Where have all the good vets gone?

Where have all the good vets gone? Well, there's 3 of them at our fabulous local specialist equine practice. Bit far from East Midlands I suppose. They're almost like family. Lisa, Philippa and Keeley, you rock x
 
TBH, with few exceptions in my case, very few of the newer vets pass muster; they just don't seem to have the same rapport with their patients (Ican put up with a grouchy vet as long as they know their job and have an affinity with whatever they're treating) but I can't put up with inept, wimpy wailers that complain if the horse moves or they can't get a needle in). So many now are going into training without the foggiest idea how to react with animals and the degree of work involved. Training can give them the know how but if they're not animal orientated and believe all animals should stand stock still like their training models then they should find something else to do.
Give me a decent vet who qualified about 10 - 15 years ago at least, not one of the new intakes as with very few exceptions, even giving their lack of proper experience, they all seem totally gutless and unwilling to think outside the box other than expensive drugs and treatment which many times are uncalled for.
 
Probably off to do other professions as assistants' pay is in no way commensurate with what a similarly qualified GP would get... So people don't bother training, or go and retrain or do the training then work in the city.

Plus being the subject of moaning doesn't tend to inspire people to stick around.

Oh, and the fact that the vast majority of people going through vet schools are female now means that lots of vets go off, have children and start working part time rather than full time.

Class sizes have grown somewhat - OH was in a group of 5 for practical stuff, now it's creeping up to 15 or 20 at some unis. Easy to avoid handling the fractious beast when there's 14 other people in the group

It will only get worse as the fees go up, and you have to be absolutely LOADED to consider the concept of working as a vet (quite how you're supposed to pay off 54k + living expenses on vet salaries I don't know (yes partners take home more but you have to buy in, which isn't easy when paying off uni debts)
 
Maesfen said:
TBH, with few exceptions in my case, very few of the newer vets pass muster; they just don't seem to have the same rapport with their patients (Ican put up with a grouchy vet as long as they know their job and have an affinity with whatever they're treating) but I can't put up with inept, wimpy wailers that complain if the horse moves or they can't get a needle in). So many now are going into training without the foggiest idea how to react with animals and the degree of work involved. Training can give them the know how but if they're not animal orientated and believe all animals should stand stock still like their training models then they should find something else to do.
Give me a decent vet who qualified about 10 - 15 years ago at least, not one of the new intakes as with very few exceptions, even giving their lack of proper experience, they all seem totally gutless and unwilling to think outside the box other than expensive drugs and treatment which many times are uncalled for.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% a lot of young vets these days have no idea of how to handle a animal. They are allso very up themselves and think owners know nothing. Yes they may have a degree, but do they have common sense and years of experience of animals.
I know every one has to learn but the attitude of some young vets leaves a lot to be desired.
 
I agree with wishful. The attitude of clients and constant moaning and lack of appreciation is entirely grating. In the first year of work most young vets are keen and enthusiastic but I can tell you, the clients soon wear you down. I can honestly say I would thoroughly disagree that the majority of young equine vets cannot handle a horse - most of those I have had the pleasure of meeting are good handlers. Having said that, most of those I know have experience with racehorses or top level showjumpers. IMO experience only of livery yard or riding school horses is not sufficient to be capable of handling horses requiring vet care. If you are unhappy with your vet care then vote with your feet.
I can also tell you the salary is far from sufficient to keep vets in the industry and I am certain that the new fees will deter many - especially boys as it will be near possible to support a family on a vets Wage. I know of far too many vets within five years of graduation who have returned to UNi to do dentistry etc. the primary reason why? Clients. Not money, not long hours - but clients.
 
Agree totally.
Was at liverpool not long ago for a lameness workup and the vet didn't seem to quite believe me that the horse was lame in both legs, not just one! Had to agree after she nerve blocked the leg that she she thought was lame and the other one then clearly showed lame... (The horse was referred with BILATERAL lameness which should have given her a clue really....!)

She then proceeded to explain to the students how to tell that the horse was lame... !!!

Very worrying to think that those students will be the vets of the future - I don't need a veterinary degree to see when a horse is lame....
 
Most young vets who go into equine work have a lot of experience handling horses, although I'm sure there are exceptions. The issue is that in order to perform any medical procedure on a horse, there is a requirement that they have at least been handled/trained in a reasonable manner. In the first six weeks of my career I was moaned at for not being able to hit a vein. What they failed to mention was that the horse stood on its back legs at the merest sight of a stranger, and the owner's reaction was to drop the lead rope and run away. Next time I go to give blood I might wave my arm around and try to decapitate the nurse while complaining its taking too long.
Or the horse that gives you the full blooded no warning death kick in response to having its leg touched. But god forbid you should give it a well deserved slap for trying to kill you, "their baby is scared".
I don't even want to consider what reaction I would get if I tried to charge someone for the extra time it took me to do what should be a simple job.

