Long story, but please read, I need to some other opinions on this.
So I've been dealing with our rooster's suspected staph infection in his foot for several weeks. He started out with Bumblefoot in both feet. We used Tricide Neo and Cephalexin and Epsom Salts soaks and eventually the Bumblefoot seemed to clear up and all the the scabs and inflammation, etc disappeared. But about a week later his left foot swelled and was sore. So we restarted him on antibiotics and soaks, and over the following weeks the problem would get worse and then seem to get better, but basically never seemed to be terrible. He has continued to eat well and be quite cheerful, still crowing and happy to be in a dustbath and in an outside pen, etc. He has his own hospital pen inside and outside, and I am sure he is lonely although he can see and hear his friends, and socialize through the wire. He has also gotten incredibly sweet and tame and is so smart. So, I decided to take him to the vet finally to see if he could be fixed without breaking the bank or if not, if he should be euthanized.
I made the appointment with a vet I have used just once before to euthanize a rooster who was very ill, three years ago. I also contacted the vet last winter for help with a sick hen, but she died before her appointment, and I cancelled that appointment two days in advance. Other than that, I've had no contact with this vet. I am proud of our generally very healthy happy flock and when we have chicks to sell, people ask to buy them.
i was startled when I made this appointment that the vet's office asked for payment up front. I refused, and they said never mind, just come in anyway. I arrived and there was absolutely no one else in the office, waiting room, or parking lot. I should have looked at this as a warning sign, as our vets around here are always swamped that I've ever experienced. The vet came in and I did not even recognize her, she looked terrible and very scary looking. She was sort of friendly. During the visit, the tech told me she had no experience with chickens and asked me how to handle my rooster, I showed her how to calm him by stroking his wattles, and talking to him. The vet asked the tech to hold him during the exam, and the tech held him upside down while pressing firmly against his crop! I was alarmed and politely said "do you want me to hold him? " The vet shouted NO!!!! She then proceeded to tell me that my rooster had what she believed was a staph infection in the joints of BOTH feet, and that the kindest thing would be to euthanize him. She also told me that Cephalexin for use in chickens and that " I don't know where you got it, but please don't use it on any other chickens". WHAT?? I have never seen anything indicating that is true. WEll, I wasn't too surprised when she said that about infected joints. As an alternate, she suggested we could try antibiotics and pain meds and I decided to go that route. She left and the tech came back in with Oxytet, Gabapentin, and Meloxicam! I have had experience with antibiotics and know that Oxytet normally would NOT be prescribed for staph, especially not in the joints! I know that Gabapentin and Meloxicam can be used together to control nerve pain, but also that Gabapentin can be a nasty drug with bad side effects. I said nothing, but I had several other questions for the tech. She knew nothing, so had to keep running out to ask the vet. 5 minutes later the vet came blasting in the door, screaming at me about being "rude to my tech". I was dumbfounded, as I had liked the tech and was certainly not rude, maybe a little subdued under the circumstances. The vet continued screaming at me at the top of her voice, and refused to elaborate on what she meant other than that I asked too many questions and the tech was crying. She said that I "only came in with my chickens when they are on death's door". (really??) (and oh, by the way, she wanted 650.00 to do a complete workup on my rooster). I had to threaten her with a lawyer to get her to either credit back my exam or give me my meds, which she was refusing. She told me that I was "not welcome" at the clinic anymore. When she went out of the room, I called my husband and had him stay on speaker phone til I got out of there..i was genuinely scared.. I couldn't believe that I saw the vet's very large silhouette on the other side of the door, eavesdropping on my phone conversation! Shortly thereafter the receptionist came in with my meds and another tech, and said "let me help you get out of here". Neither knew what the problem was, of course they wouldn't say.
Last night I checked out the vet's website and Facebook page. Back in April, she wrote an abnoxious notice to her clients that "abusive or rude behaviour towards her or her staff would not be tolerated" Ithis is on her website) and that in such instances clients would be asked to find another vet ! (Hmmmm) She included notices of a bunch of charges for short cancellations, no shows, and the like. I have since given my rooster Tinhorn the meloxicam, and have acquired some Baytril which i will use in his water and should be a lot more effective if anything is going to work.
I just wanted to give fair warning and also wondered if anyone thought I should report this vet to the State vet. I'm a little worried about repercussions.
The vet, for those who want to know in Ohio, is Cedar Hill Animal Clinic in Westerville. The vet was Dr. Headlee. She's also the owner. I believe she was trying to avoid having to euthanize my rooster. I can understand that, but i was stunned at the way I was treated. Thoughts???
