I have managed a veterinary clinic for many years and I would not suggest
to anyone to go into a vets office and act the way that Mr. Janke
describes.  The way a clinic handles it's emergencies depends on how it is
set up and how many people are on that shift.  Most people have no clue
what a day in a veterinary clinic is like.  To tell someone to just go over
to the vets could cost that pet their life.
 
When you have an emergency, first of all try to keep a level head.  Call
the office, if they tell you they can not handle the emergency there is a
reason, and they will be glad to steer you towards an emergency clinic or
another vet who can.  Suppose you just go over to the vets with a profusely
bleeding animal and the vet is not there?  You just wasted precious time.
If you had called someone could have saved you the time and trip and
directed you to somewhere that you could be helped.  What if there is only
one vet on and he is in the middle and I mean literally in the middle of a
surgery.  Who's pet's life is now more important?  The one who is laying
open on the operating table or yours because you spend more money there?
It is never right to go into a veterinary office and demand to be seen
because you spend money there.  So do other people, not just you.
Everyone's pet is as important to them as yours is to you, or they would
not be there.  You do not know what the situation is with each person
sitting in the waiting room.  Someone could be sitting there with a blocked
cat, should they be pushed aside because you may spend more than they do?
 
People are constantly knocking vets because they cannot be seen when they
want to be.  Yet they never look at it from the clinic's point of view.  We
try to be as accommodating and see as many as we can, but there are times
when it is just not possible.  One Friday evening I gave a number of Fervac
shots.  I had one severe reaction.  I only do my shots when we have normal
hours and I know we are not booked .  We were not when I left.  I called
to let them know I was coming and I was told I was practically on my own.
When I got there, there was one vet on and two technicians.  There was a
fractious, bleeding dog on the surgery table that had every nail cut well
below the quicks by a bad groomer, a dog that had been hit by a car on the
X-ray table, and two dogs in the hallway that had gotten into a fight and
needed suturing.  This is all not including the 10 or so people backed up
in the waiting room for their regular appointments.  Indeed, I had to
take care of my own ferret.  The vet helped me get an IV shot into him in
between all this, and I did the rest and had to use one of the recovery
kennels for a table.  Now had you come into our office demanding to be seen
right now because you spend money there, who would you have had me bump?
Veterinary hospitals do not refuse to see you because they just don't feel
like it because the receptionist feels mean that day.  Clients often forget
vets are human and have human limitations just like everyone else and they
do the best they can.  There are times when it is just impossible to take
another patient.  Try to be a little more understanding and see it from the
other side of the fence.  People often think of vets as not being human.
Several years ago, my previous boss, who has since retired was faced with
prostate cancer.  He had to go into the hospital an associate covered for
him.  A very rude and demanding client came in and caused a scene in the
waiting room because she did not want to see the associate.  I took her
into one of the exam rooms, and explained the situation to her.  An
expression of sympathy and concern for him, like he had given to her dog
for many years would have been nice.  Instead she said well I hope he is
going to be able to operate on my dog before something happens to him!  It
never ceases to amaze me.
[Posted in FML issue 2828]