Suzanne Fariello is a poster child for the new vet. Those friendly, crusty, wise old male vets are mostly gone now, the new vet is likely to be a woman, heavily in debt from school, with a soft side when appropriate and a tough edge when necessary.
The new vet is someone you can talk to, a mix of openness to holistic and alternative treatments and a hard, long and expensive grounding in science. Increasingly, the new vets are in larger practices, the country vets – like Suzanne – usually can’t afford to do that and it’s hard to get part-time or young vets to move to the country.
Suzanne is all of those things – she has a big heart and listens, she is well versed in science, she is a smart businessperson who manages money with efficiency. If you want to get your dogs anal glands expressed, they are happy to do it, but you’ll pay. Vets remind me of the new bookstore owners, one eye on customer service, the other on the bottom line.
I loved the gruff old male vets, they were a breed apart. But there is a new vet world, and I very much like the sensibilities and sensitivities I feel women bring to medicine. All of the doctors I ever deal with now are women, and that really works for me.
She has two highly skilled, efficient, courteous and professional techs backing her up – Cassandra and Nicole – and a savvy and calm receptionist named Lisa out front. I can talk to them about nutrition and pass on symptoms and fears.
The three are a seamless team, moving in sync, the heart of the practice, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any one of them standing around, even for a moment. It is a pleasure and joy to work with people like this. They know I get lost in my own head when I’m writing, and I always get a gentle call just before my appointments to remind me. I always need it.
Sometimes there are two part-time vets, sometimes one.
Suzanne and I have been through a lot of dog crises together, Maria and I have spent a lot of time crying on the floor of her examining room while we put down one wonderful dog after another – Rose, Izzy, Frieda, Lenore, Gus.
Here we go again, we both thought today while Suzanne examined Red. She had that look I know well: Red is failing, let’s make him as comfortable as we can.
Suzanne always asks me what I am feeling and what I am seeing, she knows dog owners know their dogs very well. I know her limits and she knows mine. She always asks if I can live with the situation of the moment. I appreciate that she cares.
I have had “the talk” many times with Suzanne, I don’t have to make decisions in drama or at the moment, we move towards them together, we have an understanding somewhat beyond words. We have always come together in the right place, and she never traffics in arrogance or guilt.
Suzanne would never do anything she thinks is wrong, and I have very strong feelings about being a steward of my dogs – it is my job to keep them from suffering, especially out of selfish reasons.
She knows I find it unethical to subject my dogs to traumatic and expensive surgeries, she knows I don’t think it’s right to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a dog when so many children have no health care at all.
I appreciate her mix of new and old treatments. I’m on board.
She uses science when necessary, and is a passionate advocate for laser treatments and acupuncture, which she has studied intensively, and for the insights and benefits of researched science.
We zig and zag but we always come together at the end. The thing is, I trust Suzanne, she listens to me and to my dogs. It is so important to have “the talks” before there is trouble, and not in the heat of emotion and fear.
She understands my emotions, even when I hide them.
My boundaries are now clear. I want my dog to be able to live the natural life of a dog, or close to it. I do not permit my dogs to suffer. I reject the idea that they will tell me what they want, that is avoidance and cowardice to me.
I think Red will be around a good long while, he will get the rest and peace he needs.
I will know when it’s time, and in consultation with a great vet like Suzanne, I make the best decisions I can for as long as I can. I have never understood why so many people prefer to listen to strangers on the Internet than dedicated and bright vets who have gone to school for six years to study animal health.
I live just down the road from the Cambridge Valley Vet, and am grateful for that. If you want to have a great dog, it is necessary to find a great vet.
Having a vet who knows you well and listens is worth all the money in the world. Dr. Ted Purcell at the Hermitage Vet Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta has been my vet for nearly 30 years. His clinic was only five minutes from my house but when we moved across town and a trip to the clinic took 40 minutes, I didn’t hesitate. Unless it’s an emergency, Dr. Purcell is the only vet in the practice that I will see and I’ve joked with him that he’s not allowed to retire while I still have a dog. My old dog, Tiny, was petrified of the clinic and I didn’t want her last feeling to be fear. Dr. Purcell came to my home to perform the euthanasia and he made arrangements for the cremation. I had to insist that he bill me because he wasn’t going to charge anything. Mandy had to be euthanized on a weekend at another clinic and when I visited Dr. Purcell afterwards, he was almost in tears because he felt bad that he wasn’t there for me. When my friend and I visited the clinic to introduce our new Airedale pups to him, his smile lit up the room when he saw that we had new dogs. I walk with a cane now and Dr. Purcell always asks if I need help getting Heidi in and out of the car and the staff always carries the food to the car for me. You can’t put a price on that; it goes way beyond simply providing a service in return for payment. Dr. Purcell is heavily involved with the local humane society and does weekly TV spots highlighting animals for adoption, but he’s still the warm and caring man from 30 years ago. That’s more than just a vet and, like you, Jon, I feel blessed to have him looking after Heidi and me.
I was so relieved when I finally got to the end of this blog. I thought for sure that you had decided to put Red down. I wasn’t ready for that yet. Before my 14 year old Collie passed last year, it was like living on eggshells. I got up every day and thought, “Is this going to be the day?” When the third day of Tess not being able to walk, we put her into the car and drove to the vet. She is a Collie expert and breeder. When I asked if it was time, she said yes without hesitation. I knew she was right. She gave us time alone and was very compassionate. I always listen to my vet.
What a wonderful partnership! It’s great to find a doctor, vet, or other professional who will actually listen to you and work with you. So glad you have this close at hand.