When you go to the vet, do they help you lift your dog onto the table?

[punkin]

what a jerk. I used to have a St. Bernard. No one ever asked me to lift her. She was always examined on the floor. Come to think of it, my new springer spaniel (who is only 60 lb, not 120 like my Saint) is also examined on the floor.

 

[Saphire]

It's not like you were asking him to do the lifting, you were only asking for assistance. He sounds rude and not much of a 'people person'.
Is this your dog that was lost last year, then came home? How is he doing? Hope all is well.

 

[Jpgirl]

The vet is a jerk. I always lift our 70lb Labs but usually the vet examines them on the floor-nothing like a squirmy dog on a smallish table, and our vet always has a tech-unless it's our dog TJ-he's cujo when he goes to the vet so it's just the vet and me.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Your vet sounded like a jerk to me.

I've recently changed vets, but my old vet had a table that lifted and weighed. He only had one, but it was always the room that Chloe got put in.

My new vet happily gets down on the floor with Chloe. I was shocked at first that this is how they handled larger animals, but they all act like it's no big deal. Actually it stresses Chloe out a lot less.

If your vet isn't equipped, or willing to handle large breeds, he should be advertising that fact, IMO.

 

[disneynutt1225]

I've never had to lift my beagle onto the table. Ever. The techs always did it, and we've been to two vet offices with him. I'd be searching for a new vet if it were me.

 

[solferino]

Not the vet we currently see- he has a scale/exam table that works as a lift and the bigger dogs have their exams on that. The smaller dogs and cats go on the regular exam table after being weighed.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I think the vet is within his rights to ask, and you are within your rights to pick a different vet.

I would get my kid up on an exam table.....why wouldn't i get my dog up there too?

Just because you chose a breed that you can lift, doesn't mean that there aren't larger breeds out there, with smaller owners. I'm one of them.

I don't think when most people choose their pets that they expect that there will come a time that they're going to run across a jerk vet, and then what? How am I going to lift Fluffy??

The vet told her that she shouldn't own a dog that she couldn't lift. Who in heck are the people that own Great Danes then? They must be some honking, huge people!

Heck, I haven't been able to lift Chloe since she was a year old - but I think it's ludicrous to expect me not to own her, because I can't lift her.

He sounds like he has a rotten bedside manner, and for that alone I'd be looking for a new vet.

 

[wheeler1]

You need to find a new vet....like all the other replies, our vet is just wonderful with animals and it shows.

Our dog weighs 115, our vet does have a table she can simply walk onto and they will hoist her up but they have never used it on our dog. Our vet and any and all of the techs we've seen over the years simply plops themselves onto the floor and does the exam and lots of belly scratches

 

[elgerber]

Your vet is a total jerk, I would have left right then and there I think! Lot's of people have dogs they can't lift, what a stupid thing to say. I can't lift my kids anymore either, should I not have had kids?
My vet is an older man, and our office is small and not in the city, but he has tables that lower so that the dog climbs on (or is assisted by the staff onto) and then it raises up. I could have never gotten my golden on the table by myself.

 

[kimmikayb]

He's a jerk. If he didn't want to lift her he should do the exam on the floor. My vet does that and from the posts...a lot of vets do that. My Newfy is 100 lbs+ and there is no way I could lift her and I do all the vet visits. I can't imagine a vet thinking I should have her because I can't lift her off the floor.

 

[Disney Doll]

These are the reasons why I love my vet!!!! She'll get on the floor or wherever to examine Ted. She also has exam tables that start low to the ground so the dog can got on himself, and then the table can be raised. And she is not in a high tech vet office...she's a true country vet...her office is attached to the back of her house.

I'd be looking for a new vet because I cannot stand sarcasm and attitude from people who technically work for me. Not that I go in with the attitude "you work for me", but, in essence, I am the customer for the vet's office. The vet will lose income if I choose to take my business elsewhere.

When I went in to pick up a copy of my dog's records, I'd be sure to leave a note for the vet as to exactly the reason why I was going elsewhere. I'd also relay the suggestion that he should advertise that he only deals with small breeds, under "X" weight.

 

[hiwaygal]

Add me to the list who think your vet is a jerk! And I would be finding another too!

Many of the vet offices I have been to have a policy that THEY must deal with the dogs. Any injuries or bites that occur on their property are their responsibility, this is why they do the lifting.

My last dog was a mean old thing. He didn't like strangers and had to be muzzled when we went to the vet. Many times I offered to help keep him under control (I rather he bit me than someone else) but they wouldn't let me.

The whole "you shouldn't have a dog you can't lift" thing is pure BS.

 

[Piglet843]

I too think that guy was a jerk.

But my vet does the same thing.
My Chocolate lab is about 85 lbs.
(I"m just 5'1 - 110 lbs) and my vet never helps me.

I don't know what their reasoning behind that is - if is a liability or something - but it sucks!

 

[yeartolate]

It never dawned on me not to get my own dog on the table.

Why would I put my child up on the table (at the pediatricians, not the vet ) and not my dog?

I don't think they have ever asked. Like I said, it never dawned on me. The vet comes ino the room and I lift him up. When he was nearing his end, the vet always got on the floor with him, becasue the table was too stressful.

 

[mylilnikita]

I'd would like to join the "Your vet is a jerk club" as well. OMG, if someone said that to me, I would be like Bye Bye and find a new vet. I have 2 big dogs one is 70-75 lbs and the other is 60lbs. Now, I can lift them, but only when absolutely necessary. The vet has an assistant, but they will examine my dogs on the floor or have a table that is down on the floor but lifts. My main vet sold his clinic and retired, but he was so great, he took care of a few of my dogs through the years and he just really knew dogs and people.

 

[kimmikayb]

I'd would like to join the "Your vet is a jerk club" .

That is a great tag!! You really should make up some kind of theme song for that club!!

 

[PghLybrt]

Our vet has a table that lowers, the dog walks on and then it raises up to the level she needs. I have 3 smaller dogs (lbs., 10lbs and 32 lbs) all of which I just lift onto the table.

However I can see why a vet would not want to pick up a large dog that they do not know that is possibly in a lot of pain. There was a much better way the vet could have said it but I can see his point.

When our Chihuahua gets his vacs I have to hold him because he is a mean little thing, he is only 4lbs but can inflict a large amount of pain.

 

[ducklite]

My vet squats down to the dog. He will also use his scale which moves up and down as an exam table if he needs to get the dog up higher for some reason. I've never been asked to lift the dog in our three vet visits.

I could in an absolute emergency, but it's not easy and I'm afraid I'd hurt him or me. If my vet wanted the dog on the table, he'd best plan on helping--or getting his tech to help--with the lifting.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

It never dawned on me not to get my own dog on the table.

Why would I put my child up on the table (at the pediatricians, not the vet ) and not my dog?

I don't think they have ever asked. Like I said, it never dawned on me. The vet comes ino the room and I lift him up. When he was nearing his end, the vet always got on the floor with him, becasue the table was too stressful.

Trust me, it would dawn on you real quick if you were Chloe's owner! She weighs 112lbs. More than her owner. There is no way my body, much less my mind, could ever imagine me lifting her onto an exam table.

When I bought her, I had no idea that I was going to be getting a mutant Golden Retriever. She's twice the breed standard for a female.

 

[Serena]

I've got two dogs that it's no problem to lift on the table, and the vet always does it. For the two dogs that are bigger, they examine them on the floor.
I'll join the club too, the vet is a jerk.