Vet Visit - I am worried my dog did not get his shots?

Question

I took my 1.5 year old German Shepherd dog to the vet to get his shots (3 year rabies and lyme vaccination w/ distemper). When I arrived there, they asked me if I wanted a heart worm test done and I said "yes." They were taking my dog to another room to take blood (which I thought was suspicious). I asked them if I could come and they said that I should wait and that they were only going to take a blood sample which wouldn't take long. After a few minutes they came back and my dog was very happy to see me. He sat by my legs and kept wagging his tail. They told me that they also gave his rabies and lyme vaccination shots in the back room. I took my dog to this vet before and they seemed OK. What reason could there be for them to take my dog to another room? I should not have left him alone with those people. :( Could they have not given his shots to save on the cost of the shots? The heart worm test was negative by the way. But I still have a feeling they did not give his shots. Is there a way to tell if they did?

Answer 1

More and more veterinary schools are training new vets to do more things outside the room since dogs often behave better when thier owners are not present. (This is because many owners don't bother to train thier dogs.)



This does not mean your dog needs to have his shots, or blood draws, away from you. You have the right to demand to be present for all procdures your dog undergoes. And your dog is probably perfectly fine for his procedures, but they are enacting what they have been taught is a general safety percaution.



I doubt highly that they swindled you in any way. Unless your vet is highly unethical. But it is not an uncommon practice to do procedures away from the owners where most dogs are calmer. The only way to ensure your dog was in fact vaccinated would be to wait six weeks and run a titer test, but that probably is not needed.



In the future, I would call your vet and ask for a note to be placed on your chart requesting that you be present for all procedures if you have any concerns. Personally my clinic believes in full owner participation as often as possible, but what you describe is also pretty standard in the industry and not for any nefarious purpose.

Answer 2

Sometimes vets will take animals in the back for shots/blood draw so that if it struggles or panics the owner won't freak out, and also so they can have trained staff restraining the animal. Generally in these situations owners tend to get in the way more than anything.



As for whether or not your dog got his shots, it seems pretty unlikely your vet would go to so much trouble just to save themselves a couple bucks of serum. But if you don't trust this vet, find a new one. No sense getting advice and treatment from someone you're going to always second guess.

Answer 3

They probably took the dog back so there would be no chance of you getting nervous and your dog feeling it. Let's face it, you may not have been nervous, but some dog owners are and the best way not to have the dogs react to that is not to have the owners in the room. Some pediatricians do that too with the children in their care. Did the vet give you a rebies certificate? They are required to give you documentation of that.

Answer 4

Do you enable the technicians or the vet to take Edward out of the room? many circumstances the owner could make the placement worse with the aid of no longer permitting the technicians to restrain their pets precise. Technicians are properly geared up to handle canines that are biters and have lower back matters. I continually advised my customers that had biting canines to offer the sedation 2 hours until eventually now leaving for the vet. That way the sedative could be completely working with the aid of the time the canines replace into due on the vet's.

Answer 5

If you preferrred they didn't take your dog in the back to draw blood & give shots, why didn't you speak up at the time & say so?? Sure would have been a lot more appropriate than this paranoid whining after the fact on here. If you don't trust the Vet, don't go back.

Answer 6

I have seen where sometimes they will take the dog back without the owner but it is rare. We always go back when they are examining our dogs, giving shots, etc. I would call and question them on whether the shots were given and why things were done this way.

Answer 7

at my vets office they take the label off the serum bottles and and place it directly into my dogs file. that is their proof. it also contains the serial/lot # should there be some recall or problem later. call and ask them to fax a copy of your dogs records. (make up a reason if you would like...have a potential new owner for the dog, whatever). you should see it in the copies. they may have taken the dog out of the room if they felt they needed to muzzle him. they have done that w/ one of my dogs in the past. (took them out of the room to muzzle and give shots, otherwise my dogs have always stayed in the room w/ me).

hope i helped some.

Answer 8

Are you receiving professional care for your unreasonable paranoia?



The vaccine takes a whole 2 seconds to administer.....& sure doesn't cost the clinic more than a dollar or 2.

*I* don't let my be taken off for ANYTHING but you're just a silly civilian & they figured you were useless at holding the dog & would only squeak & be in the way,

Answer 9

I would call them and explain what you are saying here. Or go back up there and ask to speak to the actual vet and tell them it was strange.



Also sometimes dogs have a skin reaction to the shot, like a tiny welp or lump. See if he is sore behing his shoulders, hip or ask them where they shot him. He may be groggy from the shots too.



ADD I agree with BILL L.....I would not go back to this vet.

Answer 10

Please bring him to another vet.You have the right to be with your dog at all times no matter what those goofballs say.Ask another vet clinic to have the dog proper cared for.Google the period of time between shot vaccinations and estimate how long ago your dog had shhots.If you selected a pure-bred just a while ago then they should be on his/her papers.

Answer 11

I took my puppy to the vet yesterday, not for shots, but because she was sick, but they took her to another room for blood work, not once did I think it wasn't done. maybe you need another vet.

Answer 12

that is weird. i have been to many vets(due to moving around alot) and they have always gave them their shots in front of me.

Answer 13

If you don't trust them get another vet.







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