[Jacob-list] vets

[Betty Berlenbach]

I'm  sure that money  plays a big part in it, but I'd like to think that  some  vets in very  remote areas,also do not make housecalls  for sheep, because sheepCAN inmost  casesbe brought  to them, andwith somany  patients, and  so    little time, it makes  more  sense not to waste travel time, when not  traveling means  you can treat say,    10 more   animals. Granted  money is part  of it,  but then,so   is time.

It is certainly   truethat the   low "man"on the  totem pole, (which these  days seems tobe  flooded  with  women)   is the  person  who is in charge  of  sheep, but in my  case, that's because they  lost  their  vet   who  was   the sheepspecialist,  and they are looking to replace  her,except every two  years,   as you  say, the  new woman,   goes off to a  higher paying,  closer    to  partner job, or  decides   it's time  to  start a family. 

I can't "blame"vets for wanting afuller life,. wanting   to  pay  off their debts, or  wanting to treat asmany animals  as they  can  in the time they  have each day. However, those   people   who have  complained  that  the vet  won't  even  call them!   If  the vet  feels  his/her timeis  taken up with calls,  he/she can easily  charge   at  a  lower  rate for  telephone   consults.  One vet I know here, who is specificallya  sheep vet, charges--mostly because she  is an hour away, usually has  to call back, and   the phone  bills were outrageous. One  vet  at the group I use,whowas on call when I needed sheep help,wouldn't  come tothe   phone because  he didn't know anything  about sheep.  I hit  the roof with   thevet tech, and  told her  that Iknew it  wassn't  her fault,  but she better call Tony--the owner of the practice,  and  get him to call me backpronto!   He called back in 3  minutes, came out, and  while  he treated my ewe, he  got an earfull from me about"Mark" the pet vet!    No problem having pet vets,  but  don't make  them the  "call"  vet for  the night, if  he refuses to help!  I think Mark  got a  talking to--it's not  happened since.   Every  time a new vet comes  on with sheep interest, I offer her  (it's always  been a  her) 2-4 free shetland and or jacob  sheep, if she'll have  them,  so   she'll have  some  experience,  and not just  knowledge.   So  far, every  one  has   moved before   having t he space for sheep, but Ikeep trying.    I  figure, if  they actually take the sheep,   they are settling in   and m ight  stay a while,  and  we'll make better partners   in this effort to care  for the  sheep, if she  h as  some.