Who's feeling the bad economy?

[bmichs75DVM]

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Ok, so I called the vet clinic I work and shadow at today after my classes ended to see about working there again this summer. The “in clinic” owner told me that with the bad economy they didn’t think they would have an opening this summer for extra help. THIS SUCKS! Especially since I am going to vet school this fall. It is a mixed animal clinic with 8 vets, most of which focus primarily on large animal, which I am interested in.
So now I don’t have a summer job at that vet clinic and everyday I hear more about places laying people off from work. Now, I have to try and find another job somewhere, which probably will not be at a vet clinic due to the lack thereof around where I live.
So, I was just curious to see if any of you have been hit by this bad economy in any way.

 

[Skillet9886]

Yep!

The clinic I've worked for for a few years got bought out by VCA just before I went back home last summer. They weren't hiring seasonal employees, so basically kicked me to the curb. I was VERY lucky to find a clinic that needed immediate help and was willing to hire me. I was also lucky that that clinic was awesome and I loved working there so much more than the first place.

Long story short, I went home for winter break, after having been told in August that they would definitely find some work for me, even if it was just part time, and was shafted. A lot of the other employees were really pissed about it, too, because they were looking forward to me coming back (literally had written the day on the office calendar). But there was nothing anyone could do about it; they just couldn't afford to hire me.

I asked in January what the prognosis was for this summer, and my boss told me to call in April and find out. I'm really hoping there will be an opening, but there's obviously no guarantee. If I can't work there, I may have to stay in Gainesville for the summer, since a job in a college town will hopefully be easier to get for the summer after the mass exodus. Who knows...

 

[david594]

I actually work at a clinic pretty unaffected by the current economy. We haven't lost anyone and we are adding an additional full time tech position.

I just heard today through the grape vine that VCA is currently under a company wide hiring freeze.

The one thing that makes finding summer work as a tech really hard is that veterinary medicine isn't exactly a seasonal business. Business doesn't really pick up significantly during the summer making an additional tech necessary(at least in a small animal practice).

 

[Optimistic 13]

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[tpad40]

The one thing that makes finding summer work as a tech really hard is that veterinary medicine isn't exactly a seasonal business. Business doesn't really pick up significantly during the summer making an additional tech necessary(at least in a small animal practice).

Not so!!!!!!! Veterinary medicine can be VERY seasonal! I worked for an equine ambulatory vet and we def had increased caseloads in late spring and summer. People are actively competing their horses and therefore actively breaking their horses. Also, we had a lot of repro work spring through early summer. Plus, you have spring shots and coggins which is a huge amount of work. I could go on!

Also in the small animal clinic where I work, we are SO much busier in the summer. It is an emergency clinic, so in summer we got a lot (and I mean a LOT) or snake bites, heat-related emergencies, maggots, etc.

Re: economy, definitely feeling it where I am. One of my jobs has been cutting back and cutting back and eliminated 75% of assistant shifts 🙁

 

[mistifical]

In October I called the clinic I worked at for 5 years, asking if I would have a job for the 4 weeks I was home during winter break. Met with my boss at Thanksgiving, left it that I would call him when I got into town. I called the day before, he didn't return my call. Eventually I reached him when he was actually at his desk and didn't have the option to return my call... "We love you, and I'd take you back, but we don't need you."

K. You could have told me this MIGHT happen in November. You could have called during those 3 weeks I was back at school. I didn't have the option to even make an attempt to find another job, and my parents had to help me out with my expenses...

I have a part-time job here in Blacksburg. When I was hired I was told I'd have a position for the summer. Now it's not in the budget. I'm feeling desperate. I'd really like to stay in the area over the summer and not trek my stuff and pets back up to Baltimore (3 dogs and 3 cats in my parents house over winter break... not fun)... I'm skeptical about being able to get a job in the area though.

 

[mistifical]

I'm going to have to disagree with you there.. The clinic where I worked in college got significantly busier during the spring and summer months (maybe it depends on the location). Think about puppy and kitten season, lots of people bringing in their new pets, an increase in ear infections (from swimming dogs), seasonal allergies, increase in fleas and ticks and thus a need for flea prevention and treatments for tapeworm and tick borne diseases, more pets boarding with people going on vacation, just to name a few..

Its warm out... people want to go to the dog park... let their dogs off the leash to get in fights with other dogs... fight wound laceration repairs...

And maggots? Yum.

 

[twelvetigers]

We definitely get much busier in the summer months.

Mmm, maggots!

I guess those of you in vet school already could work at Taco Bueno and save the shifts available for the prevetters that need their experience hours! 😀

 

[Optimistic 13]

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[eventualeventer]

Twelvetigers: That's right! If anyone wants to work at Chipotle, I'll come visit you every day. Mmmmm.

