Deborah Kemmerer DVM wrote: >The reason I don't post more is because there's a lot of vet bashing on >this list. It's usually subtle, but there are lots of snide little >comments. There are good teachers and bad teachers; good secretaries and bad secretaries; good veterinarians and bad veterinarians. If someone makes a snide little comment about their (ex)veterinarian I wouldn't think it usual that another veterinarian would let it effect them personally. I LOVE knowledgeable, caring, compassionate veterinarians! That doesn't mean that I have any illusions that they are perfect. I HATE egotistical, ineffective, gouging veterinarians. That doesn't mean that they're not good with cats or dogs. But it does mean that they are useless (IMO) with the species that they said they would see, but didn't know a darn thing about. Many veterinarians are seeing "exotic" pets without having any training with the species. The attitude seems to be "well, it's a lot like a cat....right?" I'll bet that Dr. Kemmerer has been to numerous exotic veterinary conferences about ferrets; owns many veterinary publications about ferrets; consults with other veterinarians about ferrets; etc. You've got to understand, that a large number of veterinarians have not done any of that and don't even know what the normal temperature is in a ferret. Or know what ferretone is for (it's for when you take a temperature or give an injection, right? ;-) >I can tell you that over the years many good vets have been driven >off the FML by the comments people make here. It's difficult to have a >friendly and helpful attitude toward folks who seem to believe that vets >are basically greedy and/or and ignorant. I really don't understand why a veterinarian would allow one or two individuals to run them off the list. Would the veterinarian quit his or her practice if/when a client is unhappy and phones or writes a letter of complaint? Of course not! So why quit when it happens elsewhere? There are over 3,000 members of this list. Even if 30 people decided to attack something that a veterinarian says (and although I've only been off and on this list for 6 years now) that's less than 1% of the list. However, I've never noticed that anywhere near that number has had anything negative to say during any particular discussion. Veterinarians are not perfect and I suspect that even veterinarians have made negative remarks about some professional. A professor? A MD? And perhaps even a fellow veterinarian? Is it possibly just a difference of saying something in public vs to a few friends? PLEASE don't take anyone's comments personally. You're an excellent veterinarian and are a great help to many people! Sandi Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret House dba House Rabbit Society a non-profit animal shelter 14325 Lake City Way NE Seattle, WA 98125 (206)365-9105 Open 7 days/week or visit our on-line store at: http://www.rabbitrodentferret.org [Posted in FML issue 3679]