What would YOU expect to see in the Veterinarians office?

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I was just thinking... most people don't like when we bring in our snake!!

I walked into our small vet's office with my cat in her carrier and saw someone with a snake not in a carrier. I am very very very scared of snakes and can't even handle seeing them in pictures or on tv. I immediately dropped the carrier out of shock. I spent the rest of day making sure my cat was not injured from the drop.

 

[MomofKatie]

My bestfriend is a Veternarian, and her office actually has seperate waiting rooms for Cats and Dogs, you'd be suprised how many people are afraid/allergic/don't want to be around the other species.

Our vet has a big L shaped waiting area- one side is for dogs, and the other is for cats. I don't know where snakes, hamsters, birds, lizards, etc would go...

 

[NikiM20]

The cutesy thing I have ever seen at my vets was a pot bellied pig!! It had just been neutered and was so adorable!!!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

A bit OT here but I had my car serviced at the dealer the other day and in the waiting room there were two customers who came in during my 2.5 hour wait with Dogs on leashes. Really? at the car dealer's service waiting room?

I was really surprised, didn't realize this was a place people brought in dogs. I would expect to see them at the vets office obviously but not at the Saab dealer.

You know, I'm not big on imposing my dog on other people, but I've brought my dog to the car dealership before. Why? Because my life is a little crazy right now and time to take the dog on a nice long walk is hard to find. So dropping off the car at the dealership (when I'm going to be stuck in suburbia for a couple of hours) seems like a golden opportunity. And if we get back at the assigned hour and the car's not quite done, you might see us in the waiting room.

My dealer's waiting room is a pretty grubby place, so it's not like my dog's going to make it worse, and he's quiet, sits under my chair while I hold his leash. Should I stop?

 

[ticktock]

I am admittedly not a dog person. I would have expected to see dogs at the vet, but I would also have cautioned my child not to approach a strange animal. I would have been nervous about my 4 year old's safety being in such close quarters with 3 big dogs.

Some dog owners get complacent about their animals and forget that they might behave differently around strange people in strange surroundings. And just because the dog has never hurt a child before, does not mean he won't now. They are animals, and by their very nature, unpredictable.

My SIL has a dog that is not good around children. She came to stay with FIL to care for him when he was dying from cancer, and she brought the dog with her. We were very cautious about the girls being around the dog, we told them the rules, watched them closely, and the girls and the dog did well for several days. One night when we were getting ready to leave, DD10 went to pet the dog on the top of the head to say good night. That dog leapt from the chair where it was laying, and lunged for her face. Luckily the dog did not bite her, but she did bruise her cheek. There were no second chances after that and the kids and the dog were completely separated for the rest of the visit.

Now if I was that concerned about my child being around those dogs, the vets office is the last place I would bring her.

I have a dog and I agree with this. Animals are not people and you can't predict their actions in every situation (heck you can't predict human reactions). The behaviors we train into them are not natural and they will revert back to natural behaviors in times of stress. I hate,hate,hate those people who are just so sure their little Pookie would never bite a child. It is dog nature to assert themselves over smaller things. It's pack behavior, where do I fit on the hierarchy kind of thing. If your dog hasn't done it YET your lucky, not bullet proof.

 

[laurie31]

Our vet has a big L shaped waiting area- one side is for dogs, and the other is for cats. I don't know where snakes, hamsters, birds, lizards, etc would go...

We take ours in on the cat side, as cats are usually in carriers, and those type animals tend to trigger the "predator" response in dogs (including our own!) and even the most normally well-mannered dog might lunge for one of them, especially if they aren't used to them. (we do bring ours in a carrier too! But I wouldn't want to distress a room full of large dogs!)

As for the woman who didn't expect to see dogs at the vet's, surely she knew when she dropped her cats off that there wasn't a separate dog and cat area at that vet. It's a bit like people who are upset by the fact that there are babies in the waiting room at the pediatrician's office!

Mickey's newest fan - I have no issues with your dog at the car dealer. I agree, those waiting rooms are nasty! The ones at tire places are even worse. (and no worries, I would NOT bring my lizard there! LOL)

 

[NikiM20]

I have a dog and I agree with this. Animals are not people and you can't predict their actions in every situation (heck you can't predict human reactions). The behaviors we train into them are not natural and they will revert back to natural behaviors in times of stress. I hate,hate,hate those people who are just so sure their
little Pookie would never bite a child. It is dog nature to assert
themselves over smaller things. It's
pack behavior, where do I fit on
the hierarchy kind of thing. If your
dog hasn't done it YET your lucky,
not bullet proof.

