Dr. Chris Bern
21 Years Experience
Cartersville, GA
Male, 49
I have been a practicing veterinarian since 1997, but have been in and around the profession since 1984. I am a general practitioner and see most pet species, from dogs and cats to parrots and snakes. In my job I do everything from routine vaccinations to complex surgeries and difficult medical cases. Becoming a vet takes hard work and dedication but can be very rewarding.
Great questions!
First on vaccines....Since I started practicing back in the late '90s the attitude around vaccines has changed quite a bit, as has the science behind them. What we use in the 2010s are not the same as what we used 20 years ago. Vaccines are safer and more effective, with longer accepted duration of immunity (for many of them). Most vets have also gone to more of an approach of looking at the lifestyle risks of pets in determining which vaccines are needed. Do we over-vaccinate? Personally I don't think so. However, we do need to be judicious as to which ones we give. One of the reasons why pets live longer, healthier lives is because of preventative vaccination. If we stop using this important health tool we'll start seeing greater epidemics of disease. Simply put, vaccines save lives. Don't believe me? Talk to my many clients who failed to get their dog vaccinated for parvo and watched them die.
Heartworm preventative is ABSOLUTELY essential! The medicines we give are not toxic to the dogs, and this is a 100% preventable disease. At my location alone we've had 10 dogs test positive in the first 7 months of this year alone. I've treated far too many dogs for heartworms over my career and there is no reason for this. Heartworms are deadly, extremely expensive to treat, and completely preventable.
I realize that it's easy to look at a healthy pet and wonder if vaccines and heartworm prevention are worth it. But spend some time around dogs who have died of preventable diseases and you'll change your mind.
Share Answer: 
"Oh, you're a vet? Well my dog......" Variations on this theme are typically what I get when people find out I'm a vet. They share an anecdote about their pet, talk about a health problem, list all of their pets, or start to ask me for my opinion or advice on an issue. When I first graduated from vet school I would proudly wear jewelry or clothing proclaiming my new profession. But it quickly got old when the cashier at the grocery store or a random person in line would try and get some free advice. Over the years I've gotten more used to it and have realized that people are just very passionate about their pets. Which is a good thing! But at the same time when I'm off work I don't want to think about it much and want to try and detach myself from my job so I can think about othe rthings. To avoid some of these situations I don't make a big deal about my job in my private life and don't ask people to refer to me as "doctor".
The second question is a really good one and I've been trying to wrack my brain thinking of some specific questions. Unfortunately, I can't! I answer the same questions and discuss the same situations multiple times every day so I've gotten used to repetition. When someone asks me a question it may be the 10,000th time I've answered it (LITERALLY!), but to them it's the first time they've asked it, so they deserve to get a good answer no matter how tired I am of it. But I really don't get too tired of it because to me client education is VERY important, and when I answer those repetitious questions I'm helping the client take better care of their pets.
It's not quite a question, but one of my biggest pet peeves is people who don't listen to their voice mail message. Sometimes I'll call a client to let them know their pet is ready to be picked up and will record a brief message with a summary of what we did. Almost every day I'll get someone call back and say "Yeah, I got a call from you guys? No, I didn't listen to the message." That gets old VERY fast, and to me it seems such a simple thing to listen to the message before you return a call.
Share Answer: 
This is always a tough situation. Veterinary clinics operate on a very small profit margin, so believe me when I say that most vets aren't wealthy and are happy to make ends meet. Because of this vets can't really afford to treat pets who come through the door with no method of payment. A vet who does this frequently will go out of business quickly (and it's happened many times). When a vet expects payment, it's simply because they have many bills to pay, not because they are "money hungry".
There are several options for clients with money difficulties. Pretty much every vet accepts credit cards, and many also accept Care Credit. Some vets may have an emergency fund filled by donations from other clients, but it's rare to have that set up. We will sometimes see if people can borrow money from friends and family. Some shelters and rescue organizations can help out in treating pets for people who are genuinely in need.
But the situation inevitably comes up that a client doesn't have money or credit, yet the pet needs treatment. Remember that the responsibility for care is on the pet owner, not the vet. The person who accepted that pet into their family is the one who is supposed to provide care for the pet, not the doctor. We as vets provide a professional service and it's only fair to pay us for the time and facilities that we have invested. In these cases we often refuse treatment. Or we may do minimal care such as placing a bandage and sending home antibiotics, even if we don't think these are sufficient. We try to help out as much as we can without putting our livelihoods in danger.
Share Answer: 
You don't have to like math, but you do have to be good at basic algebra. Personally, I don't like the subject. But I have to calculate drug dosages, fluid rates, and similar things multiple times every day. If I get them wrong I could severely under- or overdose a patient.
Share Answer: 
Meter Maid
What's the meanest thing anyone's ever said to you?
Casting Director
What do you look for when auditioning candidates for reality TV?
Certified Nurse Aide
What's it like going into a room in the morning to find someone dead?
It is possible to sedate a dog for a nail trim, and I've done this many times. However, the cost can vary a bit in different areas of the country and depending on what medications are used. Ask your local vet about this.
Share Answer: 
In order to maintain our license, we are required to take a certain amount of continuing education every year, with the number of hours varying between states. We mostly get this through attending one of many professional conferences around the country (and even the world!). In these conferences we attend lectures that both refresh our memories and inform us of new developments. Additionally, there are many journals to which we can subscribe, each of them focused in different areas and giving us the ability to read and learn about current trends and treatments. Medicine changes quickly and new drugs are released each year, so it can take a lot of effort to stay current!
Share Answer: 
You should go and look at a similar response I made to another case comment a few months ago. This kind of question should NOT be asked on the internet. There is no way that I or any other doctor can tell what is going on with your pet. Any ideas? Yes, quite a few. In fact, I can think of several dozen conditions that could cause a symptom like this, none of which I could conclusively diagnose without an exam and likely some blood tests. The bottom line is that you need to contact your vet and take your dog in for a full exam. It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis on the internet, especially with limited information.
Share Answer: 
-OR-
Login with Facebook (max 20 characters - letters, numbers, and underscores only. Note that your username is private, and you have the option to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
(A valid e-mail address is required. Your e-mail will not be shared with anyone.)
(min 5 characters)
By checking this box, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to Jobstr.com’s Terms and Privacy Policy.
-OR-
Register with Facebook(Don't worry: you'll be able to choose an alias when asking questions or hosting a Q&A.)
Browse Jobs
Host a Q&A
Search
Submit Your Question
Host a Q&A
Last 7
