Why are most Vet techs rude?

Question

I have noticed that at several vets I have visited, the techs are extreamly rude. Do they have it that bad? I know its not just me cause family and friends have wondered the same things... If your a tech and can explain the conduct please do so!

Answer 1

I've brought my animals to clinics for many, many years, and I've never encountered rude employees. I have encountered a few short-tempered vets.

Maybe the people you've met are disgusted by your behavior, or requests.

People ask vets, techs and receptionists for the strangest things. They call vet clinics and ask employees to diagnose illness over the phone. Customers try to get medicine and vaccinations without an exam.

Some pet owners can be so cheap, doing anything to avoid a costly vet visit, while putting the life of their animal at risk. Many wait until it's too late before they're willing to bring the animal to the vet.

As a vet clinic employee, it's easy to get disgusted. Often times, the life of an animal has a price tag. For some - it's a very low price, and will ask to have an animal euthanized, rather than pay for a $50 test.

As for techs - people ask them questions that techs are not qualified, able, or permitted to answer.

People are uneducated. Some know very little about their pet, and don't seem to care, either.

People are rude - they drop off unwanted pets, stray animals, dead animals, wild animals, and other "non-paying" patients at vet clinics. Vets are a business, not a charity.

Finally, if you've ever worked at a clinic, you'd know that they are usually very busy. The phones ring, and customers are often waiting on hold. It's a professional environment, and there isn't much extra time for idle chit-chat.

Answer 2

I used to be a vet tech and was NEVER rude to clients although they were horrible and rude to me. The doctors required that we bend over backwards for the clients, and still this did not help in the treatment they gave us. The clients have NO respect for the techs because they are NOT doctors. The doctors also disrespect the techs and treat them like crap. There was also ALWAYS a war between the front office receptionists and the techs..once again, the receptionist gave the techs a hard time. The pay is not great, the hours are extremely long, and the vets I worked for never let me have holidays off as someone had to be there to assist the vet with treatments on holidays...or I would have to do treatments on my own on holidays, while they took the day off. I missed many family gatherings and spend many holidays alone. I loved the animal aspect of being a vet tech, but I become extremely depressed with the people aspect of the job, and got out of that field. Looking back...I cannot believe all the disrespect and abuse I took there. Am much happier now working as a wildlife biologist where I study animals that have NO owners!! Some of the answers here agreeing that vet techs are nasty or have no right being rude..I dare you to work as a vet tech for a couple months and see how your opinion would be instantly changed after you get treated WORSE than a criminal.

Answer 3

I was a vet assistant for a while and I was never rude to the client and was always gentle with their pet. In fact, after I left when I ran into the clients with pets that had illnesses that required continued treatments, they all begged me to come back. They all said their pet wasn't as stressed by the vet visit when I was working. I left the job because the pay was okay, but I wasn't getting enough hours -- asked for more and weren't available. Being the newest hire, the time went to the older assistants (no techs at this clinic).

By the way, your complaint matches the complaints against the then senior assistant at this clinic. She has quit, but I wonder how much business she hurt first.

The vet tech is a vital position with the vet's office. That person is responsible for animal care, but also public relations. That person is a vital link between the client and the veterinarian(s). From my research, the pay is fairly decent. I am in one of the lower paying areas and a tech with only a few years experience can make in the range of mid to upper $20,000 a year here. Not a great salary, but okay for this area.

So, If you are having a problem with the vet tech and it is more than 'having a busy/bad day', ask to speak with the office manager. If there is no office manager, ask to have a private meeting with the vet. When you make your complaint, describe the tech's behavior in objective terms, such as roughly handles your pet, you gave the tech information that wasn't added to the patient file that you believe was important to the diagnosis/treatment, or as the tech spoke with you, he/she was abrupt or rude when you asked for clarification on treatment/medicine dosage, etc.

I'm lucky, the vet techs at the hospital I now use are wonderful, kind, gentle and sweet with my cats. I can't imagine going to any other vet.

Purrs to you and your pets.

Answer 4

I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician and I hope I don't come off as being rude. I love working with animals, and I have formed a good relationship with many of the clients and patients that come in. I truly love their animals. I guess some people are just miserable no matter what. I'm sure if you keep looking, you will find a vet clinic that is right for you, where the vet techs and veterinarians are polite, and truly love your pet.

Answer 5

The only thing I can think of is that some are on a little bit of a power trip. They're not a dr. but they're not just an assistant and the majority of the problem I've found is that they think they know everything. More so than the pet owners they deal with. A lot of people in the animal world become so jaded after years of dealing with the people they encounter that everyone they ever deal with suffers.

I don't let vet techs touch any of my birds at my vets office. The only one that does anything to them is my avian vet and I hold them in the towel. I know of a few that have died from stress from being toweled incorrectly and for too long at the hands of some know it all vet techs.

Answer 6

Depends on where you work. I work at a mostly cat shelter and pretty much do all the euthanasia's. At the vet hospitals where I have worked, the vets did the ones that the clients wanted to be there for, but the ones that came into the back were done by the vet techs. It is part of the job. I pretty much love my job...except for killing loads of cats that are sick or cannot find homes.

Answer 7

Being paid crap & not enjoying dealing with the public is no excuse to be rude. It's a part of the job & if you don't like it, get out of it, simple as that!

I haven't come across a rude vet tech myself (not in person anyway) but if they're rude then you should complain to the vet about this.

Answer 8

I honestly don't have any answer for you! I guess it all comes down to customer service. If your having problems @ your Vet's office, I'd talk to them about the quality of treatment your getting.

I personally treat everyone with respect and try to answer any questions to the best of my knowledge. Even when I'm busy, I try to take time for each individual client. I also greet everyone who walks thru the door (I sometimes work the front office as well when busy), even if I can't help them right away.

Some people are just plain rude! That's the only right answer, I find bad customer service EVERYWHERE! Find a new Vet, that's also a large complaint with human Doctor's offices as well, they LOVE their Doctor, but the staff sucks!

Hope your experiences get better, it's not all of us....just a few bad seeds!

Answer 9

Hm...perhaps you should talk to the vets about the tech's behavior?

I only go to one clinic for all of my animals, the vet techs, and the front desk ladies are all very friendly and nice. So are the vets, very friendly, very gentle with your animals, etc.

I wonder why the ones in your area are 'rude'.

Answer 10

i noticed this. but have you SEEN yahoo answers? someone let their bird's broken leg "drop off" after a cat bite, THEN BOUGHT A CAT, and then asks how to teach the bird to whisltle tunes?

i think ppl who work with animals go thru a phase when they really hate the featherless 2-legged kind and don't know how to keep their hate inside them where it doesn't show.

i know from a mental point of view that i have a greater chance of influencing abusers of birds to do the right thiing if i kiss their rear and say conforting junk like "i know you are doing all you can". But i don't. it would be a lie. they are NOT doing all they can if they shove the birds into a garage!

i think if i was working with a vet, it would take me 2-3 years to learn how to be nice to animal abusers for the sake of the animal's welfare (and my job).

there is an old lady at the bird pet store i go to who was rude to me once when my african grey was feather picking. the gry lives with my dad now and does not pick. i didn't take it personally. i know she only cared about the bird! as did i! (she did talk me into buing some vitamin oil that still hadn't been fed to the bird -- he was only picking because i had a job and he had to be alone!)