Call of the Day: International Edition

by | Tuesday | April 20, 2010 | 34 comments

Before I regale you with today’s call, just a reminder the Book-A-Day Giveaway goes all week! Every commenter today before 9 pm PST is entered today in another chance to win Susannah Charleson’s Scent of the Missing!

Receptionist: Hello, how may I help you?

Person: Yeah, I’m in Bangkok and I need to do a favor for a friend.

Receptionist: Errr……OK…..

Person: So, my friend has a cat and he has a mass on his leg. I want to e-mail you some pictures, pay a consultation fee and have the doctor tell us what they think it is and what we should do.

Receptionist: And the cat is a client of ours?

Person (irritated): Uh no, he’s here in Bangkok. But I’ve come in to see you once for a rabies vaccination a few years ago.

Receptionist: I’m pretty sure we can’t do that.

Person: Can I speak to an office manager?

(person sits on the phone on hold, presumably from Bangkok, while the receptionist tracks down the office manager and explains the situation.)

Person: I don’t see what’s so complicated about this. You haven’t even asked the doctor, have you? Can’t you just give me the doctor’s e-mail and I will explain it to them?

OM: No, I’m afraid I can’t do that. It just….it just violates a lot of laws to practice medicine that way.

Person: This is ridiculous. I’m not asking them to do anything, just make a diagnosis. Just tell me the e-mail.

OM: Don’t they have veterinarians in Bangkok?

*dial tone*

Today’s Book-A-Day Winner, selected by random.org is Tammy! Send me your info!

Filed: Daily Life
  • Pat in east TN

    Now that is simply down right weird!

  • http://www.calmingcollars.com Deb Mendez

    Some people do make you scratch your head!

  • Lisa W

    Makes you wonder…

  • wikith

    Mmmm, delicious malpractice.

  • Arwen

    I don’t know why it’s such a problem, all s/he wants is to tell you what is wrong with the cat! I mean s/he even offered to provide a photo! It’s not like they’re asking you to just guess or anything…

  • Arwen

    Damn, my [/sarcasm] tag disappeared.

  • http://naomemandeflores.wordpress.com Camila F.

    That really happened??? That’s crazy!

  • Tonya

    While you’re at it, can you tell me why my cat suddenly stopped eating the food she’s been LOVING for the past year and now picks at every other kind I offer? ;) I will send you a picture of her and of all the food.

  • http://www.dogspelledforward.com Eric Goebelbecker

    Puts the “my dog suddenly bit my boyfriend *for no reason*, what do I do?” e-mails in perspective.

  • http://finnspawprint.blogspot.com/ Susan Montgomery

    So if I e-mail a photo of my dog’s ‘pudding poo’ can you tell me what he ate that upset his stomach?? No??

  • Sara

    Come on, Dr. V, be a good sport. All they’re asking you to do is use your crystal ball and magic wand from across the globe. What? You didn’t pick up your crystal ball and magic wand at graduation? Well, you’re screwed.
    ~Sara

    ps: They forgot to give me mine at graduation too – I’m crippled.

  • http://www.vetwisdomcafe.com Tammy

    Wow! That’s kind of amazing. Did this person really think this would work? I wonder if he called other clinics also. Hopefully, he got the same response!!

  • http://AboutVetMed.com AboutVetMed

    I’m not asking them to do anything, just make a diagnosis.

    LOL – Oh this pretty much says it all! Been there (daily). ;-)

  • Chile

    OMG! That’s insane!!

  • Dave Z.

    Okay, I can understand why you can’t do that, but look, if I send you a picture of my car you surely can tell me why I don’t get better gas mileage!!!

  • Jamie

    Um… what? Seriously? I think I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor after reading this. I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised… people will never cease to amaze me!

  • Leigh

    Ah, life at a veterinary hospital. I like the calls where we tell them we have appointments until 10 am or in the afternoon after 3, and they say, “Well, what do you do the REST of the day?” Gee, we sit around on our butts waiting for you to call… (in actuality 10-15 surgeries, drop off exams, treat hospitalized patients… yes, we are waiting for your call so it can interrupt our boredom! lol)

  • lisabella

    Wow. People are idiots.

  • Pikachu

    OMG …. some people just dont get it hahahaa, thats too funny Dr V People really are crazy .:-)

  • Diane N

    Not surprised at all! I truly believe that some brains have on-off switches and most of them are stuck in “off” mode!

  • Mary C.

    A very weird request……….

  • Spyder

    That poor cat!

  • Sedna

    At least the caller didn’t say it was to settle a bet.

  • Risa

    I like how this person doesn’t realize why you can’t do stuff like this.

  • Nicole

    Sedna, that is awful, but I laughed so, so hard. And am still laughing.

  • http://fidoandwino.com/ Shauna (Fido & Wino)

    Wow that is… impressive? interesting? annoying (why, OH! the lying!)? creative? :)

  • http://lab-mom.blogspot.com/ Elizabeth and The Lab Crew

    If I had known you can tell from a picture what a lump was I would not have taken my girl in for a biopsy today… damn why didn’t someone tell me this before I did that… maybe he thinks you have a crystal ball…

    • Lisa W

      Biopsy? We don’t need no stinkin’ biopsies!

  • Liz

    that is SO weird. No accounting for some people.

  • Lindsay

    heehee, love it!!

  • macula_densa

    Random… maybe the Bangkok vets can’t figure out what it is, so they thought they’d try you???

    I adore people that think we can make diagnoses based on pictures. That’s fantastic. Half the time I can’t even diagnose it in person and need further diagnostics.

  • http://dearprudie.wordpress.com Ashley

    I’m not going to lie, I really want to call a doctor on the other side of the country and ask the same thing. Just because I’m like that.

    If they were willing to pay a consultation fee, why can’t they actually go to a vet? It’s not like they were trying to get a freebie. *headdesk* People. So confusing.

  • Marianne

    Can’t you just get them to send you a photo like the ones that move in the Harry Potter books? Then I bet you could diagnose it. I mean they are expecting you to use magic and crystal balls and all ; )

  • Maple

    Have them send their email over, and answer it with, “My diagnosis is…See a vet in Bangkok. Have a good one!”
    Har har har!