The Tipping Point

For the past few days, when I checked my emails, I saw at least 10 different emails which were telling me that the email I sent couldn't make it so it got sent back to me.  The problem was, I never sent those emails in the first place.  And whilst I knew there was something wrong, and I did everything that I could do, such as run antivirus, and googled it, the problem didn't really bother me until Saturday afternoon.

I said to myself,   "You have tried everything, so obviously, nothing much can be done, you will just have to change your email address."  But I hadn't tried everything.  I hadn't asked someone who actually knows about this stuff.  When it got to 20 emails over half a day, that was my "tipping point'.  That was the point where I knew I had to do something.

But guess what, it was a Saturday afternoon.  Fortunately, my email provider is a great guy, and they are working to sort that out. It made me think about that "tipping point"... that point that makes us realise that we can't fix whatever problem we have on our own... that point where we say "I need help to get this problem fixed".  I am lucky my computer dude is trying to fix this problem on a weekend.  I wasn't expecting anything to be done until next week.

As a vet, every time someone brings their sick pet in to visit me, it is because something happened that "tipped them over the edge'.  Now, with my email problem, ignoring the problem most likely didn't make it worse.  It was just a nuisance. And now, annoying my computer dude because I waited till Saturday to annoy him about it.  But in our pets, ignoring the problem until it is beyond what you can deal with, can make the difference between whether the problem can be fixed, or be beyond the point of no return.

Referenced from http://hainanproject.org/?p=140 accessed 28th October 2012

And sometimes, it becomes an emergency, for you, your pet and the vet.  And like my email dilemma, it may at a time that is most inconvenient for you and the vet.  Like the picture above.  This actually came from a website talking about Biodiversity, but it showcases the "tipping point" problem - leaving the problem until it is too late, may mean that it will take longer to get better, or we may hit the point where we cannot fix the problem.

All vets are there to help you look after your pet, but you need to be part of the process to.  Tip your "tipping point" to the early stages of the disease process, rather than in the middle or near the end.  Many vets are happy to talk to their pet owners on the phone or via email, but most times, we really need to do the "hands on" check.  Our online consults are designed to give advice but it doesn't replace the "hands on" approach.

 That is, when you notice the "ain't doing right", or 'not himself", that is the time you need to take your pet to the vet. Do not  play the "wait and see" if your gut feeling is telling something is wrong.  Most times, it doesn't work.

Why a Veterinary Appointment?

"Do I need to make an appointment", asks the customer on the other end of the phone.  A very understandable and legitimate question, which many of us ask any provider of a service at the time of the making the enquiry.

Any business or organisation which deals with people, can either provide a "drop in" service, or an appointment system.  There are pros and cons to both.

At Russell Vale Animal Clinic, we provide a "drop off" service, where you can leave your pet for a day stay with us, go out and about and do what you need to do, and come back, with everything done or examined as per your request.   That is the closest to a "drop in" service we can provide.

Simply, because, we operate on an appointment system, where you do need to make an appointment for the vet (which is me, and I am Dr Liz) time to examine each pet individually. We dedicate at least 30 minutes to each visit (from whoa to go).  This type of examination time is not easy to do with a "drop in system", as if you just dropped in, there could be two pets in front of you, and you end up waiting, well, a long time.  Not fun!

When I go to get my hair cut,   I have the choice of going to a "Cutting Hair Place" where I turn up, they cut my hair, I walk out.   I don't know who I am going to get, or how long I am going to wait, but I could be waiting an hour or only 5 minutes, but you are not long in the chair either.  Now, my hair cut wouldn't get me on the cover of Vogue, but it is cut, and I am happy. It is the type of hair service that suits me, as I am not "hair proud".  


Or, I could choose a ABC Hair Centre, get greeted with staff, and have the experience of a  "Day Spa" setting, with juice or coffee, my choice of hairdresser, lots of time to decide which hair style to take, and leave several hours later, all prettied up ... with the same hair cut style, but a different experience.

It would not be reasonable for me to walk into "Cutting Hair Place" and expect to have the hairdresser of my choice, not have to wait long, have a great hair cut experience.    I just want my hair cut. And if I walked into ABC Hair Centre without an appointment, they will usually say the next one is next week, as they are all full up.

We are a family vet practice, with me at the helm... I  do housecalls, surgeries, as well as consultations for pets.  It is all about being stress free for the pets, and the only way we could do was to make all veterinary visits "by appointment only." A "Doggie Day Spa" experience, if you like, because we can't do each visit properly if the waiting room  has 5 pets all waiting to be seen now.

A Veterinary Appointment means that your pet gets the individual care, attention and time needed, to being able to address the problems that may need to be addressed.    And that is what every pet deserves.

Making an appointment has never been easier, with our online booking system, which means you can make your appointment online, easily.  We also accept appointments via email, and obviously, the age old method of phone.

But then, it all depends on what suits your pet and you.  I like working with and for animals, to make their visits to the vet as happy as we can.

Petshop or Vetshop?

Is your  local veterinary hospital a petshop or a vetshop?

In many instances around the world, many veterinary hospitals also have "retail space" for the flea control, worming, foods, etc for all pets.   This retail space is not to make money,  but to make sure the pet's entire needs are catered for, simply and easily for you, the pet owner.

I was challenged by a web designer the other day in a webinar, that does my website look like a pet shop or a veterinary hospital?  It wasn't directed towards me, as such, but as a general question to all veterinarians during this webinar.

So I looked at some past photos of my veterinary hospital, and I looked at my website, and, I am not sure what you all think of it?

I know I have a beautiful photos of the foods and shampoos that we sell.  It looked very professional, and it was taken by my daughter.

We stock alot of different shampoos, conditioners, flea and tick treatments, pet dental hygiene products etc etc  all of which are products which I use, or have used, or will use, in my own pets if I ever needed to. That is, I stand by these products.

But does that makes me look like a pet shop?  And aren't all pet shops are  same?  Even the online ones all look the same, stock the same stuff, and the only thing you are looking at then, is the bottom line for you... how much is it, can I get it cheaper elsewhere.

Russell Vale Animal Clinic even has its own online shop, called animalclinic. You can visit our store at animalclinic.myshopify.com  It, like our vet clinic, is not a pet shop. If yo come to check us out, you will see that our shop, provides solutions to problems, rather than just product on shelves.

 And then I look at the photos of my veterinary facility...the equipment that I have, from my pathology laboratory, veterinary library, operating theatre with all of its gadgets and things that go beep and flash numbers, to the xray machine, and the pet's bedding and housing just to name a few....  and I know I have a veterinary  hospital.  A full blooded veterinary hospital capable of doing surgeries, blood and urine testing, diagnosing and treating of medical diseases, and loads more.

 But we are more than just the equipment that is in the building.   We are solutions to problems.
 "It is the knowledge and care which we provide which makes all the difference", is what has been written on our bags, our folders and our website for over 10 years.  Recently, we have said we are for "Happy, healthy pets", as it is all about sending the message out that we are for happy and healthy pets, always.

But the situation is the same now as it was when we opened in 1998.  Whether we are a vet shop or pet shop, we are animal lovers, and we have a veterinary facility packed with equipment and stock to allow us to do it to the best of our ability.

After all, we are your first stop to a solution to  your pet's problems. And that, my friends, is priceless.