Home


  Main Index MAIN
INDEX
FAQ FAQ & HELP FAQ PHOTO GALLERY Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN

Home: Dog and Puppies Talk: Dog's Rights and Protection:
how to report "bad" vet?







eli
Enthusiast


Jul 21, 2004, 11:38 PM

Post #1 of 14 (3128 views)
Shortcut
how to report "bad" vet? Can't Post

hi all,
just wondering if anyone knows whether there is a body that governs all practising vets? if they have some sort of Hippocratic oath (like the doctors for humans..)? if we have a complaint about vets, who can we go to?


phoenix
K9 Kaki


Jul 22, 2004, 6:28 PM

Post #2 of 14 (3121 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

Hello!

I'm not sure whether this will help but you can contact the following association, speak to them and see what are your options.

Veterinary Association of Malaysia (VAM)
c/o Jabatan Perhidmatan Haiwan
Blok A, Tingkat 8/9
Exchange Square, Off Jalan Semantan
Bukit Damansara, 50630 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2540077 Fax: 03-2540092





"The reason a dog has so many friends, is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue"
- Anonymous

The Poisoned One speaks

(This post was edited by phoenix on Jul 22, 2004, 6:30 PM)


eli
Enthusiast


Jul 23, 2004, 4:00 AM

Post #3 of 14 (3112 views)
Shortcut
Re: [phoenix] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

hi, thanks for the contact! will be calling them to see what they can or cannot do.


eli
Enthusiast


Jul 29, 2004, 10:49 PM

Post #4 of 14 (3050 views)
Shortcut
Re: [phoenix] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

nos. given are 7-digit... :(
going to check directory.


loafer
Dog Kichi


Jul 30, 2004, 4:14 AM

Post #5 of 14 (3045 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

eli,

Just call up Telekom's Directory Services (103 if i'm not mistaken), give them the 7 digit number, and they'll convert it to the new 8 digit ones for ya.


Join the JRT Zone




phoenix
K9 Kaki


Jul 30, 2004, 5:47 PM

Post #6 of 14 (3032 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi!

Try adding 2094xxxx in front to replace 254xxxx.

This should do. Wink





"The reason a dog has so many friends, is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue"
- Anonymous

The Poisoned One speaks


eli
Enthusiast


Jul 31, 2004, 3:16 AM

Post #7 of 14 (3029 views)
Shortcut
Re: [phoenix] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

no problem. found the no. in the directory.
have not called yet tho.
thanks.


yckuan
Novice


Aug 2, 2004, 8:19 AM

Post #8 of 14 (2988 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

Before you report someone whom you considered a "bad" vet, I think you must seriously think about what you're doing and whether what you're doing is really the right thing.

Medicine is, contrary to popular beliefs, more of an art than a science. Human medicine itself is already very complicated even though the patients can communicate with the doctors. Imagine ANIMAL medicine! We, the owners, can barely understand what our dogs are trying to yodel, sing, whine, or squeal about at times. So the veterinarians, through their training and EXPERIENCE (which comes with years of practice and learning!), will try to elicit tell-tale signs of illnesses from the animals. With the advancement of technology, we have the advantage of blood tests and imaging modalities e.g. X-rays, CT Scans and MRIs to aid the veterinarians in making an accurate diagnosis!

Even as human beings, if you go to hospitals in many affluent countries, it is a norm for doctors to order tests first before even touching the patients because test results are by far, a more reliable science than the examining fingers, eyes and ears of a clinician. No doubt physical examination is an essential part of practicising medicine, but we don't want to miss any small possibility of a rare disease, do we? Even if the disease occurs only in 1% of people, if there's a chance, we should try all means to determine its presence or absence if the clinical symptoms are suggestive, do you agree?

So when the veterinarian paint a "worst case scenario", your dog must have symptoms and signs which led him to think so. To help him and also you, the dog owner, be assured thoroughly, some expensive tests may have to be done -- unless, you do not agree. At every stage of the consultation, you, the owner, has a say -- if you don't agree, you can always tell the vet that you want to seek a second opinion. In his professionalism, he should not be offended by your request.

Just my two cents.

Regards,

yckuan


eli
Enthusiast


Aug 3, 2004, 12:28 AM

Post #9 of 14 (2985 views)
Shortcut
Re: [yckuan] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

hi, thanks 4 ur input.

i had always had high regard for vets bec. i regarded being able to treat animals that cannot communicate verbally as a great skill. can't say that as a blanket statement now....
u are right to highlight experience as being very important. i don't think we have really bad vets, hence the word "bad" in quotation marks. but i do want to know what recourse i have if there is a vet i want to complain about: someone who may not have been totally truthful in his/her prognosis; someone who orders expensive tests and we, the gullible dog/cat owners quickly agree to - bec. we trust their training (and not necessarily, experience).

in my most recent experience, it was not the worst case scenario but something that was brushed aside as very minor and turned out more serious after i checked with vets at 2 different clinics.
my dog's better now but the whole incident left me furious cos if it had been diagnosed earlier, it would have spared her a lot of pain - and us, a lot of anguish.

in other cases, we have taken the trouble to surf the Net on any terms/diagnoses by the vet (i don't think i imagined it when one young vet looked taken aback when i asked him to write down the term he used so i could check on it) so we better understand what is being done for the pet in question.

as petlovers, i think many of us do not begrudge whatever treatment/tests recommended and pay without a murmur but sometimes, i feel certain vets know this and take advantage of it.