Even last spring, the economy was slumping enough that there was a noticeable decrease in people breeding horses. I doubt we'll have much of a foal season this year in MD. 🙁

 

[CatVet2Be]

The one thing that makes finding summer work as a tech really hard is that veterinary medicine isn't exactly a seasonal business. Business doesn't really pick up significantly during the summer making an additional tech necessary(at least in a small animal practice).

Another dissenter here. We definitely have a busy season and the slow season. Once summer hits we're usually booked solid. People travel more which means health certificates, up to date vax for boarding, and around the 4th of July we have a huge increase in requests for Acepromazine or other sedatives. Animals are also outside more often which leads to an increase in coyote attacks, other animal attacks, and don't even get me started on foxtail season! At the peak of it we see at least 5-6 animals a day with a foxtail embedded in their ear, eye or between their toes! Also since kids are out for the summer it's the perfect time for families to add a new member to the household so we also see a lot of puppies and kittens which then come in to be fixed a few months later. It's fun because we're constantly busy but it can get pretty exhausting. Especially during heat waves, a couple of years back we saw 1-2 cases per day of severe heat stroke in a one week period due to a particularly bad heat wave.

 

[CatVet2Be]

I realized I got completely off topic...er the economy...yes, we've definitely seen its effects. A lot of our clients have been laid off and many of them are losing their homes and have to find new homes for their pets. We've seen a decrease in the number of appointments and an increase in the severity of illnesses because people are waiting longer before bringing their pets in. Instead of bringing their vomiting dog/cat when it first starts, they wait to see if it will pass and by the time the animal comes in it's dehydrated and needs a lot more care than it would have if it had come in early.

The specialty clinics in the area have taken a huge hit as well. I know of a couple that had to close some of their locations and laid off a few of the specialists. Friends who work in the humane society and shelters have told me that for the first time in years they've seen the number of relinquished pets rise (the numbers had been steadily decreasing for a while). The non-profits that provide low cost services can't keep up with the amount of people that need them and animals are being found abandoned in some of the foreclosed homes. Unfortunately by the time they're found they've already consumed the supply of food and water their owners left behind. 🙁
In case anyone s wondering this is in the San Diego area. California has a higher unemployment rate than the country's average and San Diego is a very tourist driven city so this could be why things may be more exaggerated here than in other parts of the country.

 

[redsteven]

Ok, so I called the vet clinic I work and shadow at today after my classes ended to see about working there again this summer. The "in clinic" owner told me that with the bad economy they didn't think they would have an opening this summer for extra help. THIS SUCKS! Especially since I am going to vet school this fall. It is a mixed animal clinic with 8 vets, most of which focus primarily on large animal, which I am interested in.
So now I don't have a summer job at that vet clinic and everyday I hear more about places laying people off from work. Now, I have to try and find another job somewhere, which probably will not be at a vet clinic due to the lack thereof around where I live.
So, I was just curious to see if any of you have been hit by this bad economy in any way.

I could definitely be wrong here but I always assumed that "shadowing" meant you're primarily observing, meaning you're probably not getting paid anything...

Apparently you were getting paid though... if you can do without the cash, you might wanna consider shadowing for free.

If you've already been accepted somewehre though then you're probably not as desperate though.


EDIT:: Oh, I just saw the "OSU CVM c/o 2013" under your name

 

[david594]

I could definitely be wrong here but I always assumed that "shadowing" meant you're primarily observing, meaning you're probably not getting paid anything...

I think he means he would spend time there both working as an employee and shadowing(for his own benefit).

I did this a fair amount at my own job. I'd walk into surgery and my boss would ask "you on your own time?", I would say yes, and then he would tell me to scrub in if it was a procedure I could be helpful on.

If I was actually working though, then I actually had to do more productive things.

 

[sumstorm]

We are being hit hard...then again, Charlotte is a banking city...and banking is in crisis. So, 4 weeks ago my boss said 'your hours are going to be cut a little.' Now, I hired on for 30 hours a week and have been working 50, so I thought I would be down to 30...maybe even a little less, which I was ok with. Nope, I am down to 8 hours a week. When I talked to her about it, she said it is because I will be going to vet school and the others need the work more. I started out shadowing there, so she assumes that it doesn't matter if I work, I guess. Of course, in this economy, my wonderful husband isn't getting bonuses, so the extra money was helpful.

There are a lot of other current tensions at the clinic, so I have heard that I am fortunate to be there so little. If it wasn't for the pretty cheap vet care, I would just move on (the vet is actually pretty amazing, just terrible as a manager...plus she has 2 techs in that are literally her drinking buddies, so just makes things a bit weird....your either part of the in crowd or the out crowd.)

