I agree with what has been said about not making a scene at a vet's office
if you think your ferret needs care.  When Rocky was showing symptoms that
could have been heart problems on top of adrenal and insulinoma, the guy
in town couldn't get him in for two weeks.  Why?  I live in a rural area.
Generally in any direction I care to drive, its at least an hour between
vets here...and they all do not only the small animal work, but all the
farm work as well.  Nor are they particularly familiar with ferrets.
 
I did not go make a scene, even though I felt that they *should* have been
able to work in an X-ray for a potentially serious problem.  But they have
a commitment to the OTHER CLIENTS as well as to me, and there are ALWAYS
unexpected events.  What did I do?  I picked up the phone book folks, and
started calling around.  The first place I called couldn't get him in for
a week.  I said I'd call back if I couldn't find anyone that could get him
in sooner.  I looked at another ad...and dug out my map to see where the
town was...within a two hour drive...I called, and that vet could get me
in...that day if need be.  I went up the next.
 
When I got there she was behind because there had been a fire in the
parking lot that morning.  Now, this isn't a fancy place.  the town has one
paved street, lost it's train tracks several years back, had a graduating
class of 8 (everyone in the class graduated), and her office is about as
small-town country vet as you can get.  I am fortunate in one respect to
not be able to hold down a job.  So I can wait.  The cow she was examining
managed to get loose...so I had to wait longer while they tried to catch it
(they didn't that day).
 
She not only took an X-ray, but did an echocardiogram.  She was very
apologetic about my having to wait.  Before we could discuss the results,
a small dog came in seizing.  I told her to go take care of that dog, I
didn't have anywhere to go and could wait.  When everything was said and
done, she invited me to supper.
 
The ultimate result is I ended up finding a vet, because the "regular" vet
couldn't work me in, that I would do nearly anything for.  She didn't know
ferrets hardly at all.  But loves learning, *LISTENS* to her clients, loves
to have her clients to bring her information, loves doing new things.  I've
never had a vet before *thank* me for bringing all sort of odd problems in.
She did a surgury for a bone tumor on a skull that most vets would have
simply let be.  She didn't blink an eye when I told her that the hard boney
growth appeared suddenly...litterally from one day to the next, and it was
nearly the size of my thumb (though I do have small hands).  The regular
guy here not only completely misdiagnosed it but gave me that "yeah right"
look.  (Our theory is that since the tumor was through the muscle, the
muscle had probably been over the tumor until that day, when he got a knock
on the head from something falling on him...I hadn't noticed it before
becuase there wasn't a clearly defined lump.  I handle my kids every day,
I know what is and isn't there...this had *NOT*, as I was told been there
the day before like it was sitting there then.) She *wants* me to learn
everything I can and pass the information on to her.  She's even called me
to get my opinion and knowlege.
 
The "moral" I suppose is that if I had tried to bully the regular, local
guy into doing what I wanted, I would probably have made him even more
reluctant to treat my ferrets, AND I would not have found this wonderful
vet.  If I had thrown a fit that first day when I waited so long, I
certainly would not have the wonderful relationship with my vet that I do.
She may not be an "expert", but I know that she will do everything she can
for me and my ferrets, even the unconventional.  So while throwing a fit
*might* get you what you want, it probably won't, and may prevent you from
finding another vet that's better...or at least a good secondary vet for
when your primary is busy (which is good to have anyway).
 
Sue
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 2829]