05/16 Nestle AMPS 90 dental and bad vet experience yesterday

Karolina & Nestle

Karolina & Nestle

Member
Good afternoon,
I'm on the road today day 1/3.
I'd like to share some of my experience we got at our vet's office yesterday and I've been thinking about it ever since. Overall the whole appointment felt rushed and the vet seemed annoyed with all my questions. When I voiced my concerns about having Nestle fast for so long he was dismissive and I felt like he wasn't really listening to me. He advised me he wants him to fast from midnight till the operation but he didn't give me a specific time the operation will take place. He told me to drop Nestle off at the office the morning of at 7:30am. Then he said that he does spay/neuter ops first because he knows how long they will take. And he saves dental for last as they could take longer than expected.
He told me i can give insulin in the morning but since Nestle gets his shot at 10:30AM/PM, hed already be at the vets. Dr. Ted (our vet) advised the insulin can ve given at the office as long as i bring it with him, but of course I feel very uneasy about that since he wouldn't have food. So I'm very hesitant about that. I'd much rather skip that morning and just deal with higher BGs for a day or 2 than worry he'd drop too low during the dental.
Another issue I have is that I was led to believe I'd be getting a cheaper price than I'm getting now. It's still discounted but every time I called to re-schedule I made sure to ask I'd still be getting the price I was quoted and every time I was told yes. Yesterday the vet said prices went up in Jan and nobody consulted him when I called to re-schedule therefore the old price is no longer ger valid.
When I challenged him about that he simply said: "are you doing the dental or not. Cause if not then we don't have anything else to talk about and I'm not gonna go ahead with the bloodwork ." I told him to proceed as I think it's better if Nestle has the dental but I wasn't happy with the way we were treated.
During the appointment I also wanted to inquire about Nestle's nose scab that doesn't want to heal and he blew up on me saying I came in for pre-surgical bloodwork and now I have other issues and questions going on.
Eventually he proposed they can take a sample of the nose scab during the dental since Nestle would already be under and it would be easy to do.
Nestle's dental is scheduled for next Thursday May 22. On one hand I want to go ahead and have it done and over with and change the vet afterwards so I don't have to deal with him anymore. On the other hand I still feel uneasy. I sent an email this morning to the office to express my concers once again and was told the technician will speak with the Dr on Tuesday (it's long weekend here in Canada so monday everything is closed).
I'm sorry for this long post but I've been so torn and frustrated about this whole situation I needed to get this out of my system.
Any thoughts and advice are welcome.

Yesterday
https://felinediabetes.org/fdmb//threads/05-15-nestle-amps-88-pmps-97-dental-help-please.214/
 
Last edited:
🤗🤗 Not a fan of Dr. Ted. So sorry you were treated that way. Seems to be pretty common for those of us that "ask a lot of questions." I legit think my vet (Dr. Sheri) charges me more because of it!

It's a hard decision cause I know how important it is that we feel heard and seen as the primary CG and paying customer! I had a similar experience and if I had options I would have taken it, but she knew Petey best, she was known for her dental, and Petey needed it done. I just had to trust she would do right by him even if she couldn't do right by me.

There's relief that it's over and done with, he's better for it and if we get called by another vet we are on a waitlist for, we will go... but building that trust takes time that Petey just couldn't afford.

I know you'll make the right decision for Nestle. And we're gonna be here to walk through it with you no matter what. ❤️
 
Ugh, not a pleasant experience at all! Did the vet comment on the blood work? FYI, there is a Labs tab on the spreadsheet and it's much easier to read and spot trends over time if you enter the data there. My other cats have had Labs spreadsheets now.

If you take a loaded syringe with you, make it a half dose. Otherwise skip as you were thinking of. I think Nestle will get back on track quickly enough.

I used a dental specialist vet. More expensive, but they also did more monitoring which Neko needed. And I had a printed quote going in. With of course some variables, such as X amount per extraction if needed. But at least I knew the possible range. And he'd call me after x-rays if something surprising showed up.
 
