At times we can have a pretty busy practice. Appointments can get booked like in any doctor's office, especially on weekends. I don't like turning clients away as I know what it's like to not be able to get to see a doctor when you really need to, so I try to get everyone in the same day if possible. However, we can't put every pet into an appointment slot and still get to see the scheduled patients in a reasonable amount of time. To get around that we will have clients drop their pets off with us and we will see them between appointments or during brief lulls. In this way we can see the most number of pets possible and still stay on schedule.
However, some clients aren't satisfied with this plan. In the last couple of days I've had a couple of people get upset with us at the idea of dropping off their pet. The comment we keep getting is "I wouldn't drop off my kid at the doctor and I'm not doing that with my dog!" Then they get upset when we tell them that all scheduled appointments are filled, and without dropping off we couldn't see them the same day. We are trying to find a way for their pet to be seen without waiting for another day, yet they won't accept the option that we give them.
As much as I believe in pets being family members, I don't think they are the same as a human child. Leaving a dog or a cat at a vet or boarding facility isn't abandoning them. While I also wouldn't just leave my children alone at a doctor's office, these aren't people that we're talking about. Pets generally do quite well in circumstances like this, and most of them don't become as stressed as their owners believe they will be.
Frankly, I know many vets who aren't as concerned about seeing every pet the same day, and would be very happy to push them until an appointment on the next day or even later. Maybe it's presumptuous of me, but I think that clients should be grateful when a vet works hard to get them in the same day. I've certainly been very happy when my own physician works me in on the same day I need, even if I have to wait for a long time.
Thankfully, most clients aren't like this, and are content to leave their pets with us. It certainly helps our daily flow and ensures all pets get the care they need.