If I sound bitter its because I am... GlenRuby said it well...

The attitude of clients and constant moaning and lack of appreciation is entirely grating. In the first year of work most young vets are keen and enthusiastic but I can tell you, the clients soon wear you down.
Click to expand...
 
Delta99 said:
Agree totally.
Was at liverpool not long ago for a lameness workup and the vet didn't seem to quite believe me that the horse was lame in both legs, not just one! Had to agree after she nerve blocked the leg that she she thought was lame and the other one then clearly showed lame... (The horse was referred with BILATERAL lameness which should have given her a clue really....!)

She then proceeded to explain to the students how to tell that the horse was lame... !!!

Very worrying to think that those students will be the vets of the future - I don't need a veterinary degree to see when a horse is lame....
Click to expand...

Or... when your horse presented it was only lame on the worse leg, with the contralateral lameness revealed only when blocked. I'm inclined to take the opinion of the specialist who looks at lame horses every day of their lives.

And what a shock that when at a teaching hospital you encountered students being taught.
 
itsmylife said:
I agree 100% a lot of young vets these days have no idea of how to handle a animal. They are allso very up themselves and think owners know nothing. Yes they may have a degree, but do they have common sense and years of experience of animals.
I know every one has to learn but the attitude of some young vets leaves a lot to be desired.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the ability to convince owners that their crackpot theories derived from x years of experience are nonsense, while simultaneously not p***ing them off is something that only comes with experience.
 
I do have to stick up for vets here. It is the owners responsibility to train their horses to accept touching, injecting etc. the same as it is for the farrier. Ok some horses are difficult but there are always ways round this and ways to train with good professional help...

The vets over here (very rural part of Ireland) come with a helper because no one trains and they mostly deal with cattle. I eventually found a vet experienced with horses and he no longer brings his totally stressed out helper. :)
 
Delta99 said:
Agree totally.
Was at liverpool not long ago for a lameness workup and the vet didn't seem to quite believe me that the horse was lame in both legs, not just one! Had to agree after she nerve blocked the leg that she she thought was lame and the other one then clearly showed lame... (The horse was referred with BILATERAL lameness which should have given her a clue really....!)

She then proceeded to explain to the students how to tell that the horse was lame... !!!

Very worrying to think that those students will be the vets of the future - I don't need a veterinary degree to see when a horse is lame....
Click to expand...

oh dear thats bad :o



who if you dont mind me asking?

pm if preffered...







Op i know. hard to find a decent vet i guess.... I have two im happy with... but im in cheshire!
 
I have always managed to find good vets easily in England. :) I have also found them very practical and sensible.

I did have to step in once over here when a vet asked for water to wash out a used syringe for my very sick pony. Luckily I had some sterile ones.
 
Delta99 said:
Agree totally.
Was at liverpool not long ago for a lameness workup and the vet didn't seem to quite believe me that the horse was lame in both legs, not just one! Had to agree after she nerve blocked the leg that she she thought was lame and the other one then clearly showed lame... (The horse was referred with BILATERAL lameness which should have given her a clue really....!)

She then proceeded to explain to the students how to tell that the horse was lame... !!!

Very worrying to think that those students will be the vets of the future - I don't need a veterinary degree to see when a horse is lame....
Click to expand...

Oh dear, my experience was very similar many years ago. Vet and student were congratulating themselves on deciding which leg my horse was lame on, only for the next expert to arrive and tell them the horse was lame on two different legs, to which the original two then claimed that was what they had thought. :rolleyes: :confused:

Then followed months of (what I now believe to have been) downright cruel remedial shoeing. Returned my thoroughly miserable horse to Leahurst and was told he was much improved. A couple of days later I took him to Newmarket who found him significantly lame all round, wrote him off and put him back in sensible shoes so his last few days wouldn't so uncomfortable as he had been.

I'd now take anything complicated straight to Newmarket and I'm sad to hear people are still having this kind of experience with Leahurst.
 
I don't know where in the East England you are but I am using http://www.towerequine.co.uk/ Roger has been looking after all my horses since we moved up to Lincolnshire. I have been very happy with them. We are very lucky that they ares based only 10/15 minutes from the yard where I keep my horses.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top