FROM THE TRENCHES | A Vet’s Story

May 3, 2021

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From the Trenches

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A Vet’s Story

[/trx_title][trx_title type=”4″ align=”center” color=”#434544″ weight=”700″ bottom=”mini”]by Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH[/trx_title][vc_column_text]

LET’S GET REAL:  Kindness Costs Nothing

As the pandemic continues and we go on to modify the way we see appointments, care for patients, and communicate with owners we are also still scrambling to find the time and staff to treat all the animals that call our office. The domino effect of postponed or referred care is catching up to all fields of veterinary medicine. Since last March we have had to send patients to local emergency rooms for care because we were unable to care for another patient that day. Local emergency rooms have closed their doors not accepting patients for 6-8 hours to catch up with the patients they have. The closest ICU to my office has been at capacity for weeks and advised I call a neighboring states veterinary school to see if they had a bed for my patient! Let that sink in a little….

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be referring patients out of state, prepping them for an 8-12 hour wait at an emergency room, or that the emergency room they are familiar with may not be open. We are struggling, our support staff is struggling, our referral centers are struggling.

I understand that your worry and frustration in regards to getting your pet care is upsetting, I experience the same feelings when I cannot get my patients care in an appropriate time frame. Yelling at support staff and veterinarians is not appropriate. We are not making things more difficult for you because we don’t like you, or we don’t love pets, or any other reason you can come up with (I’ve heard a lot of excuses). The truth is that the quickest way to care for your pet might not be the easiest for you. It might not be with the doctor you are used to or wanted, it might take hours or days to facilitate, and you might have to drive a long way to see a specialist.

Your veterinarian cares about you and your pet no matter what you might think. Yes, even when we return your phone call via our support staff! We are only one person and while you are waiting to hear back about your pet I may have several at the office that need me too. If we are kind and patient with each other we can work together to facilitate care and coordinate what your pet needs. I know how stressful medical situations can be but name calling and yelling do not help they only make the situation worse. We are trying our best to help and we want to get back to “normal” just like you do. When clinics are ready with a plan to open back up you will know it!

#inthistogether[/vc_column_text][/trx_section][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533135180690{margin-top: 40px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1533134942241{background-color: #d9ae4c !important;}”][trx_title type=”2″ align=”left” color=”#f6f2e4″ left=”20″ right=”20″]About Dr. Eileen Savier[/trx_title][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1533135315368{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”]Dr. Eileen SavierBarks & Recreation is proud to feature Dr. Eileen Savier CVA, CVCH as our Veterinary Blogger in our “From the Vet” Series. Currently part of the team of doctors at Keystone Veterinary Clinic, Dr. Savier is a 2012 Graduate of the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, She completed her clinical experience at The Ohio State University and after veterinary school she pursued further education and certification in Veterinary Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Fear Free veterinary visits. Dr. Savier has a special interest in integrative medicine, animal behavior, and internal medicine and is committed to improving animal health care by integrating Eastern and Western philosophies. She enjoys working with fearful & aggressive dogs and cats and she has had additional training in low stress handling techniques and encourages positive reinforcement during exams and procedures. Her clinical interests include pain management, animal behavior, geriatric patient care, and internal medicine. Dr. Savier is a member of the following associations:

Dr. Savier shares her home with two (soon to be three) dogs, two cats, and a toddler. She lovingly refers to her two dogs as Coconut Retrievers as they were rescue dogs she brought home from the island of St. Kitts. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and planning her next Disney vacation.

Join us every month for Dr. Savier’s “From the Vet” series to get more information related to the health and welfare of your furry family members![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]