Leave vet over heartworm medication policy?

[Anonymous]

I have been seeing my current vet for over 5 years and I have a dog that is now entering his teen years. I tried to renew heartworm medication but was denied even though the dog had a negative heartworm test this year and every single year prior to that. I've never owned a heartworm positive dog. The reasoning is that they said they have no proof he is on meds even though he has a current negative test. Last year I went to a vaccine/heartworm clinic because of moving around so much and got him tested there and bought meds there rather than with them or online. I've been at this clinic for years and have literally have spent thousands of dollars on my pets there. While they said they believe me they need proof due to an FDA requirement. I tried finding the requirement online but could find none other that a recommendation that a pet tests negative before giving heartworm meds. They are going to require that I physically bring the medication pack in as proof. I feel like they don't trust me and feel a bit insulted and like I'm being treated like a child. Would you leave this clinic?

[Anonymous]

They should drop you as a patient.

[Anonymous]

No. You do realize that you could kill your pet if you lied to them, right? Call wherever you got the meds from and have them fax the record.

[Anonymous]

I would leave

[Anonymous]

They can't take your word for it. You could very easily be lying. It's better to have a strict policy so that people can't wiggle their way out of it. See people do it all the time where I work.

[Anonymous]

Irritating. But do you have the reciept from the other place where you got last year's prescritption?

Also, confused about requiring a negative test- if you are giving your dog heartworm prevention medication consistently, why to they need a negative test?

[Anonymous]

I would be happy my vet didn't just take someone's word for it. Too many crazies out there who lie.

[Anonymous]

I would leave, some places would rather a dog get heartworms than lose money with excessive visits. Another thing you can do is get a prescription and use a rx mail to your home service.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand their stance at all, OP.

If they have no proof he is on heartworm meds, wouldn't it make sense for them to prescribe meds to this dog?

I've only ever had one vet for my dog, and he has never asked for heartworm testing. He just sends me heartworm medication every six months.

There is no FDA requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can't take your word for it. You could very easily be lying. It's better to have a strict policy so that people can't wiggle their way out of it. See people do it all the time where I work.

My point is we've had a dr./patient relationship for years so the idea that I'm lying to them feel insulting and the dog was tested in 2021 and was found to be negative. If I had a stray dog that came with no known medication status to start them on meds I would need a negative test. The idea that I need to prove both feels ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been seeing my current vet for over 5 years and I have a dog that is now entering his teen years. I tried to renew heartworm medication but was denied even though the dog had a negative heartworm test this year and every single year prior to that. I've never owned a heartworm positive dog. The reasoning is that they said they have no proof he is on meds even though he has a current negative test. Last year I went to a vaccine/heartworm clinic because of moving around so much and got him tested there and bought meds there rather than with them or online. I've been at this clinic for years and have literally have spent thousands of dollars on my pets there. While they said they believe me they need proof due to an FDA requirement. I tried finding the requirement online but could find none other that a recommendation that a pet tests negative before giving heartworm meds. They are going to require that I physically bring the medication pack in as proof. I feel like they don't trust me and feel a bit insulted and like I'm being treated like a child. Would you leave this clinic?

According to that standard no rescue do would ever be able to start hear worm medication. I doubt our rescue had ever seen a vet let alone been on any regular medications when we got him, our vet gave him a heart worm test and then started medication once they got a negative result

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Irritating. But do you have the reciept from the other place where you got last year's prescritption?

Also, confused about requiring a negative test- if you are giving your dog heartworm prevention medication consistently, why to they need a negative test?

Right? They wand BOTH a 2021 negative test which he has and was done at their clinic AND proof of currently being on medication. The medication came from another clinic last year due to moving around for work. It's like a catch-22. At other vet places I've been to all you needed was a current negative heartworm test.

[Anonymous]

FYI, vets are completely swamped, OP, with distancing policies reducing number of personnel inside and the explosion of pandemic puppies.

So this could a way of shutting the door on you.

Before you leave, I would try and talk with someone else - maybe the person you talked to did not understand your situation.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s childish to feel insulted over their policy. If you don’t like their policy, that’s one thing, but expecting them to think, “but I like OP; she’s a nice person, so we won’t enforce the policy,” is silly on your part. If you’ve been with them five years and for thousands of dollars, sounds like you really trust them. Maybe the reason they have earned your trust is that they are super cautious, but this time it is to your detriment? At any rate, they won’t care if you leave, so do what makes you comfortable. I’d be looking at the overall picture and track record on vet care, not this one policy, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s childish to feel insulted over their policy. If you don’t like their policy, that’s one thing, but expecting them to think, “but I like OP; she’s a nice person, so we won’t enforce the policy,” is silly on your part. If you’ve been with them five years and for thousands of dollars, sounds like you really trust them. Maybe the reason they have earned your trust is that they are super cautious, but this time it is to your detriment? At any rate, they won’t care if you leave, so do what makes you comfortable. I’d be looking at the overall picture and track record on vet care, not this one policy, though.

This policy is not practical or supported by any medical need, so I get the OP's frustration.