Oh, Barb, what a sad and sorry tale. Poor little guy. I shudder to think. I think it is SOP to be on antibiotics after a procedure like that, though. I guess it didn't work on whatever bug had him sick. : ( I would die. I had a few tooth abscesses growing up, on my back molars, and the dentist would just slice them open and drain. Wonder why they just remove the tooth on these guys. Certainly, an abscess needs to be taken care of. Abscesses can cause systemic blood poisining too (whatever the correct term is). As far as routine care, it probably is a good idea to wipe the teeth down periodically. My vet recommends gauze and hydrogen peroxide to get the scum off, esp the back teeth. Two of my kitties would probably tolerate that well. Well, my cats get better medical care (and food!) than I do. I hadn't had my own teeth done in about 15 years. Ha, when I had them done this Summer, the hygienist looked like a deer caught in headlights when I answered that question! She was also in shock when my gums/teeth came up at 3's and 2's (very good). And I only had two cavities to be filled. Maybe that doesn't speak, overall, for what gets into my blood from chewing, but my teeth and gums are in good shape from daily care. One of the big reasons I had stopped getting my teeth done, though, was after reading about disease transferance through the dental drills and other tools. And I also remember how our family dentist had died of some weird (blood, as I recall) disease. Even with all the cleaning they do, there can be remnants from other patients stuck on or lodged in the tools. And, as I recall, there is specific difficulty in managing cross-contamination, in dentistry, with respect to prion diseases. I wonder if they're as careful with the instruments for animals as they're learning to be with people. Will have to ask my vet! They did have a new way of cleaning teeth, though, which I really liked! and the tool would seem safer. Forget the name, but it was with a strong water jet. They just blast the gums and teeth, like a power wash. Wouldn't want to take a blue light to that exam room or tech, though, lol.

Everyone has their own criteria as to what they feel is important and you're certainly entitled to yours. I'm a retired nurse and I know that cleanliness during procedures is important and I also know that those procedures can be done in a state of the art clinic or on the battlefield in a tent and if the medical crew is cognizant of technique, both can be equally safe and effective. It sounds to me like you were less about complaining as remedying the situation so you'd feel comfortable about remaining in this vet's patronage. I think that is positive way to proceed. If you feel that strongly about it, and are uncomfortable facing the vet in conversation compose a letter. Thank him/her for attending your dog, and compliment them on their diagnostic skills. Tell him/her that the cleanliness of their office is hurting their customer confidence. Simple as that. I'm a business owner and although I don't enjoy getting complaints, constructive ones are evaluated and if I agree, acted upon. If you are kind about it, I suspect it would be taken seriously. Perhaps this professional has his/her plate full and just doesn't see the forest for the trees. The only possible reason I can see why you'd not want to do that is their reaction when you take your animal back. That tells me you'd like to. Good luck. Yes, I do discuss things like this, and also fees with my vets. They're not so uppity that they feel threatened by it. It even led to mine switching to a better eye protection product for use in their surgery they'd not considered previously.

frogged, you could replace the word "Vet" with any one of a number of professional job names, change other words to correspond, and be able to tell the same story many times over. Yes, customers (or clients or patients) can be demanding and unreasonable. Yes, the reality of a job once you get into it can be very different from what was expected. Yes, jobs that are demanding and competitive can be stressful. I'm not a vet, but I saw that in my professional career and more and more. So what? There's no excuse for a callous attitude, for a lack of compassion, for incompetence. People who don't like what they do and who can't meet job and client expectations need to find other work to do. Through the actual experiences of a family member, my window into the world of veterinary practice paints a very difficult picture. I hear of satisfaction and rewards beyond what was ever expected. I hear of dedicated and compassionate practitioners who do whatever is necessary to fulfill the trust placed in them to do what they spent years to learn. I hear of people who are very happy about what they do. Is that all? No, some struggle to be competent, to know how to deal with different client and patient situations and for them, being a vet is miserable. Their employers know it and try to move them along when mentoring doesn't work.

I have never encountered such a lack of empathy or professional concern at any of the 3 vet clinics I've frequented over the last 50 or 60 years. If I did I would absolutely find a different vet. All of the vet clinics where I have been a client are AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) certified, and they have very strict standards of care. I would advise, if you do change vets, to seek an AAHA certified clinic. I would be extremely upset at witnessing such inappropriate behavior by staff or doctor, as you were, and it would be splitsville for me. A letter, as suggested by Kashka_kat, is a good idea so that this doctor will know what led his clinic to lose a client. I do think though that this doctor lacks a fundamental empathy and professionalism, and that he has passed this attitude onto his staff. He doesn't sound redeemable to me. On edit, I'm remembering my past experiences when I have had to have my old pets euthanized at the ends of their lives. Sympathy was overwhelming from doctors and staff alike. I have been hugged, handed Kleenex, my deceased pets were handled with respect, wrapped in blankets, and I have received hand written notes of condolence from staff members a day or so later. These small kindnesses resonate greatly at a time of sadness. I'm betting that the poor woman with her dying cat received none of these. It makes me feel very sad for her.