I agree that it is pack behavior and that you never know for sure how they will react in a situation BUT, if an owner firmly establishes him or herselves as packleader, the dog will instinctively look toward it's leader to see how to react.
This does not happen overnight and notice I said firmly establish. My dogs look to me to direct them , I am alpha, I control the pack.

 

[TheZue]

I've been nervous in a vet's office once. There was a GIANT dog (maybe a mastiff) laying on the floor and the owner really didn't have it's leash very well and had her back turned. I kept my dog a fair distance, mainly because if they did get into it that dog could easily kill her...not that my dog has ever been in a fight but still. I assume the dog was probably fine, but still I'm not going to wander over to the giant dog with my little spaniel and test it lol.

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

Well the funniest thing ever that I seen when I worked at the vet's office was we had a pet skunk that lived at our vet's office. His name was Forrest and I used to let him run loose in the back while I working. He loved to run out from under the kennels sideways trying to "attack" and run back under.

One day someone left the back door opened and I was up front working when everyone in the waiting room starts hollering and jumping up to run out. I look up to see what is going on and here comes Forrest waddling to the front desk. I couldn't stop laughing, and they all looked really confused when I scooped him up and laughed all the way into the back!

 

[Mermaid02]

Two thoughts come to mind:
1--Perhaps her daughter is not well-trained enough at 4yo to NOT wander over too close to strange dogs.

2--Mom is extremely fearful of dogs herself.

I would much rather see a parent go a little overboard telling their kids not to go near dogs they don't know. My Minky is a very nice poodley gentleman, but he's big a small bear. It amazes me how many parents let their kids RUN UP TO HIM. He has never tried to bite anyone, and to his credit Minky just stands there real pretty while the kids pet him all over. But really, I would NEVER have let my children approach a strange dog without asking permision from me and the owner first!

I said children SHOULD be taught not to approach a strange dog. Seriously, the woman acted like we all had rabid killers on our leashes... even if she is TERRIFIED of dogs, it's a vet's office- dogs will most likely be present.

 

[MIGrandma]

If the woman was that distressed over her child being in the presence of dogs at the vet's, she should have left her home with a sitter.

There are going to be all kinds of animals at the vet's office. She was over the top in her attitude I think.

 

[MichelleVW]

I said children SHOULD be taught not to approach a strange dog. Seriously, the woman acted like we all had rabid killers on our leashes... even if she is TERRIFIED of dogs, it's a vet's office- dogs will most likely be present.

agreed! I have a Golden Retreiver that really really dislikes kids (boys especially ) and it's all I can do to keep kids away from him.

 

[okeydokey]

I have a SIL who made her kids afraid of dogs. When they visited us and the dog came in the house she would panic and say, hurry son, get up on the couch so the dog can't get you. For the record, my dog never "got" anyone in his life. She is better now, but when her kids were little, she was panicky about everything.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Perhaps the mom was phobic?

I used to go to a specialty vet who dealt with exotics (for my ferrets). Every time I went in there I would see something interesting in the waiting room. Cockatiels, turtles, sugar gliders, and the biggest Nefoundland I've ever seen! The best was the day someone brought in an injured faun that had been found by the roadside. The vet had pets there too. Goats, tame ravens, poison dart frogs, bearded dragons, and Flemish giant rabbits. I heard of someone dropping an alligator off at this vet's doorstep before, as well, but unfortunately I never got to see it.

 

[golfgal]

Perhaps the mom was phobic?

I used to go to a specialty vet who dealt with exotics (for my ferrets). Every time I went in there I would see something interesting in the waiting room. Cockatiels, turtles, sugar gliders, and the biggest Nefoundland I've ever seen! The best was the day someone brought in an injured faun that had been found by the roadside. The vet had pets there too. Goats, tame ravens, poison dart frogs, bearded dragons, and Flemish giant rabbits. I heard of someone dropping an alligator off at this vet's doorstep before, as well, but unfortunately I never got to see it.

I agree, it sounds like the mom doesn't like dogs and is using the girl for an excuse. Or the mom is very much a helicopter parent and doesn't let her child do anything.

 

[pl71]

That lady was crazy to not expect to see dogs! There are cat only vets, I guess she needs to find one.

I take my parrots to an exotic vet and it's very interesting to see what else comes in (snakes, rats, rabbits, turtles, ferrets, hedgehogs). They have a sign up that says something like "Our patients are prey animals, please do not bring your dog with you."

 

[Mermaid02]

I agree, it sounds like the mom doesn't like dogs and is using the girl for an excuse. Or the mom is very much a helicopter parent and doesn't let her child do anything.

I got the impression they were both VERY special SnowFlakes My sister in law HATES animals (they're "dirty") and for a very long time had my niece scared of dogs- she's older now and is just fine with dogs but for a couple of years we had to crate our dog if they were over.