How Do You Thank Your Veterinarian?

[Southern by choice]

I know many don't have a good vet, or any vet due to location. For those that do have a great vet, what do you do or what have you done to say thank you for all you do?

We have been very blessed to have some really great vets. They don't want a fuss ever.
The thing is, I worked with many vets years ago and saw first hand all they go through, how many never appreciate what they do, or did. Being behind the scenes in the animal hospitals people don't get to really see the sacrifice, the care, the heartbreak.

Did you know veterinarians have one of the highest suicide rates of all professions.

Hoping this thread can bring around some ideas... for all of us.

I know I am thankful for all the times my vets have dropped everything for us.
3am calls to check on an animal we have that is sick, or an emergency with a bleeding goat, or the dog that needs immediate care... every time we have an emergency it seems to be on the weekend, after hours etc... yet they are there.

 

[greybeard]

I'm one of those that has a great vet, and she does it all. Cattle, horses and small animals. Wed (and after hrs if it's an emergency) she makes farm calls too, at what I consider very reasonable rates.

1. Tell 'em they're good in person.
2. Give good reviews & recommend them to neighbors and especially nowadays..on social media. Most businesses have a FB page. YELP too.
3. Support activities your vet sponsors. Mine is active in 4H/FFA and the county fair. Make a $$ contribution to that activity in the vet's name.
4. Christmas cards and a thank you card at other times is always appreciated.
5. Pay the dang bill in a timely manner! You'd be surprised (or maybe not) at the # of deadbeat people that receive service from a vet as a one time customer and never pay their bill and it gets turned over to a collection agency, which costs that vet $$. (next time they need a vet, I assume they just go to a different one)
6. A gift card for a local eatery works pretty good too, especially if you can do it for the whole staff--some are often volunteers and don't really get much of a salary.
7. Ask if you can volunteer to help--somebody gotta clean cages and do other 'dirty work'.

Mine is so 'inexpensive', (and I've flat told them they work too cheaply) I usually tack on some extra $$ when I pay my bill.
(I have a dog at my vet right now, been there since last Thursday, and he will probably be there another 4-5 days and I may have to make a very difficult decision next week, but she told me yesterday, she was only going to charge me for medicines and not any care or kennel fee.

I may post a related thread about him in Random, as he really isn't an LGD and is only an alleged cowdog)

 

[Sourland]

I too worked with a veterinarian while in high school and college - a darn good one ! A heartfelt thank you and handshake are given every time I see my present vet. He is not seeing clients now (semi retired and leaves that up to staff), but he always sees me and my animals.

 

[AClark]

Pay the bill on time for sure! I always make sure to pay my vet as soon as there's a bill, because when I have an emergency, I want them to come right out, not think "gee last time I didn't get paid". A couple of weeks ago my vet didn't charge me for a test right off because they didn't know how much it would be, when he got the results in he called me, didn't mention the bill. I went down there and paid it because I knew if they had the results they knew how much it cost.

House calls and what not, basic courtesy, offer a drink because it's either hot or cold out and they're sweating/freezing to help you out too! I also haul my animals to them whenever possible because it saves them money, and me too. The time they have to take to do a farm call even though they charge for it, isn't what they're making in the office. Sure they could come out to do my horses blood draws, and spend 30-45 minutes driving, doing it, and driving back - OR I can bring them down and they're done in 5 minutes and can go on to the next client.

As far as holidays, a nice card thanking them for being the person you can call at 2 AM and they'll come out is nice, a gift basket or a donation in their name is good too!

 

[Southern by choice]

I would imagine that any of us that already has an appreciation for our vet already does pay the bill on time, says thank you etc.
Most of my vets work solo, or have one other vet in the practice... I think this makes a difference as well.

I came up with a few things...
Towels- they use lots of towels and they need replaced often
Paper Towels- yeah, it is a business expense sure - but there is never enough!
Newspaper- for clinics that see small animal as well as large
Food- especially when you have an emergency-
Gift Cards- many vets that treat livestock have their own- if you know what feed they use get a gift card from the store/mill
A gift wrapped #40 or #50 blade
Thank you notes-

@AClark you are right on when you talk about saving the trip - when you can take the animal in do so!
@greybeard you make some great points - some places have funds that you can donate for those that are having a hard time paying for vet care (usually the elderly that the vet will never turn away)

 

[luvmypets]

We have tried two other vets before we settled on our current one. The first only worked with cattle and was not the nicest. Our second vet we used for a few years. She was a wonderful vet but you could just tell she was so "tired" of it. Our current vet is of course the priciest of them all but she is fantastic. When we first had her out she spent a half hour looking over our animal and then she explained in full detail what was wrong. When my doof of a wether ras got his pastern cut open she called back within a half hour of us leaving a message and gave me a list of inexpensive items to keep his wound clean and healthy. The last time she was at our barn was in march to check on Stella who was two weeks old. She also showed me how to band. I suppose we thank her by keeping her up to date on the animals she has seen.

 

[greybeard]

I would imagine that any of us that already has an appreciation for our vet already does pay the bill on time, says thank you etc.

That's a given SBC. My reason for mentioning it stems from what I've seen and heard while in the waiting room of my vets..people complaining about the cost once treatment is done, and working out a payment plan and I know from talking to the girls that work there that many don't follow thru on their promise of payment.
And from what I've observed, a lot of the clients that use a vet do so only when it's an emergency of some kind, maybe once or twice in the life of little Fluffy, and they usually don't have livestock. This demographic is a big part of many vets' practice. Us livestock owners that also have dogs/cats are a little different, especially with the new FDA/USDA rules on antibiotics..we HAVE to have a good working relationship with our vets. As luvmypets said, a good vet will acquaint him/herself with the clients whole 'operation' in order to better serve that client. A friend as well as a doctor, and as we all know, both are hard to find but should be much appreciated when one is found.

 

[AClark]

Small animals are the "bread and butter" for the vet, us large animals folks don't make them the money like the little ones. My hometown vet, who sadly died in a car accident some years ago, said she can do several spays in the time it takes her to do a house call to a ranch. Financially, they do way better with small animals versus livestock, plus the potential for injury is lessened by quite a bit. Sure a dog might bite you, but it isn't going to fall on you and crush you, kick you, etc.
In all honesty, I've spent more on my dog at the vet this year than all my other livestock combined. Our cattle dog has been sick, and $300+ in testing alone (not to mention the rabies vax he got, and some dewormer - that was another $50 something? I don't know), versus the $50 for coggins tests on the horses, and a bit more when I have them draw blood on all the goats. It still won't run as much as I've spent on the dog.

You'd be surprised at how many don't pay their bills at all, or are late paying them, etc. It really is the most thankful thing you can do is pay them in a timely manner.

That said, I see nothing wrong with a token of appreciation for the vet, but I don't think it needs to extend to anything big, a thank you card, maybe a gift basket, gift card, etc is more than appropriate.

 

[promiseacres]

Well when I worked for a vet (as kennel attendant/assistent, and later office manager) of a very small practice always I appreciated baked goods. clients always sent and brought all kinds of sweets and goodies at Christmas time.
Once I was terribly congested and a client ran to cvs and got a netti pot.... many clients I remember very fondly and a few I keep in touch with though I moved 7 years ago. A sincere thank you goes a long way. I think the ones who treated us respectively and allowed us to see into the lives. It was a pet clinic but caring for someones pets or livestock can be very personal.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Pork or beef