09/05/2026
Commenting was turned off on the post because it was turning into nothing more than an echo chamber. When that happens no positive or worthwhile conversation or discourse comes from it. Then as life goes especially in a very busy business setting life got busy.
To follow up. In the ex-client’s defense, and probably the only thing I will say in defense of his actions, I do believe he was so dead set on hearing yes to the one option he was demanding, that he did not hear or listen to any of the other options that were provided to him. He got hung up on that we require people to use our online pharmacy. That was never stated, it was offered as an option that we use because he was currently out of state. He was adamant about the Chewy situation because of this, he was out of state, could not pick up meds physically from us, or a written script, when the mention of being able to order through our online pharmacy was brought up was when that became the hyperfixation of his attack on my office manager Megan.
The entire gauntlet of manipulation was used all the way from guilt, badgering, threats. At one point she told him “you are not being very nice right now.” Trying to hopefully give him a moment to reflect on how he was acting and talking on the phone, to a human who was genuinely trying to help him. He didn’t miss a beat or a breath of air and told her “oh so now you’re going to play the victim?”
No one was trying to play the victim, we have an office policy of not using chewy for a lot of the reasons that other people pointed out in the original post as well as what we’ve seen personally. Some people want to call me a hypocrite because I do write and fill scripts through Walmart etc. the difference as a clear example, for one my old neighbor two doors down is a pharmacist at my local Walmart, they don’t bully and badger my office or staff, and they aren’t opening vet clinics and stealing clients from my colleagues in other parts of the country and offering substandard care.
On a closing note, I will defend and stand behind my staff, someone has to. I can’t imagine any other receptionist position for example that has to almost, guaranteed, on a weekly basis deal with someone being verbally abusive, rude or downright threatening. People want to know where the vets have gone? They’ve left the building or sadly in the case of many of my colleagues this physical realm. The animals haven’t changed, really honestly the challenges of medicine haven’t changed, the people who own the animals have though. It doesn’t take many people or days like that one to start questioning why we even do this? To get screamed at? Threatened? To be told we don’t care about animals, that we’re greedy, or in one really weird twist a man actually went on a whole tirade to my tech that “I must not like money!” Because I could not fit his orthopedic case dog in who already had an established veterinarian 🤯. No, I care much more about your animal getting the care it needs and still being able to help the animals of my community. The latest of the Google reviews was a call for me and my practice to be investigated by the state board…..because of my office’s policy to not use a predatory supply chain that’s already threatening the veterinary profession nation wide.
We exist in a high stress, lives depend on us everyday world. We handle all of that really well, school and training prepared us for that. What school didn’t prepare us for was having to engage and defend ourselves from psychological warfare because grown adults have the emotional regulation of toddlers but the manipulative tools to be vindictive.
This takes nothing away from the vast amount of our clients that are absolutely wonderful, respectful, and kind people, you all keep us going and continuing to want to show up everyday. You are appreciated and seen even though you don’t make a scene out of everything. We do sincerely appreciate you, your kind words, and your faith in our medical direction.
Keep the faith and fight the good fight!