I am not angry about it, as much as frustrated with the way she told me (she posted a schedule, for the first time ever, with me only coming in 1 day a week) and that she assumed I would be 'on call' without ever discussing it with me (a week into the new schedule she had the head tech call me when it snowed to ask me to come in because two other techs didn't think they could make it through the snow...we don't get snow here very often, but I grew up driving in it.) She was upset when I said 'no, I actually have other things scheduled today.' I didn't, but I don't feel like you can cut hours from 50 to 8 then expect favors like that.

I understand the money aspect of it...I think they might lose thier vet associate. I just wish it could have been handled more professionally.

If you need just summer work, EcoJobs lists a lot of camps and such that pay reasonably on top of providing food and housing. It is a good way to make money in the summer.

 

[NittanyKitty]

My immediate area back at home is a little weird. There's no real "industry" there. It's this pocket of homes and businesses but nothing really driving growth and development. Drive out a little ways and you hit "pharmaceutical alley", and they're really feeling it, but I think we're doing okay right now. I mean, profits certainly aren't going UP in the hospital, but it's stable. The kennel is what's really suffering; we were only about half full over New Year's, which was the first time in ages we weren't packed to the gills.

I'm taking next year off, and I'm worried about finding a job. I'd LOVE to find something (anything!) in the field - vet clinic, lab animal at the pharm. companies, even a pet store - but I'll be taking whatever I can get. Waitressing and McDonald's will still help me save money, even if it doesn't count for experience. I can volunteer with my extra time at animal/vet places...it's just not quite how I envisioned spending the year.

 

[KKibo]

The clinic I work at freaking -booms- in the summer. There is never time to scratch your head and the kennel is always full....in the winter its pretty much the opposite.

However, even with the bad economy, this past december and january are the best the clinic has ever had.

Really just depends on the area, especially if that area is only know for one type of business (IE a banking town, or a car manufacturing town, or a steel mill town, etc...)

 

[sumstorm]

We don't have a boarding kennel at our clinic, but the one we refer to is apparently doing BETTER...mostly because people who previously didn't travel for work are now doing a lot of traveling with mergers and such.

 

[bmichs75DVM]

I think he means he would spend time there both working as an employee and shadowing(for his own benefit).

I did this a fair amount at my own job. I'd walk into surgery and my boss would ask "you on your own time?", I would say yes, and then he would tell me to scrub in if it was a procedure I could be helpful on.

If I was actually working though, then I actually had to do more productive things.

Yep, David is right. I worked in the small animal clinic and was paid for doing so. I would watch every surgery and scrub in if I could. Even simple spays and neuters, I watched everyone. Our surgeries were in the morning and not too much going on so I could do that. The afternoons got busy and I ran tests and saw appointments and other things. I also shadow with the large animal guys there (volunteer) and have about 700hrs doing so. I go with them as much as I can cause that’s the area of vet med I am focusing on. I can shadow there all I want, but it’s nice to work there as well and get paid for it. I don't know if I can go al summer without a job. That wouldn't be good for the wallet.

 

[Pandacinny]

Oh yes! My department has been massively cut and I'm worried it'll be eliminated altogether. Our problem is that NIH funding is down, so less research is being done meaning they need fewer assistants/techs/etc.

 

[sumstorm]

Pandacinny, I lost my job with NOAA a few years back due to very similar cut backs in funding.

 

[AgtOrange]

My clinic is being hit very, very hard. The owner is taking drastic measures - letting the associate go and not replacing our only full-time receptionist after she left last month, not giving raises, and cutting vacation hours in half. Part of the problem is that we are the most expensive SA practice in the area, so we're seeing a major decrease in our average transaction numbers. I have a dilemma because I don't want to work in the practice without the associate (I've been there for 7 years), but the only place hiring right now is the gigantic ER/specialty hospital, and I don't know if I want to leave GP entirely. Also, I'm not sure if they would allow me to work 10hrs/week come fall when I start vet school, which my boss has already agreed to do. But, if I stay at my current clinic, I won't get anywhere close to 40hrs/wk this summer, even if it picks up (we are always busier in the summer). 😕

 

[Pandacinny]

Pandacinny, I lost my job with NOAA a few years back due to very similar cut backs in funding.

Yeah, I guess that's one of the unfortunate things about research - it's pretty cyclical and the down times can be rough for everyone. Still, there's some NIH funding in the stimulus package, so maybe that'll help a little.

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

That reminds me, I almost dropped dead on the floor when I saw our animal hospital was offering 10% off of dentals...they have NEVER had any sort of deals because they are probably the cheapest in the state...very reasonable prices

 

[twelvetigers]

Well, February *is* National Pet Dental Health Month, after all... we're doing 20% off dentals. There isn't much interest, though. In fact, spay day isn't even booking up! Maybe the economy is to blame... but not for the discount on dentals (in our case).