396. The pet shop girls wanted to kill the young vet

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

"The young vet held the Miniature Schnauzer puppy's chest with one hand, twirl it 360 degrees, flick it upside down and downside up, left to right and right to left..." the pet shop girl No. 1 complained to me as I was at the pet shop vaccinating the puppies. "As if it is a can of Coca Cola. This is a live creature."

"He did not even have the courtesy to speak to me directly," the pet shop owner said from behind the tall counter, "but to my staff when he asked about the puppy. One left hand on his hip, like a 'yaya (arrogant person)'".



Fortunately for me this owner did not notice that I had my left hand on my hip as the tall receptionist counter blocked her view. I quickly removed my hand so as not to appear a 'yaya'.

"We are so stressed," pet shop girl No. 2 emphasized. "The puppy was stressed by the poking and swinging around as the vet examined it for his friend. We were more stressed and wanted to hack him to death!"

I wished that the Australian vet school teachers had lectured on how to behave and examine a pet shop puppy on behalf of a friend at the pet shop. It would be good for new vets when they go out on their own. I never had such lectures but then that was 30 years ago.

"We all learn from experience," I said. "What I normally do is to introduce myself to the owner of the pet shop and seek his permission to examine the puppy on behalf of my friend, the prospective buyer. It is best not to examine the puppy at the pet shop because there are no proper facilities available.

In this case, the puppy was not purchased. But ill feelings were generated. This vet would be banished from the pet shop.

I suggested further, "From this experience, you may need to have a "No veterinary examination at our pet shop" notice. I pointed to the "Goods Sold are not exchangeable or reurnable notice" placed high on the reception counter wall.

There was no reply from the 3 ladies. "Maybe, a notice saying that puppies are to be examined only after purchased, at the veterinary premises. I mean, if every prospective buyer brings a vet to examine the puppy every day for the next 30 days, all your puppies would be stressed out by handling. Some may fall ill and this does happen."

"Let me put a chapter of how to do a puppy examination at the pet shop in my book," I said. The pet shop owner nodded her head "Thank you."

The 3 ladies had cooled down a bit. There were pet shop clients around. I had to do some disaster damage for the veterinary profession by listening. As I left, the girls shouted "goodbye Dr Sing," so loudly that I did not know where to hide.

In conclusion, it is best to seek permission from the shop owner prior to pre-purchase examination. Get an examination table to do a good job. Except for very close friends, I will not do such examinations at the pet shop.

Why?

Common sense?

If the prospective buyer does not buy the puppy, there is ill will created and my name gets blackened. If the buyer finds that there is something wrong with the puppy through a second opinion, the lack of proper facilities to do a good veterinary examination at the pet shop opens a possible litigation for the first vet.

I wish all vet schools would have conducted such lectures to the final year students. But there are so many things that need to be taught. So, I doubt any professor will do this lecture.