YELP is an appropriate way to say that - Fayetteville Animal Hospital - 'bites'…read more
There are doctors that appear to genuinely care about their patients. Then there are doctors for whom your pet represents a bottom line - nothing more.
I have just had my first miserable experience ever, with the latter type of vet.
A vet so profoundly uncaring, and unprofessional - she stormed out of the exam room, even before doing an exam, because she found out that I wasn't interested in buying any medications.
On October 31st, 2024, from the start of my Australian Shepherds health check-up, all 'Dr. Jill' wanted to talk about were medications.. 'Was my dog UTD on his shots?'.. Was I using Bravecto for ticks and fleas?.. (They promote Bravecto).. 'Was I using heartworm and other worm preventatives?'
When I explained, (or tried to) that Australian Shepherds are sensitive to meds, and I had lost 2 Aussies to vaccines, (not to mention family members whose dogs contracted cancers, and/or epilepsy from Bravecto).. she didn't want to hear it. Her next words told the whole story - "SO WHAT DID YOU COME HERE FOR"? I was taken aback, and said simply - 'For an exam'.
For 50 years I have raised and trained prize Australian Shepherds with natural foods and herbal medicines with excellent results, my healthy animals living out a long life. But the downside of routine good health is a lack of experience recognizing what might be illness! So, we have the occasional visit to a 'professional' for answers. It happened that in October, Fayetteville Vet Hospital recently sent us a reminder that it was 'time for Molly's checkup', So, I made the appointment for my male, who had been scratching a lot lately.
Not 4 minutes into the 'exam' - it came to a crashing halt after a short conversation with the young inexperienced veterinarian. Dr. Jill, upon gathering my objection to meds - STORMED OUT OF THE EXAM ROOM -SLAMMING THE DOOR!... while I was yet talking to her... completely 'cur-tailing' the appointment. (no pun intended). No eye exam, no ear check, no heart listening to, no discussion of my dogs condition, (other than telling me he had worms, which information was already paid for by the fecal exam fee.)
I walked in a daze to the desk, where the attendant chirped.. 'That will be JUST seventy five dollars today'. With an emphasis on 'just'.. He seemed surprised at the low cost of the 'exam'. (Later, it occurred to me- that was because my visit didn't include FVH's typical bill increases from drug prescriptions.)
I went home shocked.
It doesn't matter how anyone feels about Bravecto or the rest of the vet prescription drugs; Or that my own experience with them has been a disaster (Caleb and Marshall, the dogs in the photos were both killed by vet prescribed meds) Or that there is an entire social media site called 'Does Bravecto Kill dogs'.. (Link Below) https://www.facebook.com/groups/fb.comgroupsdoesbravectokilldogsandcats
That isn't the point.
The point is that a pet owner should have the right to determine what they wish to give to their pet, without the doctor going ballistic and kicking them out of the clinic.
IN FACT, within 48 hours of that appointment, I received a letter from Dr. Bunnell, the owner of FVH (Fayetteville Veterinary Hospital) - EVICTING ME from their customer base.. based on nothing more than my refusal to buy medications at the appointment 2 days before.
At that point I had yet to write to him (I did after that), and had yet to voice a complaint.. But, after receiving the very cold eviction letter - I did write to the owner, but never got a reply. So I called him and tried to explain my concerns about medications,.. he cut me off and told me that "I' WASN'T listening."
No.. Dr. Brunell. It is you and doctors like you that are not listening. Some of us are sick and tired of seeing our loved ones, both 4 and 2 legged, get sick, and even die, because of prescription medicines.
The best veterinarians I have known, have been naturopathic. THEY LISTEN to their patients.. And their bottom line is FINE. They wind up with customers traveling great distances for the possibility of finally finding a vet that will HEAR their concerns.
Dr. Brunell refused to refund me for the 'exam' that wasn't. Again, showing what they care about.. And it isn't your pet.