i am not given to rash decisions or behaviour so be assured i do nothing without first thinking thru it very carefully.
my concern is that only those who really care for animals be allowed to continue practising - not those who are in it only for the money.
and if they are found guilty - by their peers - then some kind of action should be taken against them so we know our pets are in good hands ALL the time.
like having GOOD and trustworthy doctors for humans, i think our pets deserve trustworthy and caring vets.

cheers.


yckuan
Novice


Aug 3, 2004, 5:41 AM

Post #10 of 14 (2973 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

People take up an occupation for many reasons. Why did the vet become a vet? Maybe his/her STPM grades qualified and UPU gave him/her the course, maybe his/her parents pressured him/her, maybe he/sheloves animals, maybe he/she thinks a vet makes good money, etc. Whatever the reason, the person chose to become a vet. It is nothing wrong to do veterinary science for money -- we can't live without it. And in this modern materialistic world, money is one of the MAJOR motivation for anyone to do any work. Some chose to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. Personally, I wouldn't blame the vet if he/she is in it for the money as long as he/she is not "NEGLIGENT" in his duty. Negligence like in human medicine has legal consequences. To prove "negligence", you must be able to prove that any other vet with that level of training and experience would not have done what the "alleged negligent" vet has done. Even if there is even a small group of respectable and abled vets of similar level of training and experience end up doing the same thing as the "alleged negligent" vet has done, he/she is not guilty of negligence.

Ah well, it's all gibberish if you ask me. My point is -- people make mistakes because we are all human beings. Some people deserve a second chance. Maybe you should inform the vet about what other vets had done for your pet. Actually, he may not realize he had make an honest mistake. Work is like that -- we learn on the job most of the time. Sometimes, it is a humbling experience to have our customers educate us but that's the fact of life! Rarely are we armed with all the knowledge required to do a job the moment we step out of our education institution.

Regards,
yckuan


sportyfuan
Dog Kichi


Aug 3, 2004, 6:24 AM

Post #11 of 14 (2973 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

what i can say is that the practising vets in KL are just dying for money. they don't even hav a heart to save animals. u ever heard of any vet telling the owner to give SPRITE to a dying cat to regain the energy back? ridiculous is that one of the vets didn't even wanna put my pup on drips which was parvo infected cuz she thought that i got no money to pay up for the medical bill. finally my pup was saved by a group of loving vets. although the medical bill costed a boom, i think it's worth it! my advise is go to the government vet that is provided in every state. they tend to be more dedicated to animals.

Too bad here is not like America. if it is, we all can become millionaires just by suing those 'bad' vets!!!Wink


eli
Enthusiast


Aug 3, 2004, 11:48 PM

Post #12 of 14 (2966 views)
Shortcut
Re: [yckuan] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

yes, i agree that some ppl deserve a second chance.
it's just some mistakes are more easily forgivable than others - take my friend's sister who sent her dog to be spayed only to find the dog getting pregnant a few months later!
when we were told the first kitten we rescued was female, we accepted it cos it was just a few days old. 'she' turned out to be 'he'! prior to this, we had never encountered an animal that young so the vet should have just told us that at that age, gender is difficult to ascertain. no real danger done (except we had to quickly rename the kitty!) but that's not the case for the pregnant-after-fixing dog.

while learning on the job is common in most industries, for certain sectors, there is only a small margin for error - when it comes to life or permanent disability, whether human or our pets.
that is why i want to see how the profession is governing its practitioners so we know our pets' rights are always protected.

cheerio.


eli
Enthusiast


Aug 3, 2004, 11:53 PM

Post #13 of 14 (2968 views)
Shortcut
Re: [sportyfuan] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

hi, from what i seen and heard some vets start out as sort of 'apprentices' to more experienced vets where they learn lots - notably, how to charge the sky! then when they set up own practice, voila! they put into practice what they have learnt! Wink

glad to know your pup is okay. i think a lot of us do not mind the medical bills costing a bomb but we want to be absolutely sure we are not being taken for a ride cos we love our pets so much and it shows (to our disadvantage).

on a lighter note, like the doctors who stay in govt service, vets that do must really like what they do and are very dedicated cos civil service pays badly, no? Wink

as for suing - can try lor!


yckuan
Novice


Aug 5, 2004, 1:37 AM

Post #14 of 14 (2955 views)
Shortcut
Re: [eli] how to report "bad" vet? [In reply to] Can't Post

I don't really know what is involved in spaying a pet. I've posted a question in a forum when I was thinking about spaying my dog but nobody seemed to know the exact answer.

If it's a total hysterectomy or ovariohysterectomy, then the animal should have lost all abilities to reproduce. HOWEVER, if spaying only involves TUBAL LIGATION (like in human beings), I think vets can only say 99% certain that the animal can no longer reproduce because there is always a small possibility of 1% that the ovarian tubes will recanalized naturally (due to normal bodily capability to repair damage) despited being "ligated" and thus making the pet fertile again! So it may not be the vet's fault that the dog became pregnant after being spayed.

Again, I only wish to emphasize that to the non-vet people like us, we only see one side of the story. We should always try to find out the other side of the story. Many times, when we have discovered the vet's side of the story, we won't be so fast to point the blaming finger.


yckuan
That's the problem with us -- we have access to a lot of information and we think we know a lot from reading the Internet resources, but because we lack the training in actual veterinary science, we tend to jump to the wrong conclusion when something goes wrong.

 
 




Copyright 2001~ 2002 Hileytech Sdn Bhd , All Rights Reserved.  Disclaimer  Privacy Statement
For comments and Suggestion, Please contact the Webmaster at puppy@puppy.com.my