I stopped by to visit my friends at a local vet office today and we got to chatting about patient do’s and don’ts. I asked them if they had any human client pet peeves, and wouldn’t you know it, the floodgates opened wide. My veterinarian friends and their vet techs offered up an impressive list of bothersome traits.

Think you might have peeved your vet? Here’s your chance to find out.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the Top Ten Vet Peeves List:

1. Letting your pet greet other pets in the waiting room without permission. The waiting area in most vet offices is typically small and filled with agitated animals. Sure, your pup is just there for a nail trim, but the dog two seats over is dealing with a serious case of diarrhea and the discomfort that comes with it. He doesn’t want a face full of puppy, and he’ll make that very clear. With his teeth.

2. Extendible leashes in the waiting room. Tight space + sick animals + 15 feet of freedom = a big mess. Flexible leashes turn an already stressful room into a potential battle zone. See number 1.

3. Laughing when your dog bites the veterinarian. Really? People actually do this? The vets assured me that it happens – often – and that the laughter is usually accompanied by the person saying “Oh, what did that big bad vet do to you, Fido?” Yeah, the vets ain’t laughing with you.

4. Praising your dog as he growls. The vet office is bound to evoke some unusual canine reactions, but growling and surliness are serious business and need to be treated as such. Telling Fido “It’s ok sweetie, it’s ok!” as he growls at the vet tech is not a sound strategy.

5. Mentioning your pet’s sensitive areas after the fact. “Fido bit you? Oh, I should have told you that he hates to have his feet examined.” Too late, and thanks for the bleeding wounds.

6. Giving your child a pet as a “gift”. We’ve covered this one too, folks. Pets aren’t presents.

7. New puppy, no money. New puppy parenthood comes with boatloads of responsibilities, and a yacht-load of bills. Vets can’t understand the sticker-shock expressed by their new puppy clients. Thorough research, that oft neglected step of getting a dog, would have left little doubt as to the high costs associated with puppyhood.

8. Forcing the vet to give you a breast exam as she examines your pet. Clingy pet parents, beware: if you can’t surrender your pet to the vet for examination, be prepared for accidental chest grazes and gropes. The exam table is there for a reason. Put your pet on it and let your vet do her job.

9. “Doctor, the treatment you suggested didn’t work …” “ …Um, no I didn’t finish the pain meds. Or the antibiotics. But why is he still sick?”

10. Not researching your breed. (Amen, my veterinarian brothers and sisters, I’m with you on this one.) You wanted a small dog so you got a Jack Russell. Any JRT owners care to comment on just how “small” the breed really is? You’re a starving college student and you got an English Bulldog because you like how they look. What happens when the breed’s far-too-common genetic defects start surfacing, and the vet bills pile up? When I meet with new clients I’ll often ask why they selected a certain breed. (The correct answer begins with “I did a ton of research and…”) When I hear “I just wanted a pretty dog,” I want to head for the hills.

Did you recognize yourself on this list? It’s never too late to add a New Year resolution … why not vow to be a better patient and make your vet’s job a little easier?

Any "Vet Peeves" that happen at your animal hospital? Leave a comment and tell me about it!