Get your vet's HOME phone number for weekend emergencies

[joebryant]

I learned this weekend with a sick rooster to have the HOME phone number or assurance of being able to reach your vet who treats chickens. A chicken vet is almost impossible to find here where I live, and only one out of many will accept chickens. I had an emergency this weekend with my rooster, and I almost lost him because I could only reach a vet in the same office who only treated "large" animals.

 

[Katy]

Most vets don't want people having their home phone number for the same reason anyone else who's got the week-end off.....they aren't working.

 

[sourland]

Giving out phone numbers depends on the vet and the client. I have my vet's business, home, and cell phone number because he knows that if I call it is a REAL problem. Don't ask a vet for his phone # on the first visit unless he/she is cute.

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

Quote:

That's funny! I work for two vets and they give out their home #, cell # and email to clients. Most people don't abuse this but there are some people that will call the vet several times a day for the most piddly stuff or just to update - things that could definitely wait for the next business day. But there really don't seem to be too many vets that see chickens. We have one vet in town that has a good reputation as a chicken doctor. I've always been curious about her.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
I, too, have all of the above #s BUT I've had my Vet longer than I've had my husband (and our kids are in their 30s)... because of our looooong relationship and because he knows that I will not abuse it's use. A good vet is a blessing from God and I am blessed to have one! Don't know what I'll do when he retires?!? We're both getting there!

If your's gives you his, treat it as a valuable commodity!

 

[Katy]

I do have their home/cell phones, but they know I'm not going to call on the week-end unless we have a cow having calving trouble that we can't handle....which doesn't happen very often. A good friend works there and she told me they don't give them out anymore because people were calling all week-end with piddly stuff. The message on their answering machine now gives you the number of an emergancy vet clinic in another town.