Karolina & Nestle said:
Good afternoon,
I'm on the road today day 1/3.
I'd like to share some of my experience we got at our vet's office yesterday and I've been thinking about it ever since. Overall the whole appointment felt rushed and the vet seemed annoyed with all my questions. When I voiced my concerns about having Nestle fast for so long he was dismissive and I felt like he wasn't really listening to me. He advised me he wants him to fast from midnight till the operation but he didn't give me a specific time the operation will take place. He told me to drop Nestle off at the office the morning of at 7:30am. Then he said that he does spay/neuter ops first because he knows how long they will take. And he saves dental for last as they could take longer than expected.
He told me i can give insulin in the morning but since Nestle gets his shot at 10:30AM/PM, hed already be at the vets. Dr. Ted (our vet) advised the insulin can ve given at the office as long as i bring it with him, but of course I feel very uneasy about that since he wouldn't have food. So I'm very hesitant about that. I'd much rather skip that morning and just deal with higher BGs for a day or 2 than worry he'd drop too low during the dental.
Another issue I have is that I was led to believe I'd be getting a cheaper price than I'm getting now. It's still discounted but every time I called to re-schedule I made sure to ask I'd still be getting the price I was quoted and every time I was told yes. Yesterday the vet said prices went up in Jan and nobody consulted him when I called to re-schedule therefore the old price is no longer ger valid.
When I challenged him about that he simply said: "are you doing the dental or not. Cause if not then we don't have anything else to talk about and I'm not gonna go ahead with the bloodwork ." I told him to proceed as I think it's better if Nestle has the dental but I wasn't happy with the way we were treated.
During the appointment I also wanted to inquire about Nestle's nose scab that doesn't want to heal and he blew up on me saying I came in for pre-surgical bloodwork and now I have other issues and questions going on.
Eventually he proposed they can take a sample of the nose scab during the dental since Nestle would already be under and it would be easy to do.
Nestle's dental is scheduled for next Thursday May 22. On one hand I want to go ahead and have it done and over with and change the vet afterwards so I don't have to deal with him anymore. On the other hand I still feel uneasy. I sent an email this morning to the office to express my concers once again and was told the technician will speak with the Dr on Tuesday (it's long weekend here in Canada so monday everything is closed).
I'm sorry for this long post but I've been so torn and frustrated about this whole situation I needed to get this out of my system.
Any thoughts and advice are welcome.

Yesterday
https://felinediabetes.org/fdmb//threads/05-15-nestle-amps-88-pmps-97-dental-help-please.214/
Click to expand...
I’m sorry Karolina, Dr. Ted is not a good guy. Not a fan either.
Whatever you decide will be right for Nestle.
And then hoping you can find a better vet who will respect his amazing mama and the excellent care you give your sweet boys 😻❤️‍🩹🐈🐈
 
WOW just wow 😠
I hope both sides of Dr. Ted's pillow are uncomfortably hot tonight while he is trying to sleep. I hope he gets a flat tire on his way to work tomorrow and I hope he spills his coffee everywhere. 😾

I’ve had to switch vets for my pets a few times, and I’ve never had an experience quite like the one you just described. Usually, the switch happens because it becomes clear that the vet just doesn’t have the time — or the interest — to give my animal the care they truly need. It’s the unspoken message of: “This case is outside the scope of my comfort zone, and I’m not willing to invest the extra effort.” That’s fine — I can take a hint. And I can also take my pet, and my money, elsewhere.

Kai’s current vet is fine — I like her — but I end up doing most of the work myself. I research, monitor, plan, and then tell her what I need. She writes the prescriptions or orders the tests. That’s our dynamic.

Finding a vet who actually sees your pet — who doesn’t just treat them like a number in a long day of appointments — is rare these days. I get that veterinary work is hard, and burnout is real. But at the end of the day, you chose this profession. You know what you signed up for. Your patients deserve care — not indifference.

I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I genuinely hope Dr. Ted trips, falls, and knocks out his two front teeth. 😤

Switching vets is tough. It depends on a bunch of factors — how many vets are in your area, their cost, their availability. But honestly? If it were me, I’d start calling around. Get quotes. See who has appointments soon. If you find someone good, go ahead and book it. And if you’re feeling a little petty (and they don’t have a cancellation fee), maybe cancel with Dr. Ted the day before the 22nd, just so he has to stare at that empty slot. But hey, that’s just me. :devilish:

Whatever you decide, I know you’ll do what’s best for Nestle. And I completely understand wanting to stick it out until the dental if changing vets now might delay that care even longer.

But seriously... Dr. Ted can go sit on a pinecone. 😤
 
How difficult will it be for you to find another vet? I mean, the dental isn’t an emergency, is it? Dr. Ted sounds … like, a jerk, yes, but more importantly, he sounds stressed and like he’s not handling his stress well. (It’s fairly common knowledge that veterinarians have very high rates of stress.) So, yeah, it’s an issue that he’s rude, and doesn’t seem to understand customer service, but, it’s also an issue that he’s unable to control his demeanor with his patients. That’s worrisome to me. When vets get testy with me, a human that can rationally interact with them, I worry about how they might respond with an animal that is vulnerable and might not be easy to interact with because it’s afraid. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that you’re uncomfortable with his protocol in terms of Nestle’s diabetes, etc. My vet does his surgeries in the afternoon, so he instructed me to feed half Jude’s reg breakfast and then give the full dose bc he knew by the time he operated that Jude’s tummy would be empty, but that he would have insulin working. I liked that strategy. I was comfortable with that.

I’m a big “trust your gut” person, so I say go with what you think is best, Karolina. If its best to stick it out just until you get the dental, and then leave, that's a fine decision. If you want to find someone else that you feel more comfortable with, then it’s Dr. Ted’s loss. Please don’t be bullied be him/his practice and think that because you’ve come this far you need to go ahead. Get your labs and go elsewhere, if you feel that’s what’s best.

Whatever you decide, we’re 100% behind you.
 
Last edited:
Throwing another "really not a fan of Dr. Ted" in there. That's a horrible way to treat not only a paying customer but the "parent" of a patient as well! Completely unprofessional.

