For context, I've used Vetco on multiple occasions because of the affordability cpaeed to expensive veterinary establishments. Vetco has always been 5 stars. No issues prior to today.
Today I took my well-behaved, people-loving, extremely happy, Standard Poodle in for her 3-year rabies. They added on the 5-in-1 DA2PP (Distemper), as well as a Leptospirosis. She is fully vaccinated and has had these all exactly when due, per the puppy vaccination schedule. They told me she was due for the additional vaccinations, so okay, no problem.
Because of fairly recent major surgeries I have had, I have my dog trained to a Herm Sprenger prong collar. --- It is not a torture device for those that judge this tool without understanding how it actually works, it does no damage whatsoever - but what will do damage is when this particular tool is used incorrectly, not sized properly, left on when not in use, and when it isn't sitting properly on the dog's neck. --- So, here's where the problem came in: the woman assistant, "Archie", knelt down and very quickly put my dog in a bear hug with her giant man arms, presumably to hold her in place, only my dog was just standing there. My dog looked confused and terrified and naturally began to struggle a bit. There was no warning, it was done very quickly. A,little bavkgroumd: my dog came from a breeder that does ENS, and she is groomed regularly, so she has ZERO ISSUES with being handled. She's kept in a traditional Poodle clip. She has her face and feet shaved bi-weekly. I wasn't asked how she did with handling, or with vaccinations, and though she is 50 pounds, she is a petite girl. Anyways, this assistant's giant arms wrapped around my girl's neck, squeezing the prong collar against her neck, resulting in her whimpering because it hurt. I told this very large woman to let go of her neck because she had a prong collar on. She moved her arm and placed it back against the prong collar AGAIN. I repeated myself and said very directly "SHE IS WEARING A PRONG COLLAR, YOU ARE PRESSING IT INTO HER NECK, LET GO OF HER NECK, YOU ARE HURTING HER". I had to reach down and grab the collar in an effort to pull it away from her skin because this woman wouldn't listen and she wasn't letting go of my dog. Whether she wasn't understanding, or was choosing to ignore me, I do not know, but she was not listening to the words coming out of my mouth, nor noticing how uncomfortable my dog was with the way she was handling her.
In all of the times I have used Vetco for their services I have never dealt with such deafening incompetence and irnorance. You'd think the vet would've instructed her to LET GO. I am thoroughly disappointed with this morning's visit. My dog hasn't left my side since we got home. This visit clearly affected her negativel. My dog at no time gave any indication that she was, or was going to be, difficult to handle. She walked in wiggly and happy to greet everyone, which isn't just typical of my dog, but it's pretty typical of the breed itself. This was a horrible, negative experience for her. This is not how she has been handled by any vets or techs EVER. This is not how I expect my non-aggressive, calm, happy dog to be handled. She handled her so tightly around her neck that when I got home I combed around her neck to check her thoroughly to ensure she didn't have any puncture marks from the collar.
Aside of the aforementioned, upon review of her paperwork under "Wellness Exam", next to "Temperature", it states "Unable to Obtain". At no time a rectal thermometer brought out, so a temperature wasn't something that they even tried to obtain. Next to Pulse it states "100", but at no time were any vitals taken. For everything else listed it states "Normal", only NOTHING was looked at. Not her skin, not her eyes, not her nails, not her ears - nothing. Next to Mouth/Dental it says "Normal" as well. At no time did anyone lift her lips, look at her gums, look at her tongue, or check her teeth or her bite. I won't be taking my dog to Vetco again.