Looking for a vet

[RyeGuy74]

I'm welcoming home my hunting pup soon, and may be a dumb question but in your experiences have you ever noticed any differences in vets who have worked with hunting dogs before and those who haven't. Like I said above, may be a dumb question but if there is a major differences I want to find one who has worked with working dogs before! Thanks for all the help, tips, and advice!

 

[Jonesy125]

As far as how competent they are or how they worked on dogs, no I have not noticed a difference. I do feel
like a vet that is around hunting dogs more often would have experience in common hunting related injuries. When I lived in a small town in Eastern Montana I called our vet on a couple different occasions, he finally told me to buy some antibiotic cream
and a disposable stapler ( great advice). I don’t put my dogs in dangerous situations but I did have one that would go through any obstacle in his way to retrieve a bird. He is now 11 and retired from hunting and sleeping peacefully on my couch! My best tip is to buy a k-9 specific first aid kit and have it with you or in your vehicle when hunting with the dogs.

 

[RyeGuy74]

As far as how competent they are or how they worked on dogs, no I have not noticed a difference. I do feel
like a vet that is around hunting dogs more often would have experience in common hunting related injuries. When I lived in a small town in Eastern Montana I called our vet on a couple different occasions, he finally told me to buy some antibiotic cream
and a disposable stapler ( great advice). I don’t put my dogs in dangerous situations but I did have one that would go through any obstacle in his way to retrieve a bird. He is now 11 and retired from hunting and sleeping peacefully on my couch! My best tip is to buy a k-9 specific first aid kit and have it with you or in your vehicle when hunting with the dogs.

I don't think differences was the right word to use on my part. However you mentioned "common hunting related injuries" and that's what I meant! The vets near me I don't think have ever worked with a hunting dog so I was wondering if I should go to a much farther vet that is with working dogs all the time or just stick to my original plan and go to the one down the road

 

[Hunting Wife]

Must be a big city problem There’s one option here, next closest is an hour away, there’s a really good one two hours away.

I don’t think it matters, so long as they are good with dogs. There was a guy in town where we used to live that the locals warned us about early on...”he’s great with cows, but rough on small animals”. But you’d see lots of out of state plates with dog boxes at his office during hunting season

If you have options, my advice would be to ask around if you know other people with dogs. Remember that most puncture wound/stitches/things in ears/etc are common for active dogs, not just working dogs. And anything big (ACL’s, etc) you would likely be referred to a specialist anyway. The biggest thing to keep in mind IMO is logistics for emergency situations. That fancy vet in the next county might not seem like such a good option when you need help RIGHT NOW, and it’s better to have an established relationship with the vet you’ll need to call when the shit really hits the fan than trying to get in to someone you’ve never seen before.

 

[Trial153]

I have kept and bred hounds since I was 20 years old.....23 three years later i still dont have the answer to finding a solid vet in my area. The best luck I have had in the past is using a couple large animal vets. However that has now gone by the way side for me...there arent any left in my area. They all now cater to the uppity horse owners.
I have mitiagted that over the year, and in in all honestly I can do most anything that needs doing myself, from staples to stitches, to starting a line.... most anything short of a C section. I have also cultivated the relataionship needed to acquire any medications and supplies.
Now all that said. If you only keeping one dog or two, and not a kennel of 20...go find yourself a run of the mill vet that is approachable and communicates well. cultivate a relationship with them where they understand your wants and needs and how that translates to your hunting dog. And then make a desicion if they are suitable for you. I wouldn't be overly concerned about their competence because quite frankly we're talking about the care dogs and for the most part one vet of it as good as an another, the difference will be how they communicate and work with you.

 

[OntarioHunter]

The internet is a great help for this issue. Do what you're doing right now any time you have questions about your pup's care. Many of us have experiences we can share that may prove invaluable. Having said that, be very careful about using the net for diagnosis and treatment. The computer monitor cannot examine your dog and you really don't have the knowledge or experience to do it yourself. The net is a great source of knowledge but also misinformation. Cast a wide net and an open mind when using it.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

DVM here. You should get quality care with any DVM. With that stated.... I tend to have a better understanding of how hunting dog owners look at their dog and how they treat the dogs. I also understand how they are used.... not lap dogs. Food, water and exercise are all very different. I will care for the poodles and lap dogs, however I will run to the exam room to see a hunting dog. Try and find a DVM who also has hunting dogs and you'll be in good shape..... we tend to flock together.

 

[JTHOMP]

I really think a more rural vet is better. There are plenty of places in urban areas that I'm sure are good with small animals. However when it comes to afterhours and emergencies they can be much more expensive and less responsive. Just my opinion from a couple incidents. But vets are like any professional. Some people can run a dozer and others can operate it

If asking around for your area be sure to ask how the vets are when on call. Of two vet clinics near me one will likely be too busy with other stuff to immediately see your dog. The other has a vet that is always on call. Used them when my girlfriend's dog ate rat poison during a hurricane and when mine needed staples after a hunt on thanksgiving morning. Having someone answer the phone is very important when you need it.

 

[wolfpup]

I think it makes a difference. Any vet will fix a wound, discuss diet, exercise, etc. A vet that understands a hunting dog will give you ideas on how to band aid in the field, tips on how to medicate before and after a hunt, teach you what to look for after a hunt, let you know what safe doses are good in the field for allergic reaction, etc. A vet that has hunted with dogs understands that a dog will push themselves beyond what they should and will teach you what to look for and how to heal your pup afterward. My dog is retired but still goes on hikes and will let her retrieve in small doses and the vet encourages those things and gave me mild pain pills to help the dog when she pushes hard. The conversations are much more meaningful when you have a vet that understands. My $.02

 

[tim629]

as the son of a couple of vets I would say go with the one you are the most comfortable with, a hunting dog is still a dog, if anything a well behaved hunting dog will be a breeze for the vet as it shouldn't be fat so it will be a matter of finding one that can provide the level of care that you desire. if you just want someone to sell you flea/tick/heartworm and give the vaccines you can find them, if you want one that will diagnose the limp instead of throwing pain pills at it, you can find that vet. no need to find the top of the line specialist at this point that will fix the limp, but a good quality vet that will diagnose and refer when needed is a pretty good one to see on a regular basis in my opinion

 

[Desk Pop]

Yes there is a big difference. I have 10 hunting dogs between hounds and brittanys. When my guy is out of the office and I have to see someone else for an emergency they say stupid shit like, "your dog is skinny."

I reply something like this (depending on how tired I am and how long I had to carry the injured dog): "no, she is actually perfect. You know any fat Ethiopian marathon runners? Any fat Olympic sprinters? No. You see the equivalent of 350 people in obese canines everyday so you're judgement is skewed. This dog can chase a bear 20 miles and catch it and cold trail a lion in a foot and a half of snow all day long. She is an athlete and you're comparing her to the equivalent of 350-pound perpetual pajama-wearing Walmart chubber."

End rant.

 

[BRP]

My first vet after I got my Shorthair was older, wise and had been accustomed working dogs as well as lapdogs. She was reasonable and didn't try to wring cash out of my wallet because she knew better. She retired after a year and the new vet is fine but doesn't compare in knowledge and reasoning. She runs a business geared toward house pets whose owners will pay anything. I miss my old vet.