So I've been dealing with our rooster's suspected staph infection in his foot for several weeks. He started out with Bumblefoot in both feet. We used Tricide Neo and Cephalexin and Epsom Salts soaks and eventually the Bumblefoot seemed to clear up and all the the scabs and inflammation, etc disappeared. But about a week later his left foot swelled and was sore. So we restarted him on antibiotics and soaks, and over the following weeks the problem would get worse and then seem to get better, but basically never seemed to be terrible. He has continued to eat well and be quite cheerful, still crowing and happy to be in a dustbath and in an outside pen, etc. He has his own hospital pen inside and outside, and I am sure he is lonely although he can see and hear his friends, and socialize through the wire. He has also gotten incredibly sweet and tame and is so smart. So, I decided to take him to the vet finally to see if he could be fixed without breaking the bank or if not, if he should be euthanized.
I made the appointment with a vet I have used just once before to euthanize a rooster who was very ill, three years ago. I also contacted the vet last winter for help with a sick hen, but she died before her appointment, and I cancelled that appointment two days in advance. Other than that, I've had no contact with this vet. I am proud of our generally very healthy happy flock and when we have chicks to sell, people ask to buy them.
i was startled when I made this appointment that the vet's office asked for payment up front. I refused, and they said never mind, just come in anyway. I arrived and there was absolutely no one else in the office, waiting room, or parking lot. I should have looked at this as a warning sign, as our vets around here are always swamped that I've ever experienced. The vet came in and I did not even recognize her, she looked terrible and very scary looking. She was sort of friendly. During the visit, the tech told me she had no experience with chickens and asked me how to handle my rooster, I showed her how to calm him by stroking his wattles, and talking to him. The vet asked the tech to hold him during the exam, and the tech held him upside down while pressing firmly against his crop! I was alarmed and politely said "do you want me to hold him? " The vet shouted NO!!!! She then proceeded to tell me that my rooster had what she believed was a staph infection in the joints of BOTH feet, and that the kindest thing would be to euthanize him. She also told me that Cephalexin for use in chickens and that " I don't know where you got it, but please don't use it on any other chickens". WHAT?? I have never seen anything indicating that is true. WEll, I wasn't too surprised when she said that about infected joints. As an alternate, she suggested we could try antibiotics and pain meds and I decided to go that route. She left and the tech came back in with Oxytet, Gabapentin, and Meloxicam! I have had experience with antibiotics and know that Oxytet normally would NOT be prescribed for staph, especially not in the joints! I know that Gabapentin and Meloxicam can be used together to control nerve pain, but also that Gabapentin can be a nasty drug with bad side effects. I said nothing, but I had several other questions for the tech. She knew nothing, so had to keep running out to ask the vet. 5 minutes later the vet came blasting in the door, screaming at me about being "rude to my tech". I was dumbfounded, as I had liked the tech and was certainly not rude, maybe a little subdued under the circumstances. The vet continued screaming at me at the top of her voice, and refused to elaborate on what she meant other than that I asked too many questions and the tech was crying. She said that I "only came in with my chickens when they are on death's door". (really??) (and oh, by the way, she wanted 650.00 to do a complete workup on my rooster). I had to threaten her with a lawyer to get her to either credit back my exam or give me my meds, which she was refusing. She told me that I was "not welcome" at the clinic anymore. When she went out of the room, I called my husband and had him stay on speaker phone til I got out of there..i was genuinely scared.. I couldn't believe that I saw the vet's very large silhouette on the other side of the door, eavesdropping on my phone conversation! Shortly thereafter the receptionist came in with my meds and another tech, and said "let me help you get out of here". Neither knew what the problem was, of course they wouldn't say.
Last night I checked out the vet's website and Facebook page. Back in April, she wrote an abnoxious notice to her clients that "abusive or rude behaviour towards her or her staff would not be tolerated" Ithis is on her website) and that in such instances clients would be asked to find another vet ! (Hmmmm) She included notices of a bunch of charges for short cancellations, no shows, and the like. I have since given my rooster Tinhorn the meloxicam, and have acquired some Baytril which i will use in his water and should be a lot more effective if anything is going to work.
I just wanted to give fair warning and also wondered if anyone thought I should report this vet to the State vet. I'm a little worried about repercussions.
The vet, for those who want to know in Ohio, is Cedar Hill Animal Clinic in Westerville. The vet was Dr. Headlee. She's also the owner. I believe she was trying to avoid having to euthanize my rooster. I can understand that, but i was stunned at the way I was treated. Thoughts???
