1140. Management of practice: 2 growling big mongrels

Yesterday, I noticed that 2 mongrels (male and female) were kept in the room. As I opened the door, they growled. We don't have space to house big dogs esp. the male Great Dane Cross. In any case, the owner wanted the dogs back on the same day. We also had a Husky in for treatment of constipation for the next few days and one big dog is sufficient.

"Why are the dogs not sterilised?" I asked Dr A.
"I didn't know Min is off today."
"Don't accept big fierce dogs if you can't handle them. Phone the owner and ask her to take rthem back! The vet in charge has to take responsibility for the sedation, not Mr Min. I have two vets and must we wait for Min to do it tomorrow?"

I advised the two vets how to get the male dog sedated without being bitten.

Dr B went to the room to get the male dog out. Gently talking to them and as the dogs have leashes, he could just talk his way in and take the male dog out. I asked the clients with the Beagle to go out of the clinic first.

 "Muzzling is not possible," Dr B tried outside the clinic but the male cream dog would not accept it. "Why don't you try?"

I am no superman. Drs A and B managed to inject the sedatives IM behind the waiting room and so I did not see how they did it. I did advise blocking the chest and head with the door closed on this part of the body while Dr A injected the back muscles.

"What happens if Dr B gets bitten?" Dr A asked me during the post-op discussion.
"In the first place, Dr B should understand dog pyschology and body language and he would not be bitten in the first place. Most dogs give warning e.g. growling and if the vet ignores it, he deserves to be bitten.

It was 9.30 pm when the male dog was picked up by the owner. As the clinic manager, I have to ensure that the work processes are efficiently and effectively done. Otherwise, the practice loses money for every case handled. This accountancy is not obvious to the employee vets who still gets the salary anyway.