenly the receptionist started calling out to him really loudly that he couldn't leave without paying.
I couldn't believe it. Poor old man was crying and distressed and people waiting were upset seeing that, including me and I thought f**k this so got up quickly and told the receptionist that I would pay if she was that bothered and to let him leave fgs. I then saw another person get up and help the old boy out of the clinic . I paid the bill. It was so little compared to letting an old bereaved man leave with a little dignity.

 

[Jenko109]

That's awful and I would definitely say something.
My vets are amazing and will come to the house out of hours at no extra charge if a client really wants this. Or at the surgery first appointment or last if you want. There is a side door and they never ask for payment afterwards. You can pay if you feel up to it , or leave and they will send the bill or you can pass by and pay on another day.

One of the saddest things I saw just before I moved to France was whilst waiting for the pet passports to be completed .
The waiting room was full and opposite me was a very elderly gentleman with an equally elderly Basset hound. His owner looked so sad sitting there quietly stroking his dogs head and I could see that the dog didn't look good. He went in and I was still there when he came out alone with tears streaming down his face. He just stood there looking completely heartbroken and bewildered with a room full of people staring at him. He went to leave , which I assumed he'd been told was ok and suddenly the receptionist started calling out to him really loudly that he couldn't leave without paying.
I couldn't believe it. Poor old man was crying and distressed and people waiting were upset seeing that, including me and I thought f**k this so got up quickly and told the receptionist that I would pay if she was that bothered and to let him leave fgs. I then saw another person get up and help the old boy out of the clinic . I paid the bill. It was so little compared to letting an old bereaved man leave with a little dignity.

This is a really beautiful thing that you did.

 

[meggymoo]

That is appalling. When we lost our old lad, we were given his last appointment so the vet could give us all the time we needed. We were met at the back door so we didnt have to walk through others in the waiting room. They have a quiet room nicely decorated, with sofas, soft lighting etc specially set aside for such occasions. When we were ready we were able to slip away through the back door again. The day after, we received a card and forget me not seeds through the post and much to my surprise some beautiful flowers were delivered for me. As they hadn't been in touch with me about payment, I rang them a few days later to sort it out. We were given all the time we needed and shown such kindness by the vet, the nurses and the receptionist, for which I shall be for ever grateful. Seven years on, I can feel tears prickling the back of my eyes, thinking about it.

 

[fiwen30]

That is just terrible.

I’m always aware that our surgery will schedule PTS at quiet times - either over the lunch period where they don’t usually take appointments, or very last thing in the evening. If I have to go to the surgery around those times, I make a point of turning the music off in my car as I pull in to the car park, just in case someone there is having to PTS.

 

[Maddie Moo]

That sounds so awful! My vet never expects payment on the same day as euthanasia. You can always spent as much time with your animal afterwards, they always have a free consult room so you don’t feel rushed.

 

[poiuytrewq]

OP, that does sound distressing.

Our small animal vet insist on full payment in the front office for pts before you go through to consultation room, but at least you go straight through after.
Last time I needed that, I ended up getting a house call instead, was £45 extra but much more relaxed for poor cat.
They also never let anyone leave before payment made, no bills sent on, ever, no matter how long you've been a good client.
I understand all the other local ones are the same. At least my equine vets bill out every Friday.

I once went to one that insisted on payment upfront whilst I stood in the waiting area holding my distressed dying dog.
I was more upset by that. OH told them he’d stay and sort the paying but to get the dog in and sorted immediately. They said no. He wasn’t to be even laid on the counter til the f’ing receipt printed.

Some vets are just shocking

 

[Sandstone1]

Sadly some vets are more interested in money than animals now. I fully understand they are running a business but empathy and understanding cost nothing. They need to remember pets are part of the family for a lot of people.