Get Dr Pol off the air

[WhtsThFrequency]

I don't have a problem with Dr. Pol at all. In fact, I love the show. Sure, he does things differently than other vets but no two vets are the same and I have yet to meet a vet that has been in practice as long as him. His ways are a little old fashioned but they still work.

Did you read this thread at all?

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[Tortaspie]

Dr. Pol is awesome. I don't think anyone on here should say anthing unless they've seen the show. I have seen every episode since day one and he's not a bad vet like people make him seen. Yes, the way he was taught to do things is a lot different then what the new generation of vets do today, but the guy knows what he's doing.

 

[Coquette22]

but the guy knows what he's doing.

Just... no.
Exclusive report: New complaint filed against Dr. Pol
Reality TV's Dr. Pol awaits state ruling on licensing complaint
Mind Over Miller: Dr. Pol, please get up-to-date

 

[summerwind]

Dr. Pol is awesome. I don't think anyone on here should say anthing unless they've seen the show. I have seen every episode since day one and he's not a bad vet like people make him seen. Yes, the way he was taught to do things is a lot different then what the new generation of vets do today, but the guy knows what he's doing.

I've only watched a few episodes, but on one of them I watched him do a surgery and it was horrendous. He barely washed his hands, put on normal latex gloves he just pulled out of a box, no scrubs, placed his instruments that he just pulled out of a draw down on the non-sterile exam table that I didn't even see him clean prior to the surgery, absolutely NO monitoring of the animal. And then when he was done he put the animal on the floor and left the animal alone in the room, then had the owner take it home in the bed of a truck before it was even awake enough to stand. Didn't dispense any pain killers, no instructions for the owner...or even really any discussion with the owner. Also have a serious issue with allowing the owner to take the animal home in the bed of a pickup truck...especially one that could wake up on the way home. I don't care how old school the veterinarian is...NONE of that is okay or ethical in my book. This isn't like he's doing surgery with a slightly different technique than new graduates, this is ignoring the need for a sterile field and then not taking the time to recover and observe the animal at all after surgery. That is dangerous.

 

[dyachei]

Dr. Pol is awesome. I don't think anyone on here should say anthing unless they've seen the show. I have seen every episode since day one and he's not a bad vet like people make him seen. Yes, the way he was taught to do things is a lot different then what the new generation of vets do today, but the guy knows what he's doing.

This is a really bold statement for a pre vet

 

[lei325]

1. I find it frightening that there are vets out there that think Dr. Pol is anything but a stain on the profession. Old school medicine and poor patient care are two completely different animals.
2. I find it disheartening that there are pre-vets out there that think he is awesome. Please, reality TV, give them a better role model.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

Dr. Pol is awesome. I don't think anyone on here should say anthing unless they've seen the show. I have seen every episode since day one and he's not a bad vet like people make him seen. Yes, the way he was taught to do things is a lot different then what the new generation of vets do today, but the guy knows what he's doing.

Well, only if you know that "what he's doing" is unethical and unprofessional behaviour.

He is not practicing appropriate or legal medicine, and has already be found guilty and sanctioned by the legislative board for negligence and incompetence. He had his license suspended and has been fined. And now he's facing another investigation. His associates have also been sanctioned with a probation.

Say it with me: found guilty of negligence and incompetence. And you think he's awesome??

 

[DVMDream]

Dr. Pol is awesome. I don't think anyone on here should say anthing unless they've seen the show. I have seen every episode since day one and he's not a bad vet like people make him seen. Yes, the way he was taught to do things is a lot different then what the new generation of vets do today, but the guy knows what he's doing.

The people saying things have seen the show. That is why they have issues with him, otherwise they wouldn't know what was going on.

In the show, you can witness Dr. Pol never intubate an animal, leave a dog hit by a car and in shock in a cage with only a steroid injection, perform surgery on said shocky dog without any IV catheter or fluids, place the anesthetized animal directly on the cold metal surgery table with no heat support, use instruments that are on nothing more than a paper towel (meaning they aren't sterile) and while that is bad anywhere, he does this to remove an eye (which can lead to infection directly to the brain). He then places the dog back in the cold kennel without anything to help the dog maintain body heat.

My "favorite" one from more recently: Bulldog comes in with KCS (dry eye), dog had a previous prolapsed nictitans gland (cherry eye) that the other vet there removed. What is most likely causing that dog's KCS? Removal of that gland. Especially since the other eye is normal. It has been for a long time now against the standards to remove that gland and we have been informed that if we do that and our client sues, our professors will support the client.

The veterinary oath that we all take going into the professions says that we will continue to keep up with the knowledge of the profession. So Dr. Pol isn't even following some basic standard of care from back when he was in school and he is also not maintaining his promise when he took that veterinary oath to keep up with the practices of vet med.

Nobody is suggesting that he do anything expensive. What people are suggesting wouldn't cost him more than $10-20, give or take a bit, which I can be sure he can afford with how many clients the show claims he has as well as how much he is making from that show. Simply some ET tubes, oxygen, IV catheters, sterile instruments and a few blankets to keep animals off cold metal would do wonders. Heck, getting someone to monitor patients during and after surgery (like one of his current employees) would be free.

 

[rockthatscoober]

I work with an "old fashioned vet" who has been in practice over 40 years. He makes a point of familiarizing himself with new drugs and therapies and techniques regularly. He took a year long weekend class to learn ultrasound when it became available for vetmed. Of course, he has some traditional practices that are today frowned upon (eg declawing, tail docking) but even still it's hard to fault his commitment to actual care. The "old school" excuse is BS.

Oh, and he ALWAYS uses sterile instruments. Cause that's just common sense.

 

[Skimble]

I find it ironic that Dr Pol practices in Michigan, the only state that doesn't have state regulated CE credit requirements for vets.
http://www.dvm360.com/ce-requirements-state

 

[CalliopeDVM]

I find it ironic that Dr Pol practices in Michigan, the only state that doesn't have state regulated CE credit requirements for vets.
http://www.dvm360.com/ce-requirements-state

I don't believe it would make one bit of difference......Dr. Pol isn't uninformed, he's making bad (and unacceptable) decisions. Attending CE programs won't change behaviour in those who don't want to change.

 

[LullaBelle]

I don't know if this is new, but my mom was watching Dr. Pol today (even though I told her she shouldn't) and at the beginning of the episode there is a disclaimer. I didn't catch the whole thing, but it was something about the fact that TV does not show the full scope of veterinary care, and to please consult your veterinarian for medical advice. I wonder if this was what came from the past investigations? Not that it will help change the publics opinions of the standards of veterinary care though.

 

[RainN]

I don't know if this is new, but my mom was watching Dr. Pol today (even though I told her she shouldn't) and at the beginning of the episode there is a disclaimer. I didn't catch the whole thing, but it was something about the fact that TV does not show the full scope of veterinary care, and to please consult your veterinarian for medical advice. I wonder if this was what came from the past investigations? Not that it will help change the publics opinions of the standards of veterinary care though.

The disclaimer is probably so people don't see it on TV and attempt a fetotomy at home. Some people might try to copycat what he does instead of calling a vet.