Maybe it's the migraine, but I'm a little devastated. (Can a person be "a little devastated"?)
I called our vet's office to ask her a question, and I found out - rather abruptly - that she's moved to London. (If you happen to live in London, her name is Dr. Susan Johnson, and she is fantastic.)
While the two other vets who work at the practice are very good, one lacks bedside manner, and the other is a fine vet, and has good bedside manner. But. They're not Dr. Johnson.
Before we had the dogs, she was our vet when we had pet rats. She treated them with the kind care that one should treat a beloved pet- regardless of their initial cost, size, or lifespan. One night, she kept the office open late for us because one of our beloved rats had an emergency, and the ER vets are terrible for small animals. She cared about our animals, and followed up on them with genuine concern.
Dr. Johnson helped us deal with Elphie's abuse, making sure she was comfortable at the vet and not traumatized. She did gentle exams, and would discuss the care of the dogs at length, answering any crazy questions we had. She spoke to the dogs in a kind voice, and moved at a pace that was comfortable for them. Mom says that she took care of us *and* our critters. Whole family care.
So, now we may be on the market for a new vet. I'm going to talk to the other gal at the practice, who was our first vet there (who we liked a fair amount), and get a feel for how she is with dogs. 'Fraidy-cat, mixed-breed dogs.
I know quite a few of my readers are local. If you love, love, love your vet, please shoot me an e-mail (or post their details in the comments) with their information. We need a vet who is skilled, gentle, and kind. (We liked Dr. Johnson so much that Andrew tried to convince her to move in with us.)
Dr. Susan Johnson DVM- if by chance you trip across this before I can get your e-mail address, thank you for the care you have taken of our family. Niki, Elphie, Macy, Cindy, and all the rest thank you. Andrew and I especially thank you.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
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Hey Darling,
ReplyDeleteI know first hand the stress of being without a vet that you love and trust. You know our story of Jaki over the past two weeks -- do check out Adobe Animal Hospital in Los Altos - they are fantastic and I worked specifically with Dr. Shandro and Dr. McKenzie. 650-948-2052. Adobe also has experts on all animals - not just dogs and cats (reptiles, rodents, farm animals, etc). Our vets have amazing sensitive and caring bedside manners -- they are great at putting the animal's health first, dealing with the stress of the humans next, and all the administrative issues (financial considerations) are 3rd and met with compassion, kindness and heart. Do give them a call. Good luck!
Choosing a vet can be a difficult process - luckily, I'm very satisfied with my local one. Best of luck in finding a new one for your doggie!
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