Mary & Jude said:
How difficult will it be for you to find another vet? I mean, the dental isn’t an emergency, is it? Dr. Ted sounds … like, a jerk, yes, but more importantly, he sounds stressed and like he’s not handling his stress well. (It’s fairly common knowledge that veterinarians have very high rates of stress.) So, yeah, it’s an issue that he’s rude, and doesn’t seem to understand customer service, but, it’s also an issue that he’s unable to control his demeanor with his patients. That’s worrisome to me. When vets get testy with me, a human that can rationally interact with them, I worry about how they might respond with an animal that is vulnerable and might not be easy to interact with because it’s afraid. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that you’re uncomfortable with his protocol in terms of Nestle’s diabetes, etc.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree with this and it was my first thought also. If he's openly hostile with you, what's to prevent him from being at best distracted and too stressed to do a good job, or at worst hostile with Nestle? I don't want to add further fear or anything, but it's sounding like your gut it telling you this is off/weird and that you should trust it. Whether that means getting the dental done and running for the hills or finding a new vet to do the dental. Like Mary said, we're all behind you, whatever choice you make.
 
Maddie & Kai said:
WOW just wow 😠
I hope both sides of Dr. Ted's pillow are uncomfortably hot tonight while he is trying to sleep. I hope he gets a flat tire on his way to work tomorrow and I hope he spills his coffee everywhere. 😾
Click to expand...
I love love this post and all the others. We all concur with your thoughts, Karolina!! Your gut is spot on 🥰
Dr. Ted is a d$#k and he should sit on a pinecone 😂
But seriously, he is a real issue 🤬

Whatever you decide, we are here to support you, Nestle and Peanut ❤️‍🩹🥰😻❤️‍🩹🥰😻
 
Angela & Cleo said:
This whole experience has me uneasy as well. Is it just a cleaning or extractions? Dentals on diabetic cats should be first. Here is the link from FDMB which says food and half dose the am of the dental. Info on Dental Procedures (including pictures) | Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB
Very unsettling exchange with the Vet :mad:
Click to expand...
It's cleaning and assessment. He will do radiography to see if anything needs to be extracted etc. I'm hoping there's not much work to be done but whatever it is it's for the good of Nestle so needs to be done.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Ugh, not a pleasant experience at all! Did the vet comment on the blood work? FYI, there is a Labs tab on the spreadsheet and it's much easier to read and spot trends over time if you enter the data there. My other cats have had Labs spreadsheets now.

If you take a loaded syringe with you, make it a half dose. Otherwise skip as you were thinking of. I think Nestle will get back on track quickly enough.

I used a dental specialist vet. More expensive, but they also did more monitoring which Neko needed. And I had a printed quote going in. With of course some variables, such as X amount per extraction if needed. But at least I knew the possible range. And he'd call me after x-rays if something surprising showed up.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice Wendy.
He did not comment on the bloodwork. Didn't even call me. I had to email the office before they closed to ask them to email me the results as I was flying all day yesterday.
I will work on the labs tap once I'm home and can do it on the laptop.
 
Maddie & Kai said:
WOW just wow 😠
I hope both sides of Dr. Ted's pillow are uncomfortably hot tonight while he is trying to sleep. I hope he gets a flat tire on his way to work tomorrow and I hope he spills his coffee everywhere. 😾

I’ve had to switch vets for my pets a few times, and I’ve never had an experience quite like the one you just described. Usually, the switch happens because it becomes clear that the vet just doesn’t have the time — or the interest — to give my animal the care they truly need. It’s the unspoken message of: “This case is outside the scope of my comfort zone, and I’m not willing to invest the extra effort.” That’s fine — I can take a hint. And I can also take my pet, and my money, elsewhere.

Kai’s current vet is fine — I like her — but I end up doing most of the work myself. I research, monitor, plan, and then tell her what I need. She writes the prescriptions or orders the tests. That’s our dynamic.

Finding a vet who actually sees your pet — who doesn’t just treat them like a number in a long day of appointments — is rare these days. I get that veterinary work is hard, and burnout is real. But at the end of the day, you chose this profession. You know what you signed up for. Your patients deserve care — not indifference.

I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I genuinely hope Dr. Ted trips, falls, and knocks out his two front teeth. 😤

Switching vets is tough. It depends on a bunch of factors — how many vets are in your area, their cost, their availability. But honestly? If it were me, I’d start calling around. Get quotes. See who has appointments soon. If you find someone good, go ahead and book it. And if you’re feeling a little petty (and they don’t have a cancellation fee), maybe cancel with Dr. Ted the day before the 22nd, just so he has to stare at that empty slot. But hey, that’s just me. :devilish:

Whatever you decide, I know you’ll do what’s best for Nestle. And I completely understand wanting to stick it out until the dental if changing vets now might delay that care even longer.

But seriously... Dr. Ted can go sit on a pinecone. 😤
Click to expand...
Maddie!
You are absolutely hilarious 😂
I haven't genuinely laughed in a week. And you made it happen. I love your humor and the post itself. Thankn you 😻 😹
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top