Bracken went for a scan yesterday. Although I knew she was at the wrong end of the doing well scale, I think it was the first time anyone had said out loud that her heart failure is advanced.
She had had a couple of days when she was a touch slow on her walks. Today was a different matter. She was like a whippet out of the traps, and didn’t slow down until we got home. I did wonder if someone had swapped her overnight, but sadly, her naughtiness in the house proved that they hadn’t.
The cardiologist has switched the diuretics and has suggested I conder a 24 hour ECG because her heart rhythm is a bit odd. She has been barking a lot this week, due to the road resurfacing works, which may last for 3 weeks, so I am wondering if that has something to do with it. I ordered the medication while I was in the practice. The cost, £158 for one month (45 tablets). Erm.
When I arrived home, I checked online and found that I could buy them for £71 for a month. I telephoned the vet and asked them to get me enough tablets for 1 week and for a prescription. I was asked to telephone at just after 11.00 this morning to see if the drugs were in.
When I telephoned, I was told that they had had a discussion, and because they don’t keep these particular meds in stock, and because they come in boxes of 100, they had decided not to order them.
Good of them to have had a discussion! I wonder when they were going to let me know? While I understand that if they had ordered, they would have been left with most of a box of tablets, is it really that difficult to have picked up the phone, explained the situation and asked what I would like to do? I don’t think so.
I am not happy that they couldn’t be bothered to call. Whatever happened to customer service? What is worse, is that these may help with the fluid build up around her heart. The medication is keeping her going, and for a veterinary practice to not have the sense to call and explain is appalling.