Originally Posted by dagny0823

That's an interesting observation. I took my cat to my regular vet about 3 weeks ago and she ended up seeing the new female vet in the practice who I'd never met before. I left thinking she was an utter harpy who manhandled my cat and talked down to me. Well, yesterday my corgi had to be rushed in for rear-leg paralysis (he's got IVDD apparently and his calcifying discs are fragmenting and pushing on his spinal cord). Although I requested the regular vet, we saw the harpy again. She was the nicest person on earth--took time with the dog, was gentle and caring and quite wonderful. Turns out she has corgis herself, one who is paralized, and I made the observation that she is really a doggy vet who isn't really interested in dealing with cats.

Years ago, when the corgi was a puppy, he was playing with the kittens and herding them and nipped one. She seemed fine, and there were no outward marks for days, and she continued to cuddle and play with the dog. A few days later, she needed emergency surgery for the infection--he actually did break the skin. The emergency vet was obviously a cat person--she referred to Aber as "that dog" and "the killer dog", and warned me to never let them have contact again. (Never mind that 9 years later, cat and dog are still the closest of buddies and she kneads him and cuddles every chance she gets).

It makes a huge difference if the individual vet has a preference.

Originally Posted by mollythecollie

I am both a cat and dog person, most vets have experience with both and care just as much about both.
Feline advisory bureau have have an award scheme for 'cat friendly' practices, their is a list on their website.

Originally Posted by Lulu's owner

Surely anybody can tell the difference between flea dirt and soil, you don't have to be a highly trained vet. All you have to do is comb a bit onto some white paper, wet it very slightly and see if it turns red. If it does, it's got blood in it and it's from fleas, if it doesn't, it's not flea dirt.