Hi there! I was just wondering, as I think I remember you saying you did some mixed practice work, what the client base was like in mixed practice/large animal? I always hear about the... uncooperative, so to say... client stories in small animal practice. I work in a smallies clinic currently as a Cattery Attendant, and certainly have dealt with some interesting clients. Do you find the same in large animal practice? From, a curious Vetling that (at this stage) wants to do mixed practice! :) x
Uncooperative clients are everywhere.
You have only two options:
Change jobs to a far away clinic to avoid the one in particular that drives you inside.
Mixed animal practice has a special type of uncooperative client which owns both large animals (cattle, sheep or horses) and small animals (dogs or cats). They often come in with their dogs on a horse lead or lunge rope.
Large animal practice and small animal practice work a little differently, and some of these clients expect more from a clinic than typical clients would. Things that I’ve had happen include:
Arguing about the price difference between a consultation fee for a dog, which was seen in the practice building, and a consultation fee for a horse which was seen at the owner’s properly half an hour away.
Picking up parasite products for their dog or cat, but also wanting prescription products for their horse, which we have not examined, which is illegal.
Taking phenylbutazone for their horse and administering it to their arthritic dog, just because they decided it was a good idea, and inducing kidney failure.
Crazy cat ladies (or gents, etc) I can handle, but crazy horse people were something else entirely.
