![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
draggonlaadyThe other day, I got a message from the receptionist that someone'd called with a ferret question while I was in an appointment. I called back at about 4:30 in the afternoon.
Turns out that the person who called not only doesn't own the ferrets, she effectively knows nothing about them...even basic things like are they male or female ferrets. So I tell her that I can't give her any useful answers unless I know more about the situation. Please have the actual owner call me. She asks what prices for an exam, and what price for euthanasia and says she'll have the owner call.
At six o-fucking-clock the next morning, the owner calls me on the emergency phone. Wants to know how much it costs to euthanize a ferret, because she's "done everything" and the ferret's just in "horrible pain" and on and on. Says the ferret is constipated, which, while possible, is rather unlikely--it's much more likely that it's had diarrhea and is just straining because it's irritated. Apparently her "everything" includes giving the ferret enemas but not actually bothering to have a (gasp!) doctor examine the ferret. Also she doesn't see any possible correlation to feeding the ferret cat food instead of ferret food and it having GI problems. (Can't be the problem...he's been eating that food for years. Yeah. And smoking can't be causing your cough, you've been smoking for years now and the cough's new, right?)
When I ask her if she really thinks this is a six o'clock in the morning thing, because at six a euthanasia costs $75, she busts out crying. I explain that during office hours, it's $7.50. She wants to make an appointment. I point out that I'm at home. in bed. i don't have the appointment book. I suggest she call back after 8:00. She starts crying again. Between sobs, she says her sister's coming into town at 8:00 and she just wants to know if she should bring the ferret with her. I explain that I'm sure we'll have time to euthanize the ferret today, but I don't know WHAT TIME because I don't have the appointment book. She can certainly show up at 8:00, but she might have to wait a few minutes. She sobbingly apologizes for waking me up and hangs up (another one, by the way, who never bothered to tell me her name).
Shortly after 8:00, she calls the clinic and talks to the receptionist, who mistakenly quotes her the price for a dog euthanasia. Woman freaks out, yells at receptionist, and hangs up.
At about 9:00, she calls back again. I answer the phone, tell her the price again, and set up an appointment...for 11:15. I offered several earlier appointments, because I thought she was kind of in a hurry, what with the calling at 6:00 on the emergency line and all. She wanted that time.
She never showed up.
Turns out that the person who called not only doesn't own the ferrets, she effectively knows nothing about them...even basic things like are they male or female ferrets. So I tell her that I can't give her any useful answers unless I know more about the situation. Please have the actual owner call me. She asks what prices for an exam, and what price for euthanasia and says she'll have the owner call.
At six o-fucking-clock the next morning, the owner calls me on the emergency phone. Wants to know how much it costs to euthanize a ferret, because she's "done everything" and the ferret's just in "horrible pain" and on and on. Says the ferret is constipated, which, while possible, is rather unlikely--it's much more likely that it's had diarrhea and is just straining because it's irritated. Apparently her "everything" includes giving the ferret enemas but not actually bothering to have a (gasp!) doctor examine the ferret. Also she doesn't see any possible correlation to feeding the ferret cat food instead of ferret food and it having GI problems. (Can't be the problem...he's been eating that food for years. Yeah. And smoking can't be causing your cough, you've been smoking for years now and the cough's new, right?)
When I ask her if she really thinks this is a six o'clock in the morning thing, because at six a euthanasia costs $75, she busts out crying. I explain that during office hours, it's $7.50. She wants to make an appointment. I point out that I'm at home. in bed. i don't have the appointment book. I suggest she call back after 8:00. She starts crying again. Between sobs, she says her sister's coming into town at 8:00 and she just wants to know if she should bring the ferret with her. I explain that I'm sure we'll have time to euthanize the ferret today, but I don't know WHAT TIME because I don't have the appointment book. She can certainly show up at 8:00, but she might have to wait a few minutes. She sobbingly apologizes for waking me up and hangs up (another one, by the way, who never bothered to tell me her name).
Shortly after 8:00, she calls the clinic and talks to the receptionist, who mistakenly quotes her the price for a dog euthanasia. Woman freaks out, yells at receptionist, and hangs up.
At about 9:00, she calls back again. I answer the phone, tell her the price again, and set up an appointment...for 11:15. I offered several earlier appointments, because I thought she was kind of in a hurry, what with the calling at 6:00 on the emergency line and all. She wanted that time.
She never showed up.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 12:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 02:57 pm (UTC)Do dogs and cats use tools?
no subject
Date: 2007-06-29 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-30 12:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 12:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-01 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 01:10 pm (UTC)